"Yeah, I saw sparks. Yeah, I saw sparks."
....

“I would cry but that's not very Sam-like.”

I look over at him and I can see he's really fighting the tears with the way he blinks so rapidly.

“It's okay to cry Sam,” Emily assures him as their hands swing back and forth in front of me.

“We're in the fucking park Emils,” he replies and I chuckle.

A day ago, Sam got the message that since he doesn't want to put in more effort into the school's basketball, team he's gotten kicked out.

As expected, he doesn't take this news really well. I really feel bad for him because Sam loves sports. And he loves basketball the way I love music and dancing. And I just couldn't imagine how I'd feel if they were taken away from me.

“I just really don't get it,” he continues in a strangled voice. “I did work harder. My grades went from C's to B's. I come to practice before everyone and leave after they're all gone. I practice everyday at home after school…what else do they want from me?”

I shake my head, feeling indignant for him as we walk under some trees, the leaves casting their shadows on the grasses carelessly. A light wind blows and we stop under the shade of the tree, shielding ourselves from the harsh afternoon sun.

“I don't really know Sam. And I'm really sorry,” Emily says.

“It's not your fault,” he answers with a sigh.

An idea that could cheer him up pops into my head and my eyes light up as I look at him. “Wanna go over to the lake and–”

A sound blares from his phone. He digs his hand into his pockets with an annoyed look on his face.

“Shit,” he curses and stuffs it back into his shorts. “I forgot I had an appointment today.”

One thing I always have to remind myself all the time is that Sam has asthma. And his is more serious than normal cases. The fact that he’s an avid participant in exercise and sports related activities made it even worse. But he had his ways of controlling and managing it. He had to see his doctor three times each week though. I always hope that it never turns into something serious. I couldn't lose Sam.

“I’ll follow you,” Emily says and they start walking. I tag along slowly behind.

“You don't have to come with us Star,” Sam tells me suddenly. I smile gratefully. They know I hate the smell of hospitals so much.

“Yeah, thanks. I'll wait for you guys here. Won't take long right?”

“Yeah, we'll be back soon. Sorry,” he adds.

“It's fine.”

“See ya!” Emily chirps.

They walk off and I'm standing under the tree alone with my hands in my pockets for a while, staring off into space. The park is scarce and I'm grateful. Although it's unusual on a Saturday afternoon.

I see two people standing under the shade of another tree, chatting and laughing. My eyes scan the entire park and it only sees grass for a while until it lands on a bench facing my direction.

I squint as my eyes focus on the bench. I notice someone is sitting on it and they're writing in a notebook. Their head bops to the beat of the music coming from their headphones. I only have to look a little more closely for me to realise it's Kyle.

There's a familiar feeling in my chest. I don't know what it is though. But I know I only have it whenever I see or think about this boy.

As if he can sense me staring at him, he lifts his head up and looks straight at me. Once our eyes lock and he recognises me, his eyes light up and he gives a small smile. Mostly to himself, I think.

He wastes no time in getting up and walking over to me. His confidence is kinda admirable. He couldn't even hesitate for a little bit?

After a few short strides, he decides to jog over to me. My eyes sweep over him in a second before I look away, like I don't really want him to come over.

His outfit is pretty casual. Shorts and a tank top that shows off his lean arm muscles. I notice a thin, silver necklace on his neck that I find pretty cool. But more importantly, his curls are back. I smile to myself.

He's in front of me soon so I get out of my reverie.

“Hey, didn't expect to find you here,” he says, his dazzling smile still on his face. I wonder if he really smiles like this all the time.

“Yeah, didn't expect to find you here too,” I reply and flick my hair away from my face.

He gives me a once over and I become a bit uncomfortable under his intense stare. I suddenly become so self aware. I have blue sweats on and a white crop top which shows a lot of skin cause it's really high. My hair is down as usual but the weather is so hot I want to take it up into a bun. Why do I care so much about my appearance? More importantly why is he looking at me like I'm a snack?

Omg star, he likes you!

I shake my head and gesture to the book in his hands.

“What’re you…working on the song?”

“Hmm?” he says and blinks twice. “Oh, the song…yeah, I'm finished with it. I just…have a problem with a line or two.”

“What's the problem?” I ask, folding my arms.

“It doesn't sound right…and it doesn't really capture the feeling how I'd want it to,” he explains.

He walks off, as if going back to the bench. I follow behind, interested in the song now.

“Can I see it?”

“Sure.” He slows down so I can catch up and opens up the book to the page afterwards. My eyes go over the lines. I really like the lyrics but I wish I'd hear it actually being sung.

“These two?” I ask, pointing to the lines that have asterisks beside them.

“Yeah…” he says as we walk on.

“Hmm…” I ponder on it for a while. “How about…replacing this line…just this word broken, with melted?”

He looks at me. “That does make it sound better but why though?”

“I don't know,” I say with a chuckle. “I think cause, when something breaks…it can be fixed most times. I mean, at least it's possible. But when it melts away, you can't get it back. At least as it was before. So broken would be…temporary. While melting would be…gone forever.” Then I  pause. “It's actually not that deep, I just thought of that right now.”

