Never Let Me Go by Florence + The Machine

"I hate the water!" Dexter yelps as Sparrow leads him farther into the ocean. "Can we go back now?"
"It's not even deep here," Sparrow says, waving his hand dismissively.
"I can't swim, though!" Dexter exclaims.
He tries to turn back, but Sparrow grips his hand tighter and pulls him along. Waves roll past them, bobbing them up and down. For a second, Dexter feels the sand under his feet sloping down, and he shrieks.
"Sparrow!" he cries, jumping into his arms.
Water splashes as he jumps, spraying Sparrow's face.
"Aggh! Dexter!" Sparrow growls.
Despite his irritation, he keeps his arms wrapped around Dexter who shivers, clinging to his wet body.
"You'll be fine," he says, trying to sound less careless than usual. "I won't let you go. Even if you did just douse my face with water."
"Sorry," Dexter stutters, holding onto him tighter.
"Nah, don't worry about it."

Winter Wonderland by Darlene Love

Dexter and Sparrow run through the snowy meadow, yelling gleefully as they race up a glistening white hill.
"I totally beat you!" Sparrow sings loudly.
"Whatever," Dexter laughs. "I'll beat you to the bottom!"
He jumps onto his sled and streaks down the hill, cheering as the cold snow sprays his face.
"Whoooo!" Sparrow yells as he speeds past Dexter on his sled.
"No fair!" Dexter exclaims as he finally reaches the bottom.
"The best model in Ever After," Sparrow brags as he strokes his bright red sled affectionately.

"This is completely childish," Sparrow grumbles as Dexter adds another snowball to their snowman.
"We could finish faster if you'd help," Dexter says. "Maybe you could go get a carrot and raisins from the cabin?"
Sparrow sighs exaggeratedly.
"I suppose."
He returns a few minutes later with said ingredients, dragging his feet through the snow. Dexter finishes packing the snow together and steps back to admire his work. Sparrow stabs the carrot through the snowman's head.
"There you go," he says dramatically. "It's got a nose. Now the damn thing can breathe."
Dexter rolls his eyes affectionately.

Later, after they finish a semi-presentable snowman, they snuggle on the couch by the fire. They sip hot cocoa, watching a cheesy Disney movie on the television. Dexter feels warm and fuzzy inside as he rests his head on Sparrow's shoulder, basking in the warmth of the room and the love he has for this boy.

Paradise by Coldplay

Sparrow knows that he expects the world. His mother always told him so, chiding him for his selfishness. It's true that his expectations are unfairly high. He wants to be admired, cherished and revered by everybody. He wants to be recognized for the awesome person he is, the fantastic musician, the rebellious rule-breaker. Knowing that he won't ever get what he wants in real life, he wills himself to dream of it at night. A life in paradise. Playing at concerts every night, strumming his guitar and rocking out as screaming girls jump and dance in front of the stage, reaching up as they desire just one touch from him.

Suddenly, this desire to escape his life, to make his own, fades away as a bumbling but kind boy, Dexter, stumbles into his life. Feelings that he's never had erupt in his chest. Soon, after a cringey love confession complete with a guitar solo and loud singing, Dexter and Sparrow are constantly together. In the Enchanted Forest, Dexter lying in the grass as he listens to Sparrow play his guitar, riding their bikes through Book End, playing at the arcade, seeing action and horror movies at the Multihex Theater, spending lazy afternoons in their dorm rooms, just talking about anything that comes into their scattered minds. Sparrow thinks he finally knows what real paradise is.

We Belong by Pat Benatar

Dexter growls, rubbing his hand over his face.
"I can't believe we broke up again," he grumbles. "That stupid boy. He thinks he's all that, but you know what? He's not!"
Daring stares at him, blinking.
"I'm sure you guys will get back together," Daring says, shrugging. "You always do."
Dexter scoffs.
"Because I'm a freaking pushover. That's why."
"You guys are good together," Daring insists. "I would even say you belong together."
"What?!" Dexter splutters. "We're not even that serious, Daring!"
Daring shrugs. He suddenly laughs, then he smirks and points.
"Speak of the devil," he says.
Dexter turns around, gasping as he sees Sparrow coming down the hall toward them, holding his green electric guitar.

"Oh man," Dexter whines, wincing as he sees the fire in Sparrow's eyes.

Faster than an arrow shooting toward its target, Sparrow drops to his knees and starts wildly playing his guitar.

"Oh yeah!" he screeches. "Dexter, my baby! We belong together! Oh yeah, we do!"

Dexter's face burns, but he can't ignore the butterflies in his stomach. His legs pull him forward, and before he knows it, he's standing in front of Sparrow who continues to "rock out."

"Oh yeah, baby, yeah! We belong together! More than PB & J! We belong! Yeah!"

Dexter stifles his laughter, putting his hand on Sparrow's shoulder. Sparrow stops abruptly, his eyes wide. He looks up, and an uncharacteristic bright smile lights up his face.

He stands up and Dexter, more boldly than he knew was possible for him, steps forward and takes Sparrow's face in his hands, kissing him with all the passion inside of him. He can barely hear the students cheering as he closes his eyes, cherishing the surprising softness of Sparrow's lips. No matter how annoying Sparrow is, they do belong together.

I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry

"This isn't how I planned it," Sparrow insists. "It was an accident. I wouldn't have told you if it wasn't for Duchess's big mouth!"

