What He Wouldn't Give (Unedited Version)

Chapter Six: A Month Later...

A month later...

The next few weeks were rough for Eli and Luke began to become the monster he had been throwing away everything he had worked for again. Just like that the past year and everything that had happened reappeared. Luke's violent personality was beginning to show under his skin. Eli began to stop eating again. No one, neither of them said a word about how everything was going back, relapsing. One thing that changed for the better was that Eli began to spend a lot more time out of his house, every night he was at Jeremy's for band practice or just hanging out with the guys.

Eli had to go over to John's house tonight, tonight was Chloe's sweet sixteen party and the bands performance night. To be honest the nerves were getting to him a little, but whenever he stepped on stage he disappeared into his own world and forgot about the crowds of people listening. After a strained dinner with Luke and a phone call to Declan talking about how it was at home, lies were told almost to easily, then Eli drove over to the address he got from John during gym just the other day. By now Anthem Falls had a complete set list for the party and they were more than ready to play for a crowd. Izzy was allowed to come because she acted as the bands manager and media personnel.

Chloe was just as popular as her brother and the crowd of people at the party was a mass at eight and the band wasn't even supposed to go on until nine thirty. He pulled up to the curb down the street climbed out of his truck wearing faded jeans and a simple black shirt and his glasses since his father would refuse to pay for contacts. His vans hit the pavement and he took a deep breath counting to ten and then headed to the party. He walked to the backyard and suddenly got an overwhelming feeling due to the crowd of people, pushing it away he began to look for Chloe or one of his band members. Which he found neither of as he found the dyed red hair of Izzy. She had red dyed hair that made her easier to find.

"Hey Eli dude my brother is looking for you they are set up in the basement." She said quickly hurrying him toward a door, opening it and closing it with them on the other side. The noise was loud however it was silent compared to the thundering noise outside. They walked down the stairs and soon another party came into view. Jeremy, Alan, and Lane were sitting on the couch across from Chloe and her best friend, Jane. Isabelle got her brother's attention and they all nodded and said hi as that happened the door opened and the lead guitarist, Noah, came down the stairs with Jackson behind him. Chloe and her friend quickly said goodbyes and thank you leaving to return to the party since it was for her.

They quietly practiced the songs they thought needed the most work and before Eli knew it nine thirty had approached faster than anyone would have thought. Before any of the boys realized it was show time. They got onto stage and introduced themselves told each quick little fact about them, Eli gave the usual I used play guitar tidbit, he still couldn't bring himself to play, its been just over a year, one day for her he will play he told himself. Finally at nine forty-five the power chord to the first song was strummed and the performance unfolded. Izzy catching all in the camera her dad had gotten for her to record the band's performances even if they were small. The crowd was cheering loudly after they had finished the third song as Eli was sweating buckets on stage. It was a late summer afternoon, almost fall, yet it still felt like the middle of July.

They took a break and Jeremy asked the crowd if they had any suggestions on songs they should perform and one that Eli heard almost broke his heart and fueled the fire of exuberance that filled him on stage. Cutting through the screaming and shouting it sounded like a whisper, "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid." The memory came back to him ever so clearly the basement walls seemed to come into view and Eli was standing in his basement a year ago with his red and black Fender Squire in his arms. He could feel himself playing the power chords, then the palm muted part, his voice belting out the lyrics of The Offspring. He felt as if the headphones he wore that night were on his head, the sound the guitar made when he plugged it into the amp.