One More Song

Chapter Twelve

The text message had been simple--where r u--and to the point. Mariel knew it was going to be bad when Tyler hadn't added any expletives or emojis. But she hadn't expected him to be cold. Enraged, yes. Infuriated, self-righteous, ranting and snarling, all yes.

Cold, however...

"Are you going to tell me why you did it?"

His arms were crossed and his face was set in an impersonal sneer. Having arrived at her dorm not long after she'd sent out the message canceling band practice for the evening--Mariel had sent it to him as well, perhaps a bit bitterly--Tyler had refused to come up to her dorm room and demanded she come down to the benches.

Perched on the edge of a broad concrete planter, Mariel lit another cigarette and refused to look directly at him. "Not if you're talking to me in that tone."

A chain jingled--his wallet was clearly back where it belonged--and Tyler shifted his weight again, rearranging his arms. "Cut the fucking attitude, Mariel, you could have seriously fucking hurt her."

"What, with warm coffee?" Mariel quirked a brow at him, struggling to keep the sneer off her face. "She's a fucking fae. It's going to take more than some warm latte to the face to hurt her and we both fucking know that."

"That doesn't mean it wouldn't hurt her!"

"A little fucking discomfort isn't being hurt, Tyler!" Her voice rose just as his had; Mariel had to grit her teeth to force herself to speak in a more conversational tone. "When was the last time you got fucking scalded, huh? Or Andrew? Or Cori? Fae don't get hurt the same way people do and you know that." She huffed once, turning slightly away from him to draw on her cigarette. "She got sticky, big fucking deal."

"That's not the point, Mariel." His tone dripped ice and she bit down on the filter between her teeth, recognizing exactly where he'd picked up that manner of speaking. "The point is you threw hot coffee in Amelia's face for no fucking reason."

"When the hell were you going to tell me that you weren't coming to practice anymore?" She turned and looked at him directly, fighting to keep control of herself. To not rip up handfuls of blooming pansies and throw them at him. To not scream at him about using her, playing her for a fool. The struggle for self-control was automatic, but Mariel couldn't quite figure out why she was even bothering anymore. Maybe... just for Briar. Maybe she could salvage just enough to ensure that the medium wasn't caught in the middle.

Tyler didn't even have the grace to look abashed when he glanced at her. He was riding too high on the righteous anger that he'd no doubt been fueling himself with throughout the day. "What the fuck does it matter, Mariel? The band was a stupid idea anyway. We ought to just drop it."

For a minute, she wasn't sure that she'd heard him right. When she'd run the sentences through her head a few more times, Mariel flung her cigarette aside and bounced to her feet. "What the fuck did you just say?!"

It was enough of an excuse for Tyler to drop the "ice prince" charade he'd been holding up. Hot rage was more natural to him and it came at her in a rush. "You fucking heard me, you crazy bitch! You threw coffee in Amy's face and now you want me to fucking play music with you?"

"So what, you're going to kick ME out of the band?!" Her hands were on her hips and she'd moved towards him without realizing she'd taken a step. Tyler had it over her in height, but she could match him in anger without breaking a sweat. "After all the fucking work I've put in, you're going to kick me out?! Who the fuck is going to pay the bills, you stupid dick? You? You haven't put in a single cent in nearly two fucking years!"