I have Eloise warm up with some basic exercises and am shocked to find she’s memorized practically all the barre chords since last week. Her fingers are strong—probably from playing piano for so many years—so she’s able to work her way around the frets fairly easily. And now that she’s strumming with the correct hand, she’s able to keep the rhythm of her strum even.
I’m honestly shocked.
“So what do you want to do today?” I ask when she breaks for a sip of water.
She snorts. “Aren’t you supposed to be tellingme?”
I shrug. “Not really my style. I’m pretty hands-off once you learn the basics—which you pretty much have.”
At this, Eloise’s eyes go wide in disbelief. “I havenot! I barely even know all the chords?—”
“You know enough, clearly.” My mouth spreads into a full-blown grin. “Plus, chords are soboring.I say we have some fun today.”
Her face heats a delicious shade of pink, highlighting the tiny freckles spattered over the bridge of her nose and across her cheekbones. “I won’t get better unless I practice the boring stuff.”
“True.” I tilt my head. “But you’ll never find your voice if you learn everything you know out of a book. You have to allow yourself the space to express yourself, to be free. And today is the perfect day to do that.”
Her expression shutters, and for a moment, I worry I’ve lost her. But then her voice breaks out in the softest whisper—hardly there, but real and raw all the same. “I… don’t think I know how to do that.”
I reach out, placing my fingertips against the skin peeking through her ripped jeans. Electricity spreads through my veins at the contact, heating my skin and filling my head with a soft humming sound. “I can show you.”
She shakes her head, rejecting the idea. “It’s too soon. I’m shit at guitar, like you said. I’ll only pick up bad habits.”
I raise my brow, the curse word stunning me into silence for a moment.I wasn’t sure she knew how to do that…“It’s agood thingthat you’re shit. It means you’re starting. It means you have room to grow. To develop your own style without some uptight fuckhead telling you what and how to do it.” I jam a thumb toward the door. “The people out there? What they think? None of that fucking matters. In here, it’s just you, me, and a piece of wood with metal strings attached. You’re learning, and you’re having fun—I hope—that’s all that matters.”
I leave my speech vague enough so she doesn’t catch on to the fact that I know more about her than I should. I know about the judges, and the pressure to remain perfect—and I know Eloise has been craving a taste of freedom. If I can offer it to her, I would be the happiest man on earth.
She gazes up at me through her lashes. “Iamhaving fun. More than I have in a long time.” She reaches out and grips my forearm lightly. “Thank you, Riot. I think… I really needed to hear that.”
I give her knee a light squeeze, showing her I understand without words. “So… what song do you want to play?”
The rest of the lesson goes exceptionally well. Once she moves away from the rigidity she’s used to, Eloise opens up and picks Jumpin Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones as her song to learn. After showing her the three basic chords and strum pattern, I have her practice them on her own until she’s confident. When I’m sure she’s ready, I pick up my new guitar and duet withher, adding the more intricate parts to make the song more recognizable as she plays.
By the time five thirty rolls around, Eloise is grinning wider than I thought possible, a glossy sheen of emotion coating her sky eyes.She’s proud,I realize.Proud for what seems like the first time in many years.I am only grateful I got to witness such a beautiful sight.
“Shit, is it already time?” She gazes at the clock on her phone, her lower lip extending into a small pout. “It went by so fast!”
She places the guitar I gifted her in its case, her movements controlled and graceful even for this minor task. “A shame an hour only lasts so long.”A real fucking shame.“You gonna be okay getting home in this weather?”
Eloise looks from me to the window. “It’s sunny.”
Ah. Fuck.“Yeah, but you could get heatstroke or something. Very dangerous.”Nice save, Riot. Nice save.
Her lips quirk upward. “I think I’ll be okay. It feels good to know I have a rock star looking out for my safety, though.”
I could do so much more if you’d let me.“Ashittyrock star. It’s a very important distinction.” I reach into my back pocket, pulling out my phone and thrusting it into her hands before I have time to think and stop myself.
“What’s this?”
“A… phone? My God, have you never seen one before?”
She giggles, smacking my arm lightly. “Of course I have. I mean, why are you giving me yours?”
“To put your number in? This really isn’t complicated, Eloise.” I grin to let her know I’m teasing, and the heat rises in her cheeks.
“Okay. Here.” She types in her number and hands my device back to me without looking me in the eye. “Just a heads-up, I might not respond. I’m barely ever on my phone.”
“That’s okay. I just want us to be able to communicate about lessons if you ever need to cancel or something.”
