Page 12 of Losing the Rhythm

When we’d met, they had familiar faces in the sense that I’d seen them around school, maybe even heard about them, but they never existed in my world until this year. And now they had invaded it and weren’t willing to leave.

They had changed my routine of trying to hide from everyone. So instead of going to one of my hiding spots, I went to the courtyard, toward the section where they usually sat. And unsurprisingly, they were there. All of them. Leaning into each other as they talked. Toby was smiling big and wide, flashing his straight white teeth while Paxon had a little red in his cheeks as he talked.

“What did I miss?” I asked, putting the grocery bag in the middle of the table.

Toby didn’t hesitate as he opened it up. “Cadence’s burritos!” He dug one out without waiting, laying claim to his food.

“Soccer,” Paxon said. “Talking about the game this Friday. It’s against my rival.”

“You have a rival?” I asked.

“Everyone has a rival if they play sports,” Bryan said.

“Really? Even Justin.”

Paxon laughed. “He has a few, actually. But yeah. Lenderman.”

“He’s still salty because at the Tri-Town Fun Day, Lenderman got one over him on the field. His coach was not impressed,” Justin said.

“He made me run laps until my legs wanted to fall off after that match,” Paxon said, playing with his beanie hat. I was tempted to take it away from him. With the weather starting to cool down, I was going to need to dig out my winter clothes. I still had so many boxes in that house, I wasn’t sure where they were exactly. I only unpacked what was needed.

I did have a goal to unpack a box a day, but that fell through after my abduction. I barely stepped foot in my house unless I needed to work, and even then, only when I needed my piano or recording equipment. I was able to do most of my current work with my guitar.

Seth had cleaned out his attic and even furnished some of the space for me to use for my music. I put the space to good work this past week.

I sat and listened as they talked more about the game. The first bell rang, and I got to my feet, dreading the school day.

“You look a little pale,” Justin said.

“Just tired.” I forced a smile. Justin’s expression said he had a million and one things he wanted to say to me, but he pressed his lips together and headed toward his class, leaving me with Bryan to walk to ours.

Bryan stuck tightly to my side as we pushed through the packed halls. And of course, I was bombarded with whispers and off-handed comments as people bumped into me and walked by. Bryan looked like he was ready to punch someone, and that was not a look that I was used to seeing on his face.

“Ignore them,” I said.

“Right.” His response came out strained.

By the time we got to my classroom, I was already exhausted. But then the familiar curly brown hair stopped me.

“Micah?” I asked.

He pushed off the wall.

“Morning.” He glanced at Bryan briefly. “Can I speak to you?”

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

Again his gaze went to Bryan. “In private.”

I frowned but grabbed his hand and tugged him with me. “Okay.”

But now he was in front of me. I could touch him. And instead of bringing us closer, it felt like it only made our relationship strained. I didn’t know how to be with him always right there for me. And I thought maybe he felt the same. I swore we talked more when he was on the other side of the country than we did now.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, turning to him once we found a spot by the stairwell, away from everyone. Since the late bell was going to ring soon, the hallways were clearing out or people were too rushed to get to their classroom to pay attention to us.

“I’m tired of this, Cadence. I need to know.”

I look at him in confusion. “Know what?”

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