Silently Falling: Chapter Fifteen

Thursday

When West and I made our deal, I surprised myself. My music has always been an escape. My safe haven. My songs are a way for me to express all of my frustrations. All of my feelings. The song I played for West...I haven't played that for anyone, and I certainly have never had anyone sing it. Hearing West sing it, however, nearly brought me to tears. I used to play that song over and over on my piano when I first wrote it, but I could only imagine how it would sound for someone to sing.

He sang it beautifully enough to convince me to say yes in getting his help for my Chorus songs, and I have a strange feeling that it won't just be my school song book he and I play through. After he had me so easily playing a song that close to my heart.

Now I'm walking out of class with Alyse. I filled her in on everything before class started, leaving out no details because she practically interrogated every moment out of me.

"I cannot believe he got you to play a song from your personal song book," she exclaims, "you wouldn't show me for the longest time. And I've never even sung them."

I shrug as we stop by my locker, "I can't explain it. I was nervous, of course."

"And the fact that he's going to help you with your songs for Mr. C, too? If I didn't ship you two before, this would be the major starting point."

My eyes roll on their own accord, "What's the big deal, anyways?"

"What's the big deal?" She repeats as though I'm insane. "The big deal, Raine, is that I know how important your music is to you and you're now sharing that with bad boy West Love."

I don't respond to her, choosing to busy my hands by swapping textbooks.

"Okay, anyways I've got to go see Mr. Patterson before lunch. See you in a bit," she says before walking away.

I balance the books on my arm and shut my locker, and that's when everything falls out of my arms from complete surprise. West is standing there, his arms crossed and a lazy smirk planted to his features. I try to calm my breathing and place my hand over my rapidly beating heart.

"You scared me."

When West sees my books sprawled out on the floor, his smirk disappears and he bends down to help me pick them up. Students shuffle to their classes around us, and one doesn't move out of the way for me and West on the floor and steps on my hand, causing me to hiss out of pain and cradle it to my chest. He just stepped on my pinky, and though it hurt like hell, it will be fine in a few minutes.

However, as soon as West watches me flinch and clutch my hand, he shoots up and grabs the guy by his backpack so he can't walk away. He pulls him back by the strap at the top, causing the kid's arms to swing forward as he gets yanked backwards and lands against the lockers.

"W-what did I do?" He asks, gulping when he notices it was West who stopped him.

West narrows his eyes and nods down to me still kneeling on the ground, cradling my poor hand to my body. I stare sheepishly at the trembling underclassman, quickly stacking my books on top of one another and standing up.

"I'm sorry!" He blurts out, "I didn't even realize I stepped on her hand, I thought it was a pencil or something!"

I balance my books on one arm and tap West's arm frantically as he stares down the poor kid. He moves his eyes to me and I shake my head with wide eyes, trying to get across that it's okay, he didn't mean it.

West jaw clicks and he lets the kid go, turning his back to him to fully face me while saying, "Watch where you're walking next time."

I scowl at West when the kid scrambles away and into the sea of students and set my books on the top of the lockers so I can sign to West.

"What was that all about?"

West shrugs without a care in the world, "He stepped on your hand and was about to walk away without even apologizing."

"So? My finger is fine, see?" I sign, pointing my pinkie in the air and flexing it to show him that it is, in fact, perfectly okay.

West eyes my hand and then suddenly reaches out to gently grab it, causing me to jump. I blink at how gentle his grip is. He inspects my pinkie with narrowed eyes and then finally lets it go to drop back down by my side.

"He could have damaged your ability to sign," he grumbles, crossing his arms as he leans against the wall of lockers.

"Lucky for us, he didn't."

I grab my books from the top of the locker and start walking towards the cafeteria with West on my side.

"Sorry, I just wanted to help," West mumbles. "Why are you bringing your books to lunch, anyways?"

I adjust said books so I can respond, but nearly drop them again.

"Here," West says, taking them from me so I can free my hands.

"Thank you. Tyler needs help with history, lunch is the only time I can help him."

He squints at my hands. "Only time you can...?"

I sign it again, this time a lot slower. It's a good thing I'm a patient person, or else teaching West sign language would have taken a turn for the worst.

When he comprehends his lips form into an 'oh.' "You must be some sort of saint, helping all us lost fools out." He comments, causing me to chuckle.

"So you label yourself as a lost fool?" I sign, smirking up at him as we enter the lunchroom.

"I didn't say that."

"Oh, but you did."

