MELODY

MELODY 31

┏ 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 ┐

Adam whistled as he leaned against his chair, rocking it side to side with his arms crossed against his chest.

Bryan sat opposite of his friend's desk. His phone was on the table, untouched, but it remained as a reminder of what happened yesterday night. At the basketball court. With Jackson. He thinned his lips, his heart skipping a beat.

"What do you want then?" Bryan had asked, hope in one hand and complete, utter fear in the other.

Jackson simply stared at him, his cheeks tinted pink. Bryan didn't know if it was from the heat due to the lights or because of him. When the guitarist leaned back, breaking eye contact to look at anywhere but his face, his heart sank to the pit of his stomach.

"I'm not sure," Jackson said, his honesty clear in his voice. "I need time."

And time was something Bryan supposed he could give. He remembered needing time as well. And frankly, he still did. He nodded, giving the taller man a wry smile.

"Give me your phone." Jackson had gestured for the device. Eyeing him, Bryan handed his phone over, only to realise a moment later that the guitarist had keyed in his number and gotten his in return. "I need time but... until then."

A lump formed in his throat as the slight tenseness in his chest loosened. "Until then... we'll be friends."

Jackson gave him a small smile then.

"At least he didn't reject you," Adam said, giving him a smile.

And Bryan felt guilty at telling his best friend this, not when it hadn't been long since he experienced his heartbreak. That must've shown on his face because Adam shook his head, standing up before he moved to take a seat next to Bryan. Tossing an arm across his shoulders, he dragged him close, almost in a gesture that they were fine.

"I didn't even know Jackson swung that way," Adam said, chuckling when the shorter man tossed him a questioning look. "Like, the guy's famous for chasing after Leah."

A lump formed in his throat at that. He was aware of the history between Jackson and her. And how much she had scarred him. The whole chain of events had him confused, if he was being honest. While he was elated that they were working on something, he was insecure of where he truly stood and why it was him that Jackson grew confused over.

Bryan didn't even know if what he felt was strong enough to hold them together.

If Jackson didn't like him that way, if he decided to be nothing more than friends, would he feel hurt and shattered or would he realise that it didn't hurt as much as he thought?

What would that mean then?

Those questions were frightening. And he had no answers for any of them. He didn't know if he wanted to know those answers.

"I'm terrified," Bryan said, glancing at his friend. "I didn't realise that this development would even happen."

Adam sighed as he squeezed Bryan. "Sometimes, the least expected thing happens. In your case, Jackson probably feels the same way as you."

"And that's so..." Bryan searched for the right word for it. "Surreal."

Adam pulled his arm away before he nodded, leaning against his chair. "When you've convinced yourself that it wouldn't happen and then it does... it does feel surreal."