Song: Running Up That Hill - Placebo
If you've never heard it, it's worth a listen.

Chapter 24

There's a Thunder in Our Hearts

(Tylers' p.o.v)

At first, I didn't think I had a right to be mad. I was the one that fucked up in the first place and if it hadn't have been for my fuck up there wouldn't be anyone to avoid talking about. But screw that. What the hell was he doing? Has he been planning that? That's not even like him. He's the harmless jock who was nice to pretty much anybody, didn't matter if they were a jock or brainy or what ever. There's never been anything about him that was manipulative, or calculating, or anything like would he go to Jeremy? Jeremy said that he didn't even tell him his name. If Michael wanted to screw things up more than they already are, he would've told him who he was.

(p.o.v over)

He left Jeremys' house and started to drive. Where? He wasn't sure. It wasn't home, where ever it was. He was pissed. Who does that? Michael chats up Jeremy when Tyler isn't there and even says, "hey, you can draw me if you let me see your sketches". What the hell is that? He was seething. What fueled his anger the most was that he thought of himself as a coward. His opportunity was right there to tell Jeremy the truth but Tyler was afraid. He was scared to see Jeremys' reaction.

Tyler drives by The Grill and what do ya know? There in the parking lot is Michaels' car. Before he came to terms with his fathers' death and grew closer with Jeremy, Tyler was always full of rage. His emotions would cloud his judgement and his actions were never under control. Now, however, he wasn't so hot headed. He masked his anger quite well.

When he walked inside he saw all of his football buddies and in the center of their group was, of course, Michael. As Tyler walked up to his friends they all greeted him and acted as usual, for the exception of Michael that is. As soon as they all spoke to him Michael stood up and walked to the restroom. He knew it might've looked a little odd for a guy to follow a dude to the restroom but hey, if Michael was going to just walk off then Tyler would only follow him. Tyler was after some answers.

Michael walked in and moments later came Tyler bustin' in.

"Why?" Tyler knew that he didn't have to say anything else.

"Okay. Okay, look. I didn't- I didn't tell him anything. So just, calm down." His tone was sharp and if Tyler didn't know any better, he'd swear that Michael looked pissed too. Well why the hell is that?

"Are you kidding? You're mad?" It was obvious.

Michael was mad. He was mad at himself and at Tyler. It seemed crazy, but his reasoning was actually valid. The time he spent with Jeremy gave him the opportunity to see just how nice Jeremy was. He didn't deserve what Tyler and him did to him.

"That night. When you said things between you and him were dying down, you guys weren't over were you?"

Talk about a curve ball.

Tyler had to admit, the kid had guts.

"No. No, I fucked up and he knows about it. That's not the damn point here."

"Yes it is. You cheated on him. He didn't deserve that."

Lets just say that the progress Tyler was gaining about his temper had all gone out the window. Tyler charged at Michael and pinned him to the bathroom wall. It was a good thing no one was walking in because their position was a little odd as it was in the Mens Restroom.

"Why! Why'd you talk to him like that."

Michael freed his hands and pushed Tyler away. He may not have been as strong as Tyler, but he was pretty damn near it.

"I felt guilty, that's why. I didn't mean for us to start talking about other stuff." His eyes were directed away from Tyler on purpose. Michael let out a heavy sigh and laid it all out on the table.

"I wasn't sure if he even knew. Hell, I didn't even know if you guys were even still serious. But I had never done that to anyone before. Probably sounds lame, but I was going to apologize. I know it wouldn't change anything but I didn't even know the kid. And we started talking and-", Michael liked him.

Tyler was growing impatient. "And what?" He said with apparent aggravation and annoyance.

Michael was gutsy and he definitely wasn't afraid of Tyler, but was he really gonna go there? Go as far as to say that at first he did have feelings for Tyler, but then he talked to Jeremy and was not only attracted to him but felt even more guilty.

"He's nice, Tyler. I hate myself that we did what we did. It was a stupid mistake and he didn't deserve it." And just like that, Michaels' anger was gone.

People like Michael are dangerous. The kind that could make your emotions go from utter rage to sympathetic for the other person who was the reason of all your anger to begin with. He was good, Tyler had to give him that much.

"He doesn't know who you are, y'know. He still thinks he just talked to some random guy at The Grill and drew some stranger. And what the hell was that? How'd you guys even manage for that to happen?"

"I hadn't planned for that either," he shut his eyes and made sure he knew what he was about to say.

"After a while, it just felt like I was talking to someone else. He mentioned he was in to art and that his latest stuff didn't look realistic. That he had never drawn an actual person and that was why. So when I asked to see his sketchbook and he said no, I offered a trade off. An actual person to draw and I'd get to see his art. I'm sorry that it got that far. Really, all I wanted to do was make amends anyway possible."

"All right look, what ever. Just-, don't do it again, okay."

And with that said, Tyler turned away from the boy and started to leave until,

"I'm sorry to you, too." Michael said with sincerity.

Before he left Tyler looked at Michael once more and said, "me too."

.................................................

School had been out for a few hours now and Jeremy walked with Melissa around Mystic Falls.

He filled her in on most of what all had changed with him and Tyler.

"Did he tell you what he did earlier that day?" She really was happy for him. Knowing that Jeremy felt comfortable enough to come to her about that stuff just made her even happier for him. She had always wanted a "gay b.f.f." And the fact it was Jeremy made it all the more fun for her.

"Uhm, no? Do I want to know?" He laughed figuring it could be anything when it came to Tyler.

"Oh, I think you'd find it sweet. He came and asked for my help. Told me what happened and he honestly looked miserable by it. He said that he couldn't lose you. But it turned out he didn't need any help after all." She smiled as she talked to him. Her eyes took notice that Jeremy wasn't smiling back and furrowed his brows together.

As Melissa was going to say something she was caught off guard when Jeremy embraced her in a hug.

Chuckling lightly she says, "You okay?" Her smile was contagious.

"Yeah, I just... I can't believe he did that. It kind of-," there he went again with his face that showed he was thinking intensely. His lips pressed together and he breathed in deeply and asked,

"Is it wrong that I want to see who the guy is?"

A/n: No Jyler :( , sorry about that. But this chapter lays the ground work for the next one.
I was excited about this one because it shows their emotions and I absolutely adore the song Running Up That Hill. I thought it went well with the chapter.
What'd ya think?