He rolls his eyes, but I don't miss his smile.

"You believe what you want, Sunshine." He says.

"I will, Loverboy." I sign, nudging him slightly.

He stops walking and blinks down at me.

"Loverboy?" He echoes.

A blush fills my cheeks. It sounded a lot better in my head.

"Any chance we can forget I said that?" I sign sheepishly, praying he can keep up and comprehend what I'm saying.

West smirks, "Sorry, Sunshine. I can't agree to what I can't understand."

"Yet you understood Loverboy." I deadpan.

West starts laughing. It starts out as a small chuckle, and then it forms into a full blown shaking of the shoulders laugh, and slowly I start to laugh along with him. I glance up at him to see his dark brown eyes now light with his amusement, his teeth on full display.

My eyes flit around the cafeteria and I see almost everyone staring at us weirdly. I guess this is a sight to see; the mute and the delinquent laughing together.

"Leave the nicknames to me, Sunshine." West says, his laughter dying down.

I bite my lip in embarrassment and we continue walking to our table. As we reach the others, I smile and wave at everyone and take my normal spot in between my brother and Tyler. When my eyes land on Tyler, however, I do a double take.

He's glaring at West?

When he feels my eyes on him his glare lifts and he smiles down at me.

"Hey Raine," he says, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

West stops behind us and sets my books down in front of me, causing Toby to lean over so that he can set them down. West sends me a smirk as he walks around the table and takes his own seat.

"What was so funny that you had the whole cafe's eyes on you?" Gray asks, munching on his chips.

I shake my head, stopping myself from dropping my head on top of my books from embarrassment.

"Raine said something funny, that's all." He says, smirking at me.

My blush comes back and I hide my face in my hands.

"Which was?" Tyler asks.

I peek at West through my fingers and catch his eye. I plead with him through our gaze for him to keep his trap shut and not say anything. I don't feel like having Alyse tease me for the rest of my life.

"It's a secret," he says, sending me a wink.

Did I just swoon?

I remove my hands from around my face and give him a discreet smile. He returns it and I look away, biting my lip to hide my smile that wants to be seen.

"Well, you know what's not a secret?" Alyse asks now that she's back at the table from speaking with our English teacher.

We all look at her in question.

"Starbucks is having a 50% off sale until three. We would have to skip last period, but I kinda want to go." She says, sipping her soda.

I quickly tug on my brothers arm. "We have to go. Passing this up would be like passing the birth of your child. You can't miss it!" I sign, putting on my best puppy dog eyes.

He sighs and sets down his sandwich that he had been eating. "What do you have last block?" He asks.

"Study hall, therefore I can miss it!"

He purses his lips and looks at the rest of us. "I guess we can go."

I smile widely and hug him, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Alyse looks at West, "You in?"

The rest of us look at him expectantly. He raises his brows at us and then his gaze lands on me and my hopeful eyes, and his lips twitch up in the slightest. 

"Yeah, sounds good." He says, looking back at Alyse.

OoO

"Out of all the days for you to forget to fill up your car, you choose the day we skip last block?!" Toby yells, smacking Tyler on the back of the head.

"Ouch!" He yelps, his hands coming up to rub it.

We had planned on taking Tyler's and Toby's cars to Starbucks, with West driving separate. It's the easiest plan since Gray rides with Tyler in the mornings, and it leaves for all of our cars being driven. Now Tyler's car is going to be stranded at school.

"I'm sorry! I was in a rush this morning!" Tyler exclaims, running a hand through his hair.

"Relax guys, we can all ride in Toby's truck." Alyse says, leaning against said truck. Toby stands next to her, glaring at Tyler.

They look like a power couple.

I think they should date right this second.

Gray nods, "That's true. We all fit if West drives his Jeep separate, as long as you don't mind, man."

West shrugs, "Single the new guy out, I get it."

"Feelings hurt?"

I snort and roll my eyes at him, causing him to glance at me and smirk. When Toby speaks up and brings attention back to the others, West mouths 'I'll tell them about Loverboy' and causes a blush to instantly dust my cheeks.

I childishly stick my tongue out at him and he chuckles, "Real mature." He signs.

I pout and cross my arms, directing my attention to the others.

My brother sighs, "One problem."

"What is that?" Gray asks.

"I've got that TV for my room in the back seat." He says, "So only two of y'all can fit in the back. That's why I was hoping for you to ride with Ty."

Gray raises a brow, "You own a truck. Why don't you put the TV in the bed of it?"

