Catch My Breath (18 page)

“We’ll tone it down,” he promised.

“Good.” Sharita nodded. “I still think it’s best for Elliot to go home for a few days. Take a break. Get some perspective.”

“Why me?”

She smiled. “Don’t take this as a punishment, sweetie, just… time to think. There are thousands of girls out there hanging on your every word, ready to buy your album, wear your T-shirt, write your name on their face, and stand in line to meet you. What do you want them to think of Elliot Price?”

He shrugged. “That I’m me?” Danny saw when Elliot gave up. “Never mind. I get it. I’ll go home.”

Danny wasn’t sure if Elliot did get it, but he wasn’t a fighter. Elliot liked to make people happy, and if going home for a few days would make their producers happy, then so be it. Still sucked.

POOR ELLIOT!!

A Candy Scoop Exclusive

Breaking news! Our favorite curly haired cutie ELLIOT PRICE is set to take a break from the
Band Camp
set this week. Oh no…. The reasons for his absence are still unclear but Candy Scoop has sources at the scene ready to confirm.

GRACIE from THE PIXIES says: “Elliot’s sister is getting married. He has to go home for the wedding. We’ll miss him!”

But WEBB from his own band STATIC has reported that it’s really ELLIOT’s mother and she’s sick and missing her baby during her illness. (Get well soon ELLIOT’s mama if that’s the case!)

We’ve heard other eyewitness reports of tension flaring between the members of STATIC. Tsk Tsk. Maybe ELLIOT was sent home for a time out. Naughty boy!

Whatever the reason, we hope our ELLIOT comes back to us soon. His BFF, and partner in bromance, DANNY would sure miss him!

—CS

“Elliot, I promise I didn’t say that. Do you even have a sister?”

Gracie looked horrified. The tabloid article had been linked all over Twitter. Elliot received everything from condolences to questions and even hateful messages telling him to leave Webb alone. It was crazy.

Elliot laughed softly. “No. No sister. And I know you didn’t say that.”

“Dude, and I didn’t say your mom was sick either,” Webb muttered. “I’d never spill that stuff to the press. She’s okay, isn’t she?”

Elliot shrugged. He hated lying and he sucked at it. “My mom’s fine. Don’t worry. I’ll be back in a few days, ’kay guys?”

He didn’t know what the producers had told everyone. Apparently not much. It didn’t sit well with Elliot that his friends had been lied to or at the very least not informed, but he wasn’t in the position to make waves. Elliot smiled weakly.

“We’re kosher though, aren’t we?” Webb looked worried. “Everything settled? I don’t know who said we were fighting.”

Elliot felt like an idiot for even causing even the smallest bit of drama. “Of course we are, man.” He gave Webb a tight hug. “I was seriously just having a pissy night, and I took it out on you. The cameras caught it, but I swear it looked a lot worse than it was. It wasn’t your fault at all.”

Webb looked relieved. That made Elliot feel like an ass. Tate and Reece hugged him, as did the girls. He got waves from OCD and Chris and Isaiah. It seemed like the whole house had gathered to watch him do his walk of shame to the van. Good thing most of them didn’t know what his little vacation was really about.

Danny.

Elliot turned to find Danny following him to the van. “I’m really sorry,” he said quietly.

“It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Danny enveloped him in a long, tight hug. Elliot buried his face in Danny’s neck and closed his eyes, trying to memorize how it felt. Five days without Danny’s smell, his touch, everything Elliot had gotten used to, sounded intolerable.

“I’m gonna miss you,” he whispered.

“Me too.” Danny stepped back and ruffled Elliot’s hair. “I’ll call you,” he added quietly. Elliot knew that was exactly what the producers didn’t want. Too bad. He nodded and tossed his bag into the van before crawling into the backseat. Danny gave him one last sad look before he slid the door shut. Elliot jammed the earbuds of his iPod into his ears, refusing to make small talk with the driver. Probably wasn’t very polite, but he wasn’t in a good mood.

I
T
WAS
nearly lunch when the studio’s van pulled up in front of his parent’s midsize ranch house. As much as Elliot hated being separated from Danny and his friends, he had to admit it was really nice to see home. His mother was waiting at the door to envelop him in another long hug. It wasn’t the same as Danny’s hugs, but he’d missed them just the same.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Come in, love. I made you a sandwich.”

