Sold Out - Michael Hardy

THIRTEEN

"We need to talk."

"Uh, what's up?" Michael asks nervously, sitting on the couch while Cassie sits on the coffee table across from him.

"I was told that I need to write more heart broke songs and I can't do that when you make me so gosh darn happy."

Michael furrows his brows then laughs loudly. "Say that again?"

"You heard me! I'm serious! I wanna write songs that people can scream and cry to when they get their hearts broke. I can't when I'm so happy with you."

"So you want to break up?"

"Not really but yeah. Just for like a couple days."

Michael snorts and stands. "Fine. But, if this is for real, I'm kickin' your butt." He leans down and kisses her forehead.

"So how do you want this to work?" He asks from the kitchen.

"I'll go home for a couple days to really focus on writing. It's gonna be hard but..."

"I still have some tour dates left, I'll be super busy. Maybe that'll work? I just don't want this to be a real break up because I love you so much."

"No, this isn't real. I don't think I'll be able to live without you anymore."

Michael sighs. "Okay. If you need to do this for your songs then I'm happy to help."

"Thank you." She kisses him sweetly. "C'mon." She takes him by the arm and leads him to the bedroom where she pushes him back on the bed with the biggest ornery smirk Michael has ever seen.

+++

"No, that's not good." Cassie huffs as she scratches out some words she just written. She huffs again as she calls Ernest, he always know what to write.

"What's up, Cassie Leigh?"

"I need your help." She sighs, leaning back on the porch swing. "I'm tryna right sad songs and I can't."

He chuckles. "Okay, uh, do you have any ideas started?"

"Yeah. I have a few random lines written but I can't branch off of 'em."

"Whatcha got?"

"...There's no tellin' what life could look like
If I woulda stayed gone the first time..."

Ernest hums back. "Interesting. What about this?"

"...If I wasn't leavin' you again
If I wasn't right back where I been
There's no tellin' what life could look like
If I woulda stayed gone the first time
But here I am, leavin' you again..."

"You're writing break up songs?" Ernest asks.

"Wanted to try it out." She replies, scribbling down everything they just came up with.

"You and Hardy okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. We're just spending time apart so I can write sad songs. I told him I can't write sad songs 'cause of how happy he makes me."

Ernest smiles at her words. "Well, good luck, kid. Let me know if you need anymore help."

"Kid!? I'm only two years younger than you!"

"Yeah, yeah." He snorts. "Talk to you later, Cassie Leigh."

"Okay, bye, Ern."

She hangs up and sighs.

Cassie's eyes scan across the field in front of her, the sun soaking into her skin. They're calling for a thunderstorm tomorrow.

Maybe that'll get the sadness flowing.