The fancy guy didn’t seem to care.“That song was killer.”His accent was affected, like he had seen way too much British cottagecore television.He held out a hand to Ellery, his fingers long and manicured.“I’m Adam Schulz.Can I talk to you about your future?”
Ellery flushed but didn’t shake his hand.
Dante got it, though.This was a guy interested only in wannabe starlets.He backed slowly away.He was superfluous in this conversation, even if he didn’t want to be.
Ellery caught his gaze and held it as Adam kept talking in the background.
“See, I run a house for young people with influence—”
“Dante, wait.”Ellery placed her hand on his arm and he smiled, but even he knew it was full of sorrow and farewell.
“Bye, Ellery.It was nice to meet you.”If only he could put into words everything this night meant to him, everything she meant to him.Leaving felt like cleaving himself in two.But it was better to leave now, before he could really get hurt.He had worked hard to be the man he was, and he couldn’t give that up.
Adam Schulz had already insinuated himself into the space Dante left.
“Dante, please.Can we be friends?”
Friends.Yes.His armor clicked back into place.He would do anything to stay friends with her.
“Sure.Sure, of course.”He kept his gaze on Ellery for two backward steps then turned down the alley toward Moorpark and headed back to his real life.
CHAPTER3
Seven Years Ago—Instagram Direct Message, one week after open mic night
ElleryLuvsMusic:Dante?Why did you leave?
DBakerBass: Wow.Ellery?From LA?
ElleryLuvsMusic: Please.You know you remember me ;)
DBakerBass: You are pretty unforgettable.
ElleryLuvsMusic: Is that why you left without giving me your number?You’re surprisingly difficult to find online.Don’t you know you’re part of the “catalog every part of my life on social media” generation?
DBakerBass: ROFL.
ElleryLuvsMusic: I only found you because you posted a picture of your frets and I recognized the etching.It’s so cool how you did that.Did you use a safety pin?
DBakerBass: That’s a little creepy?Lol
ElleryLuvsMusic:Whatever.You know you’re grateful.Otherwise you’d be lost to the ether and we wouldn’t meet again for fifteen years like in some late night movie.
DBakerBass:That’s incredibly specific haha
ElleryLuvsMusic:My point stands.How’s school.
DBakerBass:I can’t believe it’s almost over.Graduation is two months away.
ElleryLuvsMusic: I have another year of academic torture awaiting me.Are you coming to LA after graduation?
…
ElleryLuvsMusic: Dante?I didn’t mean to scare you or anything.Or freak you out.
ElleryLuvsMusic: I just…It wasn’t just me, was it?That night was special.That song was something else.
ElleryLuvsMusic: I really want to be your friend.
