Hope you like this chapter!

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"I need to grab something from the stacks. Don't cause any trouble while I'm gone." Mr. Ren chuckles as if the idea of Eli causing trouble never even crosses his mind. To be fair, it definitely hasn't crossed mine. With his adorably nerdy glasses, crisp polo shirt, and innocent blush, I doubt Eli could cause trouble if he tried.

Mr. Ren rounds his desk and heads into the back room, leaving the two of us alone. I start to stand, then remember Mom's outfit and quickly sit back down. A moment of awkward silence passes as Eli and I stare at each other. Then, Eli quickly jumps to his feet. He lets out a grunt as his headphones get caught around his neck, and then a yelp as he trips backward over his chair. He starts to fall, but then somehow manages to regain his balance. It's quite impressive, actually, until his headphones jerk free from the jack. Loud, static-filled music blasts from the crappy computer speakers, masking the thump Eli's chair makes as it crashes to the carpeted floor.

"Sorry!" Eli cries, his apology almost completely drowned out by the noise. He shoots a wide-eyed look at the door to the back, but there's no sign of Mr. Ren. Eli desperately tries to plug the headphones back in, but his hands start to shake, making the tasks near impossible.

The worst part is, I'm kind of glad. As much as I hate watching Eli panic, I love the sound of music way more. I haven't heard so much as a note in three long weeks, so even this garbled, static-filled mess sounds amazing. I start to catch a Latin beat, but then Eli succeeds in plugging the headphones back in. The library falls silent and he sighs in relief. I sigh in regret.

Eli gives me a shy, tentative smile and I can't help but smile back. He's so cute when he's embarrassed. His hands shake slightly as he reaches up to take off his headphones, and I can't help but think that I might be the reason he's nervous. I start to blush, then gape as Eli somehow manages to get himself tangled in the headphone cord. Like a fish caught in a net, he flounders, before finally yanking the headphones off his head. Not just his headphones though—his glasses, too.

Eli fumbles with them, but they slip past his fingers and fall to the floor. His cheeks flame adorably as he quickly bends down to retrieve them. Except he's still holding on to the headphones. Next thing I know, the Latin music's back, and Eli forgets all about his glasses. He jumps to his feet, grabs the headphone cord, and bends his face so close to the computer his nose practically touches it. Then, he tries and fails to plug the headphones back into the jack. Over and over and over again.

"What's going on out there?" Mr. Ren shouts from the back, his approaching footsteps echoing over the noise.

Eli just continues trying to plug the poor headphones back in. He keeps missing, and his face gets more and more flushed by the second. I can't even focus on the music anymore, I feel that bad for him.

I forget all about Mom's No Computers, No Boys, No Anything rule and jump to my feet. I don't even care about my ugly clothes. I rush over to help and I'm halfway across the library before I realize that I'm not wearing any shoes. Oh well. I've got more important things to think about than Mom's stupid shoes... like the fact that Mr. Ren's running out of the back room, Eli's panic is growing by the second, and his shoe is bare inches away from his glasses.

I rush forward and rescue the plastic frames a split second before Eli's right converse shoe takes their place. Eli doesn't even notice. His attention is focused on trying to plug his headphones in. He should have succeeded by now, but without his glasses, it's pretty obvious that he's blind as a bat. He misses again and lets out a half-wail, half groan. I have this sudden urge to hug him, but I lean over to help instead.

Eli's eyes widen when he sees me, and he jerks his head up, slamming it against the computer screen. I cringe, but he doesn't so much as grimace. He just flushes bright red and moves back, taking the headphones with him. Good thing I have a different plan. Ignoring the headphone cord entirely, I reach for the keyboard and that does the trick.

"How?" Eli squints at me in the ensuing silence.

"Spacebar," I croak. At the sound of my hoarse voice, my cheeks heat to match Eli's. Then, I realize that we're standing so close that I can see the flecks of gold in his eyes.

