Fractured (ON HOLD)

Sixteen - Tyler

"Uh, you didn't say this was an alcoholic outing," I point out.

She scoffs, glancing over at the women who are now whipping out red solo cups from fuck-knows-where. "You want to get afternoon-drunk on a weekday with the moms from school?"

"I will get wasted with them," I state.

"Oh, oh really?" Franny teases with a grin.

"I have absolutely no shame, I will. Hey ladies-"

Franny snorts out loud as I stand up from my stool, taking a step forward towards the front row, eyes on the wine bottle. An arm wraps around my waist from the side and Franny barrels into me, pushing my body back towards the stool.

"Stop it," she whispers loudly, a laugh catching from her lips.

I grin down at her and without thinking, wrap an arm around her, keeping Fran's body against my side. We gently stumble back over to my easel and Franny hides her smile in my hoodie.

"Come on, teach," I murmur. "Give me a one-on-one class."

"You're so annoying," she says. "I have to finish setting up."

Franny tries to tug out of my arms but I tighten them quickly, bringing my spare arm around her side and squeezing her into a gentle hug, my chin resting on the top of her head.

"Ty, come on," she groans, but her arms are around my waist and I can feel her fingers gripping the back of my hoodie.

"Nah, I'm comfy."

"I have to work, you know," she says softly.

I tilt my head a little so that my cheek is gently cushioned on the top of her head. It's stupid, but I really don't want to let go. She's right there, the smell of her conditioner, the warmth of her body against mine and I just want to stay right here and pretend like we're not in the back of a room full of people.

My body jolts when I'm pulled out of my musings by the sudden feel of her hand on the bare skin of my lower back, her hand having slipped under my hoodie and shirt, fingers dancing along my heated skin.

"You have work to do," I murmur softly.

Her hand stops its movement before nails lightly scrape over my skin and I hiss, trying to fight back the full body shudder that wants to run through me. I lean my head back a little to look down at Franny, who glances up at me, heat in her eyes and a smirk switching at her lips.

"Watch it," I say. "My self control isn't so good anymore."

Fran leans towards me and I almost want to pull her that tiny bit closer so I can feel her breath against my lips.

"Or is it just that your self control isn't so good around me?" she asks, large brown eyes glistening as she looks up at me.

Well fuck if someone isn't in a mood today.

Slowly my arms pull away from her but the palms of my hands glide along her back and I bite back a smile at the shiver I feel run over her body.

"Stick around and find out," I bite back at her, slipping back into my stool at the back of the art class that is slowly getting started.

I watch as Franny quickly runs around, finishing all the last minute set up. Paint in trays. Charcoal in containers. Pencils labelled and sorted into order. There's a loud hum of conversation floating through the air. The women in the front row have already started to go to town on the wine and little bundles of people are chatting with each other. They obviously do this probably every week and I don't miss how Franny gets pulled into their conversations as she rushes by. How they are familiar with her and friendly. How even one of the much older women in the room gently pats Franny's rosy cheeks and asks if she's been eating okay.