Catch My Breath Read Free

around. Yet somehow it was him on the stage about to perform in front of way more people than he’d ever sung in front of before—sober or not. Seeing as how his audience was usually himself and a bottle of shampoo, that wasn’t saying much.
    Still, he’d signed the sheet, and two stomach-clenching hours later he was on stage about to make the biggest idiot of himself he’d ever made. That was saying something. One of Elliot’s best skills was making an idiot of himself. He’d really outdone himself this time.
     
     
    T HE first few notes were rough, his voice was low and a bit rocky naturally and nerves made his breath catch. Elliot thought he might pass out from sheer humiliation. He nearly quit right there, sank to the ground, and rolled clear off the stage where no one would ever see him again. But then somewhere around the second line something magical happened. Elliot forgot the shuffling crowd, the “talent scouts” who Sara had assured him always came to these sorts of things. He even forgot about his sweaty palms and the fact he’d never done anything even close to performing on a stage, and he simply felt it. By the time he sang “You’re my wonderwall…,” he looked up at the audience, smiled again, and realized he was actually having fun. That he… really liked singing for people and maybe even making them happy. Shocked the hell out of him, to tell the truth. Elliot had never pegged himself as a performer.
    The rest of the song passed in a blur. He was in his own little world, looking out at the darkened high school auditorium and living a moment that most likely would never come again. When he finished there was silence, echoing and painful, for a good five seconds. Then the people burst into applause. He thought he might be imagining that the applause was just a little bit louder for him than for the last few singers. Or the fact that it got even louder when he smiled and waved as he walked off the stage.
    It was official. Elliot was in love.
     
     
    “I HAD no idea you were so good! That was way better than at the party,” Sara exclaimed from where she was waiting for him at the side of the stage. She reached out and ruffled his mop of unruly brown curls. He’d tried to tame them before he went on stage but it was useless.
    “I was good?” Elliot asked. His stomach was still full of the rush of adrenaline. Part of him was sure he’d throw up at any second.
    Sara smacked him on the arm. “ Yes . I swear when you smiled there was some swooning going out in that audience. This chick that was practically my mom’s age giggled and swatted her friend.”
    “Shut up,” Elliot murmured. But he smiled again anyway. It felt nice that Sara thought he was good at something other than making his father happy. He was planning to go to college in the fall and major in economics to do just that. Elliot didn’t love economics though. He loved music. If this was the one night he’d ever do anything about it, it had been worth it. He was grateful to Sara for prodding him. “You were good too, by the way. Amazing. Sorry I was too nervous to say it before.”
    “It’s okay.”
    “You wanna head out? We can grab some ice cream on the way home.”
    They had at least an hour drive ahead of them. It was probably best to get on the road.
    “Sure.” Sara linked her arm through Elliot’s and turned them toward the exit.
    They were near the back door of the auditorium when a man stepped in front of them.
    “Can I help you?” Sara asked. Elliot elbowed her.
    The man looked official, if official was a look. He was tall and a bit intimidating. Black hair, black jacket, expensive-looking jeans. Elliot wondered if the guy was told he looked intimidating a lot.
    “I’m Sasha Pulaski.”
    Am I supposed to know who that is?
    “Um, nice to meet you.” He held out his hand and smiled even if he had zero idea of why he was talking to this guy.
    Instead of a handshake, Sasha handed Elliot a business card.