Toby snaps his head to Gray, "And risk someone stealing it while we wait in Starbucks? Hell no!"

I begin to join in on the conversation, but before I have the chance to sign a solution, West speaks up.

"Why doesn't Raine just ride with me?" He suggests, swinging his keys around his finger.

We look over at him, and I shrug. "Problem solved."

"Or we can move the TV," Tyler says, "I won't get to the gym today, I'll move the TV and count that as my workout."

West shrugs, "Do what you want, I'm just trying to get us there faster since it's already 2:30. Which leaves us only thirty minutes to spare."

Alyse jumps up at that fact. "Alright people, move it, move it! Only thirty minutes left for half off coffee! No more debating, we have found a solution. Everyone aside from Raine and West into the truck!" She commands, hopping into the passenger seat.

I laugh at her antics and everyone else's muttered answers. I turn to West who's smirking at me, still swinging his keys around his finger until he catches them in his hand.

"Let's go Sunshine." He says, nodding to his car. "I've got my Green Day CD in and ready to go. I remember seeing their poster in your room."

I follow behind him and get into his car, shutting the door as he starts it up. Before he begins to back out and follow the others, he lifts his hand to the car radio and fiddles around until Green Day starts playing.

He backs out of his parking spot, passing Tyler's Land Rover just waiting to be driven, and he starts following Toby's truck down the road, again using the steering wheel as his own personal drum.

"Don't wanna be an American idiot!" He sings, throwing his head down with the guitar.

I watch him and try to keep my laughter at bay. He's right on beat with his drumming and head banging, and his singing is matching the pace perfectly; it's clear he has rhythm and that he's having fun. But that doesn't mean he looks completely ridiculous.

Then I grab the CD in my side console and switch the song to track seven.

"Boulevard Of Broken Dreams? How cliche." West comments as it comes on.

I smirk at him with a shrug, "I like it."

His eyes flit back to the road and his lips mirror mine. "I bet you would like it better if I sang along."

"Says who?"

"Says the girl who was practically love struck when I sang her song last night."

That stills my hands for a moment or two.

'I was just surprised you were able to sing on key.' I write on my phone, handing it to him when he comes to a stop at the top sign.

He reads it over and snorts, "That why you agreed to me helping you out with your music for Chorus?" He starts singing again when I don't have a response.

"Oh wait, speaking of that, you have a song due tomorrow right?"

I groan when I remember my song I promised Mr. C by the end of this week, which happens to be tomorrow.

"Yeah..."

"Want me to help later today?"

I send him a grateful smile in response, and he grins at me with a twinkle in his eye as he goes back to softly singing along to the CD track.

He takes a right turn after my brothers truck. Eventually his singing turns quieter and unconscious to him. His voice gets more distant as mine used to do when I would simply mumble along to the lyrics rather than sing them full on.

"Alright, good song, but this one is better." He says as it reaches the end. His hand darts out to the radio and he changes what's to play. We pull up to a stop light as the song starts up, Toby's truck in front of us inching forward past the white line. The light turns green as I'm sure my brother was assuming and he steps on the gas, West having to speed up to stay behind him.

Almost instantly I recognize it as Know Your Enemy. West looks at me expectantly, and I nod in approval.

Right off the bat he turns to me and points. "Do you know your enemy?" He sings, his head pivoting back to face the road as he starts playing the air guitar and drums.

This time my laughter is too prominent to be ignored, and I quickly cover up my lips to conceal at least some of the noise.

West glances over at me with an amused grin. "What's so funny, Sunshine?"

I shake my head and make a move with my hand to signal him to continue jamming out on his air instruments. Before he can, however, we arrive at Starbucks and our music session ends. I hide my disappointment as he shuts the car off and the music abruptly stops playing.

I enjoyed hearing him sing; his voice has a slight rasp that pours through my ears and makes me want to sing along.

But I can't.

And somehow, I'm okay with that.

I unbuckle and get out of the car as West walks around to my side. The others pour out of Toby's truck and walk towards us, Tyler putting a little extra pep in his step to get to me. He slings his arm around my shoulders as we walk into Starbucks, West trailing behind. Tyler opens the door for me and I smile at him.

"After you m'lady." He says, grinning widely at me as I give a small curtsy.

I notice he lets the door shut on West, who glares at the back of his head. His eyes flit to mine and I hide an amused smile, to which he scowls. I shrug at him and turn back to face front as we near the counter.

