Book #2 of Girl of Mine ✑
1957. It's the things you thought were yours. It's the lack of control and how you ought to make the most of what you have. Love for yourself or passed loves. There isn't a way to take hold of carried feelings, the actions...
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* chapter music * — Sweet Nothing — Taylor Swift
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Elvis POV
The 20th of August, 1957
A beige tote bag swung from my hands along the hall, clenching onto its handle with enough books to last for story times to the end of the year. I'd gotten this and that with the help of Rachel and myself. Patty had insisted on getting Sal two children's coloring books with space and cat themes. Who knew why? Sal had no way of drawing with those shoulders. Never mind the fact that she couldn't even draw at all. I'd seen her unrecognizable doodles at the edges of her notebook pages.
I noticed Regina across the room through the blue-squared glass framed by Sal's door, her legs curled up in one of the chairs by the window. Not convinced Regina had the capacity to stay calm without dreaming, my soft shove opened the blue door as if a quiet and easy wind got hold of it—not to disturb Sal or Regina's possible sleep.
Regina's rested chin at her knee lifted as she noticed us. «Hey guys.» She whispered with a voice lower than I'd ever heard her speak. She was like us, driven to the lunacy of our minds. Which had her I greeted her with a mild smile before I left the tote bag to lean against Sal's room's closet. A place I hoped didn't have to get folded clothes within it.
As I straightened my back, almost like a seesaw, Patty walked into the room when Regina got up. «I have to pee. You'd believe I was the one with an IV—mine being attached to my bladder.» Regina hummed, low enough not to wake Sal but loud enough to bring us needed smiles.
The tilted-up corner of my lips wouldn't go down as I turned to set my eyes on Regina. «Has she been awake?»
Rubbing her cheek, Regina looked at Sal and me in turns and shook her head. «Not more than maybe one second?»
Clearing my throat, filled with thoughts, I gave Regina a quiet nod as she let her breath go heavy. «I'll see you guys later. Benny is all alone with your families.»
To my memory, I had only laid my eyes on Benny twice, once in the passing to get to the cafeteria and the second time finding my way back just now. Logically, I must have passed Benny several more times; he might have even said hi. But I was too tired to remember any of it even though I had borrowed the room across the hall due to both my parent's wishes. I couldn't go up against their argument of being rested enough to keep an eye on Sal when she woke up. For what lasted a mere second, I'd gotten a moment of sleep in after mindlessly eating something—even though I felt no hunger and felt the lack of anything behind my belly button.
Benny, too, wore a leather jacket, and he looked the part to be Regina's guy. We'd have more time to spend together at Graceland. God, all I wanted was for Sal to be safe and at home with me. It was her wish, too, which made it all that more difficult to accept that I had to tell her she needed to be here.
