Chapter 18...Love Drunk, Maybe Not
Mr. King helped Eli send the video and offered for Eli to stay and eat dinner with him and his wife as their kids were off in college still. Eli felt like he couldn't say no to the King's after all they've done for him with the contest and in general. Plus, it was taco night and who could say no to free tacos, free because Eli didn't have to buy a taco kit and ground beef to make them himself or he didn't have to spend the money to go somewhere and buy them. The two ascended from the basement in time. Mrs. King came out of the kitchen placing the taco shells on the table with the meat in the center and she grabbed lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes from the refrigerator.
"Looks good Mrs. King." Eli said to be polite even though despite like tacos he just wanted to go home and be alone.
"Why thank you Eli, now only if my own kids would not take for granted every meal I make for them." She said with a slight laugh at the end.
Eli sat in his usual seat when everyone was home and he sat in on meals and ate. The dinner began off fine and by Eli's fourth taco someone had to mention the lies about Eli.
"Eli you do know about everything going on right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"It's about the contest..."
"Yea I know about that."
"Oh..."
Awkward silent filled the room after that and Eli yet to look either one of them in the eye. He finished his taco and thanked them for the meal and he excused himself leaving their house. Mrs. King looked at her husband and cuffed him upside the head and sternly scolded him as if he was a child for bringing that up around Eli, when he most likely knew about it.
Driving home Eli sulked in his seat wishing for the stupid contest to be over. He knew that everyone would regret having told the lies when they realized it was true. All he could do now was prove that he deserved to win the contest and hope that the small minded people who thought he was just trying to get attention realized that he could care less about the attention and actually needed the money from the contest. Pulling into the driveway he stopped by the mailbox that seemed to be over flowing with mail. Hate mail would most likely be coming into his mailbox if people found out his address and he hoped Danny and JoBell would try to protect him in the way that they condoned the behavior of the monkeys or they would not give out any of his personal information. A lot of people knew where he lived, but not the exact address of house.
Walking in the house, Eli slipped his shoes off leaving them by the front door as he usually left out that door the most than using the garage even though he could park the truck in there, he just found it easier to leave it out since the garage needed to be cleaned. Talk about spring cleaning that would have to come up after the winter months and with that he fell asleep only to wake up the next morning before he wanted to.
A sigh escaped from his mouth. Just a couple more rounds and Eli would be done with the contest and had no idea what he would after it, but at the moment he thought he'd be extremely happy because they people wouldn't be in his business like they were at the moment. To add to the news, the daily phone call from Luke pissed him off. He talked about how the nurse he was taking care of him looked good and once he was out of the hospital he would date her. The two of them never talked of dating since Nora wouldn't marry him running away from the Carter's as soon as the truth came out. He didn't mind Nora as she didn't try to act like Eli's mom and she managed to get Luke of Eli's back a couple of times, but she was the last girl Eli could tolerate with Luke. Now he spoke of someone else and Eli immediately hated it. Why should Luke have a girlfriend.
Eli realized he was partially angry with that fact because he never had a girlfriend himself. He never wanted to burden another human being with all the bullshit he dealt with, but it didn't mean he never wanted a girlfriend. He pulled out his phone and pressed the call button.
"Hey, I'm picking you up at seven for dinner, dress nicely, is that alright?"
"Oh, Eli. I loved to. I'll text you my new address and don't forget your going to have to meet me dad in a different way than you know him."
"That's alright just look dress nicely and I'll pick you up at seven."
With that he closed ended the phone call and looked at restaurants in the city that were fancy, but not overly expensive. When he found one he made reservations under the name Carter and once he confirmed that they would be there at 7:30pm he crashed on the couch falling back to sleep for a couple of more hours. He knew he had house work that needed to be desperately done, he thanked himself that he didn't have a dog. Vacuuming dog hair was something he hated to do but he loved dogs. Eli knew he would adopt a little chocolate Labrador puppy once he moved out and could focus his attention on it.
Waking up, Eli got straight to work starting with vacuuming the upstairs and worked his way down. After that he cleaned the windows he could reach and then did the dishes he let pile up and did loads of laundry. He wondered if this was what he would experience when he finally moved out. Even though it seemed like he already was living on his own.
Around five the shower turned on spewing out a gentle stream of luke warm water. Standing in the shower the water pelted his chest as he was as tall as the shower head. Ducking down so he could wash his hair. A couple of songs had passed and he stepped out of the shower grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist and he walked to his closet to find something nice to wear. He pulled out the pants he wore to his mother's funeral and he hoped they would fit still. Luck was not on his side so he settled with his best pair of slightly faded blue jeans and a nice white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
Now he had about forty-five minutes until he had to leave, so to pass the time he logged into his computer and looked at the file that contained all the songs he wrote and he read them each fixing any spelling mistakes he caught or changing things to sound smooth. He set a timer on his phone so that he didn't lose track of time and be late for the date he set up in an attempt to get a girlfriend.
