Becoming Brett

38. His Keeper

Ellie jabs me with her elbow as she leans closer to hiss in my ear. She's been trying to pump me for information that I don't have.

"Have they talked?" She asks.

I glance over at her, her pink tipped hair spilling down her shoulder and on to me. Her chin is bony and sharp sitting on my shoulder, the added warmth of her close proximity giving me sudden goosebumps.

The music room is loud, Wes on the piano, repeating the same bits as Cora sings along. Savanah by his side on the bench, turning pages though I doubt Wes needs her to. There's people banging percussion instruments and horns going off and all of its muddled with conversations.

It's chaos of the best kind.

I'm cleaning a saxophone, diligently wiping down its edges and curves until the brass shines like polished gold.

"As far as I know they haven't." I told her.

My eyes drift to Laurel who's lingering by the cymbals. She sits on a stool, the gong dangling from her fingertips as she stares at the window.  One hand is tucked beneath the opposing arm, strawberry blond hair falling like a wave down her back.

I feel for her. I do.

Trying to do something to help someone and having it backfire sucks. Been there, done that.

"Why is Wes being so stubborn? He never stays mad this long?" She adds.

Tossing the rag down, it lands on the saxophone.

"Are you serious?" Disbelief falls out of me.

Her shoulders shrug and she leans away from me to meet my gaze. "She wasn't doing it to hurt him, she was doing it to get Sawyer to stop."

"I know why she did it Ellie." I snap, my defenses raising because it's Wes.

"Someone has to stop Sawyer. He's an asshole." She mumbles.

I should agree, everyone in our friend group would except maybe James. But even then I know James doesn't care for Sawyer. I don't either. But I also know Sawyer isn't actually an asshole.

"I mean we've all literally sat back and watched him torment Wes." She continues. "For what, his amusement?"

I'm nearly certain Sawyer has no idea how bad Wes's tics and OCD got. By that point we were no longer friends. Growing up had separated us. Now that he knows, I'm confident he won't continue poking at Wes.

"Just drop it Ellie." I mutter, picking up the rag and going back to my cleaning.

She throws her head back, letting out a loud belligerent groan. "Do you know how annoying it is that you always do this? Why do we have to drop everything? Why are you his keeper?"

"I'm not his keeper." Even I can hear the gaps in my conviction when I say it but I'm not about to tell her why.

That I love him and not just as my best friend.

Her brown eyes are fierce and agitated, unwavering as she glares at me. She doesn't believe me, rightfully so.

So I give her a small piece of information. "Sawyer doesn't have the easiest home life." I shrug. "Wes knows that. And that's all I'm saying."

Ellie snorts, her eyes rolling. "Please Mr. baseball star probably gets everything he wants."

Sawyer doesn't but I don't correct her.

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Wes and I are in his room playing the Sega when I notice the time.