I swallow nervously and start to back away when I remember his glasses. I hold them up for him to take and Eli reaches his hand out, almost missing mine. His fingers graze my wrist and we both gasp. Sparks travel up my arm at Eli's warm touch and I wonder what it would be like to hold hands. Would we touch palms? Interlace fingers? Or would he wrap his much larger hand around mine and never let go?

"Alright, you two." Mr. Ren gives a pointed cough, and Eli and I jump apart. Well, actually, Eli doesn't move, but I definitely jump. He sees me do it and glances in the direction of the door, like he's planning to make a run for it. Without his glasses, I doubt he'll get very far.

"Eli, can you please fix your chair?" Mr. Ren asks, heading toward us. His gaze drifts down, and he shakes his head. "Holly, why are you barefoot?"

"S-sorry." My embarrassment probably matches Eli's as I shove his glasses into his hand. Then, I turn tail and run toward my table. By the time I slip my shoes back on, Eli's wearing his glasses and his chair is upright. He looks at me, and I look at him, and we're back to square one.

Mr. Ren sighs. "Eli, how about you let Holly use your computer, and you log yourself in here?" He gestures at an adjacent machine.

"Let me just lower this," Eli mumbles, reaching for his computer mouse. For the first time, I realize he has an accent. I try to place it as he clicks on the screen a few times, but it doesn't really sound familiar.

Then, Eli drops into his new seat, leaving me his computer—and his music. I know what the right thing to do is, or at least the thing my parents expect. I should sit my butt back down in my chair, pick up my school-approved novel, and read until next period. Then, I should get escorted to class, pay attention, take notes, and follow the rules. I should keep doing that until Mom comes to pick me up and take me to the prison that is home. Then, I should repeat it all again tomorrow.

Otherwise, it'll just confirm everything Mom already thinks: that I have no respect for authority; that I'm a horrible, disobedient daughter; that she wishes she'd never had me. It probably doesn't even matter if I use the computer right now or not. Mom will just find some other stupid reason to pull me out of school—some other lie she'll convince herself of, regardless of what I actually do.

I glance at Eli's expectant face and then at the computer he's vacated. This could be my only chance to hear music in days—maybe weeks, or even months. I should take it, especially when Mr. Ren is clearly giving me permission. Never mind that if Mom actually saw the librarian, she might pull me out of school regardless.

As I gather up my stuff, I know that I'm about to make a terrible mistake. I'm going to pay for this, yet I can't seem to stop. I bring my stuff over and settle at Eli's computer. Then, I plug his headphones back in and press the space bar.

Music fills every inch of me: my brain, my heart, my lungs, my fingers, and even my toes. I expect it to sound good without static, but this? It's like my body is no longer my own—like it belongs to a higher power made of pianos, trumpets, guitars and drums. Suddenly, every beat is like a punch to the heart, every note like an instrument of heaven, and every chord like a bolt of lightning slamming into my fingertips.

This moment: it's the first time I've felt really, truly happy and at peace in three long weeks. Despite all the accusations I've gotten from Mom, it's also the first time I've felt anything close to high. There's something coursing through my veins, only it's not chemicals, it's music. It floods into my bloodstream, making my pulse race and my palms sweat. Tingles travel down my spine and I realize that tears are flowing down my cheeks.

I forget all about Eli until he reaches over and hands me a piece of scrap paper. His writing is small and neat, his letters thin and all in caps.

U OK?

I nod and swipe at my cheeks. Not listening to anything except the sounds of myself breathing and my parents yelling for three straight weeks must have warped my brain. I just can't tell Eli that, or say anything that would explain crying at school on my first day.

I reach for the small tray next to the computer and take out a fresh piece of scrap paper and a small yellow paper.

this song

I underline the word song a few times for emphasis and hand the paper back to Eli. My writing is messy compared to his, my letters uneven, but my note makes him smile. He nods and slips on his own headphones. Then, he types something into the computer and pulls up the same song I'm listening to.

