Break In My Heart

19. Zombies of Loved Ones

"...and that is why High School Musical Two is the best out of all of them. I mean, it had the right amount of drama, moral lessons, and songs, and they snuck Miley Cyrus in at the end. It's obviously the superior movie," Tyler concluded, causing me to laugh as I sat next to him on the floor of Studio A. It'd been nearly a week since everything had happened and I was slowly allowing myself to feel okay again. Sure, I'd still have those moments where it felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest and I'd fall into an insurgent fit of hysteric tears and screams, but those moments and thoughts no longer ruled my day. I'd given Kyra her space and made no attempts to contact or talk to her. The ball was in her court and I would wait as long as necessary until she was ready to put it back into play. But I still got a pang in my chest every time we'd lock eyes in the hallway or when I was reminded of the countless adorable things she used to do.

I'd allowed myself to fall back into Tyler, enjoying his kisses and touches and random tangents about whatever was on his mind. Practice had ended a while ago and, after almost being caught by coach in the locker room a few days prior, we'd decided to spend our time together in the studio where it was secluded and quiet so all I had to worry about was focusing on the boy that made my insides tingle.

"What about the first movie? Now that was a cinematic masterpiece," I countered as I played with his fingers, his whole right arm slung over my shoulders as he held me in a side hug.

"Masterpiece it is, the best in the series, it is not."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, but you can't say that 'Bop to the Top' wasn't iconic and a literal cultural reset." My inner Addison nearly cringed at how textbook gay that sounded. All I needed to do was have a limp wrist and I'd be the living embodiment of the stereotypical gay in every movie and TV show ever.

Tyler chuckled. "You're right again. 'Bop to the Top' walked so that every other Disney original song could run. Same thing for the whole Cheetah Girls discography, but you're not ready for that conversation yet."

I couldn't help the next bout of laughter that was pulled from my lips as I leaned closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder. "You're such a loser, Ty."

"Yeah, but I'm your loser."

A grin tugged at the corners of my lips at the fact he'd called himself mine. Even though we still didn't have an official title, I knew that I was helplessly wrapped around his finger and was completely and utterly whipped for him, no doubt about it. But hearing him say those five simple words made me melt impossibly more.

He must've known the effect he was having on me, because his beautiful smile took refuge on his face, the smile that I fell for over and over again no matter how many times I'd seen it. Every day I was with the boy whose arms I was in, I found something else to fall for about him that made me go head over heels. I could only hope he felt the same about me.

I smiled up at him, our noses gently brushing. "Yeah, you are."

Our lips gently met one another's. It didn't take long before we ended up in the position we always did: me straddling his lap so I was slightly taller than him and his hands securely on my lower back. In this position we both held an equal amount of power where I could maintain control or, with one swift motion, he could steal it from me and I'd follow his lead without resistance or hesitation. Luckily, however, neither one of us tried to take over or deepen the kiss to make it anything more than just that–a kiss, one of the purest forms of communication.

My phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket. Learning from my last mistake of not paying attention to my messages, I pulled away, but Tyler's lips chased mine and within a second our lips were connected once more. A whisper of a laugh escaped my lips and pressed against his. "Babe, stop, this could be important."