lustrous ||SKATE

20

After dinner, my mom took us all to the drive in and then we went home where she and my sister gave me birthday gifts. My mom got me a Cartier ring and Harley got me a new set of books and some glasses that were in much better shape than my older ones. The last gift my mom handed to me was in a dusty box with big letters spelling my name across the top. I look at her confused before opening the box. There was letters, a charm bracelet with charms of every city we had traveled to and a single record . I look through the songs and it was all of my favorite songs with my dad. I look at the letter and almost cry when I recognize his handwriting.
To my dearest Stevie Nicks,
Today marks your 19th birthday. I thought 18 would be too cliché so I did 19 because I know you didn't like the typical things. Well I hope you are enjoying life as much I enjoyed life with you. I will never forget the first time I held you. Your mom wanted to name you Stevie but I thought the place I found true love for you better because you were love at first sight just like your mother was. I will miss driving around with the stereo blasting as we drove around on nights you couldn't sleep. As soon as Rhiannon would come on you would fall asleep. I never quite knew if it was because you would it soothing or boring. I guess I'll never know. I'm sorry I never got to see you graduate from high school or from medical school. I'll never get to meet the boy you'll marry. I hope he treats you well and I hope he loves you just like I did. Enclosed in this book is a charm bracelet with every city we visited outside of the US that I knew you fell in love with. You loved to travel. Jet lag never got to you. Also is a locket with a picture from our first Red Sox game when we caught the ball from David Ortiz. The record included has a bunch of songs that have meaning which you will understand when you listen to it. No matter what's going on in your life right now, just know I'm so proud of you baby girl. We all are. I always knew you would do big things. You have such a pure heart and you're always kind to everyone. I may not be there with you physically but no matter what as long as you wear the locket just know I'll always be with you. Always. Do good in life Eliza. Do so many great things while you still have time. I love you Stevie Nicks. Lord bless you and bring you amazing things in life. Live well.
Love,
Your Lindsey Buckingham
I wipe under my eyes from reading the last thing my dad ever gave to me. Shawn wraps his arms around me as I sob into his chest. I collect myself and look up at Shawn.
"Listen to this with me?" I practically beg. He gives me a nod before I give my sister and mom a hug. Once in my room, I put the record on the record player and hear the screech noise before the sound of my dad's voice.
"Hi honey. It's me. I picked this song because it was the first song we sang together. You were 4 when you could finally remember the lyrics." I listened as In My Life by the Beatles plays. Next is My Darling by Wilco, it was the song he would sing before bed. I could only sleep if he sang it. The rest of the songs went as followed:
3. Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses
4. Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
5. God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
6. When You Need Me by Bruce Springsteen
7. She's a Rainbow by The Rolling Stones
8. Have I Told You Lately by Van Morrison
9. Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac
"So that's the end. Again I know how you are about the typical but I hope you listen to this and remember all of our amazing adventures. Love you Stevie Nicks. I'll see you around buddy." At the end I could hear the crack in my dad's voice.
"I love you too Lindsey Buckingham." I whisper before turning off the record player and turning to Shawn who had tears on his cheeks.
"Your dad was your best friend wasn't he?" He wiped under his eyes.
"In the entire world." I whisper as he pulls me into his chest.
"Do you mind me asking what happened?" My body instantly tenses from the question. It's a question I hadn't answered for 8 years.
"He got cancer when I was 9. He was given 6 months to live. We did everything we wanted in those 6 months. He ended up lasting for 2 years. He died a week after my 11th birthday." I lick my cracked lips as I felt the tears rub down my cheeks. Shawn rubbed my back.
"He really loves you Eli. You could tell that he had a very special relationship with him." My eyes meet a picture on my wall of my dad and I sitting in front of papers and a computer at the kitchen table. We both had our glasses on as we smiled at the camera. I had just turned 10 and my dad was teaching me how to pay taxes. He said if my future husband doesn't know how to do it then he doesn't deserve me. I smile at the memory and look up at Shawn.
"Thank you." I whisper as Shawn was rolling over to turn off my lamp.

Nate's POV
I have been spending a lot of time with Melanie. Majority of our time was spent smoking or having sex. She was a fun person to hangout with as well. But she was no Eli. Her touch didn't make me go crazy like Eli's did. Melanie and I talk about Eli a lot. We also talk about her ex named Tyler. We were both in love but the person loved someone else. Did Eli love Shawn? Did he treat her right? Did he play with her hair as she fell asleep because she loved when I did it. Did her mom love him? She probably did. He totally had the boy next door vibe while I was the reckless teen with tattoos who probably stole and smoked too much weed. The weed part was the only true things about me. The only thing I wanted to steal was Eli. I wanted to steal her away from everyone and have her all to myself. I wanted to wake up every morning next to her. She made me capable of loving again. She made it hard not to love her. I miss her waking up early and wearing her chunky framed glasses as she got ready for the day. I remember begging her one morning to wear her glasses all day but she quickly turned it down.
"Are you okay?" Melanie laughs and I nod.
"Just thinking about her." I sigh as I sit up.
"You really love her don't you?" Melanie sits up as well clinging the sheets to her chest. I sighed as I went to brush my teeth.
"Yeah." I say through a mouthful of foamy toothpaste.
"Go after her. Maybe she isn't as into this Shawn as you think she is."
"Melanie. You don't get it. I was her first kiss. I gave her first orgasm for fucks sake. I also missed her birthday all because I got jealous she was talking to one of her best friends." I spit out the toothpaste and rinse my mouth. I catch my reflection in the mirror and I don't like what I see. The dark purple bags under my eyes were the same color of Eli's the night I came home after my tour. I lay back down on my bed and clench my fists. My actions towards her started because of a stupid bet with Sammy. That's why he was always so pushy with her, because he wanted to win. After spending time with her, I realized I was falling in love again. I called off the bet with Sammy before my first show that Eli came to. I wanted her all to myself without the stupid bet.
"Well what if you by her a gift? Something so special." She smiles, "I can help!"
"Oh yeah! Here Eli my ex friend with benefits helped me pick this out for you." We both look at each other and laugh.
"Whatever. You do you Maloley. I've got to go. I got a hot date tonight." She stands up pulling on her shirt and jeans.
"With who? Tyler?" I look at her as I put on a shirt.
"Yes actually I do." She skips out of my room.
"Good luck!"
"Won't need it!" She yelled back causing me to laugh. I grab my phone and go to my text messages with Eli. I decide whether or not to text her. I may regret this.

Eli's POV
My phone dinged as I sat downstairs with Shawn watching tv. I grab it and feel myself freeze.
Nate: Hey I've got your bday gift at my place if you wanna stop by when you get home.
Me: um yeah sure. I come back in a few days.
Nate: Great see you then.
I close my phone and look up at Shawn. This was either going to be heartbreaking for him or for me.