“Are you sure? I don’t want her bothering you.”
“I’m sure, I can handle it. But thank you for the offer, it’s really sweet.”
“I know how Abigail can be,” Eli said apologetically. “If you change your mind, let me know and I’ll handle it.”
Kaley let herself relax into his arms, perhaps that’s what it felt like to be a couple, to have each other’s back. All the butterflies in her stomach were worth it. Sitting there with Eli beside her, she couldn’t imagine anything better.
“You know this school dance coming up?” Eli started coyly.
“Hmm.”
“I know it’s kind of lame, but I was hoping you’d come with me?”
He had her full attention now, did he seriously just ask her to go to the dance with him? “Me? To the dance?”
“Yeah, you and me. Dancing.”
“I’d really like that.”
“Great, it’s a date then.”
They stayed there in the grass circle for the rest of the afternoon. Kaley not only got her first kiss, but several.
By the time they were ready to leave, she had her blushing under control. With every kiss, she relaxed even more, forgetting about all her worries. If she switched her mind off, she discovered how wonderful it felt to be living in that moment and only that moment.
It was truly the most magical feeling in the world.
“Do you want me to carry you back?” Eli teased as he was packing up the picnic and folding the blanket into the basket.
“I think I’ll be alright.” Kaley smiled.
They started the long walk back, yet it felt like Kaley was walking on air. What had seemed like a hard slog there now seemed like an easy stroll in the park. The fact Eli had her hand in his may have been helping. The picnic basket was in his other hand and he was probably frustrated at the slow speed, but she didn’t care.
Everything about the afternoon had been perfect, she wasn’t going to let her stressing get in the way anymore. She was a changed girl leaving the forest, one that had a boyfriend.
Eli dropped her home right on dusk. She kissed him again on the front porch before he left. She remembered the promise he had made on that very same spot on their first date. He had been true to his word and the kiss was definitely worth it.
She let herself into the house and found it empty. A note was on the television screen from Georgie. Apparently Strom had received the promotion he was after so her parents had gone out to have a ‘date night’ to celebrate. They wouldn’t be back until late – ‘don’t wait up’.
It was kind of gross they insisted on having a date night at least once a month, but it was also kind of sweet. Kaley liked that her parents had such a good relationship. Nearly every kid at school had a step mother or father.
Even Harvey’s parents were divorced, the man in the house being his stepfather. His real father had moved out over thirteen years ago when he remarried and started a new family with his new wife.
To have parents that actually loved each other was a bonus, despite them being extremely annoying.
Having the house to herself, Kaley stood in the living room wondering what she should do with herself. She tried calling Harper to replay every detail of her date with Eli, but she wasn’t answering. She left her a message to call as soon as she could to hear about the day’s events. Throwing the phone in her handbag, she was too pumped from the date to sit still.
The piano sitting in the corner of the living room caught her eye. She rarely played it anymore as there was no privacy. It was far easier picking up the guitar and closing her bedroom door.
She opened the lid and hit a few keys – it was still perfectly tuned. She sat down in front of it and stroked the keys, thinking of Mr. Doherty and his concert. She played one of his songs, a classical piece that would sound awesome with a string quartet accompaniment. She didn’t need the sheet music, she already knew it by heart.
As the song finished, Kaley’s mind returned to Eli, as it so often did. She had officially had her first kiss and it was perfect. All those times she had pictured how it would be paled in comparison to the real thing. Her head buzzed and stomach fluttered now with just the memory of it.
Eli was perfect.
Every single doubt she had before were now gone. He liked her. He wasn’t using her, he wasn’t doing it for a joke, he really liked her. He was a thousand times better than she had thought.
As her mind replayed their date, Kaley’s fingers started to move on the keys. They created a melody that filled the otherwise quiet and empty living room. They had a mind of their own, creating a slow song that were a perfect match for the lyrics forming in her head.
The day we were lying under the sun,
And I just knew you were the one,
I could hear my heart beating,
And it was such a good feeling.
I just wanted to yell:
It’s you, you, you boy,
It will always be you.
I don’t want anyone else,
There is no other choice.
My heart has made up its mind
And it says that you’re just fine.
So say that you agree,
So we can run wild and free.
Because it’s you, you, you boy,
It will always be you.
Her fingers moved without prompting. They only slowed when she thought about what she was doing. The best way to write a song was to let her soul take charge and not her brain.
She let the words flow as freely as her hands. All she needed was the inspiration and thoughts of Eli were giving her plenty of that.
You’re behind my secret smile,
For you I’d run a mile.
You’re the reason why I dance,
We twirl, we whirl, we prance.
My body is full of butterflies,
I promise these are not lies.
When people ask me why I’m happy,
All I can do is answer snappy:
It’s you, you, you boy,
It will always be you.
I don’t want anyone else,
There is no other choice.
My heart has made up its mind
And it says that you’re just fine.
