“You’re not wrong.”I push off the curb, coming to a stand next to him.He walks towards the door, stopping when his hand is on the handle.
“Thank you.”It’s barely audible, and maybe a little forced, but weaved into all of that is truth.
“Of course.Anytime.”
Chapter 13
Levi
[email protected] : Jan, all of these songs are country.I’m not a country singer.
[email protected] : Look, kid, I know it’s a little on the nose, you being from Tennessee and dressing like John Wayne, but I think it will match well with your voice.You want to win, don’t you?
[email protected] : Of course, but does it have to be one of these three songs?
[email protected] : Send over your song choice E.O.D.
“This is not happening,” I growl before kicking the corner post of my bed, the whole thing shaking in response.I know I should leave this room.I need to leave this room.At a bare minimum, I should go get something to eat; it’s almost noon.I just don’t want to see anyone.I press the heels of my hands into my eyes.Pushing back the memories of last night.Of Tate.Maybe everyone will be out?Seeing the Hollywood sign or the Walk of Fame.Tourist stuff.I can’t think of anything worse than being stuck on a bus that essentially says, We don’t live here!, driving around town, pointing and taking pictures of things like we’re at the zoo.
I walk over to my door, open it slowly, and pause, listening for any kind of movement or activity.After a couple seconds of nothing, I slip from my room and quietly make my way towards the kitchen.I’m going to make the biggest sandwich this place has ever seen.It’s going to have turkey, ham, salami...What else did I see in the fridge?Oh yeah, and I’m going to absolutely slather it in—
“TATE!”
But it’s too late, our bodies collide and everything she was holding explodes from her arms like a piñata, littering the floor.She teeters a bit, and for a second I think she might join her snacks, but regains her balance, taking a step back from me.
“Levi, I’m so sorry!Everyone at breakfast thought you left...”I watch as her eyes slide to the time on the kitchen microwave then back to me.“Have you been in your room this whole time?”
I crouch down, avoiding eye contact and start picking up her snacks.She has just about everything crunchy, salty, and sweet available in the house.“I was upstairs doing my regimen.I worked out, took a shower, read a little, and talked with Jan,” I say coming to a stand and handing over her loot.“Where you headed with all of this?”My eyes flick to the snacks and back to her.She’s wearing a faded newsboy cap, her hair in one long braid beneath it, and a maroon acid-wash jumpsuit covers the majority of her body.
“We’re all watching Walk the Line in the cinema room.It just started...wanna join?”
“Nah, I’m good.I need to eat something and then get started working on my next song.”I walk past her towards the fridge, opening it and scanning for my ingredients.I pull open the top drawer where I saw the different deli meats the day before.Turkey...salami...
“What song did you end up choosing?”she asks, coming to lean her side against the freezer portion of the fridge.Why does she always have to stand so close?
“Haven’t decided yet...There you are!”I pull all three meats from the drawer, tossing them to the island behind me.Now cheese.
