Heartbreak Story - Byler

XXIV - Doesn't Have to Be a Heartbreak Story

"I guess that's true." The boy who looked better in my clothes than I ever could gave a feeble chuckle before continuing, "Thanks, Mikey."

"No problem! Now come on, your brother is cooking for us so let's go down."

Will and I sauntered our way downstairs, chatting idly and giggling at one another. As we neared my kitchen, the faint sound of music being played drifted into our ears and I understood Jonathan must have found our vast collection of vinyls.

"Good song choice." I praised as we entered the kitchen to find Jonathan singing along to 'Hold the Line'.

"Got to love a bit of Toto," Jonathan responded. "Your sister prefers 'Africa' but nah, I think this one has a better feel to it."

Will walked over to his brother by the stove and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I can't fault you on that one."

"Oh really?" I queried, raising my eyebrow at the two brothers standing before me. "I might have to go with Nancy. Don't get me wrong, this is a great song but it's just not 'Africa'."

"Well of course you like 'Africa' more, you're a sucker for cheesy ballads. How many times have you listened to 'Faithfully' by Journey?" Will teased.

"Excuse you, that song is a lyrical masterpiece and you know it. Also, are we forgetting who it was that introduced me to that song in the first place?"

Will rolled his eyes at me as Jonathan poured the mix into the pan before clapping his hands together and a stern look overtook his face. "It looks like we may have a battle of the Byers versus the Wheelers on our hands. There's only one way to settle this. Let's all choose some records to play and we'll see who has the better taste. Mike, you're up."

"But Mike has an unfair advantage, this is his house so all the music will be his. He probably only has fucking Starship songs."

I glanced at the smaller boy and had to fight back a chuckle at the pout that had worked its way onto his face as I flicked through records and finally chose some. "Quit your whining, William. Be prepared for some musical magic right here, right now."

As Toto faded into nothingness, I gave my record choices to Jonathan who switched out the vinyl to my first choice and I started swaying my hips in time with the music as Will let out an exaggerated groan. "Are you kidding me, Wheeler? 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot'? Oh god no." The smaller boy put his hands over his ears, trying to block out the sound and I proceeded to chase him around the kitchen, serenading him with every single word. It didn't take long for the two of us to become a couple of hysterical, laughing messes to which Jonathan playfully shook his head at.

"Now, now, children. Calm down." Will's older brother jokingly chastised, "Settle down and eat your goddamn pancakes."

As the song neared its termination, the hairs on the back of my neck began to tingle as I felt someone's eyes set firmly on me and I glanced upwards to see who it was. As my gaze shifted higher, I discovered that Will was watching me intently with a look of what could only be described as longing on his face. Our eyes met and he blushed furiously before looking down at his pancakes, completely unaware that he had just set my heart racing at an inhuman pace and my body ached to hold him close.

The tension stirred up by the brown-haired boy and kept alive by me being unable to take my own eyes off him wasn't broken by the changing of the song as I expected it to be when I chose the records for Jonathan to put in. "I knew you'd choose this one." Will attempted to jest but his voice was much thicker and heavier than usual and his breathing was laboured.

The darkness in the boy's eyes sent shivers dancing up and down my spine as he glanced upwards to meet my eyes and we stared at each other as 'We Built This City' played in the background, a song completely unfit for the mood that had weaved its way into my heart. "I chose it because I knew it would piss you off." I responded but the light of the joke was absent from my voice. The atmosphere surrounding us was the kind filled with electricity that two people feel just before they lean in to kiss one another and I waited for the boy before me to decide whether he wanted to act on it or not as I gazed at his flushed lips, silently begging him to close the distance but knowing I wouldn't be the one to do it myself. Not this time.