Twisted Symphony

“What did you do to him?” I elbowed Johnnie in the middle of a movie in Fitz’s class.

“What?” He mumbled, confused.

“Reid won’t return my calls. He’s avoiding me like the plague. What did you do to him?”

“What didn’t you do to him.” He winked. Gross.

“Stop!” I hissed, smacking his arm.

“I’m sorry, but I’m just living up to the high expectations you’ve set for me.” He shrugged me away.

“What?!” I whispered.

“Listen, I didn’t do anything. You screwed this up all on your own.” He smirked.

“What should I do?”

“Have sex?” He smirked.

“Don’t be stupid.”

“What are you talking about. I’m exactly who you said I am.”

“You’re an asshole.”

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. What had I done? I had no one left. Adam had stopped calling; he had gone home days ago, along with my mother and Megan. Reid hadn’t called me back. Not for days. Suddenly I felt alone. Sure, I’m independent, and all that feminism, but I didn’t even have Adam. I wasn’t even sure if I was even mad at him anymore or holding a grudge out of habit. I didn’t have my sister. She had evaporated into some Amish abyss, she had the fear of my mother inside of her. She had suddenly changed. I missed her ranting and her squeaky voice. My mother wasn’t exactly an angel, but she was still my mother. New York provided its own brick wall. Reid wouldn’t even answer my calls. He stood my up on my birthday. He wouldn’t answer a single text, not even with a one worded answer. At least then I would’ve seen anger, something. It would’ve been a chance to figure him out, but at the current moment I was being subjected to an emotional lockout on all ends.

I felt a single tear roll down my cheek in the dark of the classroom. I wiped it away with the sleeve of my shirt.

“Shit.” I heard a mumble as I got up from my seat.

“May I be excused?” I looked at Mr. Fit. I knew my eyes were getting red. He sighed, slightly annoyed.

“Sure.” He waved me away.



“Make a wish.” Johnnie put a small red velvet cupcake in front of me. It was covered in white frosting and topped with sprinkles and a silver candle.

“Please Stop.” I attempted to dismiss him out of the practice room. I moved the cupcake aside.

“Come on.” He slid it in front of me and sat in the spare chair the way that he does.

“Why?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“You owe it to me. I talked to indie rock hipster for you.”

“Really?” I felt my eyes widen with excitement. A smile slowly slipped onto my lips.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “He’ll call you soon. Now, come on.” He walked over to the cupcake sitting on top of the baby-grand and pulled a lighter out of his pocket. “I’m breaking at least sixteen rules.” He brought the lighter to the candle. “At least make a wish.”

“Okay.” I smiled anxiously, pushing my hair behind my shoulders. I pursed my lips.

“Close your eyes.” He ordered.

“Okay.” I suppressed a giggle and closed my eyes. I opened them to small bits of smoke leaving the candle.

“Happy Birthday.”

I jumped up out of my seat and barreled towards Johnnie in a hug, I even made him stumble a little. I wrapped my arms tightly his neck and got onto the tips of my toes. He hugged me back gently. I felt the warmth of his smile, mixed with his increasingly familiar cologne.

“Thank you, Johnnie.”

“Yeah.” He nodded and began to retreat out of the room.

“What was wrong with Reid?”

“Guy stuff.” He tried to leave once more.

“Like what?” I pried.

“Don’t worry about it.” He smiled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“What should I expect?” I bite at my bottom lip.

“Expect Reid. It’ll be fine.” He reassured me.

“How should I act?” I pulled at the elastic tie in my hair. I fixed my shirt nervously.

“Just be yourself. It always works on me.” He smiled, tapping the door frame on his way out. A final escape.

I took a bite out of the cupcake and returned to my music, contemplating what Reid and I would talk about. It all felt strange, how quickly he could come back, how quickly Johnnie could change things for m. I didn’t like knowing he had so much power.

“Hey.” Reid broke my train of thought.

