"So then I said- that's fine with me, so long as you look behind you next time you reverse out of a parking space!" Geoff bellowed; using his hands with a great deal of expression.
Eli, Michael, Brian- the bass player and Christine, a backup singer- all joined in Geoff's laughter, though the joke really wasn't that funny!
"Oh, I crack me up" Geoff mumbled, wiping away the tears of laughter from his eyes.
ELI uhu…..yeah!
"Indeed Geoff……..you should be a stand-up comedian!" Michael commented, a little too eager to please.
Eli shook his head, disgraced by Michael's 'suck up' routine, which he'd been hearing all night long!
But Geoff didn't seem to hear Michael, he instead, swung an arm around Eli's shoulders- causing him to hunch over slightly, as Geoff pulled him down closer so he could speak into his ear.
Without saying anything, Geoff veered away from the group- walking with Eli to a quiet corner of the room.
"I'm proud of you Sammler," he said, once they were alone.
"Thankyou sir" Eli replied; still a little too upset over the Grace fiasco to be overly enthusiastic.
"No, no no! I mean it" Geoff said, taking a swig of his whisky.
"Err- thanks?" Eli replied- not sure what else to say.
"You should be proud of yourself too!" Geoff said, looking into Eli's eyes honestly.
Eli nodded slowly "Oh, I am" he said, trying to sound convincing.
Geoff shook his head "no your not" he said simply, catching Eli off guard.
ELI ok…..no I'm not.
"You still can't believe you got this far" Geoff took another sip of whisky, polishing off the glass this time.
Eli nodded his head slowly, and began to feel as thought it were about to drop off- but he wasn't quite sure what else to do.
"Well you better believe it sonny! Cause I expect you to keep going" Geoff spoke like a jolly old man. The whisky putting a blush in his cheeks, and laughter in his voice- he was looking very Father Christmas………especially with the beer gut that was slightly visible through his Armani suit.
"Err…..I'll try" Eli replied, shifting uncomfortably on the spot "I mean, I'd like to keep this as an on-going profession………" he stuffed his hands into his pockets, not sure if he was saying the right thing.
Geoff slapped a hand on Eli's shoulder "You will indeed! I have set up an interview for you, with an old friend of mine……….he works a music label aswell, and he's looking for a fresh hit! I told him about you, and he's keen to hear what else you got up you're sleeve!" Geoff beamed.
Eli was quiet for a moment, not sure what to say.
"HA! Silent modesty, I like that" Geoff's smile grew wider "Ya see Eli, I like you- you have TALENT, and I think you fit this business. So, this friend of mine, wants you to go home, come up with a couple of ideas for a new song over the next few months- and then he'll contact you and see when you can fit him in for an interview!" Geoff looked Eli straight in the eye for what seemed like a lifetime, and then, before Eli could open his mouth and express his gratefulness, Geoff turned and walked away- joining a group of exec's who worked for him.
ELI ok, how can you tell the difference between a dream and reality……pinch!
Slowly, Eli clenched one of his hands into a fist, and pounded his arm with one strong hit- he felt the pain instantly, but it was only followed by a complete ecstasy.
ELI ok……ok………ok………oh my god……..ok!
A smile crept across his face; but then, his happiness seemed to deteriorate, as he thought about the first person he had to tell about this………
Eli walked back into the heart of the party; the music was turned up, champagne was flowing, as was the conversation and laughter……….he scanned the room, but there was no sign of Grace.
He hoped she wasn't avoiding him; though she had good reason to- he'd brushed her off twice when she'd come over to talk to him, he supposed she didn't want to encounter the same treatment again, and crept off to a quiet place.
ELI the thing is, I know Grace is sensitive, and takes everything to heart………analyses everything to death…….. I'll probably be reminded of this 'tiff' we had on our last night in New York, for a many years to come!
He scanned the room again- he saw a few of the executive's wives sitting on the couch, exchanging stories and sipping champagne.
It seemed a few of the band members had floated over to the bar; acting the way musicians always do……….
Geoff was mingling with his fellow co-workers, all huddled together in a large circle talking about some sort of rubbish.
Eli noticed Greg wasn't anywhere to be found. He wasn't standing near the wives, like he had been at the beginning of the night, trying to coax his way into the conversation (the only reason he did this was because a few of the exec's had particularly young wives, a few of whom were in the modelling industry)
Nor was he over at the bar where he'd stumbled over to when he found himself getting nowhere with the wives.
Eli got a pain of anger, and a surge of jealousy- he knew Greg was most likely weaselling his way into Grace's good books- Eli had hung out with the band a lot, and during his time with them, he found that Greg was the most irritable, sleazy, annoying person on the planet……….he'd heard him use hundreds of pick up lines, on hundreds of girls- and they almost always worked.
And the next day he'd have to sit down and hear Greg boast about his night with 'this' girl and 'that' girl, knowing too well that he only used and abused them.
Eli headed over towards the sliding doors of the balcony, but just as he was about to open them and step out onto the freezing balcony- uncertain of what he'd find waiting for him.
Greg appeared before him, and pushed past Eli to step into the warm apartment, slamming the door sliding door behind him, and muttering something incoherent under his breath.
This was most likely a good sign………….
Grace hugged herself tighter, anger still raging inside of her; and when she heard the door open again, she decided to be merciless.
"Oh piss off Greg, if you come near me again-" she turned around, a deadly glare already fixed on her face- but it soon disappeared as she found herself looking at Eli.
