MELODY

MELODY 29

┏ 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 ┐

When they arrived at the carpark of the mall, Bryan had thought Jackson would drop him off and leave. Instead, he parked his car and turned off the engine, moving to get out of the vehicle. Confused, he silently watched the taller man pull his sunglasses away from his eyes and unbuckled his seatbelt. He didn't make a move to do the same, waiting for some sort of explanation. When Jackson finally looked at him, he paused in his movements.

As if the world had stopped spinning and time had momentarily halted, Bryan kept his gaze locked with the lead guitarist's. The air between them shifted. Heavier. But also gentler. As if the tentative whatever that was between them was developing far beyond from what Bryan could comprehend. And that was anxiety-inducing.

When Bryan finally looked away, his heart skipping a beat, the silence melted away into a rush of white noise, bringing back the elements of reality to remind him of where he was.

"Do you need something at the mall too?" Bryan asked, his voice coming out softer than he intended it to be.

While awaiting for an answer, he unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed the door handle only to be stopped by a warm touch on his wrist. Fingers wrapping around his hand had him snapping his gaze to the beautiful dark eyes that had never failed to steal his breath away. The searing touch settled deep underneath his skin. Almost desperately, he wished the touch lingered. Stayed. Forever.

"Is it fine if I accompany you?" Jackson asked, startling him from his thoughts.

His throat dried, wondering why the taller man wanted to come with him on a boring errand. But his words had died and they wouldn't leave his mouth. The objection that he didn't want to waste his time wouldn't leave him. Instead, he wanted Jackson to stay. Without a word, he nodded, missing his fingers immediately when Jackson pulled his hand away.

Swallowing past the lump forming in his throat, he opened the car door and got out. The air was cooler outside, a stark contrast to the suffocating atmosphere inside. A second later, Jackson followed him out as well, the doors closing shut before a beep echoed in the quiet carpark.

"So you just want to accompany me?" Bryan asked, finally finding the missing courage.

Jackson nodded, shoving his car keys in his pockets.

"Why?" Bryan forced his body to move as Jackson walked away from his car, heading to one of the openings to the mall.

"Would you rather do it alone?" Jackson asked as he glanced at him, not even missing a beat.

Bryan looked away as he tightened the shoulder strap of his bag, shaking his head. That earned him slight smile from the taller man, forcing his heart to beat faster. Knowing his face was red, he kept his gaze away from Jackson as they walked quietly to the escalators, heading past a few floors to get to the floor where the shops were located.

"Thanks," Bryan said, finding his voice once they walked out onto the ground floor, noting it was slightly crowded today. "For accompanying me."

Jackson simply shrugged as a response while he looked around the place. "What do you need first?"

Bryan fumbled for his phone then, opening the notes application to look through the latest list he made for this trip. "Foam boards," Bryan said. "And tons of tape." He frowned as he looked up from his phone. "I don't have much money on me, so it needs to be somewhere cheap."

Jackson snorted under his breath before he said, "I know a place."

Raising his eyebrows, Bryan shoved his phone in his jacket pockets as he followed the taller man. "You know a place?"