“Hey.” I smiled.

“I’m sorry. For everything. I guess I didn’t know how to handle it.” He shrugged, taking another few steps towards me.

“Handle what?” My eyebrow knitted together.

“Adam, I guess.” His cheeks grew hot. “Kayla kept talking about how much time you spent together, and she kept saying how great you guys are together, and then you got too busy for me. And someone put it in my head that you were faking sick because you didn’t want to spend time with me, and then it started to feel like everyone was getting a piece of you except me.” He looked down. “So I guess I just shut down because it was easy.”

“You stood me up.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “If you’re angry, we can just talk about it.”

“I know.”

“On my birthday.” I glanced at the cupcake.

“I know.” He glanced towards the door.

“That was a shitty thing to do.” I narrowed my eyes slightly.

“I know.” He repeated.

“Is that all you’re going to say?” I breathed.

“ I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me too.” I shrugged helplessly. I couldn’t deny that I was at fault too.

“Can we?” He began.

“Yeah.” I wrapped my arms around his torso, resting my chin on his shoulder. I wasn’t on my tip-toes.

“I’m sorry.” He said once more.

“You said that already.”

“Let’s go out tonight, let’s do something.” He pulled away from me.

“Like what?” I bit at my bottom lip.

“You’re going to chap them if you keep doing that.” Reid teased.

“Sorry.” I shrugged sheepishly.

“Bad habit?” He questioned.

“Yeah.” I smiled.

“That can be fixed.” He teased once more.

“Where are we going tonight?”

“I’ll figure it out.” He smiled and leaned in to kiss me.

“So, a surprise?” My grin widened.

“You like surprises?” He raised an eyebrow. I nodded my head.

“Then it’s a surprise.” He pecked my lips once more before leaving.



“You’re wearing that?” Kayla raised an eyebrow at me. I was sporting skinny jeans, gladiator sandals, and a tunic top that fit to my waist.

“What’s wrong with it?” I began applying my make-up.

“Nothing.” Johnnie interjected.

“You’ve got all the assets and that’s what you’re going to wear?” She teased.
“Well, I’m not sure what we’re doing.” I shrugged.

“You should be wearing that dress you loaned me?” She motioned towards her wardrobe.

“I don’t always have to wear a skirt or a dress, skinny’s can be just as nice.” I defend.

“Johnnie?” Kayla turned to Johnnie who was texting on his phone.

“What?” He seemed withdrawn, as if he wasn’t even listening.

“What do you think?” She raised an eyebrow, searching for his perspective. He smirked.

“You don’t want to know.” He returned to his phone.

“What?” Kayla squeaked, half surprised. There was a knock at the door.

“It doesn’t matter, he’s here.” I slipped off my gladiator sandals and changed into wedges. “There. Compromise.” I nodded at Kayla.

“Ready to go?” Johnnie motioned to Kayla.

“Yeah.” She smiled.

“Hey.” Reid smiled at me. “You look great.: I glanced at Kayla, a cheeky grin on Johnnie’s face. “Hey.” Reid waved at Kayla and Johnnie. Johnnie nodded in acknowledgment.

“Hi.” Kayla smiled.

“We have to go, unless they want to come with us?” Reid teased.

“I would love to.” Kayla smile with glee at the thought of a real date.

“Oh.” Reid looked totally taken aback.

“He was just being polite.” Johnnie motioned to Kayla. “He didn’t mean it like that, Kayla.”

“No. No, if you want to come, then come.” Reid tried his best to hold his ground, but Johnnie’s overly bluntness had done something.

“Really?” Kayla looked at him skeptically.

“Of course.” He shrugged carelessly.

“Kayla, leave them alone.” Johnnie tired to shift gears.

“But we were invited.” Kayla resisted his touch on her waist. “Right?”

“Yeah.” Reid nodded once more.

“Then lead the way.” She motioned towards the door.

A smirk consumed Johnnies face. “This is going to be fun.”