"Oh" she said, spinning around, her back to him again, "it's you" she added.
"Yes it's me- and what happened when Greg came near you?" Eli asked, anxiousness and anger in his voice as he stepped up next to Grace- not even realizing the cold, as anger seemed to boil his blood.
Grace shook her head warily, not wanting Eli to get angry and 'macho' over nothing.
"Don't worry about it-" she began.
But Eli grabbed her shoulders, turning her to look at him; though once their bodies were facing one another, she turned her face away.
"Grace, if he-" Eli pursed his lips, forgetting about the fact that he should be jealous; he only had concern now, for Grace.
"He just kissed me," she breathed, disgusted by the words.
Eli stared at her face, and all was silent for a moment; so much so, that Grace turned to look at Eli, wondering why he wasn't speaking.
"I shoved him away- he just, jumped me-," she explained, shrugging off Eli's hold on her shoulders.
"That son of a-" he began, but Grace stopped him.
"Forget about it," she said sternly, turning to face the city again.
"Forget about it?" Eli repeated, not believing her easiness about the situation, which had gotten him so worked up.
He stepped away from her, turning his back for a moment, and then spinning around again to face her; waving his arms around as he spoke "Some sleaze bag kisses MY girlfriend and I'm suppose to forget about it? Kisses her AGAINST HER WILL mind you……….jesus!" Eli spat back, calm really tapering now.
Grace shook her head, and breathed out, causing a cloud of white air to form around her face "don't get all worked up Eli…….." she began, wishing he would see how drained and weak she looked, she wished he would stop over reacting, and just………..
GRACE take me home!
"He has no goddam right," Eli muttered, turning away from Grace again; he muttered some more to himself, not feeling the anger subsiding.
Grace watched as he shook his head and talked to himself; using the occasional curse word here and there, she noticed his fists were clenched, and she suddenly became infuriated with him………
"What the hell is this, Eli?" she asked, almost yelled at him- lucky the music had been turned up inside, or else the guests would have surely heard their row.
And she was even luckier about the fact that the curtains were drawn, so nobody could watch as Eli paced around the balcony muttering like a mad man.
Eli turned around quickly- and stared into Grace's eyes, which he now noticed, looked tired and glazed over……….what was this? Was this him playing the role of the jealous boyfriend……….well isn't jealousy apart of love?
"What's this about?" he repeated; Grace simply stared back at him, urging him to say something more………
ELI ok……..you want to know? Ok FINE!
"You want to know what this is about?" he asked again, still waving his arms around as he spoke.
"YES! I want to know why you are getting so worked up over this, because honestly Eli………." Grace began, but Eli interrupted her.
He took a step towards her, and then turned away, running a hand through his hair- his back was to her while he spoke; "this is about how when I ask you to make up a line for a song, you tilt you're head to the side, think
for a moment, and then come up with an idea that blows me away!" his volume was a little loud, and his words a bit jumbled.
Grace stood still for a moment, not quite believing or understanding what he was talking about "Eli……..what the hell?" she started again, but Eli spun around, and wouldn't let her finish.
ELI I didn't plan for it to happen this way
"It's about the way you're eyes are constantly dancing, and how I have studied the wisps of hair that escape you're ponytail……….." Eli started again, talking more passionately than ever………
Grace stood mouth ajar, about to say something else; but Eli continued.
"How you purse you're lips when your being stubborn, or when I'm playing you a song you never take you're eyes off of me even for a second…………..or how you go on you're tippy toes to kiss me!" Eli smiled slightly as the words came tumbling out……….he knew Grace was desperate to say something, to interrupt him and yell at him for changing the subject completely, but she seemed frozen in shock.
"But most of all, it's about the way you make my heart beat fast and slow at the same time" Eli breathed, and saw as Grace's face became more and more puzzled
GRACE are we still fighting………?
Eli continued, exasperated as his heart told him all the right things to say…….. " You challenge me and make me want to live up to my full potential. When I'm around you I have to think on my feet cause your always going to use you're wit against me!" he smiled slightly, and Grace only half returned the gesture, waiting for Eli to continue;
"I know you will listen to me sing a song over and over again until I finally get it just right- and even when I muck up a bar, or miss a line, you will always clap me when I'm done!" Grace let out a small laugh, thinking how true that was………..but Eli still had more to say;
"I love you because when I look into you're eyes I know that you see me- that you love me- and I know that when I'm with you, I feel complete, and the rest of the world just fades away and there's only you and me."
ELI that's so true………
GRACE ok…….not fighting……….
"And I love you" Eli raised his hands in the air, in total defeat; but Grace only shot him another curious stare, she finally found space to talk.
"Have you gone completely crazy?" she asked, trying to sound bitter, though she couldn't completely conceal the love in her tone.
Eli nodded slowly "YES! ……….I'm crazy about YOU! And I never want anyone else to kiss you but me, I never want you to love anyone but me because I know that you are the only girl I will ever love………….you can call me selfish, but the truth is, I want you all to myself!" he breathed, and before he spoke again, he took another breath, a long drag; and Grace found that she couldn't interrupt him.
"And I want you to marry me, and be with me for the rest of my life- because I know that we were meant to be! And the truth is, I can't even begin to imagine a life without you…….. I don't want to imagine my life without you……….."
They stood- for an eternity- their eyes locked- silence all around them.
