Free Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg Page B

to know what I think?” Emme asked.
    Normally, the answer would have been yes, but not at that moment.
    “You do this to yourself, put your finger repeatedly on the self-destruct button because you need it to write. It would be fine if you weren’t bringing others down with you. Have you for once thought about how it must feel for Kelsey? All you do is think about yourself, what a mess you’re in. Your pain. But what about Kelsey? The one YOU cheat on? She probably agonizes every time she can’t come to one of our shows, because of what happens when she doesn’t come. You CHEAT. You take whatever girl comes along and pays you a compliment and you forget about Kelsey.
    “But lately that hasn’t been enough, has it? You need more things to feel sorry for yourself about, so you go get drunk. It’s like you’re afraid of being alone or coherent so you can deal with whatever is the real problem you have. And I feel sorry for you about that. But only for that. For the rest of the stuff, I’m just sick of it.
    “We all are. So just figure it out, because I can’t do this anymore if you’re going to continue to be like this.”
    I looked around to see Jack and Ben nodding.
    “Honestly, Ethan, I don’t know who you are anymore. But whoever this is, I don’t like him very much.”
    I didn’t know how to react or what to say. I still don’t. All I do know is that it has been weeks and it’s still awkward. We both stare at each other. Once again, there’s tension between us.
    “You really did hurt me,” I say. “But I needed to hear it. You were right, and I think I’ve been better. Or at least I’ve tried to be.”
    She nods.
    “I’m not falling into my old traps. I’m not making any promises I can’t keep. I’m not drinking or doing anything that affects the band on or off the stage in a negative way.”
    She keeps nodding.
    “You said what you had to say because you care about me. So that’s what I’m doing now. Sort of returning the favor.”
    Emme looks up at me for the first time. “What does any of this have to do with Carter?”
    “It doesn’t. It has to do with the senior project.”
    “Oh.” I don’t know what she thought I was going to say, but that certainly wasn’t it.
    “I guess it’s pretty obvious that we’ll be working on our projects together.” She nods in agreement. “And I’m more than happy to have you record your songs here, but I have one condition.”
    She looks at me quizzically.
    “You have to sing your songs.”
    She gets up. “Ethan, you know I can’t sing.”
    “No, I don’t know that. Because you can sing. You don’t seem to realize that, because someone’s been brainwashing you all these years into thinking that she’s the superior singer.”
    She clenches her jaw. “You’ve made your thoughts on Sophie abundantly clear. But she is the better singer.”
    “Your songs would be a million times better if you sang them. Those songs are your heart and soul. You’re lending them to somebody who could never have as much heart as you have, even if she tried.”
    “I can’t —”
    I cut her off. “You’ve got to step up, Emme. You’ve got to let people hear your voice, hear you . You’re better than being stuck in the background.”
    I take her hands.
    “You’re my best friend. You’re the most remarkable person in my life. And … I want you to believe in yourself as much as I do. I told you that I’m not making any promises that I can’t keep. So here’s a promise to you. I will be there with you every step of the way and do whatever I can to help.”
    I reach up and wipe away the tear that has begun to work its way down her cheek.
    “I don’t think I can do it,” she says quietly.
    “Yes, you can.”
    I kiss her lightly on her forehead and wrap my arms around her.
    I know she’s scared. Singing in front of an audience is intimidating. But if I can do it, she can.
    I did it for her. Pretty much everything I’ve done out of my comfort