"Raine, I'll buy yours." Tyler says as he gets out his wallet. "I mean, they're half off so I think I can afford it." He jokes.

I shake my head, "I can pay for myself."

"Well you can, but I'm just not going to let you." He shrugs. "Now tell the beautiful cashier what you would like." He says, winking at the blushing brunette behind the counter.

Tyler, don't you think you're sending her mixed signals? Offering to buy my drinks, walking in with your arm around me, and then you flirt with her. The poor girl probably doesn't know what to think right now.

I tap Tyler to get his attention. "How am I supposed to tell her what I want?" I deadpan. "The chances she knows sign language are pretty slim."

Instantly he blushes and scratches the back of his neck. "Oh yeah..."

"Ask her for a venti pink drink, little ice."

Tyler blinks at my hands and scratches his head. "Right... A venti, uh...pink drink?" He asks.

I smile and nod, "Good job."

He repeats the order to the confused cashier, offering her a dashing smile and a sling of compliments. By the end of our order, she even sends me a glare. I sigh, she must see me as competition.

Hate to break it to you, but Tyler and I are no more than friends.

We move to the side for the next person to order.

"Hey, I seriously gotta pee. Can you take mine over to the seats when it comes?" He asks, giving me his best puppy dog eyes.

I nod and he quickly walks towards the restrooms in the back, and not a second later our drinks are ready. Someone different hands them to me, a boy who looks just about my age. He offers me a smile and a wink as he passes them to me, and I offer him a smile back.

I lift my own up and go to grab Tyler's, but another hand reaches for it first. I turn my head to see West lifting it up.

"I got it, let's go." He says, nodding towards the lounge area where the other three are already waiting.

I take my seat on a small couch and set my coffee down in front of me. West takes the seat next to me on the couch and sets Tyler's coffee on the opposite end of the table. The couch is small enough that his jeans are brushing against my own as he lazily lounges back, throwing his arms around the back of the couch to get comfortable. Alyse eyes his arm movement from her cushioned chair next to ours, hiding a giddy grin behind taking a sip of her coffee.

I scan the table in front of him and furrow my brow when I don't see a drink, then I crane my neck to the counter up front and see if he forgot to grab his own.

"No drink?" I sign.

He tilts his head to look down at me, since even sitting down anyone could tell he's much taller, and shrugs his shoulders. The movement causes the couch cushion my back is lounging against the slightly move, and I sit forward a little bit so that I'm not snuggling underneath West's arm.

"I don't like coffee," he says.

"They have other stuff."

"I wouldn't be caught dead carrying around a pink drink, Sunshine."

"Then why did you come?"

He smirks, "I wouldn't miss an opportunity to skip. I've got physics last block."

I roll my eyes automatically at his response. There's his delinquent side coming out.

"Plus I could see how much you wanted me here," he says, looking down at me through twinkling brown eyes.

I snort and cock my head. "That's your best response?"

"My best response is any response that results in that cute blush," he smoothly replies, lifting his arm from off the back of the couch to lean forward and grab my drink from the table.

I don't even register him taking a long sip of my drink, too busy discreetly staring at my reflection in the window behind him, scanning my cheeks and relaxing when I notice they aren't flushed red.

"Bleh," West grimaces, holding my drink away from him, "no wonder this stuff is 50% off, it's gotta be the only way for anyone to buy that."

My jaw drops when he smacks his lips again and sets the drink firmly back down on the table, shaking his head in disgust before placing his arm back along the back of the couch. I blink at my drink and then at West, and then back to my drink- barely catching Alyse's smirk from her seat across the table.

The silence is broken as Gray and Toby start snickering, trying to hide their laughter behind their cups of coffee. I send a pointed glare at both of them who suck in their lips for a second before going right back to laughing.

"Raine, come on. That's, like, the fourth time he's been able to steal your food," Gray laughs.

"I felt bad the first couple of times, but come on sis," Toby adds.

I scowl at them and instantly grab my drink, holding it close to my body to prevent anyone else from stealing any. Catching Alyse's eye once more, my scowl deepens at the grin stuck on her lips as her eyes dart between me and West.

"Thanks for the sip, Sunshine," West says, "but a warning would have been nice."

Once again my jaw drops from his audacity, "Warning? You took a sip without even asking!"

