March 2019

A boy sat alone in a secluded corner of the field, his eyes cast downward. Soon, a girl joined him, a stark contrast to his somber demeanor. She moved right and left to the beat from her AirPods, dancing cheerfully. Every once in a while, she peeked at him from the corner of her eye—but he continued to ignore her.

Suddenly, the girl covered his eyes with her hands! Startled, the boy grabbed her hands in a jolt—but she held them gently, urging him to trust her. Once the boy slightly calmed down.. he noticed how the heaviness on his eyes lifted. When he opened his eyes.. he found the girl already making silly faces at him.

For a moment, the boy rolled his eyes in annoyance. However, as the girl continued to embarrass herself with ridiculous expressions—a smile began to form on his lips. Seeing his smile, the girl beamed triumphantly. She paused, removed one of her AirPods—and placed it in the boy's ear.

I might lose my mind~
Waking when the sun's down~
Riding all these highs~
Waiting for the comedown~

Soon, the familiar melody of 'Comethru' filled the space between the two of you, Tyler's somber expression softened as he nodded his head to the beat, pursing his lips in approval.

Walk these streets with me~
I'm doing decently~
Just glad that I can breathe..

"Yeah~"

The girl excitedly sang before she pulled his hand to make him dance. At first, he resisted—but her persistence was impossible to resist. Because now.. the boy couldn't help but stand as he chuckled. She danced around him, trying to coax him into joining her as she sang—

"I'm trying~ to realize~"

With her head moving in sync to the music, she swayed as he let out a chuckle at the girl's neverending antics to make him smile. Finally, he gave in as he started to move awkwardly to the music. The girl cheered, her laughter ringing out like the music itself.

"It's alright to not be fine~" she continued as she widened her eyes, urging the boy to join—

"On your oooOooOwnNnn~"

And as he joined, the two of you squatted up and down in excitement before the climax followed—

Head down~
I don't know to come up for air now~

The Marias are playing in the background between the slow dancing crowd—and you find yourself bumped into Tyler. The two of you freeze for a moment, eyes meeting in a bewildered gaze.. before it quickly turns into a soft.. longing gaze.

Tyler finds himself already grazing your skin—following the lazy tempo of the song.. he runs his fingers from your elbow down to your wrist.. to link his fingers to yours.

In a slight startle, you search his face.. to find him already smirking at you. Surrendering to the moment, you let him turn you.. and you give in. Letting your bodies sway together to the sultry rhythm of the music.

...

Believe me when I say I tried to empty my thoughts. This.. is too weird.. but I.. like it? I don't want to stop. I don't know what's happening..

His touch electric as his fingers brush against your skin. As you move together, you can feel his breath against your neck, his lips dangerously close to your ear.

Shit. We talked about this, right?! We really need to stop doing things we did when we were kids—stop clowning yourself Em. You never did these things when you were kids, shithead. But—I mean, he really needs to fucking stop doing things like—

All I really want. is you~
What would you do?~

He turns you, his hands finding their place on your waist. You feel his thumb begin to circle in a slow.. deliberate motion, sending shivers through your entire body. The warmth of his touch.. the way he moves.. His eyes never leave yours, and a soft smile tugs at the corners of his lips.

This..

Oh fuck–why does after that everything-that-happened-so-fast, he—he seems.. different somehow—

Before a hand slips on your waist and grabs you with a sense of urgency—and a low voice calls out—

"Hey, Winny."

Hunt murmurs, his voice laced with a hint of possessiveness. With a smirk plastered on his face, he rests his head on the side of your hair. You grow tense, recognizing how he's using 'Winny' again. Knowing full well that he's using it as a tool to provoke Tyler.

It has always been like this these days. Every time the 'bestfriends' are in the same room—with me in the middle? It'll be one hell of a battleground.

Glancing towards Tyler, you notice his irritation, evident by the raised eyebrow and the protruding tongue against his cheek.

Dominic looks at Tyler and casually remarks, "You gotta stop acting like you're his boyfriend, Tyler." he pauses—until, with confidence through the roof, he continues with piercing sarcasm, "But nevermind. You'd never do that to me, right, bro?"

Tyler scoffs, glaring at him silently. A glare.. loud enough to convey his desire to punch Dominic in the face. It's non negotiable that Hunt's remark only seemed to pour gasoline on the fire.

Hunt's grip on your waist tightens slightly—Cavill's silence only serves to irritate him even more. Clenching his jaw tightly, Dominic inhales as he demands the reassurance—

"Right. bro?"

Feeling the tension escalating, you instinctively place your hand on the back of your neck in anxiety. As you notice more people starting to stare, you attempt to distract your 'boyfriend', pleading, "Babe, don't mind him. He's just.. not having a good day, okay?"

Tyler's irritation intensifies upon hearing your choice of words—turning his glare on you. Hunt, equally irritated, accuses, "So now you have to apologize for his behavior too?"

