Elly & Kent - The Complete Story: Includes Books 1-3 (31 page)

I nodded and smiled, though it didn't reach my eyes because the news partially saddened me. I mentally slapped my past self for opening my big mouth to Jen at all. She was on the verge of losing him and I could've stepped up and snatched him.
 

"Well, nice is good, isn't it?" I asked.

Kent shook his head. "It's...odd. She's just not herself. But whatever, I'm not here to talk about Jen. I'm here to talk about you."

I shrugged my shoulders, eyes still on him. "What about me?" Inside I perked up just a bit. Was he going to to dump her anyway to be with me? My heart fluttered more.

"How's the singing going?" Kent took a sip of his iced coffee, his eyes solely on me.

"It's good, yeah. Still doing open mic nights. And I'm writing a song for my independent study class. How's the geeking going? I heard there was a big gaming competition last month, did you go?"

He smiled and put the iced coffee down on the table. "Yeah, Jen signed me up for it, actually. I finished second overall. Got a new gaming system and three hundred dollars."

I nodded slowly, a real smile on my lips now. "Nice. Is that what you've been busy with? Gaming on your new system? What kind did you get? The Xbox or the GameCube?"

"I got the XBox. You've really got to come see some of these games, it's crazy how far they've come."
 

"Definitely, I mean, maybe when we're both not so busy. Finals are coming up quick and I know how busy your summers are."
 

"I'd like to hang out but yeah, we're both kind of busy right now."

"Are you guys going to the Hamptons for the summer again this year?" I sipped more of my coffee. Hoping against hope that he'd say no.

He nodded, staring at his cup. "Yeah. We weren't going to go but Jen's mom felt that she wanted to take us. Said something about making it a tradition."

My heart dropped to my knees. So he wasn't going to dump Jen for me. He was still happily in his Jen bubble. He was going to spend his summers in the same bed with her. He was going to chase her on the beach and hold her against him while the waves tries to take them out to sea. I tried to keep the disappointment off my face.

I lifted my shoulders as I inhaled deeply, trying to push the thoughts away and focus on the present, "So..." I exhaled softly and my shoulders dropped again, "I guess you're that guy who marries his high school sweetheart, huh?" I smiled softly, holding my coffee between two hands, holding back the immense pain at the thought. My alternate universe was extremely alternate. A fantasy of Star Trek proportions.

He was quiet so I continued, "I mean...you two are still pretty serious, I don't really see an end in sight for you. She's being nice and you seem...happy."
 

He nodded, meeting my eyes. I saw something in them. Something that told me that his simple nod was not the whole truth.

My heart stuttered and I tried to calm it down at the thought that maybe there was still a chance for me, for us. "Right? I mean..." I broke our stare for a moment as I looked down at the table, "I know you didn't want to talk about Jen but..." I left it open, letting him have the start of that conversation if he wanted to take it.

"I mean, things shifted almost instantly when she got back from helping her mom move. She was nice, and I mean, not just to me. She asked me what I wanted to do, and who I wanted to go out with. She bought me lots of things. She's still buying me things. I guess it's her way of trying to fix things, but, I don't know what made her change all of a sudden."

"Huh. That's kind of weird." I searched his face as he stared at his coffee cup, twirling it slowly in his hand. My gaze moved to his hand and I was so distracted thinking about his hands, how they'd touched me. I swallowed hard and shifted in my chair. "Well, if I were you I wouldn't complain. Maybe she's just coming out of the funk from her parents' divorce."

He shrugged and gave a nod. "Yeah, maybe. She hasn't been drinking so much either. Thanks." He smiled at me and my insides churned.
 

"Anytime you need someone to try to rationalize women for you, just come find m--" Kent's cellphone interrupted me. I looked away, letting him answer.

He reached into his pocket to get it on the second ring. "Hello?" On the other side of the line Jen was talking. I couldn't make out what she was saying but I recognized the sound of her voice.

"Alright, I'll meet you at the house then. Bye." He hung up then slid the phone into his pocket. "I'm going to have to go. Jen says she needs to talk to me. Immediately."

