Song: Give your heart a break

Twenty-four Tea & Lanterns

"Do you want to stop for a drink?" Devlin titled his head to meet my gaze.

"A drink?" I whispered apprehensively. Was he talking about alcohol? Looking outside the window, I realized the sky had fallen into vicious darkness as a half-moon had risen to the solemn occasion.

He smirked, in manner that reminded of a charismatic wizard, weaving enchantments through the cold air, unaware of the hearts speeding away faster than ever.

"Let me rephrase myself if you will," He cleared his throat. "Would you like to have some tea? It's a perfect night. The sky's clear, there's absolutely no chance of rain."

I smiled. It was hard not to smile when he was around. "But where?" I gestured towards the winding roads, stark snowy-peaked mountains, and forests of pines and aspen trees.

"There's a place few miles from here,"

"There is?" I quirked an eyebrow.

He turned his attention back to the road. "You'll love it, trust me," Somehow it felt as though there was hidden meaning beneath his words.

"I'd trust you with my life,"

△▼△▼△

Devlin had pulled over to a empty patch of forest, devoid of trees. Several other cars were parked here, some along the sides of the road, some on the bare grass fields. It was loud outside. The chatter and noise could be heard within the car. There was light outside, a strange halo of golden and red.

Devlin departed from the car and came over to my side. 'come outside' his mouthed knocking on the window. I motioned him to move back a little so I could open the door. He did move back and I tumbled out the car.

"It's just right past that bend of aspen," He pointed in a distance, where the light grew stronger. There was a little opening between the towering, white barked trees.

We walked side by side. Devlin didn't seem to be in a rush, he walked slow, in small and steady strides.

"I would give you my jacket," He whispered, his breath washing over my cheek. "But I don't have one,"

"It's really not that cold,"

He shrugged, a boyish kind of grin forming on his lips. "I always wanted to do that. You know?Give a girl my jacket,"

I laughed without meaning to. "Do you even realize how cheesy you sound?"

"Cheesy!" He exclaimed. "Alice, you're killing me here,"

"Well," I drawled. "I already killed your manliness,"

"If someone heard us talking, I swear they'd get all the wrong ideas."

"Do you care?" The opening between the trees grew nearer as the light grew brighter.

I realized that the light was coming from golden, umbrella-shaped lanterns hanging from strings of wire all which connected to the roof of a small wooden shack like stall. There were people standing in a line in-front of the stall. Few oak tables and benches were scattered throughout the small square of trimmed wild grasses.

Couples, families were sitting on the worn tables, laughing, talking with one another. Eyes lighted with joy, faces adored with soft, indulgent smiles greeted me. There was a small campfire at one end, bodies were huddled close to the fire. Their skins glowed with a orange hue. The smell of cinnamon and pumpkin pie drifted through the air. A sudden kind of homely, nostalgic feeling tightened its reigns around me.

"No," Devlin finally answered. It was a strange moment, his warm, honey spilling eyes gazed into mine. He was staring at me yet he wasn't looking at me. Despair glazed his eyes, hopelessness was all I could see.

"I'll get us some tea," He began making his way towards the stall, leaving me standing near a empty bench frazzled.

"Okay," I whispered to myself. He was already gone.

I sat down, my eyes still following Devlin as he walked, causally, his head hung low, his hand tucked away in the pockets of his scrubs.

What's wrong with him?

△▼△▼△

I plucked a dandelion from the ground, twirling it in between my fingers. Eventually its stalk grew limp and the dandelion began dropping into my palm, its soft hairs brushing against my skin caused red spots to form wherever it touched my hand.

"You shouldn't do that," Devlin spoke, setting two small paper cups of tea on the table. Steam rose from the cups and danced in the air for few seconds before disappearing. He was balancing two plates of pumpkin pie on his arms in a quite comical manner: his tongue stuck between his teeth, his right eye squinted a bit, and a dimple on his left cheek.