With a conflicted expression, you close your eyes and gulp nervously, letting your hand slide from your neck. It's not the fact that you're still acting boyfriend girlfriend now. The problem's how this—is far beyond Dominic's good acting. It's not about how he's acting too good as a jealous boyfriend. The real problem is—how Dominic looks like a jealous boyfriend who's ready to punch anyone who gets close to his girl, even if it's his bestfriend.

"That's not what I meant. Let's just—where were we going? The pool? Alright, let's go—" you desperately intercept as you suck air through your teeth, grabbing Dom's hand, intending to lead him towards the pool. Suddenly, a low.. determined voice interrupts you before you can make your escape.

"I thought I made it clear that 'Winny' is reserved only for me."

All is a blur, but all you do know, is how Dominic swiftly releases you and turns around—now his hand clenches Cavill's jersey, fingers gripping the fabric tightly as he forcely pulls Tyler towards him in anger.

"What. is your problem."

Hunt's voice grows low and menacing, his eyes narrow with barely contained fury as his blonde strokes dangle between them. The air crackles with tension as the two men lock eyes. However, instead of reciprocating the anger, Tyler snickers dismissively, further fueling the tension.

Fuck.

And Tyler.

I swear to God, he's on edge almost every time he's triggered—he does have.. slight.. anger issues? Slight—ha, nevermind! God, why is he like this these days?! I swear! Lately, he's been acting too weird—always wanting to be around me—never leaving my side—it's so fucking uncomfortable—especially everytime Lucy Burns starts to shoot daggers at me!

Shit—focus, Winters! Your ex is about to punch your bestfriend, Goddammit!

Wyatt and the other guys rush in, stepping in between Tyler and Hunt, urging them to calm down. "Hey—hey! Take it easy!" Wyatt panics, placing a firm hand on Hunt's shoulder before he fumes, "Fuck! One second eyes off you two and you're already about to rip out each other's eyes!"

"Yeah—let's just—cool off, ok?" Luke adds, gently pushing Tyler back.

Finally having an idea on how to calm—at least one of them—down, you immediately stride towards Tyler. You grab his arm and forcefully pull him down to your level, leaning in to whisper, "Stop your macho act and I'll come by—"

Initially clouded by a veil of silent anger and yet—a subtle shift occurred. The lines of tension that etched Cavill's face softened imperceptibly, giving way to a smug smirk that played at the corners of his lips.

With a bewildered look, Dominic glares at you.. then to Tyler, his jaw clenched tightly. "Stay away from her," he growls, his voice barely above a whisper before finally releasing his grip on Tyler's jersey. Cavill straightens his shirt, his eyes never leaving Dominic's. As the feeling of success wash over the moment you notice Tyler's smirk, you turn away and drag Dominic directly towards the pool.

Tyler's dark hazel eyes keep glancing at your backs, grinning in excitement by your promise. However, his expression soon turns to a dazed look, annoyance growing as he watches the two of you. Dismissing his boys' constant scolding, he disappears into the crowd—and as he finds Lucy Burns, he demands,

"Where the hell were you?"

"Huh—I was just from the—"

"Whatever. Let's make out."

"The hell is his problem?! Seriously!"

Dominic paces back and forth beside the pool, agitation apparent—whilst people around him ignore the scene, chattering and splashing cheerfully. Concerned, you knit your eyebrows together—before closing your eyes, taking a deep breath—striving for a calm. When you open your eyes again, you try to speak steadily, "You both need to stop provoking each other."

Dominic looks up, his face a mask of irritation as he glares at you. Tilting his head, he strides over, jeering, "You think I should stop when he stole you from me?"

Startled, you recoil slightly, scoffing in disbelief, "Dom, I thought I made it clear—"

"You want to be alone. Yes. But once something happens, you'll always come to him first, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"At your dad's funeral. You didn't come to me when it was hard for you—"

"What—I was—"

"You didn't even call me when your dad was still sick! And when I pulled the thread—after the game—when he panicked and left immediately.. To think that it was when you—and the fact that I was drunk when you—" he pauses, disappointment painting his face. You gasp at his sudden intensity of emotion. Exhaling shakily, you step toward him to speak, but he cuts you off—

"How do you think I should feel?! When everybody's asking me about my so called 'girlfriend''s dad passed away and I don't have a fucking clue—because she doesn't even fucking remember his so called 'boyfriend' exist!"

Panting in exasperation, he scoffs, his glare boring into you. You can only stare at him with glossy eyes, guilt seeping through your skin. He looks away, feeling selfish for throwing all this at you. He knows you were grieving. He knows you were deeply saddened by your dad. He knows Tyler is your childhood friend and neighbor. He knows Tyler's parents are very close to yours—he understands all of it.

What he doesn't understand is why the hell fate has to be so cruel.

Why wasn't he your childhood friend? Why weren't his parents the ones close to yours? Why did his parents divorce? Why wasn't he the one you leaned on?

Why wasn't he Tyler Cavill?

Cavill seated on a sofa in a dimly lit corner of the room, his arm wrapped around a girl—engrossed in a passionate make-out session. Burns' giggles are muffled by Tyler's fervent kisses as they embrace each other closely. Their reflection faintly visible in a nearby mirror. However, as Tyler's gaze shifts from his auburn girl to a reflection in the nearby mirror.. he catches a glimpse of Dom..