Picking up one of his high school friends from his friend group, Jenna, was pretty and could hold a conversation so he didn't mind taking her on a date or two to see if it could work. Eli talked with Jenna's dad as she finished getting ready and he was skeptical about Eli, but he didn't know anything about Eli's spotlight in the social media scene so he thought Eli was still the same kid as he was in high school.
Jenna's blonde hair was cut short which was a change from high school and he commented on how it looked good. She blushed and said a polite thank you. They kept in touch a little since both of them didn't go to college right away, but he hadn't really talked to Jenna since graduation. Sure it would be awkward, but if he liked her in high school he might still like her if the red he had in his eyes was truly gone.
Eli arrived at the restaurant at twenty-five minutes past the hour which gave them enough time to park and walk to the establishment. Five minutes later, the two were at their table and ordering drinks.
"Wow, Eli. I have to say I did not expect this from you. Remember in high school you never went to any fancy restaurants with our friends."
"Yea I know, but I asked you on a date, well kind of demanded, but you agreed don't forget and well I wanted to treat my date tonight."
Her thoughts painted her cheeks red and Eli smiled. Eli's eyes still saw red though. He knew that things wouldn't work out with Jenna so at the end of the date when he walked her to the door she tried to kiss him and he stumbled backwards.
"Sorry Jenna I don't think I'm ready for that yet."
"What haven't you kissed a girl yet?" and she ended up slamming the door in his face as he spoke.
"Yea I have and she's the reason why I couldn't kiss you." And with that he walked away.
The door seemed heavier as he opened it now than he did at the beginning of the night. The songs on shuffle reflected his mood. He couldn't get the red out of his mind and he knew his chances with her were a lost cause. Sulking more as each word was sung, he pulled over so he could change the song and he saw a text on his phone.
Sorry about my parents, I'm coming home Sunday for a little break so I can watch the next round on the television with you. -Izzy
Smiling once again he pulled back onto the highway with an upbeat rock song playing. Music influenced his mood and the music he listened was influenced by his mood. He didn't want to go on another date with Jenna; after tonight Eli didn't want to mess up his friendship with her. Foo Fighter came on as he turned into the driveway and Eli decided to listen to the whole song before shutting the engine off and walking into the house he called home, yet what was home, a home sweet home was a fairy tale.
The eeriness of the quiet house crept in, this house used to be filled with noise whether it was Eli on his guitar, to his mother singing or playing the radio while cooking or cleaning or Luke's rage filled screams at the television or at Eli. Now the house sat empty and quiet rotting each day more and more since the life that used to be here had died.
Once if Eli heard a noise he would be aware and alert, now if he heard a strange noise he disregarded it and continued with whatever he wanted. Izzy had been bugging Eli to get a Netflix subscription, so tonight he signed up for one and watched many movies and television shows late into the early morning. Yawning around four in the morning, Eli finally fell asleep not having to worry about waking up for work or going to do anything. Smiling as he closed his eyes due to the fact that no one was on his case about anything and he didn't have to go to work.
The sun beat down on the roof he was standing on. Not sure why he was standing on a roof, but all he could recall was that he was on the roof. It was a flat roof, like the one near Jeremy's bed room. Music was coming from somewhere and he turned around to find the source. The edge was behind him and he took an unconscious as he turned and he fell the music getting louder and time slowed...
The music was coming from his phone which he had fallen asleep with on his bed. Groaning he pushed the accept button on the call screen and mumbled a hello. It was an insurance agency who claimed that they were with the NRA and wanted information so Eli ended the call and rolled over trying to go back to sleep. He was about to when he heard footsteps inside his house. Alert and awake the boy jumped out of bed and crept down the stairs although with nothing in his hands as he wasn't that prepared.
"Jesus Christ! Jeremy what the hell were you thinking?"
"Dude, you didn't see my text obviously otherwise you would have known I'd be here."
"What text?"
Jeremy pulled out his phone and Eli ran back up to his room changing quickly.
"Let's go!"
Eli jumped into his Jeremy's car and they sped off towards the hospital and Eli had to pretend to go see Luke, even though this was just for his image to preserve his integrity, Eli knew that if he wasn't seen walking into the hospital to visit his 'father' the lies would head south. Iz had sent her brother a heads up about this and he raced over to Eli's as soon as possible. Making sure that the two of them had their identifications they walked into the hospital and to Luke's room. They didn't truly notice the person taking a photo of them walking, but they knew at some point someone was taking a photo of them that was unwanted.