If I could capture this moment and I'd replay it over and over again.

"Do what?"

"Play with wild grass, you'll get an allergy."

"Are you always like this? Or am I an exception?"

He settled himself comfortably across me and propped his chin in his hand. "Like what?"

"This worried big brother,".... I. Did. Not. Just. Say. That. Devlin, my brother, hell no. Seriously, Alice, mum wasn't kidding when she said that I should consider becoming a clown. Let me ask you, how many of you have referred to your crush, your first love as your big brother? Anyone? No-one. I knew it. It's only me.

The words had already left my mouth and I could not take them back.

My words hadn't fazed Devlin for a second. It was like he got asked this sort of thing everyday.

"Is it bothering you?" He asked, earnestly.

"No," I smiled, warmth seeping into my fringed cheeks.

He took my hand into his. Fireworks soared through my stomach, flashing lights and warm sunsets filled my heart which thumped swiftly, faster than the strumming of a viola's strings.

His cool fingers were pressed against my heated hands. "I'll have to give you an antihistamine tablet when we get home-" He stopped mid way through his sentence. A uneasy realization settling itself across his features.

"You're not taking me home, aren't you?" I had conjured up this much. There was reason why my bags were sitting packed in the trunk of his car. I already knew what the reason was going to be. My father had said something that had upset Devlin.

He let out a resigned sigh, not daring to meet my eyes. "You're right. I'm not." His hands trembled slightly as he raised the cup to his lips, drinking its entire content in one gulp. He set down the cup, the papery pale skin around his knuckles reddening. Raven black hair covered his forehead and his eyes. Strand of hair were curved around the nape of his neck. I sat there, taking in his beauty. A breeze picked dust off the ground and spread it in the air like a winter morning mist.

The way he held himself, in a dignified manner, prideful yet enough to know he was not arrogant. The way he my hand, lightly yet tight enough for me to know he was still here with me.

"I'm taking you to Bre's place,"

"Why?"

He did not reply.

"What did my dad say?"

Again, I was greeted by silence. I hated it when he was quite. I abhorred it with each and every bone in my body. By now, I knew what his silence meant. I knew he was blocking me out, I knew he was blocking everything out. Is that how he is? Is that why his sister and Bre warned me? Is it because he never lets anyone break through the walls guarding him. He told me everything about himself because I am leaving him today. He wanted me know, not because he trusted me, because it was his last chance to explain why I went against my father for him.

It hurt me more than I thought it would.

"This isn't about what he said and what he didn't. This about is you,"

"Devlin, look at me," I had an urge to slap him straight across him jface, to knock some sense into his, now, lifeless self.

He begrudgingly raised his head.

"I am perfectly fine, as a matter of fact, I'm feeling better than I have ever had for these past years,"

"That's not what I mean. Do you even know what people are talking about? Your dad thinks you've slept with me!" Devlin nearly screamed, disgusted, the whites in his eyes were a wine red color. For a moment, it did not matter what dad thought or what people said. All cared about was Devlin. It was an insane thought and it scared the daylights out of me.

"As far as I know Devlin Hutchins does not care what others think of him"

"I don't," He breathed out. "But I can't hear anyone shit talk about you. I just can't. Do you even know how close I was to shouting a bunch of curses at your dad?"

I began laughing. I couldn't help it. I clenched my stomach and laughed to my heart's content. Why was I laughing? Even I don't know. Somehow it felt right.

"This isn't funny," Devlin glared at me.

"I dunno. Your face, it's worth laughing at,"

"Alice, you're impossible,"

"Okay, okay," I held up my hands in defeat. "I'm serious now,"

"You're going to stay with Bre until your exams then you can return to your family, once you get the results back. I don't think you're dad will have problem with that."

"I'm staying with you," I crossed my arms over my chest, defiantly.

"No, you're not,"

"What's the point?"