And you.

He watches as Hunt puts a hair behind your ears as you talk in urgency. He watches as you clench your knuckles—before already running your fingers through your hair in frustration. He watches the way you shake your head in sudden panic—as Hunt cups your cheek gently, stopping you from your rant, and kisses your forehead.

Cavill goes stunned as he watches the scene unfold before him. His make-out session comes to an abrupt halt as he breaks away, momentarily frozen. He blinks several times, trying to make sense of the sight before him. The noise of the party fades into the background as he wonder—

Did he told you about the night he betrayed you with some random girl—is that why you looked so frustrated—

But then he sees Dom kisses you.

He watches as you hold Dom's hands that've been cupping your cheeks. He watches Dom pulls away and goes to kiss your nose.. and your tears.. He watches as his bestfriend wipe your tears.. and he can only helplessly watch as his bestfriends exchange a gaze so intimate.. before finally, Dominic arms circle around you and you sob in his embrace—

It feels like déjà vu.

and it feels..

it feels—

Without a word, Tyler slowly disentangles himself from Lucy, who looks puzzled by his sudden change in demeanor. And without looking back..

He leaves.

"Hellooo~"

Making your way in through his window, you get in with a flourish of familiarity—only to find him wearing a large Beats headset, seated on his red and black gaming chair. From his side profile, you can already fathom how he's still in a bad mood. However, you hold back a laugh, appreciating the fact that he still kept the window open just for you.

"So~ Liam told me someone's still.. kinda mad and flew off his favorite scene~"

Ignoring your presence, he continues to focus on the screen, talking animatedly as if conversing with someone else in the game. "Hey! Cover me, you shithead!"

Rolling your eyes, you fold your arms in front of you and observe him before finally giving him your weary gaze. "I know you're wearing a headset with the sound off.." you remark with a sigh, recognizing he's still putting on his 'ignoring you' act. Still with determination burning inside you, you approach him carefully, stifling a grin.

"And I know.. you won't play any online game when you're mad," you tease in a sultry manner as he falls silent. His eyes fixed on the screen despite his big groan of annoyance at how you already know him too well. Now standing beside him, you can make out how he's playing a familiar game—and chuckle. Leaning your body on the table, you continue,

"And I know~ you always play a childish game every time you're—"

"Harvest Moon is not. a childish game."

Ok. Mission succeeded. Still a big amount of sarcasm detected but—not bad Emily~

He darts his eyes to the corner of his eyes—before shifting them back to the screen, playing again with a sulky expression. You can't help but chuckle—and press the escape key, pausing the game. Taking a sharp inhale, Tyler closes his eyes in annoyance—a slight growl comes out from his throat. When he opens his eyes, instead of looking at you, he continues to glare at the screen, pouting. 'Better be looking at the damned black screen than someone who picked someone else over me,' he thought.

Pursing your lips in amusement, you open Spotify on his computer.. and play the song. You push the keyboard up, creating space for yourself to scoot in front of him—and sit on his desk, facing him. You adjust your seat, and when you switch your attention to the front.. you find him finally having his gaze at you.

In a defeated expression, Tyler's gaze traces the lines of your face.. until he finally smirks to spill, "You know you haven't unplugged my headset, right?"

Realizing your mistake even though you hate losing—instead of getting embarrassed, you make a face, letting out a pout followed by a blurted tongue. Your fingers follow the direction of the headset cable.. to unplug it from the computer.

Can't help but let out a chuckle, Cavill tilts his head and declares, "Now.. it's paused," stifling a big laugh.

"Shut up." you retort playfully before glancing back at the screen. Watching your back as you struggle to find the play/pause window, Cavill smiles tenderly from behind. Finally.. you find the play window and press the rewind toggle—and the music begins to play, filling the room with a familiar melody.

Walk these streets with me~
I'm doing decently~
Just glad that I can breathe~

After making sure the song comes out from the speakers properly, you turn back to him—and everything seems to stop the moment your gaze meets his. For a moment, the two of you gaze at each other.. until a gentle smile blooms on your lips. Somehow, there's a hint of longing in Tyler's eyes—so you softly inquire, "What's wrong Tyty.."

Your hand instinctively reaches out to his hair.. when he catches it tenderly with his right hand.. to intertwine his fingers with yours. With a gentle sigh, he rests his head against your palms, closing his eyes as if seeking solace in your touch. Slowly.. he lowers your hand, gaze meeting yours.. until his voice, soft and filled with longing.. breaks the silence.

"I guess we really are growing up, huh?"

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Cecylia Costania @rcpcswrites

You can elevate your experience by also listening to songs I added to this story's playlist! Full Playlist on bio💖

The song that matches this Chapter's vibe:

https://youtu.be/jO2viLEW-1A

Head down~
I don't know to come up for air now~

https://youtu.be/ScTkEsOKfvg

Hunt murmurs,

https://youtu.be/zG5YzRxOcsI

Why wasn't he Tyler Cavill?

https://youtu.be/49lY0HqqUVc