session 222 || aaliyah [ON HOLD]

13

(This chapter contains explicit content. Reader discretion advised.)

Sitting alone in the recording studio, the blaring sound from the speakers drowned out the echoes of my tears. Janet's soothing vocals and the beat Static crafted provided the perfect backdrop to wallow in my misery.  It was a temporary relief, a way to release the tension and frustration that had been building inside me over the past few hours.

I found myself obsessing over the song, playing it on repeat, picking apart every lyric, every inflection in my voice. Each time, a fresh wave of emotions would wash over me.

Regret.

Longing.

Anger.

Janet's words of advice from months ago resounded in my mind. She told the truth. My heart knew what it wanted, but my head was a knotted ball of yarn, each string twisting and snagging on each other. I couldn't find the beginning, let alone the end, or even begin to untangle the mess.

But the one thread I knew was Static.

And in this instance, it was stretched so taut, I was worried it would snap.

The realization had hit me like a ton of bricks as his voicemail played on repeat, each syllable shattering the wall I had so carefully constructed to block out my feelings for him. I was in a relationship now, with someone who genuinely cared for me and treated me with respect. My feelings for Static were supposed to be a thing of the past, something I had worked hard to move on from.

But hearing his voice again, the concern and sincerity evident, had sent me spiraling back into the rabbit hole. I didn't want to hurt O'Ryan, but at the same time, I couldn't deny the ache that had been silently gnawing away at my heart.

There would be no easy fix, no painless solution. It would be a decision that would have consequences, no matter what.

Just as I was about to switch off the speakers and leave, a knock echoed through the room. I wiped away the stray tears that had fallen, composing myself before turning off the music and allowing entrance.

The door creaked open, and Static stepped inside, his eyes meeting mine. I looked away, afraid that he would see the unshed tears, the vulnerability I was trying to hide. But he approached cautiously, as if afraid of startling me. "Hey."

My gaze remained trained on the floor, my body language guarded as I remained silent.

"Did somethin' happen?"

I opened my mouth to respond, to reassure him that everything was fine. But the words caught in my throat, the lump growing larger with each passing second. My heart pounded in my chest like a caged bird, fluttering wildly against its constraints.

The room felt small, the walls closing in on me. The air grew thick and heavy, pressing down on me. I could feel the tears welling up again, the dam threatening to burst.