"What's the point?" Devlin shook his head, disbelievingly, laughing a mirthless laugh. "What's the point? Are you seriously asking me that?"

I gathered my courage. My heart picked up its pace. My surrounding, the people, everything was beginning to blur into different shades of red. The flustering sensations inside my stomach told me that I had made the decision. It was now or never. The thought of saying these words felt like dying yet at the same time they remind me of the peaceful moments. The moments where we watched the stars through our entwined fingers, where he held me close to his heart when the tears wouldn't stop, where he brought me back to life when I was drowning in an ocean of darkness, where he chased me around the sofa, where we laughed till the sun disappeared behind horizon, where he held me in an embrace, where our breaths met and became one.

Words were beginning to form on my tongue as my eyes widened when I realized what I was about to do. "Because I already love-"

A hand was tightly pressed against my mouth. It was not my hand but his. "You will not complete that sentence," He grabbed my hand, tightly, almost painfully. "Come on, we're leaving," It wasn't a request.

Moisture prickled my eyes but I did not cry because I felt too confused to do so. He dragged me towards his car through the clearing in the forest. Owls hooted loudly, yellow eyes stared from within the forest.

"Why?" I jerked my hand out of his hold. "You are not taking me anywhere! Do you get that?"

"No, please, Alice. Don't do this to me," He was literally begging me.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Not right now. Not here," He whispered.

This was going nowhere and I gave up even before I fought with him because I could honestly not fight with him, not when he looked so vulnerable.

"Where does Bre live?"

"East Winterville,"

I closed my eyes and tried keeping my breathing even. "Let's go,"

△▼△▼△

Bre lived in a huge mansion with her parents. Considering what a bad-ass Bre was, it came to me as a shock that she lived with her parents. If I weren't in such a terrible mood, I'd probably be freaking out by how big her mansion was. There were four stories, all joined by Victorian styled staircases. The furniture was old, probably antique and more expensive than all my belongings combined. The ceilings were dome-shaped and painted with vivid scenes of bright blue skies and soaring birds.

I lay on the bed in one of the guest rooms. The pillow was too soft for my liking and my body felt like it was sinking into the mattress as it were made of quicksand. I missed the teddy bear quilt at Devlin's place. I missed the faint smell of detergent from the pillow covers. I missed listening to him come into the apartment and sometimes into my room.

He hadn't said a word since our not so much of an argument, not a single word. No goodbyes, no I'll see you later, no I'll call you, no I'll miss you.

Maybe I should have fought with him. Maybe I should have punched him till he finally gave in. Maybe I should have smashed his walls. Maybe then I would still be in his apartment, listening to him talk.

There was hesitant knock on the door. "Come in," I got up in bed and sat cross-legged.

Bre peeked into the room, smiling kindly, the ruby nose ring flopping against her cheek. She had been really nice about this whole ordeal and had welcomed me into her house like I was family, not a stranger her cousin had met few days ago.

"Keeping your head outta water, huh?" She leaned against the door frame, crossing her long, black net covered legs. Her hauntingly beautiful gray eyes inspected my face with a slight frown.

"Barely,"

She sighed, closing her eyes for a fraction of a second. "Warned you earlier, didn't I?"

"It was already too late by then,"

"I figured," She smiled.

"Then why?"

"I thought it might lessen the blow. You know what, babe," Bre watched me with a certain fierceness. "Let him do what he wants. He's an idiot,"

I laughed. "Seriously,"

There was a strange look on Bre's face. It was like she had suddenly remembered something. " I'll talk you tomorrow,"

With that she left me to find a cure for my aching heart.

I got up from the bed, threw the blanket on the floor and laid down on it.  Somehow the cold floor felt more comfortable than the warm bed. Before I even knew it, I had drifted into sleep where once again I was surrounded by flames but this time there was no-one to rescue me when I cried.

△▼△▼△ .

Note: What's your favorite moment in the story so far?

Mine is probably this one about lanterns and tea.

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