Trials Of A Heart | ✔️

7

~Brielle's POV~

I walked down the hall the next day, heading towards my math class at the end of the day, weaving between other students rushing down the halls. As I was walking, someone came up beside me and slung an arm around my shoulders, scaring me. I flinched, my heart stuttering in my chest for a split moment, before I heard a familiar voice.

"Bri." He said, causing me to look up in surprise, wondering if that was who I thought it was. My eyes landed on the face of Kevin, a friend who I had made in eighth grade that had moved away before high school began. "Kevin?" I asked, shocked to see him here. I didn't think he'd ever move back. "You go here?" I asked, a smile growing on my lips as I pushed up onto my toes and wrapped him in a hug. He laughed and hugged me back, patting me on the arm. "I do, yeah. I moved back a few weeks ago. Had no idea you were even still living down here." He said as he pulled away.

He had grown up a lot since the last time I'd seen him, which made plenty of sense, being that I hadn't seen him in almost seven years. "You look so different." I mentioned, causing him to laugh. Not only had he gotten much taller, but he also was more well built and muscular. His dark, tight curls on his head were a little longer than the last time I had seen him, but it suited his face. His dark skin didn't seem to have as many pimples as he used to get either, thanks to puberty. "I'd say so do you, but you kind of just look more....mature. I do like the pink hair, by the way. Looks good on you." He told me.

"I'm surprised your parents let you dye it, though. They were never relaxed enough to let you do that when I knew them." He mentioned, causing my smile to fade. I gazed up at him and gently shook my head, forcing a smile on my lips. "They're both dead, actually." I told him.

Kevin's face fell, looking struck with disbelief and shock. "Dead....?" He echoed, staring down at me with a look on his face that told me he was having a hard time processing it. I just nodded my head. "Yeah. When I was sixteen." I responded, and he furrowed his brows together, conflicted and confused. "I don't understand. What happened?" He asked, making me hesitate slightly. "Um..." I mumbled, swallowing thickly. "I-I have to get to class, Kev." I stuttered, looking away as I felt my throat tightening up. My heart was beginning to pound, making my hands tremble and my knees weaken.

"W-Wait, wait, Bri." He gently grabbed my wrist when I went to walk away, stopping me before I could leave. I looked over at him, my head almost feeling like it was clouding up. "Look, I won't press. I can tell you don't want to talk about it yet. But can I get your number? I'd still like us to be friends." He asked.

After a minute of hesitation, I willed myself to calm down and not think too much about my parents. My breathing leveled after a minute or two and I smiled shakily at Kevin. "I'm sorry. I just don't like talking about it." I said softly. "B-But I'd like to be friends, too." I added, taking a step closer. He smiled and released my wrist so I could fish my cellphone from out of my pocket, handing it over to him. "You don't have a password?" Kev asked as he swiped on my screen, briefly glancing up at me. I smiled softly. "It's not like I have anything on it." I shrugged, watching his thumbs type on the screen.

He finished putting his contact information into my phone and then handed it back, his brown eyes flicking to one of the clocks hung up on the wall in the hall. "Bell's gonna ring soon, so we should both get to class." He said, taking a step away. "But I'll see you around, Bri." He grinned, waving goodbye before he left.

I smiled to myself and slipped my phone back into my pocket, glad that I had an old friend here, and turned around to hurry off to my math class before I was late. The moment I turned around, I had barely taken five steps before I was stopped again. "Who was that?" I heard yet another familiar voice ask, making me look towards them.

Phoenix fell into step beside me, my eyes finding his. "Don't tell me you've got a boyfriend. I'd feel bad." He hummed. Confused, I furrowed my brows and adjusted the straps of my backpack on my shoulders. "Feel bad?" I repeated. "Why?" I asked, surprised when I noticed that he and I were step in step, considering his legs were much longer than mine. He grinned mischievously and shrugged his shoulders. "Because he'd probably get jealous if he knew you're talking to me and going to my boxing matches." He said, sounding as if he were teasing me.

My face burned and I stared ahead as we walked the hall. "Firstly, you and I are hardly even friends. There's nothing to be jealous of." I said, causing him to snort softly to himself, which I didn't mention. "And secondly, that's Kevin. He's an old friend, not my boyfriend." I corrected, not wanting him to have the wrong idea.

"Hardly even friends?" He echoed, feigning offense. "And here I had planned to give you free tickets to my show." He said, causing my eyes to snap up to him, raising my brows. I narrowed my eyes at him, a little suspicious. "Free?" I asked. "Why? What do you want?"

We entered the classroom and headed to our seats at the back, his large body plopping down into the seat beside mine. "Do I have to want something just because I'm trying to give you something?" He asked, seemingly offended. However, I just kept my eyes on him, making sure he knew that I didn't buy it even a little. He must've wanted something, because those tickets probably weren't cheap.

Realizing that I didn't buy it, he rolled his eyes and huffed in frustration. "Fine, you got me." He grumbled. "I was thinking you and I could make a mutual transaction. I'll give you the tickets if you agree to do something for me." He said, drawing out my curiosity. "Do something? What is it?" I asked, furrowing my brows as I relaxed into my chair. He sat up and leaned over to me, catching me off guard when he cupped his hand around my ear.

He leaned close enough that I felt his breath fanning against my skin, murmuring into my ear. "I need you to bring me something the night of the match." He said lowly, like he was telling me a secret.

Appalled and a little flustered that he was so close to me, I leaned away and looked up at him. He didn't pull away, just stared at me. "Well, what is it?" I asked, unsure. If he was asking me to bring him it and couldn't bring it himself, he must've not been allowed to have it. It must've been something bad and, although I did want those tickets for free, I didn't want to do something bad to get them.

"Food." He mumbled, causing me to pause. "Excuse me?" I asked, unsure if I had actually just heard that right. "You want me to bring you food? That's it?"

Phoenix huffed and placed a hand on his knee, glaring at me. "Shh." He hissed, so I rolled my lips into my mouth, not wanting to make him mad. "I'm not usually allowed to eat for a while before matches, but I'm a big man. I eat a lot. Sneak me something in and I'll give you the tickets free." He elaborated a little bit, clearly understanding that I had no clue what this was about. I stared at him, confused as to whether or not this was some sort of joke. "I'm being serious. That's all I want." He told me, and I blinked at him before I giggled softly. That was the tiniest favor I'd ever been asked to do.

"Okay." I said. "I'll bring you food for the tickets."