I looked at him and nodded, "Of course. It was good to see you." I stayed in my seat, blinking back the disappointment. I only hoped he didn't recognize it.

"It was good to see you, Elly." The words that came from him were soft. He stood, waved and left me alone again at the table.

I watched him leave and wondered what was so important. I sighed and flipped my notebook open again. My final was in a few weeks and I didn't even have the lyrics nailed down, much less the melody.

Chapter Forty

It had been weeks since I'd seen Kent at the coffee shop. Weeks of pouring over what he'd said to me. And what he hadn't said. Something in my gut told me that he had been waiting for me to admit to him that I was in love with him and that I wanted him to leave Jen behind and be with me. He hadn't said he'd wanted to be with Jen until death parted them.

I'd written song after song about him, about us, and about our future. It helped immensely to sort out my feelings. When I wasn't pouring over my notebook or plunking the piano keys in the music room, I was with Stacy. We'd grown closer and closer. I'd told her about that night with Kent and everything that had ever happened between us. She was the only one who knew how I truly felt about him.

But tonight was different. Tonight I was going to let everyone know about my feelings for him. The thought that he might be in the audience only excited me more. The music study final performance was a bi-annual event and generated much needed income for the music department. They spared no cost in advertising on campus and off.
 

I waited backstage for my turn and I was oddly calm. Usually I was buzzed before a performance. The adrenaline would take over and push me through, but not this time.
 

This time I felt sure. Absolutely sure. I hadn't felt so sure about anything in my whole life with the exception of choosing music as my major. I would perform my ode to Kent in front of everyone. And then when it was over I'd perform it privately for him. And beg him to do what was right. Beg him to choose me and give us a chance. Because I knew in my heart that we were meant to be together. Jen was just practice. And a placeholder.

I smiled and clapped from stage left as Bethy finished her violin composition.
 

"Great job," I whispered as she passed by me.
 

She squeezed my arm gently, "Good luck, Elly."

She kept walking and I turned my attention back to the stage. The lights dimmed and the spotlight moved to meet me. The crowd that had gathered for a couple hours of entertainment went silent. I inhaled deeply. Exhaled deeply. It was time.
 

I knew my mother was out there somewhere, probably holding up a video camera, so I had to make sure that it was perfect and inspiring. I sat down at the piano and positioned my hands over the keys. I leaned forward and spoke softly in the mic. "My name is Elly Palmer and this is my final composition of the year. It's titled "Plea.""

I sat back and the piano played the soft melody I'd painstakingly crafted over the past few weeks. Hours and hours of hard work played in the span of three minutes and fifty-three seconds.

My performance went off without a single hitch. The auditorium filled with applause as the last note reverberated through their eardrums. I waved as I left the stage and was met with Stacy when I was safely behind the curtains.
 

"Oh my god, Elly! That was beautiful! Do you think he was here?" She hugged me tightly and then pulled away.

I grinned at her and shrugged, "I don't know. It was supposed to be your job to look for him."

"I tried but it's so crowded out there."

"I know. I wasn't prepared for that many people. My knees feel like jello." Stacy walked with me towards the chairs that had been set up backstage.
 

"Well, take a breather. Did you want to grab a bite after this?" She sat down next to me, her hands clenched between her legs.

"Ah, no. I think I need to go find out if Kent was here," I said. Stacy grinned and then nodded. She looked so happy for me.
 

I hoped that look would be on Kent's face later after I sang him my song. Stacy jumped and pulled my phone from her jean pocket. She held it out to me.
 

"It's my mom," I smiled as I picked up the phone. "Hey mom."

"Hello, Elly. You were
so
good! I regret now that we didn't push you harder earlier in life."

I smiled to myself. She could've pushed but it wouldn't have helped any. "I would've ended up hating music and you. Listen, I need to go talk to Kent but I'll be home this weekend with all my stuff on your doorstep."

"Alright, dear. I'll be home waiting for you. I'll make sure you have clean sheets."

"Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye." My mother hung up the phone and I stood up, looking at Stacy as she joined me.
 

"Moment of truth..." I nibbled on my lower lip nervously.

Stacy grabbed my shoulders and gave me a little shake, "He'd be crazy not to say yes, Elly. You're amazing and I've seen it too. He does have feelings for you. You just have to get him to show it."

 
As I left the concert hall, I was filled with confidence and ready to confront Kent. I knocked on his dorm door, guitar case in hand. Jen answered and smiled brightly at me.

"Elly! Hey, how are you?" She slowly pushed her blonde hair over her shoulder which I thought was weird.
 

"I'm good. Is Kent here?" I furrowed my brows and then tried to look behind her into the dorm.
 

"No, he's not. He went out for something for dinner. Our celebration dinner." She put her hand over her chest and that's when I saw the sparkling diamond ring. I blinked at the ring and felt the color rush from my face.

"I...uh, wow. You're?..."
 

Jen nodded enthusiastically. "Engaged! Can you believe it?!"

"That's...wow."
 

Jen closed the distance between us and hugged me. I let her because I was still very much in shock.

"I know! Isn't it exciting?!"

I felt like a dagger had been pushed through my heart and I was grateful that Jen couldn't see the hurt in my face because she was too busy hugging me. When she pulled back I grabbed her hand and pulled it close so I could look at the ring and hopefully avoid Jen catching my feelings.
 

"It's beautiful. Congrats."
 

Jen smiled and stared at her ring. "It's not very big but he got it from his mom. I'll be picking out the wedding ring myself and it's going to be so much prettier."

"I'm sure it will." I smiled softly, trying to push back the nauseous feeling. "Well, just...tell Kent I stopped by...or no, don't. Just tell him congrats for me."
 

Jen nodded. "I will. Bye Elly! Have a great summer."

"Yeah...you too." I turned and walked somberly down the hallway. The high from my awesome performance was now gone.

He was getting married. He had asked his mom for an engagement ring. And he hadn't told me. He had left me out of it all. I grabbed my phone and started scrolling through it. Had I missed some phone calls from him? Text messages? No. Nothing. I felt pain in the corners of my eyes and blinked as my vision blurred. My chest squeezed and I tried very hard to keep it together until I got to the privacy of my dorm room.

Later that night, I heard a soft knock on my door. I didn't know who would be knocking on my door at this late hour but if it was some weirdo wanting a booty call or something I wasn't interested so I yelled, "Wrong door! Go away!" My voice was scratchy and raw from the crying I'd been doing since I'd come back.

There was another knock. It seemed the person on the other side was either ignoring me, or didn't hear me.

I exhaled loudly and rushed to the door, opening it violently, ready to yell at whoever stood on the other side. My words froze in my throat as I saw Kent standing there. I saw his smile light up and then fade as he took in my appearance.
 

My mind was racing, I knew he could see my tear stained face, my puffy eyes. I stepped back so he could come in and looked down at my bare feet. A suitcase was on the bed, half packed, my walls empty, boxes packed and half packed all around the edge of the small room.

He stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. "Elly, what's wrong?" His eyes moved around the packed up room and stopped on the suitcase.

"Nate and I broke up." I lied, he still had no idea that we'd broken up months ago so it was time to get it out and save face because the real reason was too painful to admit. I wiped at my eyes and went to my dresser, continuing to pack.
 

"I'm sorry to hear that, Elly." He kind of stood there awkwardly.

"What's up? Are you here because Jen told you that I came by?"

"You came by? Jen didn't tell me anything about that."

I turned from the dresser, bras in my hands and stayed across the room from him. I smiled, hoping like hell that it looked sincere, "So congratulations are in order. You're getting married."

Kent shook his head. There seemed to be something else that bothered him. "So, I guess you heard the other news too, huh?"

I shook my head slowly. "What other news?"

Those dark eyes of his looked towards the floor. "Jen is pregnant."

My mouth dropped open. "But, I mean, that's not why you're marrying her."

"So, are you really upset about, Nate? Or is it something else?" He wasn't looking at me.