Losing Home✔️

11. Brewing Storm

"Please" Rainer pleaded with me, dragging out the word. "You have to sing. I'll play the piano and you can sing. We can do any song you want."

Rainer and I have been sitting in music for the last fifteen minutes of the lesson, trying to convince me to sing for our assessment. Miss Rivera said we can create a group or perform on our own, but we have to come up with a performance with our chosen instruments – my voice, obviously. I didn't want to though, I'd much rather play the piano or guitar instead.

"Please?" Rainer was insistent on getting me to agree and I must admit, it was quite surprising to see her so livid and persistent to do just that. It's the most emotion I've seen in her in the past two days.

I wanted to agree, I did. But, singing wasn't something I did in front of a lot of people. Yes, I sang a lot, but it was always just for fun. I've only ever performed properly once, and that was a couple years ago when I was much more confident and fearless. Now, after what happened, it hasn't been the same.

On the other hand, I didn't want to disappoint Rainer, so that's why I said; "Okay, I'll do it."

She squealed and pulled me into a death grip hug, shaking me slightly from side to side, thanking me as if I had just gifted her a new car. Letting go of me, she began packing her stuff up and thinking aloud about the different songs we could do with such much enthusiasm. I laughed quietly at her antics before following suit and packing up myself. The entire walk to the cafeteria, Rainer couldn't keep quiet, asking me what key I preferred to sing in and if there was a song that I wanted to do in particular. She only stopped once we had reached the cafeteria. Scanning the mass of people, however, I couldn't spot Jess, only Isaac who was sitting at Xavier's table.

Taking a shaky breath, I looped my arm with Rainer's and dragged her over to Xavier's table to ask where Jess was since Rainer hadn't seen her in English this morning.

"Isaac, do you know where Jess is?" I tapped him on the shoulder, avoiding eye contact with anyone else at the table, especially the pair of eyes surveying me intently at the head of the table.

"Yeah she's at the tracks, there's practice for the track team."

"Oh. Okay, thanks." I was about to turn away with Rainer who had gone oddly quiet again but was stopped when Frasier, who's in my music class, spoke up.

"Why don't you guys sit here?" He asked, but he had already started pulling two chairs over from a nearby table.

"Oh, uh. We wouldn't want to impose." I said, trying to decline politely.

"Pshh. It's nothing. Sit." He said gesturing with his hand to the two new seats as the rest of the table nodded distractedly, too immersed in their conversation to pay too much attention.

One was between Isaac and Mason, and the other was between Frasier and Xavier. I already knew Rainer was already uncomfortable as it was, so it was inevitable that she was going to at least take the seat next to Isaac. That only left the one next to Xavier free. Great. I had managed to clear the air with him earlier, but it still feels really awkward. I mean I did basically eavesdrop on him breaking up with Alex.

Untangling my arm from Rainer, she took her seat and I moved around them to my seat and sat down. Xavier's eyes stayed on me with every move. I could feel them on me without having to look.

"I'm Frasier, the one pretending those chips in his mouth are fangs, is Mason. The blonde one is Ethan, and the other the other guy is Hayden and that's his girl, Riley." He pointed to each one and they all nodded and gave polite smiles except Ethan. "And well him," he gestured to Xavier, "I hear from a little birdy that you two have already met."

I twiddle my thumbs in my lap and give him a shy nod, still refusing to look at Xavier. He still hasn't taken his eyes off me the entire time, he's watching me so closely my skin is burning, and I feel so self-conscious under his stare. It's like he can see straight through me, through the walls I've concealed myself behind.

"Yeah, we had a few run-ins." Xavier complied, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest.

The rest of the table looked at me and Mason gave me a lopsided grin before it turned serious. "Pancakes or Waffles?"

Everybody at the table leaned in, awaiting my answer. Their stares were unrelenting on me. Xavier only sat back and rolled his eyes at his friends' bizarre behaviour.

"Waffles?" I said more questioningly.

They were silent for a second until Mason broke out into a huge grin and said, "Alright, you passed. You're a part of us now." then he continued munching on his fries.

The rest of the table laughed and continued eating as well. It was nice sitting with them at lunch. At first, it was awkward with Xavier watching me, but once I actually looked at him, he grinned brightly at me, displaying both deep dimples and shook his head.

I found out that Riley was really protective of all the boys when it comes other girls, she was telling about one of Hayden's ex, and how she noticed that his ex-was just using him and 'saved' him from further torture. She said that it was how they met and was the start of their relationship.

They were both very cosy together, Hayden didn't seem to talk as much as the rest but the way he looked at Riley was how every girl wants a guy to look at her. Like she is his entire world and would do absolutely anything to make her smile and keep her happy.

There was something stirring low in my belly watching them interact, a relationship so genuine and real. Something I was stupid enough to think I had.

"Hey, you okay?" Xavier whispered into my ear making the hairs on the nape of my neck stand.

I didn't realise that my face had fallen, fortunately, though, the rest of the table were sucked into another conversation about Mason's inability to hold his liquor at last weekend's party.

Looking at Xavier, our faces only inches apart, I replied shakily. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I said rhetorically.

"You tell me." He whispered lowly, still cautiously watching me.