with you l eddy chen

Chapter 6b - Entangled

prompt: maybe y/n would be back when eddy and brett met and y/n would be there or something? idk I have stupid ideas ;-; (a/n: don't worry it's not stupid as long as i can think of something:') (dedicated as pinned) (cont.)

tw // angst

this chapter is in brett yang pov

entangle.

(v) /ɪnˈtaŋɡ(ə)l,ɛnˈtaŋɡ(ə)l/ · en·​'tan·​gle

to involve (someone) in difficulties or complicated circumstances from which it is difficult to escape

It was a Friday afternoon. I went on with my usual schedule of maths tutoring with a heavy heart, my eyes dry from crying and my throat stinging like ginger. As I enter the centre, the coolness of the air-conditioners pierced into my face, like small knives spiking on my bare skin. It hurts when you're mentally broken; it hurts when you're physically unwell.

It hurts. It really hurts.

I took the leftmost seat in the second row next to some stacked chairs and stared at the blackboard. Some students were messing around, playing with the chalk and dropping the eraser, allowing dust to float in the air. So naive. So stupid. Making a mess in the classroom. Running along with friends. Tagging with friends. Chatting with friends. I scoffed and I rubbed my hands together.

Friends...a relationship I would never see myself with. When one is used to being alone, that is the most tragic story, because you don't need companionship. All you have is yourself. I'm alone.

The dust on the blackboard was really everywhere that I started to cough. As if it wasn't exacerbating the condition of my throat, I choked and waved them away. As I turned my head away from the board, I saw him.

I may not know what love is, but I know what smiling means. When I haven't smiled in months, seeing him the first time puts a smile to my face. For once, the children's chattering faded out, and it was as if the space only had the two of us. Me. You. You came in with a white jumper, with the large, red letters, it etched with "musician". My eyes fluttered and I observed your features. Brown ruffly mushroom haircut. Small hazel eyes. Defined jawline. Gentle gaze. The chalk dust prevails in the air, you push them away slightly and yet, the whole scenery was so romantic. It gave you the colour. You shifted in the seats, saying "excuse me" along the way. Then, you sat next to me.

Without a word, you took your sheets out and started working on your quadratic formula homework. It must be a special motivation upon seeing your shirt, or else I wouldn't have the willpower, but I opened up first, asking if you played the violin. With every question, you look more excited, your eyes meeting with the shape of a smile, curling upwards with joy. It had been a few minutes, but it's as if we've known each other forever. Later, another girl joined us, extending her hand and introducing herself. It was at that moment that I realised we haven't exchanged names so I also tried to acknowledge her greeting, until the boy did first, saying "We're Brett and Eddy."

I blinked as I'm surprised how he figured that out. We hadn't conversed long, yet he knows my name beforehand? How is this the case? I asked him, to which he pointed to my worksheets calmly, "You're Brett, aren't you?" He was more observant than I thought as he traced his fingertips to the space where I wrote my name.

The class went on, I didn't remember what else we talked about. I just remembered Eddy calling my name with his. Brett and Eddy, like best buddies. I tried enunciating his name. Eddy. Eddy Chen. I later found out that his actual name is Edward, but I like calling Eddy. Eddy Chen.