West simply chuckles and then turns his attention to Gray and Toby as they discuss some random football game. Tyler finally emerges from the bathroom in the back corner and saunters back over to us, usual cheery smile stuck to his handsome features. However, when he sees West occupying the seat next to me and his own coffee pointedly placed on the opposite end of the table, his jaw clenches for a second. His eyes flit to West and narrow for a fraction of a second before he wipes away any traces of annoyance and his smile is back.

"Thanks for grabbing this, Raine," he says cheekily.

I shake my head and gesture to West who actually brought it to the table, and though Tyler keeps his smile, there's a small change to the look in his eye.

"Oh, well thank you West. How're you settling into East Bridge High? It's been about a month now, yeah?"

West shrugs, "I'm liking it, it's better than where I was before," he says with a stiff chuckle.

"Tina seems to have taken a liking to you," Tyler pries with a smile, taking a swig of his iced coffee.

I try to discreetly gauge West's reaction, but he just raises a brow. "Who?"

"Dude, the hot blonde? Tina?" Toby repeats with emphasis.

"Big boobs, equally big ass?" Gray says, further emphasizing his point by holding his hands out to show her big, eh, qualities.

"She's in our English class," Alyse says, rolling her eyes at the boys.

"And you were walking with her the other day, in the parking lot?" I sign, and thankfully he comprehends since he is actually an excelling ASL student.

"Oh, I thought it was Tammy?" West says.

That causes me to snort, and West briefly looks down at me with an amused smile.

"No, it's Tina," Tyler mutters, "She's a fun time, I'd take her up on whatever she offers if I were you."

That causes my stomach to sink a little and I instantly look at Tyler in question.

"Or, you could not do that since these three have already," Alyse quickly adds.

West snorts, "Thanks for the advice, but she's not really my type anyway."

Tyler eyes West a little warily before he smiles and laughs, "That's what Toby said at first."

"Shut up, dude," Toby grunts, eyes darting to Alyse for a swift second.

"Speaking of chicks," Gray starts, "I saw you talking to the cashier, Ty. You get her number?"

He smirks, "Of course. Even made plans for tonight. Looks like I've got myself a chemistry tutor." He says, waggling his eyebrows.

"You don't even take chemistry." Alyse deadpans.

"I know that." He says with a mischievous smirk. "We're just gonna prep me for next year."

"Yeah, cause a whole lot of studying is gonna be going on." Toby smirks, leaning over and punching Tyler in the arm.

As I finish my drink, I stand up and head over to the trashcan across the room to toss it out.

"Oh I should toss mine too, wait up." Alyse says as she stands up and shuffles over to follow me, but I notice that her drink it still halfway filled. "So, mind telling me what's going on between you and West?" She asks when we finally reach the trash bin across the room.

I nearly miss the trashcan from her bold statement and snap my eyes over to her in shock.

"What?"

I quickly look across the room at the group of guys, catching West's eye for a fleeting second before he directs his attention back to the other three.

"Oh come on! Something has to be going on! You two were laughing together at lunch, and he was so flirting with you like five minutes ago. Don't even get me going again on the fact you showed him your personal music."

"Again, what?"

"Raine!" She whines, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" I sign, my face contorted into complete confusion and shock, "That West is insufferable? There's nothing going on between us."

I make sure to sign quick enough so that a new ASL learner could never pick up on our topic of conversation, and I turn my back to the group sitting across the room to take even further precautions.

"Maybe not now, but you definitely have a thing for him."

I scoff, "A thing? For West?"

She pops her hip out and raises a brow at me, "I saw the way you eyed him to see his reaction about Tina, and I also saw how big you were smiling when you got out of his Jeep."

"Is it so wrong to smile with a friend?" I ask, choosing to ignore her prior statement.

She must realize I'm not going to crack on this one, because she sighs and rolls her eyes. "Fine, but don't say I didn't totally call this if you two end up together."

It's ridiculous to even insinuate that something is going on between West and myself. I was dismayed when he announced we were friends, and we aren't anything more than that. Don't get me wrong, I know West is attractive. He's like the God of my town, with looks that seem only available to the top tumblr posts.

I'm mute, not blind.

And as attractive as he is, and as often as he's on my mind, there's nothing going on aside from a budding friendship.

I sigh and lift my head. "Alyse. West and I are nothing more than friends."

Even if I find myself thinking about him more than I probably should, he and I won't ever date.

---

9/30/2020 - The edits are going to become a little more extensive in the coming chapters, but this chapter mainly remained the same aside from a few setting changes and the added scene with West and Raine in the beginning. I hope you all enjoyed it :)