Page 41 of The Exception

Eli’s back and forth motion made it seem like he wasn’t sure if he should move closer or further away. “Do you want help?”

“I think I need to figure this out on my own. If I remember correctly, the living room is only a few kilometers away.”

Eli furrowed his brow. “Kilometers? I have so many ques— Are you joking or still high?”

“I have no idea.” It wasn’t really funny, so probably the latter.

The way Eli lingered nearby while I pushed myself into the living room was both sweet and unnerving. I settled into a recliner that looked like it hadn’t been used in a while, so he probably hadn’t claimed it. I could lean back, but I’d spent the last few days lying down.

Eli nudged an ottoman in my direction, and I lifted my cast-covered leg onto it with a grateful smile. He grabbed a set of keys off the table and shoved them in his pocket, but not before I caught a glimpse ofNevadakeychain with anEon it. The one I’d bought for him when we first ran into each other again.

That warmed my heart.

This was the first time I’d gotten a good look at the house beyond my room. The living room was furnished with plenty of seating for company, and while it was all clean, it also looked like a place where people gathered and enjoyed themselves, rather than it being sterile and stiff.

My gaze landed on a familiar object in the corner, near the kitchen doorway. “Is that my guitar?”

“Kandace brought everything she found in your room. I didn’t realize you still played.”

“I don’t. Rather, I don’t play well.” I’d never gotten the hang of it. “Not like you do. But I can pluck out the chords. It’s a fun trick to use when I want to get laid.”

Eli rolled his eyes.

Was that a step up from scowling? “Youstill play though.”

“I don’t do command performances.” Despite the words, Eli was focused on the acoustic guitar.

When we were kids, we had one episode with a guitar, and Eli only needed to learn enough to look convincing during filming. He’d picked the instrument up, though. Back then it seemed to come naturally to him, and I hoped he’d stayed in practice. “What if I ask nicely instead of commanding?”

“That’s not—” Eli sighed.

“Listen—I’m not lucid enough to do work, and I’m tired of sleeping. Do you want to talk about the past? Watch TV?” I didn’t suspect he wanted to do either of those things, and maybe I should drop the topic, but I remembered how good he was, and at least back then, no one knew he’d kept playing besides me. It felt likeour thing.

And I was still trying to find any angle I could to get Eli’s friendship back. More would be better, especially if Kandace was part of that, but I could start with friendship.

Eli looked like he was going to argue some more, but instead he crossed the room to grab the guitar. He plucked out a couple of chords and winced. “This is so out of tune.”

“Oops?” I shrugged, not apologetic at all.

He spent the next few minutes tuning the device by ear, and it was simple but delightful. Eli became so beautifully focused so quickly.

He let out a huff that I assumed meantlet’s do this, perched on the edge of the couch, and strummed out a few notes. “What do you want to hear?”

More of what I’d just caught a hint of. A song we both loved back then. “What’s your default? I don’t have any idea what you know.”

“Then I have the perfect thing.” The tone of the song changed instantly. I wasn’t sure what this was until he started singing, too. About doing just fine before he met me. Drinking. Hoping to not see my friends again. It was Closer by The Chainsmokers.

And the lyrics hit like a fist around my heart.

Eli kept his gaze on his fingers, never looking at me.

“My mistake for making you choose. How about Linkin Park’s In Between?” I sang the first few lines about apologizing. Getting caught in between.

“We’re not doing this.” Eli talked over me.

Passive aggressively arguing via music? “You started it.” Way to be an adult, me. But I had a better idea, and I wanted to make this work. I grabbed a tin off the table next to me, and it rattled like it had pins inside it. Inspiration struck, and I shook out an almost-tambourine-like beat. The opening rhythm to Do You Wanna Be My Girl by Jet.

Eli raised an eyebrow, but he came in on guitar at the right time. The music and lyrics hit differently in acoustic form, but the longer he sang, the more his expression lightened. The entire song made me think of both him and Kandace, and the upbeat music was fast and fun.

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