Dexter scoffs.
"I know that at least," he grumbles.
"Babe, I promise it was an accident."
"I know," Dexter sighs, "but it's still cheating, Sparrow. There's no way around it."

"It was stupid, Dexter! I'm-" he stutters, his face reddening, "sorry!"

An apology from him is less common than a blizzard in summer. Now both have happened this year. Sparrow squeezes his eyes shut, remembering the taste of her cherry chapstick, how it stuck to his lips until he washed it off hours later. It felt so wrong. Duchess's lips aren't Dexter's after all. But they're softer and smaller, easier to fit in his mouth. Damn, it felt right in some ways. And Sparrow is terrified. Is Dexter going to mind? he had thought desperately. Now he knows: yes, Dexter does mind.

"I need some time to think this over," Dexter says, his face blank. "I just-" he sighs, "can't right now."

He swiftly exits the dorm. Sparrow sits on his bed, putting his face in his hands, the sensation of Duchess's glossy lips still clinging to his consciousness.

"Fuck," he hisses.

Shots by Imagine Dragons

"I'm sorry for everything I've done," Sparrow says, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. "For not caring, for being such an ass, for messing up time and time again."
Dexter runs his hands over his face, sighing.

"It's like every time I think our relationship is going well," he says, "you say or do something hurtful again."

Something hot aches in Sparrow's chest. His eyes are hurting for some reason.

"It's just my luck," he says, his voice not sounding anywhere near as amazing as usual. "I always mess up. Always. Ever since I was born, everything I do is wrong. It's like I was born to be a failure."

He screws his eyes shut, his heart pounding as liquid runs down his face. Damn it, he hasn't cried since he was a little kid! Suddenly, he feels warm hands on his shoulders and familiar, gentle lips kiss his cheek.
"You're not a failure," Dexter whispers, his warm breath tickling Sparrow's ear. "You're amazing. Believe me."

Words As Weapons by Birdy

"You're such a helpless infant!" Sparrow teases, his voice like a dull blade that cuts through Dexter's chest with every word. "Seriously, just grow up! Fend for yourself instead of always having your manly sister stand up for you!"
Blood rushes to Dexter's face. His stomach constricts.
"Don't you dare talk about my sister!" he yells, hot tears burning his eyes. "Why do you have to be so damn foul?"
Sparrow only looks shocked for a second before a nasty smirk takes over his face.
"You just can't handle it," Sparrow says, waving his hand dismissively. "You can't handle anything. I have no idea why I even date you!"

Needles are jabbing into Dexter's heart. It's like it's actually being broken into pieces. Dexter always thought a heart breaking was just a dramatic expression but no-he literally feels the beating muscle being torn by Sparrow's weaponized words.
"Well, you don't have to worry about having a boyfriend anymore," Dexter says, his throat so thick he can barely breathe.
He walks out of the dorm room, his entire body trembling.

Look What You Made Me Do by Taylor Swift

Dexter hits the car with all his strength, swinging the baseball bat wildly. Glass shatters, spilling all over the sidewalk.
"Look what you made me do, you fucker," Dexter hisses. "Look what you made me do."
Dexter finally had the courage to stand up to Sparrow, his mean, stupid, callous ex-boyfriend who doesn't give a shit about anybody but himself.
"I don't like your lies, your little stupid games, your worthless insults," Dexter had spat out.
Sparrow hadn't even looked at him. He just stood there with a cruel smirk on his face, clearly thinking he's too good for Dexter, too good to even acknowledge him.
Now Dexter beats Sparrow's bright red car like it's actually him, spitting out curse words. He has never felt this much anger before, a blazing inferno in his chest, controlling his every move.
"Look what you made me do, you pathetic piece of shit," Dexter gasps out. "You are going to pay."

Never Enough (from The Greatest Showman, performed by Loren Allred)

"It's never enough for you!" Dexter exclaims, his voice choked with anger. "This beautiful mansion, an amazing job, so much fame! And now you're insisting we move to another country because most of your fans are there! It's pathetic!"
His body shakes, his face twisted with rage.
"You're so damn selfish! What about Sam? Our son who you should care more about than yourself obviously?! Do you think he wants to leave all his friends, his school that he loves so much? Do you think I want to leave all my friends and my job?!"
He shakes his head wildly, gripping tufts of his hair in his fists.
"It's never enough!" he yells.

He lets out a crazed laugh.

"Never enough for King Sparrow!" he says mockingly.
"You're right!" Sparrow explodes, his face redder than his hair. "It is never enough! Good job! You cracked the code of my soul! I want more! I'll always want more! It'll never be enough for me! Never!"

Boomerang by Imagine Dragons

"How long is it going to take me to move on?" Dexter wonders aloud.
He stares at the ceiling, the blankets doing little to warm him as he shivers. Images of Sparrow rush through his head. Sparrow playing his electric guitar, serenading Dexter with his rough, admittedly obnoxious voice, kissing him with more tenderness than Dexter ever thought this boy could possess.

Every day, seeing Sparrow in the halls, walking from class to class, he can't help but lock eyes with him. Sparrow nods, but all Dexter can do is gaze at the boy he wishes he could just get over. He needs to grow as a person, and he knows he can't do that with Sparrow by his side. Still, when one rainy evening in Bookend, Sparrow runs for cover under Dextra's umbrella, he doesn't bother to stop the kiss that happens more naturally than water flowing.