For the next few songs, Eli and I listen to them together. At some point, my eyes drift shut and I focus on the beat. I forget where I am again, until I feel a tap on my arm. Eli.

I'M ELI

His note makes me giggle and I cover my mouth with my hand. Eli grins, which makes me laugh again, and I shoot a worried glance over my shoulder. I can't tell how loud my laugh is with my headphones on, but the librarian doesn't seem to be paying me any attention. His gaze is glued to his computer screen, and I watch his fingers race across his keyboard. The music drowns out the clatter of keys, and I turn back in time for Eli to hand me a new note.

1ST DAY?

I nod. Eli takes the paper back.

WHERE U FROM?

Brooklyn

DO YOU MISS IT?

no

I hesitate, then add:

I just want a fresh start

Eli nods and scribbles a new question.

FAVE SONG?

After that, our notes fly back and forth as we work our way through an entire tray of paper. We listen to song after song, first his favorites, then mine, then his again. Eli picks a song called Summer Crush, and we're both bobbing to the beat and grinning when I see a shadow out of the corner of my eye.

I turn to look, and there, standing in the doorway, is Miles. His eyebrow piercing catches the light and his eyes darken to almost black as they lock on mine. He takes a step forward, and I instinctively shift sideways in my chair, moving closer to Eli. My shoulder bumps his, and he looks at me with a shy smile.

It's at that moment that I realize that even though all four boys send my heart racing, it's in different ways. Eli makes me blush, and he's adorable when he's nervous. I want to throw my arms around him, hold hands, and pass notes back and forth forever. We'd probably never run out of things to say, or songs to listen to.

With Miles, talking is the last thing on my mind. There's something predatory about him that makes me feel like I'm the prey. At any second, he might give chase and the thought of him catching me both excites and terrifies me. My body tenses as he steps closer in case I do need to run, and Eli gives my hand a gentle squeeze.

I instinctively relax and Miles looks down at our joint hands. His face falls and I yank my hand out of Eli's, but a split second too late. With a glare on his face, Miles spins on his heels and storms out. It's like a repeat of what happened in Principal Sloan's office, but this time nothing is stopping me from chasing after him. Nothing but the wave of panic at the thought of catching him—of being alone with Miles. My pulse hammers in my chest and the memory of his gaze keeps me pinned to my seat. That and I'm already pushing my luck when it comes to breaking Mom's rules.

Eli gives me a weird look and his lips move, but my music drowns out his words. I hit pause and catch the tail end of what he's saying.

"—something's wrong." Eli yanks off his headphones—this time without getting tangled or dropping anything—and grabs his messenger bag. "Be right back."

He rushes out into the hall and sends me one last look over his shoulder. It's probably just wishful thinking on my part, but I think his face is filled with longing—longing that's definitely reflected in my own eyes as I watch him go. 

❀Questions?❀

❀Comments?❀

✿ What did you think of this chapter? 👍/👎? ✿

❁ This is the first time I've embedded a video in a chapter, but I thought it would be hilarious if a staticky version of MIA by Drake & Bad Bunny was blasting from Eli's speakers. 

❁ So what did you think of Eli? I loved writing him! 

❁ Shy nerd or confident bad boy? If you had to pick one, which would it be? For me it depends on the day. Today I'm definitely feeling nerdy, clumsy boys. 

❁ Should Holly have gone after Miles? Can you guess why he was so upset? I kind of wanted her to, but she wouldn't budge. 

❁ What's the longest you've ever gone without listening to music? I'm weird and can go months without listening to any music! Holly's reaction was inspired by how I feel when I listen to a song for the first time after a super long break.

❁ What's your favorite song? Mine is definitely reggaeton. Danza Kuduro or Balada or like a hundred other songs! I also love, love, love salsa! 

❁ LAST ONE: do you like when I answer my own questions? Or is it totally distracting? Should I just answer in the comments? I don't know what I'm doing! Help! 

*Thanks to Ashleys_storys for the end of chapter question ideas!