BUTTERFLYS

We were holding hands. Our fingers intertwined running through the cold air in Los Angeles. We finally got away from the paparazzi.

We stopped to catch our breath. Nathaniel's hand was bare. He lost his glove escaping the paparazzi, but his hands stayed warm when they were holding mine. I let go of his hand and grab a glove from my pocket. I take his hand and gently put the glove on his long and slim fingers. I take a deep breath and fog appeared when I exhaled.

"Do you do this all the time?" I asked smiling.

"Do what?"

"Run from paparazzi." He laughed and shook his head yes. "It was fun," I added. Nathaniel looked at me smirking childishly.

"You're a child, entertained by the most stupid things." He laughs.

"I'm 23, can't I enjoy being childish once in a while." I grab his hand and start walking the street. I could see that people were starting to notice Nathaniel. I start to pick up the pace. Nathaniel whispers run, and that's what I do. Holding his hand we run away from any public place. We found a back alley and ran in there, and after making sure nobody noticed us, we both fell to the ground.

"Still think it's fun?" Nathaniel asked sarcastically. I roll my eyes and Nathaniel bites his lip irritated. Suddenly I started to feel nervous. It was light but I bite my lip as I look at Nathaniel who was the one making me feel nervous. His stare was unbreakable and I locked eyes with Nathaniel.

He lost his glasses running but I was grateful cause now I could see his face properly. The nervousness got greater as the silence continued. My heart was beating faster, it was so loud I swore Nathaniel could hear it. My breath got thicker and heavier, and I could feel my face warm up. I didn't want Nathaniel to think I was nervous around him but I'm pretty sure he already knew. his lips curved into a cocky smirk.

"My oh my, Mackenzie are you nervous?"

"Let go of my hand." My command surprised him and he looked down, he took back his hand and crossed his legs.

"So the emotion thing." He changes subject.

"You need to think of something that you can channel into your voice."

"What the heck do you think singing is? A superpower?"

"It can be," I say bluntly. I calmed down and looked at Nathaniel without a single doubt in my mind. He was surprised and confused by my words.

"Music is a superpower. In an instant, it could change your mood. You could be sad but listen to the right song you'll be dancing with a smile. Singing with emotion has the power to influence others."

Nathaniel leaned against the wall. "Ok, how should I channel my emotions into singing?"

"I think of something that fits the song, if it's upbeat, I'll think of something that makes me happy, if it's a sad song, well you get it."

"So think of other things while you sing?"

"What do you usually think about while you're on stage?"

Nathaniel stays quiet. Then he grabs his hat and stares at it for a while. "I think about what the audience looks like naked." I slap my face then I slap Nathaniels. "Ow, what the hell!"

"Seriously? How people look naked, is your dick that unused, that you have to think about naked people while you're looking at millions of people, children, old woman and men alike?" Nathaniel laughs.

"No it's to stop me from being nervous, my dick is also not unused. I've done it many times, even on your couch while you're in the studio." I slap him in the face again.

"That's my couch! My house! Don't ever fuck in my house again, the only one allowed to fuck in my house is me!"

"So I'd be allowed to have sex in your house if it was you?" Nathaniel asked. My face turned to beat red and I punched him in the gut. He held his stomach and I was burning up. "You're so physical today. I kind of like it."

"Say one more thing and next time it will be your dick." Nathaniel sat up and seen that I was red. He touched my forehead and immediately picked me up.

"Jax! Put me down, right now!"

"No. Mack you're burning up I think you're sick." I stay quiet because he's probably right, I knew I caught colds easily, my immune system is that of a baby's, fragile. A little bit of cold and I catch a cold, somebody coughs on me, I catch a cold.

We caught a taxi and Nathaniel made me rest my head on his lap. I got uncomfortable and sat up and rested my head on his shoulder instead.

I bite my lip, that nervous feeling came back, and for a split second, I felt butterfly's in my stomach until it was clouded by the feeling of disgust. I look at the driver of the taxi who was looking at us. He was probably a homophobe and thought we were a couple. If I was the driver I'd think so too. After all, I was resting my head on his shoulders and usually, that's something a lover would do.

We got to the hospital and the cold symptoms kicked in. I started to cough, my head started spinning. I tripped and landed in Nathaniel's arms, he held me up but I gripped his arm. A bunch of emotions started clouded my emotions. Mostly the feeling of being worried and scared. We were right outside a hospital and a bunch of these people is here to visit dying family members. Their emotions were strong and the stress made my cold worse.

"Jax, I'm going to faint."

"Right now?" I shake my head yes, and my body starts to lean backward. Nathaniel caught me and I was unconscious.