Where Life Takes Us - 20. Chapter 20 - Half of My Heart

Months passed and grieving continued in the Luis household. Slowly but surely the home began to lighten up and return to the mood they usually lived in.

A school talent show came up and Wyatt decided to enter. The night Wyatt signed up, Kayla knocked on his door. “Wyatt, can I ask a favour of you?” He stared at his sister, “Can I join you in the talent show?”

Wyatt's smile grew from ear to ear. “Yes! What song should we do?”

“Well what song are you doing?”

Blushing, Wyatt replied, “'Half of my Heart' by John Mayer!”

The pair spent almost an hour trying to find a song that they agreed on. They suddenly at the same moment they spoke, “Broken!” It was decided, Seether's “Broken (Ft. Amy Lee) was their song to perform.

From Wyatt's Notes:

'I was born in the arms of imaginary friends
free to roam, made a home out of everywhere I've been'

'I was made to believe I'd never love somebody else
I made a plan, stay the man who can only love himself'

Those are just two lines of 'Half of My Heart' that spoke volumes to me. I was like that at the orphanage. The song itself speaks volumes about my relationship with Talon. I just had to sing it.

The day of the performance Wyatt was nervously waiting backstage. Kayla sat there preparing herself. Wyatt was announced onto the stage. “Welcome Wyatt Luis to the Stage!”

Wyatt walked in, his microphone in hand. The song began and Wyatt took in a deep breath. And out came his voice:

I was born in the arms of imaginary friends
free to roam, made a home out of everywhere I've been
then you come crashing in, like the realest thing
trying my best to understand all that your love can bring

Oh half of my heart's got a grip on the situation
half of my heart takes time
half of my heart's got a right mind to tell you
that I can't keep loving you (can't keep loving you)
oh, with half of my heart

Wyatt sang as the crowd cheered. His voice obviously inexperienced but filled with emotion. Only those who knew him personally understood his song choice, and only Talon fully understood.

I was made to believe I'd never love somebody else
I made a plan, stay the man who can only love himself
lonely was the song I sang, 'til the day you came
Showing me another way and all that my love can bring

half of my heart

The crowd was cheering for him. He had a shy smile and blush on his cheeks. The music for the next song started and Wyatt took another breath.

I wanted you to know that I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

You've gone away, you don't feel me here anymore.

The crowd was silent. Wyatt had a tear fall from his eye. His mind was racing back and forth from performing to Grandpa Nickolas.

When Kayla started to sing and walked on stage the crowd went wild again.

The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

You've gone away
You don't feel me here anymore

Though Kayla and Wyatt didn't end up winning anything for the talent show, they both felt they had connected as siblings for the first time.

From Wyatt's Notes:

Singing with Kayla was awesome! It's the first time me and Kayla actually did something together. That wasn't the end of things, either.

When we got home that day Talon asked me to come to his room. When I entered his room I was met with his lips pressed against mine. Instead of moving away though I sank into the kiss.

Talon backed up and blushed. “Wyatt... I think I love you.” That was all he said.

I just nodded. “Same here... Like more than a brother, more like boyfriends.” Talon's blush grew deeper.

Talon's arms crossed and rocked back and forth, like a little school girl. “How are we going to tell Mom and Dad?”

I grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the living room. The entire time he was whispering, “Wyatt, no, we shouldn't!”

Mom and Dad were sitting in the kitchen. They noticed us come in but said nothing. Talon gave me a look. I nudged him and then he spoke, “Mom... Dad... I'm bi.”

They looked over lovingly. “Talon, we've had our speculations.” Dad answered. Talon's face looked like it was on fire. “More importantly, Wyatt is bi, what does that make you two?”

“Kenneth!” Mom snapped at him.

I shook my head. “I think I'm in love with Talon.”

Diana sighed and nodded. “Seen that coming, too.” She went on to explain mother's intuition and all that jazz. The final thing that was said, “We support you two and your relationship. You need to understand that it works even more awkward since you are brothers.”

Wyatt looked at me. “Well I'm not related by blood. I never did like the idea of marriage anyways.”

Talon looked over at me. “Marriage just sounds like a lot of wasted money.”

And that was that. We told Kayla and Caitlyn and they kinda got it. The news travelled around the family, so everyone knew. We kept to ourselves at school, only our closest friends new.

From that point on Talon and I were boyfriends and brothers. We were inseparable.

This all started that day Talon came in to the orphanage and changed my life. He says I owe him nothing... but it's simple, I owe him everything because to me, loving someone is everything I can do for them.

Chapter end.