He clears his throat. Bringing the mic closer to his face, he smiles. “Hey, thanks for coming out here tonight.” He pauses when a chorus of cheers rings through the small venue. “This acoustic show means more to me than I could ever put into words. It’s supporting a cause I’m very passionate about. Probably many people in this room struggle with mental health, and so do I. Every penny tonight will be donated to a mental health service of my choosing. Every cent spent on drinks and merch is also going to be included in the donation.” He looks at Leonidas and Amelia, and they give him the floor with proud smiles. “Hope you all enjoy the show.”
A few soft murmurs and a softly whispered,“We’re so glad you’re here,” fill the silence as the band waits for their cue.
Elijah smiles at that, overwhelmed.
Then his fingers find the strings. One chord after another, the familiarity of his words, which were made into a melody, loosens his shoulders. I hold my breath, and the crack in his voice takes me back to the time he wrote this song forme, on his carpeted bedroom floor. Before all the fame, the money, the fans.
The room is still.
Each lyric sung out of their mouths is heavier tonight, like it was written for this moment.
The concert ended hours ago, but the band is still sweaty and tired from the bright lights. The sun is nearly gone above thewater, but knowing my parents loved the sea, Athena drives us up to a lookout spot that my parents would have loved.
Sitting in silence and Sharpies in hand, we each hold a balloon. Taking my time and scribbling on the pink balloon, I don’t even mind the screech the marker makes as it meets the plastic. Salty tears fall from my eyes and drop onto the ink, smudging the marker. Looking more like the mascara under my eyes.
Elijah messily scribbles down all his thoughts on his own balloon. Once we’re both done, he grips my hand and walks toward the edge of the cliff. Holding the string tight, I’m afraid to let go because it feels like I’m letting them go all over again. But it’s just a balloon.
A kiss on my temple breaks me out of my thoughts.
“You can do this.”
He releases his, encouraging me with his warm eyes.
I watch his fly into the orange sky, and then I let go of mine.
It floats peacefully, slow and graceful, drifting so far up into the sky that I want to believe that when it disappears, it’s because they took it.
FIFTY-SEVEN
LILY
The sky burns orange and pink as the sun dips down to the water. Waves crash in a steady rhythm. My upper body is clad in Elijah’s large hoodie and shorts. I shiver as a breeze rolls off the water, sending cool, salty air up into my nose.
Laughter echoes in the twilight, soft and easy.
“Elijah, don’t go anywhere near the water,” Levi teases as we all walk toward the beach from Mama Drakos’s house.
I scrunch my toes in the sand, feeling a hard chunk form under my soft skin. Elijah holds on to one end of the towel, and I, the other. Once it’s nice and flat, we climb on it before the wind takes it.
Dusting sand off his palms, he snorts. “From now on, dry sand is my best friend.” His abs strain when he leans back on his hands with a shit-eating grin.
“Don’t even look at the ocean.” I swivel his face so he looks at me and not the monster that tried to swallow him up. “If you give it enough attention, it might try to eat you again.”
His eyes crinkle at the sides as he smiles. “This time, I’d be able to feel my muscles and fight.” He proudly flexes his biceps.
I clench my thighs at the sight of the mini mountains on his arms with greenish veins. My fingers grip the bulge and squeeze, making his eyes darken with desire.
Amelia lies back on her elbows, letting the last rays of sunshine hit her face. “I can’t believe our last show of the tour is tomorrow.”
“I’m going to miss the big bus,” Stella says instantly, knees in the sand, where she’s digging with a small pink shovel.
“How many cities did we even visit?” Axel says, grinning. “I lost count at twenty.”
“Not sure, man. What I do remember is the eighty shows we’ve put on, and only one more to go.” Leonidas pushes his sunglasses to the top of his head. Crouching down with a wince, he sits and starts helping Stella with her sand castle.
“Everything is falling into place.” Trinity thinks out loud. “Is this how it feels to live a peaceful life?”
We all chuckle.