Elliot’s mother talked about the neighborhood while Elliot ate the sandwich and two huge cookies she’d set out next to it. He knew what was coming though. If he was his own son, he’d ask.

“What happened?” And there it was. Elliot didn’t know how to explain his little field trip. He could say it was because he and Webb were arguing, but that would disappoint his mother. Plus, Elliot didn’t want to lie and make Webb look bad. He could make up some other story… but again. Lying. He didn’t want to and he wasn’t good at it.

“The producers thought that Danny and I needed a break from each other.” The truth. It was hard to look at his mother after he said it. She reached out and tipped his chin up with soft fingers.

“What do you mean?”

He shrugged. “They said our friendship was getting too intense and we needed some time apart. I don’t know how to be any other way with Danny. We’re just… like that.” Elliot looked back down at his hands and fiddled with one of his bracelets. He had a feeling the conversation was about to turn ridiculously awkward.

His mother gave him a sympathetic look. “How long have you had feelings for him?”

Boom. Awkward.

“
Mom
.”

“Elliot.” She smiled at him kindly. “Do you think I don’t know my own son?”

He resisted for a moment but then let out a long, tired sigh. “Honestly, I don’t know how everyone hasn’t figured it out. I’m so obvious. I try not to be, but when we watch the footage it’s like right there.”

“And Danny? He has feelings for you too I assume.”

Elliot nodded miserably.

“It’s not an easy situation, is it?”

“It’s not really why they sent me home, unless they didn’t say it. They just think Danny and I seem too… intense, they said. We’re not showing enough interest in the fans. They want me to think about the image I want the fans to have of me and how I can live up to it.” He made a disgusted noise in his throat. All Elliot wanted was to sing, hang out with his new best friends, and be with Danny. The rest seemed so fake and contrived.

“That’s the way things work.”

“I know.”

“So, what now?”

“I sit here for a few days, then I can go back and act like Danny and I aren’t as close as we are?” Elliot hated it.

His mom stood and walked around to his chair where she put warm hands on his shoulders. “Just be careful, okay, baby? You’re not just Elliot anymore. You’re Elliot Price from Static, and people are watching you.”

He knew. He knew people were watching, and every move he made with Danny could potentially cause trouble for his band. That was becoming clearer with each day.

“H
I
.” E
LLIOT
couldn’t help smiling at the sound of Danny’s voice, so comforting, familiar. He missed it. He’d been missing it nearly every second for two days.

“This sucks.” Danny had never been one for beating around the bush.

“I’m coming back on Friday.”

“That’s forever from now.”

“I suppose that it has to be sufficient enough time for me to ‘think about how I want the fans to see me’.” Elliot rolled his eyes.

“You make it sound like you’re on a timeout from the playground.” Danny laughed.

“Aren’t I? Plus, this is screwing with rehearsals, with recording. They had to reschedule our fan meet and greet. It’s just stupid.”

“Maybe we can get them to let you come back early.”

“I wish.” Elliot was quiet for a few moments. “I miss you,” he finally said. “I don’t like sleeping here by myself.”

Danny groaned. “I know. It’s impossible. I had to go snuggle with Reece last night ’cause I was lonely.”

“You didn’t.” Elliot knew he was kidding, but the idea of Danny in Reece’s bed still annoyed him.

“No,” Danny chuckled. “I didn’t. But I like when you get jealous. I shouldn’t but I do.”

Elliot smiled at that. A small part of him liked it when Danny got jealous too. He just wanted to go back already.

“I don’t even get what the problem is. So we look like close friends on the cameras, or even more than friends? So we don’t hit on The Pixies or the fans? What’s the big deal? Can’t they still like our music?”

“I guess so.” Danny’s voice sounded sad. “But if we’re always with each other it makes it harder for the fans to believe, you know?”

“Believe what?”

“That one day the adorable Elliot Price will knock on their door and sweep them off their feet.”

Elliot snorted. “Like that’s going to happen. I’m not much for sweeping people off their feet.”

“I don’t know about that,” Danny said quietly.

Elliot’s throat felt thick all of a sudden. How did Danny do it? Say such sweet little things that managed to cut him all the way to the ground.