So say that you agree,
So we can run wild and free.
Because it’s you, you, you boy,
It will always be you.
She finished with a piano solo, hitting every key possible in a flurry of flying fingers. She felt the ballad matched her feelings perfectly, the soulful melody reflecting the beats of her heart.
She quickly grabbed her songbook and wrote down what she could remember of the notes. She was too hyped up to get it right, she would have to work on it again later. It wasn’t like she had a deadline, she could perfect it for the rest of her life if she wanted to.
For a moment, Kaley wondered what other people would think of her song. Would like they it? Would they think the music was beautiful like the music Mr. Doherty made? She normally never even considered questions like that, it was redundant considering she would never let other’s hear anything she wrote.
The thought of people hearing her private diary entries was too mortifying to even think about. If someone knew she had written that song for Eli, she would die of embarrassment.
It was that simple.
She closed the lid of the piano and turned on the television, perhaps a reality show would help calm her down. She needed to do something, there was no way she was going to be able to sleep with all the thoughts of Eli still running around her mind with reckless abandonment.
It was going to be a long night.
Chapter 19
“You can do this,” Kaley told herself as she smoothed her dress. Georgie had picked it out – purple with a brown belt. It was okay, more girly than she would have liked, but it wasn’t terrible. At least it wasn’t bright red like the last one she had chosen.
There was nothing Georgie enjoyed more t
han dressing her daughter up to look like a doll from a high-end toy store. The more girly or trashy, the better.
The Sunday morning had started like all the others, except she didn’t have the wonderful memories of Eli in the past. He was the first thing she had thought about when she awoke that morning. So when he called and invited her around to his house for the afternoon, she was glad of the call.
She didn’t realize there was a catch to the invitation.
His parents were hosting a party and she would be his date for the event. Meeting the parents was not something she was ready for. Not to mention all the other people that would be there. The Stone family moved in completely different circles to those she was used to. At least she would probably be invisible to the vast majority of them.
Standing on the front stoop, Kaley repeated her mantra again – “You can do this. They’re just people. No big deal.” She pushed the doorbell and waited, silently hoping nobody would answer so she could call her parents to pick her back up again.
She wanted to run away at that moment, nothing about it felt right. Except Eli. She remembered the day before and how perfect he had been. Perhaps she would be okay, but only if he never left her side.
And if someone would answer the damn door.
She didn’t want to try the doorbell again, she didn’t want to seem impatient. So she just waited. And waited.
A couple joined her, a husband and wife team dressed to impress. She pretended she just arrived and rang the doorbell again, smiling and nodding to the others.
Eventually, the door opened. A man in his fifties greeted them. “Welcome to the Stone residence. Please go right through, everybody is in the yard. Have a wonderful afternoon.”
As Kaley stepped inside, she tried not to stare in awe at her surroundings. The foyer was white marble, all the furniture white and perfectly in position. A large, sparkly chandelier hung overhead.
At the back, the foyer opened up to a wall made entirely of glass French doors, all opened to the party outside. White ribbons and candles decorated both the inside and outside.
There was probably about a hundred people there, all laughing and sipping on wine. They all looked like they were supposed to be there.
Kaley, however, did not.
She felt like the odd one out, expecting to be tapped on the shoulder and asked to leave at any second. People like that didn’t like dealing with people like her, she was too plain and boring for their amusement.
She stood on the expansive porch and desperately searched the crowd for Eli. If she saw him, everything would be okay. If not, she really should turn around and disappear. She definitely felt like she didn’t belong there, each second on her own making it infinitely worse.
Suddenly, she felt an arm snake around her waist from behind. She was being pulled against someone. Someone that smelt good and felt even better. She turned around in his grasp.
“I am so glad to see you.” She smiled and gave Eli a kiss. She was getting good at it now, spontaneity was becoming her thing.
“Me too. I didn’t think you were going to come.”
“My mom got lost, sorry.”
“You’re here now.”
As he led her into the backyard, Kaley noticed his hair was different, it was brushed to one side. It looked neat and tidy, not the usual messy, just got out of bed, look. She liked it, even though it was obviously the influence of his parents. He was probably their show pony, the prodigal son they doted on and told everyone about.
Eli grabbed two sodas from a passing waiter and handed her one. They drank as they walked through the guests, Eli giving her a tour and telling her the background to anyone they encountered. He seemed to know every person at the party.
“That’s Lily and Martin Cheswick,” he said, pointing out a middle-aged couple wearing matching blue blazers. “They have an investment banking company. Lily is currently sleeping with her hairdresser but Martin doesn’t care, he prefers men too.”
Kaley giggled. “You’re making this up.”
“I wish I was. The truth is stranger than fiction with these people. You have no idea what goes on.”
“Seriously?”
Eli nodded, leaving no doubt that he was indeed serious. The stories continued for their entire tour. Half of the couples seemed to be adulterers, the other half up to something else no good like embezzlement, or legal troubles with ex-business partners, or estranged children.