He laughs and shakes his head.

“Are you going to go with it?” I ask hopefully.

“Yeah, of course.” I smile. “I mean, it's our song now isn't it?”

My heart leaps at his question. Our song. Woah.

“Yeah, I forgot.”

When we stop suddenly, I look straight ahead for the first time in a while and realise that we're in front of a house. A really nice house.

“Where…” I turn around, look towards the left and right. “Are we?”

“At my house,” he says simply. My eyes widen.

What the fuck am I doing at his house?

“Right,” I say. I can't believe he lured me here with music. That sneaky thing. “Well it was nice talking to you. Good luck with the song!”

I want to speed off but before I can move he grabs my wrist.

“Star. I'm not kidnapping you.”

I look down at his hand on my wrist and look back up at him. “It sure doesn't look that way.”

He sighs and lets go. “I just want to talk.”

“Uh we can talk. We're even talking right now. I'm talking. Why at your house?”

He runs his hands through his hair as if he knows it'll get me to look at him and listen.

“I want to show you something.”
I raise a brow at him.

“Please. Once I show you, you can leave.”

I look left and right. If I go back to the park, I don't really have anything to do as Sam and Emily are at the hospital and would be for at least an hour.

“Ugh, fine,” I say and gesture for him to lead the way.

He smiles and walks into the house.
“If you're scared of seeing my parents or something, don't be. My mom's out and Henry is probably not coming home today.” He says the last part with a hint of disdain. I decide not to prod.

I walk in and my eyebrows shoot upwards. The house is really gorgeous but I make sure not to look too impressed. I turn around to see him staring at me with a smirk.

“What?”

“Nothing. Come on.”

I follow him cautiously to one of the white plush couches and stand in front of one as he takes a seat.

He's already sitting down and is gesturing for me to sit by him. I hesitate and then he rolls his eyes.

“You can sit at the edge of the chair.”

I take a seat cautiously. I imagine what Emily and Sam would think if they knew where I was at the moment. Sitting on a couch in Kyle's living room. Heck, what would past Star think?

“You wanna play?”

I look down at the game controller in his outstretched hand and back up at him.

“Is this what you wanted to show me?”

“Uh no but…come on!”

I really want to run out the door but I sigh and take the controller from his hand.

“I don't even know how to play.”

“Don't worry, it's easy. I’ll teach you.”

I nod my head and mess around with the buttons and levers as he sets up the game.

***

“Fuck! Why are you so fast?!” I scream as I throw the controller across the couch. He dives to catch before it falls off.

“Jesus Star!” he cries as he looks up at me from the floor. “You have anger issues.”

“Like I didn't know that,” I say as I rub my eyes. I've been staring at the large TV screen for a long time that looking elsewhere makes me dizzy. It's not worth it anyway because I lost every single game we played.

Every time he wins and gloats about it I feel that clenching feeling around my heart again. And I noticed it has gotten stronger. I won't like to admit it but anytime I'm around him, I always feel everything stronger. It sounds crazy, even to me, but I think Kyle is making me more of a human being.

He laughs and drops the controllers back on the console.

“You’re really entertaining when you're angry.” I roll my eyes at him.

Then surprisingly he comes over to sit next to me.

“Are you always angry?”

“What's that supposed to mean?” I say without looking at him. He's so damn close our legs are touching. And I'm at the edge of the couch so I can't shift away.

“Are you always like this? Pissed? Frustrated?”

“Uh no? I just...I don't know…” I don't know why I tell him but I do. “I used to be worse before though.”

“How?”

“I used to fight a lot when I was a kid.”

My breath hitches in my throat when I feel his hands pulling back my hair from my face. I'm frozen.

“Is that how you got this scar?” he whispers and I shudder slightly.

I move my face away so he lets go of my hair.

“Yeah. But it was worth it because the kid was sent to the hospital.”

“Jesus,” he says with a chuckle. “And what did you do to him?”

“I stabbed him with a pen.”

“Where…?”

“His stomach.”

Silence. Then Kyle shifts away from me and I can't help but laugh. I turn to look at him.

“What? I'm not like that anymore. It's just,” I touch the small scar below my cheek. “Being human sucks.”

“That's not true,” he says and is shifting back to my side soon. I also wouldn't admit it but I was a little bummed when he shifted away.

“Why do you think so?”

“For one, music.” He gives me a knowing smile.

I smile back. I think I don't hate Kyle anymore. In fact, I think I want him to be my friend.

"Yeah you're right. I couldn't imagine my life I didn't have Conan Gray's music in it. Like what would I be doing?"

He laughs at me with a raised brow.
"You like Conan Gray?"

"No. I love him. He's... he's just so...Conan," I reply with a sigh.

He purses his lips and nods.

I tilt my head as I stare at him. "Yeah."

He nods again and zones out, deep in thought.

♬♬♬
Sparks - Coldplay