“That’s not fair,” he whispered.

“What?”

“Saying things like that when I can’t kiss you.”

Danny cleared his throat. “I wish I could kiss you too. I miss how soft your lips are.”

“And your skin,” Elliot added. “That’s the worst part about falling asleep alone. I got so used to your skin up against mine.” He thought of Danny’s chest, smooth and golden and lightly muscled, the way Danny would crawl on top of him when they kissed, slip between his thighs and…. Elliot moaned. “
Shit
.”

“Elliot?” Danny asked. His voice was hoarse. Breathy.

“Yeah?”

“What are you thinking about?”

His face was red. Elliot knew without even looking in a mirror. “Um, how… this is embarrassing.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“How it feels when you kiss me. When you’re, um, on top of me and you get in between my thighs.”

It felt even better when they rolled their hips, rubbed up against each other, and pressed closer and closer. It got more intense every time. They were getting familiar with each other’s bodies, more comfortable turning each other on. And hell. Elliot had never gotten so turned-on in his life.

“You know what I wish?” Danny asked.

“What?” Elliot could barely squeeze out the word.

“I wish you were here right now.”

“How come?” Were they really going to do this? Really? Elliot’s pulse raced.

“So I could kiss you.”

“Yeah? I want to kiss you too.”

“And….” Danny’s voice was choked on the other end of the line.

“And what?” Elliot asked. He was breathless, waiting. He had to hear more.

“I wanna make you come. You were so hard last time, when we were messing around in your bed.”

Elliot groaned. Actually doing it would be hot enough, but hearing Danny
say
that? Even better. He had to palm his rapidly growing erection.

“I was so damn close.”

“
Fuck
.” Danny didn’t swear that much. When he did, he meant it. “Why aren’t you here? I don’t want to do this the first time over the phone. I want to touch you and see your face when you lose it.”

“Danny….”

Danny laughed, but he didn’t sound like he thought anything was funny. It was more desperate. “You think they’d get mad if I stole the van and drove to Palmdale?” he asked.

“Yes. But I’m beyond caring.” Elliot didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t sit still; he really wanted to come. He wanted Danny so bad his body was practically vibrating.

“I wish I could. I’m going to talk to them tomorrow. You’ve gotta come back before I lose my mind.”

“I still want to kiss you.”

Elliot heard Danny’s breath catch over the phone. “Me too.”

“E
LLI
-
BEAN
!”
Sara crowed when Elliot answered the door the next morning. He hadn’t slept well the night before. He was tired and cranky and his head hurt.

“Oh my effing God. Not you too.” Elliot glowered at his oldest friend.

Sara giggled and threw her arms around him. “Just kidding. I missed you! How are you? Why are you at home?”

Elliot sighed. “It’s a long story. Come in? I’ll make tea.”

“Tea?” Sara raised her eyebrows.

He hadn’t realized how many of the other boys’ habits he’d picked up. Both Reece and Danny had a thing for tea.

“My mom made brownies. Is that better?”

“I can definitely get behind brownies. Lead on.” Sara put her hands on Elliot’s shoulders just as she always had and followed him to the kitchen. They cut huge brownies and sat at the table. Elliot made himself a cup of tea with milk, but Sara declined.

“So seriously. Why are you here?”

Elliot sighed. “The producers thought Danny and I needed some time to cool off. I guess we’ve been looking too… close?”

Sara gave Elliot a look that he could only read as incredulous. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Too close?”

“Guess so.”

“Wait. Last time I talked to you, there wasn’t anything really to talk about other than that one kiss. Has that changed?”

Elliot nodded, looking down into his teacup.

Sara’s eyes widened. “Elliot James Price. Talk.”

He looked up at Sara. She was concealing a grin, trying to look serious.

“He kissed me again that night. Right after I talked to you. I’d been kind of freaking out, you know how I get, and he just laid in bed with me and was rubbing my back and he kissed me.”

“I think I just swooned.”

“Shut up.” Elliot grinned at her.

“What? Danny’s gorgeous and—wait. What happened after kiss number two?”

Elliot shrugged. “We just kept kissing. We hide a lot, none of the other guys know. It’s not the best situation, but I can’t help it.”