Grim anthology. Christine Johnson

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      Vanessa tugs my shirtsleeve. “Did he come dressed like this?”

      “Of course. Where would I get doll clothes?”

      I don’t bother repeating my call of “liar.”

      “Eli, come on.” Behind me, Jules, the drummer, taps his sticks together.

      Eli reaches for me, then pulls his hand back. “Take good care of him, okay?”

      “I will.” Vanessa kisses me right between the eyes. My opinion of her is softening somewhat.

      Eli takes his guitar and joins Jules and the other boy, Tyler, who fancies himself a lead singer but often seems more fascinated with his collection of unusual instruments.

      As they play, Vanessa dances me atop her bare knee in time to the music. During a slow ballad, she rests me on her shoulder, my feet tucked into her long blond hair streaked with green and blue. At the end of each song, she waves me in the air, cheering with exaggerated enthusiasm. The boys scowl at her silliness, but it’s the most fun I’ve had since I reawakened.

      The tunes are intricate for a songwriter of Eli’s age, but sadly, he’s the only one who seems capable of playing them. When they take a break, I seize the opportunity to speak to him.

      You should go solo. You’re too good for these poseurs.

      Eli doesn’t glare at me. Instead the corner of his mouth tugs into a sad frown. He knows I’m right, but he loves his friends.

      Also the band name, Trending Frenzy? What does that even mean?

      “Long story,” he says under his breath.

      After the break, it takes Trending Frenzy a full hour to rehearse three more songs. Tyler keeps trying to change the key to take it up to his singing range and make it easier to play, but it sounds like crap when they do that. Even Tyler recognizes this truth, once I’ve sent this mental message to him ten or eleven times.

      Eventually Vanessa gets bored and lies down on the couch, cuddling me close. She presses me to her chest, blocking my eyes and ears. It’s just as well—Eli is growing tired of my running commentary, and the band’s playing is growing ever unruly. I let myself zone out to the sound of Vanessa’s slow, rhythmic heartbeat.

      “That’s all I can take,” Eli says finally. “I’m gonna grab a soda. You guys want anything?”

      They grumble a response I can’t hear, then his footsteps ascend the staircase over my head.

      “Lucky cat,” says a soft voice close to the couch.

      Vanessa stirs, then gives a low laugh. “Jules. Where’s Eli?”

      “Upstairs. Tyler’s in the bathroom.” He leans in, and her heart starts to race. “So I thought I’d come do this.”

      Uh-oh.

      They kiss, loud and wet, and her hand leaves me to move to him. I’m flipped on my back, looking up at their chins. Their mouths move like they’re starving.

      Then Jules’s hand displaces me. For a moment I teeter on the edge of the sofa, long enough to see him reach down her shirt. Then his elbow tips me off the side, and I tumble onto the floor. I focus on the frayed brown fabric of the couch skirt and think to Vanessa with all my might, What about Eli?

      She pulls away from Jules. “I can’t do this to him. His dad just died.”

      “So? He didn’t even know the guy. He makes fun of that stupid ‘Ready, Set, Dance’ song all the time.” Jules leans in again, making a slurping sound against what I assume is Vanessa’s neck.

      “Stop.” She pushes him away, and this time he relents, letting both hands fall onto his knees. “Eli’s been different since it happened,” she says. “If you can’t see that, you’re a shitty friend.”

      “I’ve been hooking up with you for a month. I’m already a shitty friend.”

      Down the basement hallway, a door opens, letting out the liquid sound of a flushing toilet. Jules hurries to stand up and move away from the couch. “Hey, Ty, wanna play some Ping-Pong? Loser buys pizza.”

      “Nah, I gotta get out of here before I stab Eli with one of your drumsticks. One more ‘Why can’t you sing it the way I wrote it?’ and I’m going solo.”

      “If you do that, then Eli’ll go solo, too. I don’t want to see you guys competing.”

      “Plus, you’ll be out of a gig, right?”

      “You think that’s all I care about?” Jules laughs. “You wound me, man. I’ll see you Friday.”

      Vanessa calls goodbye to him as he goes up the stairs. Then she picks me up from the floor. “Aww, sorry, little guy.” She dusts off my tail and the front of my shirt. “Ty, you need a roadie to carry out your million instruments?”

      “Very funny, but no. I’m leaving my guitar here. Eli said he’d adjust the bridge for me. Intonation is totally out of whack.”

      He’s the talented one.

      “He’s the talented one, you know,” Vanessa says.

      “And you’re the slutty one,” Tyler answers. “Eli finds out about you and Jules, that’s the end of the band.”

      “Why do you care? You just said you wanted to—”

      “Shh.”

      Eli is coming down the stairs. “You’re leaving?” he asks Tyler, his voice devoid of disappointment.

      “Yep. Friday practice still on?”

      I wouldn’t commit if I were you.

      Eli commits, despite my warning. Ah, well, I suppose band breakups, like all breakups, are best done in person.

      Vanessa sets me on the coffee table in front of the couch, propped up against a stack of books. Then she straightens my clothes and gives me an indulgent smile.

      You don’t deserve him.

      Her smile fades, then she moves over to give Eli room on the couch. He picks up Tyler’s Fender and starts to tune it, but keeps glancing between Vanessa and me.

      I’m not the one you should be jealous of.

      She slides her hand up his thigh. “I have to leave in about half an hour, so...can you do that later?”

      Eli sets Tyler’s guitar aside, then pulls her into his arms, kissing her, tangling his fingers in her hair. I wonder if her heart is beating as fast as it did when Jules kissed her.

      I clear my throat, figuratively. I’m sitting right here. Do you mind?

      Eli opens one eye to look at me, then extends his middle finger ever so slightly in my direction, below her arm, where she couldn’t see it even if her eyes were open.

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