According to Eli, barely any of them were as happy as their polished exteriors portrayed. All Kaley could think of was how many new songs she could write if she heard their full stories. She would probably have enough material to write songs for the rest of her life.
The tour ended with Mr. and Mrs. Stone, Eli’s parents. He introduced them. “Mom, Dad, this is Kaley, the girl I was telling you about.”
“Lovely to meet you.” Christine Stone smiled but it was fake, there seemed to be nothing sincere about it. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a severe bun and she wore too much makeup for a casual afternoon tea party.
“Yes, Eli has told us all about you. It’s good to put a face to the name. I hope you enjoy the party.” Nicholas Stone was mildly better, at least he managed the right tone to his voice. Eli resembled his father, but a much better looking version.
“Thank you for having me here,” Kaley replied.
They mutually sized each other up for a few awkward seconds. Kaley had seen the Stone’s from a distance before. They occasionally attended school football matches or pep rallies if they were big ones like the finals. She didn’t remember seeing them at any of the academic events, even the ones where Eli had received an award.
“Eli, I need you in the kitchen for a moment.” Christine smiled again, that snaky grin. “I promise I’ll return him when I’m done.”
Kaley was left alone to stand with Nicholas, she had no idea what to say to the man. She was so far out of her depths she may as well drown. “Nice party,” she said pathetically.
“Thank you. My wife does everything, I only have to turn up. Although, I think she would prefer that I was just another of her garden ornaments,” he said, raising his eyebrows. Kaley wasn’t sure whether it was supposed to be a joke or not, she nodded in response. “So Eli tells me you go to the same school. What’s your favorite subject?”
“Science. I like science.”
“I guess that comes in handy. So you’re a smart one then? You don’t look like the cheerleader types he normally brings home.”
Kaley shifted uncomfortably, was that an insult or a compliment? She had no idea. “I’m not a cheerleader, no.”
“Well, as long as you don’t distract him from his football training, then you can have him. He’ll probably get bored with you eventually.” He waved to someone in the crowd surrounding them. “I have to go, enjoy the party.”
“Thanks, it was nice meeting you,” she lied. She tried to erase the memory of the entire conversation. Obviously she was just a bug on their shoe, someone they had to say hi to and then forget about. Just like all the other ‘cheerleader types’ Eli had brought home.
Kaley headed toward the house, his mother had said they were needed in the kitchen, she tried to find it. Anything was better than standing by herself and feeling like the black sheep in the party. If Nicholas Stone had said it to her, everyone else was probably thinking it too. She didn’t belong there and the only person that could make it better was Eli.
She needed to find him.
Using logic, Kaley tried to locate the kitchen. She figured it would probably be at the back of the house and away from the foyer. She headed inside and turned right, following the clanging sound and smell of food.
When she reached the kitchen that was five times bigger than the one at her home, she frantically scanned the room. Eli wasn’t there, neither was his mother.
“Can I help you, sweetie?” one of the waitresses, a woman in her thirties, asked at her obviously lost expression.
“Have you see
n Eli?”
“That way.” She nodded toward the door to her right and hurried away with her tray full of hors d’oeuvres.
Kaley entered cautiously, it appeared to be a formal dining room. The main piece of furniture being a large, rectangular, wooden table in the center of the room. A chandelier hung overhead. When it was turned on, it probably made all the silverware and crystal glass twinkle in the light.
There was no sign of Eli. She continued on through, not wanting to turn back now.
As she approached the other door, she noticed it was slightly ajar. She could hear voices on the other side, a male and female. After listening for a few seconds, she realized it was Eli and Christine. She didn’t want to interrupt them, she stood frozen in place while she dithered about what to do.
“I don’t know what you want from me, Mom.” It was Eli’s voice, he sounded frustrated. “I don’t want to pretend like everything is okay in front of these people. Not anymore.”
“And you thought bringing that girl here would make it any better? Tell me, Eli, how much does she know? Is she likely to blab everything to anyone she meets?”
“No, of course not. She’s a nice girl, Mom. She’s not that kind of girl, I can trust her.”
Christine sighed, a long and slow sigh. “You don’t know that, Eli. You are so naïve. Why can’t you be more like your brother? Tell me that.”
“Because I’m not him. If he’s so perfect, maybe you shouldn’t have sent him off to college. He could have stayed here and acted the part of the perfect son forever.”
“I’m not having this argument with you any longer, we have guests,” Christine abruptly ended the conversation. “Try to stay out of my way and keep that girl in line. You are responsible for anything she does.”
Kaley realized she was holding her breath, she let it out as she heard the clicking of Mrs. Stone’s high heels on the ceramic tiles. She only heard one set going in the opposite direction, Eli was either incredibly light on his feet or he wasn’t moving. She waited to hear the door slam shut before opening her door carefully.
Love Songs (Secret Songbook #1) Page 16