Something Blue

Chapter 58

APRIL 2022

"ELLIOT!" Nicki squealed. "I'm so happy you're here. Isn't this exciting?"

Shockingly, Nicki and Blake had won the film contest. Their ballad wasn't just a hit on TikTok. Somehow it resonated with a bunch of Gen-X judges too. That was reason enough for Blake to make a big production. Following the success of the song, he had convinced the owner of a random abandoned building to let them film a music video on the premises. Rumor was they only charged three dollars and a bag of weed. Nicki instantly agreed to participate, since it was free content for her vlogs. Her followers were already hyping up the release. Blake had a lot of support too, although their fandoms were currently fueding. Who knew a song called You're The Reason I Can't Eat Eggplant could cause so much drama? The campus police had blocked off Hennepin Bridge for the occasion because Blake's fans had a habit of causing riots. Elliot was surprised.

Blake was tuning his guitar in a dark corner, no doubt trying to look like a broody musician. He had been distancing himself from everyone lately, even Pierce and Wyatt. He publicly supported Elliot and Pierce's relationship when he was asked, but he hadn't said much else. Media training at its finest. Or maybe he just turned into a diva. Elliot tried not to judge. Fame did weird things to people.

Nicki had been avoiding real-life interactions with Blake since they had...well, in the simplest terms, they had stopped fucking. Apparently they hadn't even fucked often, according to Nicki. He was a lazy sneaky link and she was happier single. Now they were nothing more than business partners. Possibly YouTube collaborators too. Occasionally ambassadors of the same brand, but never romantic. Unless a fan asked, of course.

"Super exciting," Elliot agreed, monotone.

"I put your station over here," Nicki told him, pointing to an old dentist chair, an unframed mirror, and a poorly stocked wardrobe rack. Some makeup was sprawled out on a foldable table. "Use whatever you need. I'll start sending people over to you, okay?"

Elliot was examining a dusty, busted piano. He dug in his bag for some hand sanitizer. "Okay."

Nicki clapped to herself and spun away. Her platform shoes clunked on the concrete floor, walking past a rented camera. Her toes were visible, and her legs, and her belly button. Like Zendaya dressed in Mui Mui. Elliot didn't know how she managed not to shiver. She must've been too dedicated to the outfit to show her body's reaction. He texted Quinn to bring a blanket for her.

Spring hadn't snatched all the cold yet. There was still a whirled chill in the air. It crept into the building from the smashed windows. Patches of half-melted snow lingered in the muddy grass outside.

Elliot scanned the location. A bunch of strangers were acting like best friends for clout, as if they weren't standing in the middle of a Tetanus trap. No doubt discussing pyramid schemes. Quinn and Hayden promised they'd be there as soon as possible for moral support. Wyatt would've come, but he'd been preoccupied with hockey training. Or maybe he was too busy calling Chandler. He hadn't stopped asking about her since they had left Paris.

Among the broken furniture and chatter of college-age students, Nicki pulled the first girl from the crowd. She had been hand-picked by Nicki solely based on looks, probably recommended by one of the local frat guys. They usually had a roster of pretty girls, and Nicki was undoubtably on all of them. This girl wasn't like Nicki, though. She chomped her gum with attitude, wore dark eyeliner and even darker clothes. It wasn't until she got closer that Elliot realized he recognized her.

"Hey," she greeted. Her nose ring complimented her strong features. "I'm Jade." Fuck. She sounded polite. And pretty. Her bone structure was strikingly similar to Elliot's. Damn it. He wanted a reason not to like her.

Elliot cleared his throat to introduce himself. "Elliot."

"I know." She took her seat in front of him. "Your Pierce's boyfriend, right?"

"Did he tell you that?" His tone was sharp, guarded.

"No. It's, like, all over the internet. Pretty sure you guys have your own satellite."

Elliot forced a laugh. "Right."

Jade studied him. "You were his roommate, right?"

I was in the room. I was there. I heard you in bed with him. That's what Elliot wanted to say, but he couldn't. He didn't want to be the one to bring up that night. Not after he had just started to actually heal. Instead he said, "Yeah."

Jade knew. She had known Pierce's roommate was in the other bed, but she didn't know it was Elliot at the time. The realization struck her face, morphing her expression from surprise to sadness. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She swallowed, hopeful that Elliot would accept.

How was he supposed to respond to that? He knew why she was apologizing, but he couldn't acknowledge it. Not even now. And really, she technically didn't have any reason to apologize. She was oblivious to the underpinnings of that hookup. It wasn't her fault. Elliot couldn't hold a grudge against her anymore, and maybe it took hearing those words from her to come to that awareness. To let go and have closure.

"Do you have any skin allergies?" Elliot chose to ask.

Somehow she understood his subtle redirection. Respected it, even. It was really none of her business.

"No," she told him, and then trusted him enough to proceed with her makeup.

It seemed that making amends, like falling inlove, could be achieved by any two people who were willing enough to match the energy offered.