I Was Already Gone novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: No Talking About Laney

Elliott's POV

Roxie put her laptop on our kitchen table and pressed play, and I heard myself at nineteen.

I sat down on the floor.

It was my voice on a Tuesday night, with the guitar slightly out of tune and the second verse that Brecken later cut.

I had forgotten I'd ever sung it that way.

When it ended, nobody spoke.

"You okay?" Roxie asked.

"It's strange to hear someone who didn't know yet."

"Know what?"

"That it would be his."

She sat down on the floor across from me, close enough that our knees touched.

I called the number on the scout's card with my thumb shaking.

She answered on the second ring.

"I wondered how long it would take you," she said. "Listen. After last night I pushed his signing. It was supposed to be tomorrow, and it isn't. The label gives me three weeks, until the Winter Showcase."

"Three weeks to do what?"

"To find out who's lying. Send me whatever you've got. Don't talk to him."

She hung up.

I looked at Roxie.

She was grinning, and her eyes were wet.

"Three weeks," she said.

"Three weeks."

Gus had left a note on the fridge that said GONE TO MY MOTHER'S, DON'T BREAK ANYTHING.

Neither of us laughed.

Roxie looked at the note, and then at me.

"Elliott."

"Yeah."

"I'm going to say a rule out loud, and then I'm going to kiss you."

"Okay."

"No talking about her in bed."

"Laney?"

"That. That's the rule."

"Okay," I said, and I was already standing.

She got up too.

She took my face in both hands, and she kissed me, slowly.

I kissed her back, and it was nothing like I had ever imagined it.

It was warm and funny and real, and my whole body woke up.

She pulled me toward my bedroom by the front of my sweater.

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