Let the chaos unfold

Scene: Band Rehearsal – Ten Minutes Into the Tension

The air was thick.

Drumsticks cracked through the beat like war. Seth’s bass was snarling—off rhythm, off cue, but intentionally.

Mark had stopped strumming altogether, just staring between the two of you.

Ryan whispered to Mark, “Dude, they’re gonna kill each other or make out—I don’t know which one’s worse.”

Then.

The door creaked open.

And in he walked.

Jen.

Baggy jeans, hoodie from the night before (your hoodie), hair tousled from skating, a playlist CD in his hand and that cocky-ass smirk on his face.

Until he saw Seth.

And felt the temperature.

He stepped in slowly, gaze flicking from your flushed cheeks…

To Seth’s clenched jaw…

To the bass still buzzing with tension.

“Yo,” he said, a little too casual, tossing the playlist onto the amp. “Thought I’d drop this off. Didn’t realize I was crashing a band meltdown.”

Seth didn’t even look at him.

But you?

You didn’t blink.

You grabbed the hoodie sleeve, dragged it off your shoulders like it meant nothing, and let it fall to the floor.

Jen’s smirk slipped. Just a little.

“Oh, right,” you said coolly, “I forgot this was yours.”

He stepped closer, cocking his head.

“Funny. You weren’t saying that last night.”

Seth snapped.

He dropped his bass, the thud echoing hard.

“Are you kidding me?”

His voice was low. Deadly. “You brought him here?”

“I didn’t bring anyone,” you shot back, standing up. “He walked in. Like you walked out. Remember?”

Jen raised his eyebrows, stepping up to the tension like it was a halfpipe and he was ready to fall or fly.

“Damn. Didn’t realize your band meetings had front-row drama. Should’ve brought popcorn.”

Mark, poor soul, tried.

“Should we… like… reschedule or something?”

Ryan grabbed a soda and muttered, “No, I’m invested now.”

Jen and Seth were inches apart now.

One smirking. One burning.

“She’s not a toy,” Seth bit out.

Jen just looked at you.

“Don’t worry,” he said softly, but loud enough, “I don’t play with things I don’t care about.”

And then?

He turned to leave.

“Catch you at the show, Moon.”

And he was gone.

Just like that. Leaving smoke and unfinished heat in his wake.

Seth looked at you. Breathless. Angry.

“Tell me to stop wanting you,” he said.

“And I will.”

You didn’t say a word.

You didn’t say a word.

Didn’t even look back.

Just grabbed your sticks, stepped over Jen’s hoodie, and walked out—

leaving two boys with hearts in their throats

and a whole band room dripping with tension that could set fire to a city.

Seth didn’t move.

Jen didn’t follow.

Mark whispered, “...I think I peed a little.”

Ryan cracked open a soda and nodded. “She’s gonna destroy them both. I love it.”

[siim]

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