"I wonder what the media will say about me now and I bet they will try to make me look like the bad guy. This is the one thing I never accounted for when I join the contest way back when."
"I kind of figured, hence, why I drove all the way down here to save your sorry ass. But luckily you're my best friend and my sisters because if I didn't she would have and I was closer."
"I'll leave you to talk to Luke by yourself and I'll be waiting in my car just text me when you're done."
Eli nodded and he was at the door he just slammed the other day when he saw Luke kissing the nurse. Stepping in the room this time he saw Luke asleep and he took a deep breath due to holding it as he walked into the room. Everyone Eli had seen asleep always looked much peaceful when they were asleep, yet Luke's image in Eli's mind didn't allow him to see a peaceful harmless person sleeping, Luke was still the violent human being Eli had grown to know.
Eli sat at the chair that was placed next to the bed and he flipped on the television muting it so Luke wouldn't wake up.
"Why'd you have to fall apart after she died? Maybe you could have kept your violent side dormet with her by your side? I wish I could still call you my father, you..."
Eli thought to himself that someone could be listening and he changed what he was originally going to say.
"you loved her and I think that's what made me lose the man I called my father.."
Choking on the words because they weren't true.
"I love you and goodbye for today."
He stood up and the machine next to his bed went off crazily and Eli panicked not knowing what to do, so he hit the emergency button above Luke's bed.
The nurse he saw with his father, the one that came home with Luke during his trial week that ultimately did not work, rushed through the door with another nurse and doctor. People were shouting and everything was happening to fast that Eli ran out the door before they began to move Luke and he got to the elevator stepped inside and sat on the floor holding his knees attempting to stop the flashbacks from coming. Unaware to himself he texted Jeremy help.
Jeremy saw Eli in the elevator as it opened on the ground floor and he raced in getting to Eli just before the doors shut again. He had no idea what was happening to his friend.
"Eli, can you tell me what's going on?"
Eli sat there rocking trying to go through his thoughts. He was cognizant of his friend, yet he didn't reply. Muttering to himself Jeremy helped him up and the elevator doors opened at the second floor showing a bunch of doctors and nurses pushing patient 2779 into an operating room, Jeremy caught the name before the doors shut again...Luke Matthew Carter.
"Hey Eli, look at me. Everything will be fine and the doctors will make sure he lives."
Eli nodded and got up counting to a hundred in his head, counting numbers was always his go to in trying to calm down or collect himself. They walked out to the car and he drove back to the house. Izzy was waiting for them and she raced over to Eli's door and helped him out of the car and into the house. The rest was kind of a blur for Eli. He was in and out of sleep for the next couple of days and he woke up asking Izzy what happened the night the contest was supposed to preview on air, meaning it was Monday.
Eli was given the run down on what happened by the siblings and he was told by Jeremy that Luke's body just rejected the organ so it began to shut down and that they managed to fix things in time. Eli always said he wanted him to die, but facing the reality was much different. Jeremy had to return home so Izzy stayed with Eli and they made up the bed in the spare room for her so that she could spend the night to keep an eye out for Eli in case he had a break down or anything.
They all ate a light lunch together before Jeremy left and Izzy helped Eli clean the house as he went to get a shower. Once he was alone in the shower he sat down letting the water cascade over him as he groaned leaning his head against the wall. Things confused him and he had no idea why he reacted the way he did at the hospital. How could he care for Luke after everything he put Eli through in the past two and half years since Stacy became one with the ground.
Izzy knocked on the door after almost a half hour pasted asking Eli if he was alright. Replying back he stood up finishing his shower and got out; getting dressed Eli returned downstairs and collapsed on the couch next to his best friend. She looked at Eli and noticed how much better he looked getting sleep over the last past days. They watched television all day until it was time for the contest. Each contestant's video aired for ten minutes plus commercial time. Plus, in the last five minutes before a commercial break in after the first four videos, Danny came on screen saying, "If you don't see your video on air tonight that means you have been disqualified." Then the commercial came on and Eli had yet to see his yet. He really hoped that he was one of the last four, but Danny and JoBell seemed to have a habit of putting Eli last which kind of tested his patience.
The videos played and Eli hated that he had to watch to see if he had been outed from the contest, he hoped that the couple running the contest at least told the people before. Almost a half hour later the last contestants video began to play and Eli saw himself on screen and Izzy hugged him congratulating him that he got to continue on and hoped he made it to the last round. At the very end of the program JoBell spoke saying how the remain people in the contest would receive an email a few days later telling them their challenge for the next round and hoped to see everyone next week.