Fame's Revenge

Chapter 24: Now

It was nearing six in the morning. It was the second night in a row I didn't sleep. But I couldn't leave this alone. Gavin was more important to me than sleep.

I just hoped this would fix things.

My hand was cramping, so I took a moment to stretch it while I read over the last part I'd written.

Her footsteps echoed as she crossed the stage. Liz focused on taking deep breaths as she walked to the microphone. She laid her papers on the lectern and looked up. Her eyes were naturally drawn to Shay, as they had always been when she did anything in front of the class.

I remembered graduation so well. It was one of the clearest memories I had from the final year of high school. I even had the speech I gave. That was one of my favorite things I'd ever written, so I had kept it in a box with my cap and gown. At first, I'd been tempted to just tape it to the page, but I really wanted to keep the original. 

Once the cramp had gone away, I copied the whole speech. I'd been writing for nearly the whole night, and I was finally almost done. I couldn't believe how much had happened before I really got into my music career, and even right after it started. Back then felt like a whole other story, but I could see how it was affecting me now. So much had an impact on my present and likely my future as well.

I finished copying my speech and sat back. That was pretty much the end of the story, because I went to play at a few venues right after that, and then I moved into this apartment when I got back. I wanted Gavin to know everything, though.

Quickly, I added one last thing and closed the notebook. I was finally done. I stood up but then sat right back down. Something wasn't quite right. It took a minute, but I realized it needed a title. After all the time and effort I'd put into it, it felt like a proper story.

It only took a moment to pick a name. I wrote it carefully on the first page above where I had begun writing.

Fame's Revenge.

---

It was nearly ten  when I reached Gavin's apartment. I knew he was probably home, and I hoped he was. I had left a note in the back and I wanted him to respond soon. I just didn't want to be there while he read what I had written.

I sat the notebook on the ground and knocked hard. Right away, I began to quickly walk towards the stairs. I stared at the door as I slowly backed down them. I waited. Nothing. Maybe he wasn't here? Confused, I went back to his door. Right before I knocked I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Maybe this wasn't the best idea. I shouldn't leave the notebook like this.

I picked up my story and hurried to the stairs.

"Liz?" My head snapped up. Gavin was standing there looking confused. "What are you doing here?"

My eyes went to the large box he seemed to be struggling to get up the stairs. "What's in the box?"

He glanced at it and then shifted it to his other arm. "Um, well... I asked you first. What's with the notebook?"

I glanced at it and bit my lip hard. Why were we like this? We never broke up. Why did it feel like we were exes that found it awkward to even speak? I shook my head and decided to go ahead and take the leap.

"I was bringing you this notebook," I said quietly. I lightly thumbed the pages. "I was thinking about what you had said and about you asking who Shay was, so I wrote everything down. I mean, I was writing this all down anyway for myself, but I finished it last night and I want you to have it." I looked up at him. "I want you to know me, Gavin. I want you to know everything."