Blue Suede Dreams - An Elvis Presley Fanfiction

Chapter 4: The Divide

The months rolled on, and Elvis's fame continued to skyrocket. What had once been local gigs and small-time performances had now transformed into nationwide radio play, interviews, and offers to appear on television. People from all over the country were talking about him. It was surreal, even for Sarah, who still remembered sitting on his front porch, listening to him strum his guitar with dreams of making it big. The reality, however, was even bigger than either of them had imagined.

As Elvis's career grew, so did the distance between him and Sarah. It wasn't intentional, but it was inevitable. His time was no longer his own—he had a manager, a publicist, and a growing number of fans and commitments. Sarah often found herself reading about his latest performances in the newspaper, rather than hearing about them from Elvis himself. The small moments they used to share had all but disappeared, replaced by fleeting conversations and brief meetings squeezed into the tiny gaps between his many obligations.

One afternoon, Sarah sat at the diner where they used to meet up for milkshakes and french fries. She stirred her drink absentmindedly, watching as the other customers bustled around her. It had been weeks since she had seen Elvis, and though he occasionally sent her postcards or called when he could, it wasn't the same. She felt as though she were holding on to a piece of her past, one that was slipping further and further out of reach.

She was shaken from her thoughts by the jingle of the diner's door. She looked up just in time to see Elvis stride in, a grin on his face as he scanned the room. He looked different now—more polished, more confident. His hair was perfectly styled, and he wore a leather jacket that made him stand out even more than usual. Heads turned as he made his way to her booth, and Sarah could hear people whispering his name, their eyes following his every move.

"Hey, Sarah!" Elvis greeted her with a bright smile as he slid into the booth across from her. His energy was palpable, like he had just come from an exciting gig or some thrilling new experience.

"Hey," Sarah replied, her voice soft but warm. She smiled at him, but there was a heaviness in her chest that she couldn't shake.

"It's been crazy these past few weeks," he said, almost breathless. "I've been all over the place. We just did a show in New Orleans, and they're already talkin' about booking more down there. It's wild!"

Sarah nodded, trying to keep up with his enthusiasm. "I've been reading about you in the papers. Sounds like everything's going great."

"It is," Elvis agreed, his eyes sparkling. "But it's also exhausting. You wouldn't believe how many people are tryin' to get a piece of me now. Sometimes I don't know which way is up."

"I can imagine," Sarah said quietly. "It must be overwhelming."

Elvis ran a hand through his hair, letting out a sigh. "Yeah, it is. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. This is what I've always wanted, y'know? It's just...happenin' so fast."

Sarah took a sip of her milkshake, unsure of what to say. She was proud of him—of course she was. He had worked so hard to get to this point. But there was a part of her that felt left behind, like she was no longer part of the world he was living in.

"Anyway," Elvis said, leaning back in the booth. "Enough about me. How've you been? We haven't had much time to talk."

Sarah hesitated for a moment before answering. "I've been okay. Just...the usual stuff. Nothing as exciting as what you've been up to."

Elvis frowned slightly, sensing the distance in her voice. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Elvis," Sarah said, offering a small smile. "It's just...things are different now."

Elvis leaned forward, his expression softening. "I know things have been crazy lately, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten about you, Sarah. You're still my friend. I just... I've been busy, y'know?"

"I know," Sarah replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I get it. It's just...you're different now, Elvis. And I'm not sure where I fit into all of this anymore."

Her words hung in the air between them, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Elvis looked down at the table, his fingers tapping lightly against the surface. "I haven't changed, Sarah," he said finally, his voice quiet but firm. "At least, not the way you think. I'm still the same guy I was before all this happened. It's just...there's more goin' on now."

Sarah nodded, but she wasn't sure she believed him. It wasn't that Elvis had changed as a person—he was still kind, still genuine, still the boy she had known for years. But his life was different now, and that difference was a chasm that seemed to be growing wider by the day.

"You're right," she said softly. "It's just hard sometimes, watching everything change so fast."

Elvis reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "I don't want to lose you, Sarah. You're one of the few people in my life who knew me before all this. You're important to me. I hope you know that."

His touch was warm, comforting, but it also stirred something deeper inside her—something she had been trying to ignore. Sarah's heart had been aching for a long time, not just because of the growing distance between them, but because of something more. She wasn't just his friend anymore, not in her heart. She cared about him in a way that went beyond friendship, and the thought of losing him—not just to fame, but to the world he was being pulled into—terrified her.

"I don't want to lose you either," she said quietly, her voice trembling slightly. "But things are different, Elvis. And I'm not sure if we can go back to the way things were."

Elvis looked at her, his expression serious. "We don't have to go back. We can figure out a new way to be. I don't want my career to come between us."

Sarah nodded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I just don't know where I fit into your life anymore. You've got so much going on, and I don't want to hold you back."

"You're not holdin' me back," Elvis said firmly, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. "If anything, you keep me grounded. When everything else feels like it's spinnin' out of control, you're the one thing that stays the same. I need that, Sarah. I need you."

His words hit her like a wave, crashing over her with a force she hadn't expected. For so long, she had been telling herself that Elvis was slipping away, that there was no room for her in his new life. But now, hearing him say that he needed her, that she still mattered—it was both a comfort and a source of confusion.

"I need you too, Elvis," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "But I'm scared. I'm scared that one day, you'll get so caught up in this world, in your career, that there won't be any room left for me."

Elvis shook his head, his eyes filled with determination. "That's not gonna happen, Sarah. I won't let it. I don't care how famous I get, or how busy things get. You're always gonna be a part of my life."

Sarah wanted to believe him, but she knew the world had a way of changing people, even when they didn't want it to. Still, as she looked into his eyes, she saw the boy she had known for so long, the boy who had shared his dreams with her on quiet summer nights. Maybe he was right. Maybe they could find a way to make things work, even with all the changes.

She squeezed his hand gently, offering him a small smile. "Okay, Elvis. Let's figure this out together."

He smiled back at her, relief washing over his face. "We will. I promise."

For the rest of the evening, they talked about the old days, reminiscing about the simpler times before fame had come knocking on Elvis's door. And for a little while, it felt like nothing had changed, like they were still just two kids with big dreams and all the time in the world. But as the night wore on, and Elvis left to prepare for his next gig, Sarah couldn't shake the feeling that the divide between them was only going to grow wider. She wasn't sure how much longer they could hold on to the past when the future was pulling them in opposite directions.