Ruth sat at band practice as she wrote in her notebook.
Luke walked in and noticed her. "Hey, Ruthie. Whatcha doing?"
"Writing," she replied. "How does this sound? 'Clocks move forward, but we don't get older, no, kept on climbing, till our stars collided'."
"A bit ominous, don't you think?"
"Well, we only have one life to live, so we have to live it like it's now or never. Oh! That's a great title!" She wrote the possible title down and flipped to another page. "This one is a lot more personal. It's about two friends who can't admit how they feel. I'm still working on it, but this is what I've got so far. No judgements, please."
"Never, Ruthie."
She handed him the notebook and he read the words aloud. "'You set me free. You and me together is more than chemistry. ? me as I am.' I'm guessing you don't know what that word will be. 'I'll hold your music here inside my hands. We say we're friends, we play pretend. You're more to me, we're everything.' I love it. You're incredibly gifted, and I can't wait to see what else you'll come up with."
Ruth smiled as she took her notebook back. "Thanks, Luke. That really means a lot. I don't know what this song should be called though."
"You'll figure it out. You always do." He noticed her expression. "Hey, you okay?"
She sighed and said, "The fighting is getting worse. If they get a divorce, where will Reggie and I go? I don't want to have to choose between my mother or my father."
"Hopefully you don't have to. Maybe they'll sort out their differences."
"No, I don't think they will."
"Hey, Ruthie, it'll be okay."
"Please don't tell me that. Not when it feels like my life is falling apart. There's nothing the doctors can do anymore for me. They're saying I only have a matter of months. My parents are fighting and I'm sure are on the brink of divorce. This band, this music is the only thing I have left."
"That's not true, Ruthie."
"What?"
"You still have me." He kissed her cheek and smiled. "You'll always have me."
Ruth said nothing and the two shared a long gaze before she looked away.
YOU ARE READING
End of May // Luke Patterson
Teen FictionRuth Peters was as much a part of the band as her brother and his three bandmates. Silent sparks fly between two lyricists. But by the the time one realizes how they feel, it's too late. Twenty-six years later, for her at least, she and her bandma...
