Read Online Redemption by Veronique Launier - Free Book Online Page B

knew I had to talk to him. For centuries, we had been closer than brothers. He was the only one I could tell anything to. Now, we danced around each other, trying to regain our footing. Sometimes, I hated Marguerite for doing this to us. Most times, I hated myself.
    I climbed up to the roof, made my way to where he sat, and dropped down next to him. I knew he would have taken notice of my presence at least from the time I had reached the roof, but he didn’t move or show any sign of it.
    We sat in silence for a few minutes and finally, not sure what else to do, I lit a cigarette. I wanted to talk about her, Marguerite, but I didn’t know how to bring her up. Instead, I talked about the other girl.
    “She’s going to school tomorrow; I couldn’t learn where. I’ll have to follow her again.”
    He shrugged, and I regretted that he wasn’t as invested in this as I was. We worked so well together.
    “I remember the last time I thought I could live a normal life … ” he said.
    I inhaled sharply. I thought I wanted to talk about her, but was no longer so certain.
    “Why do it then?” I appealed to him. “Why put yourself through the pain again?”
    “It doesn’t have to be the same as it was. I can be completely normal without … well … ” He patted the left side of his chest. “Without putting too much on the line.”
    I sighed.
    “You heard I bought a piano today … ”
    “Hmm … ” There was no surprise in his voice and he didn’t look at me.
    I took a deep breath. I wanted to talk about it. No, I needed to talk about it.
    “While at the store, I played it … ” He looked at me then, and I continued. “I played my composition … on the piano with people around … people watching.”
    He made eye contact with me then and I could see conflict rising in him.
    “She always spoke of it, you know.”
    I nodded.
    “It pained me to think about it. Not only the way you could open yourself up to her in a way I never could, but also that you couldn’t open yourself up to me in the same way. Even after six centuries together, you couldn’t share that part of yourself with us.”
    “I … I never knew this bothered you … not the last part.”
    “In the end, all we ever have is each other.”
    I nodded, and made the resolution that I would play it for my family. After having played it for strangers, I owed it to them.

11
    Aude
    After dinner, I head to Trick’s for band practice. After our conversation at the coffee shop, I’m not exactly sure I want to face them, but this is important. The band is my future. It’s my salvation. Actually, we skipped the last band practice, and maybe this is why I’m losing it.
    We hang out at Trick’s because he’s the only one with a basement. He has a garage too, but his dad has claimed it as his domain. I guess this makes us more of a basement band than a garage band but I can’t complain. It’s somewhere to jam.
    Once Trick’s dad opens the door, I walk straight downstairs. They’re actually playing with their instruments—instead of each other—for once. Lucy nods to me and plays a riff she’s been working on. It sounds amazing.
    The set list I emailed them is posted on the wall. I’m pumped to get started. Trick and Lucy nod their heads, and without another word start playing “Lana’s Lullaby,” I pick up my guitar that’s right where I left it late last week. I join in. Energy pounds through me, in sync with Patrick’s drums, and I let it overtake me. I dance around and sing the refrain:
    She’s always lived her life without an alibi
Now we are the ones singing Lana’s Lullaby
Will our hearts close when we refuse to cry
Still singing Lana’s Lullaby
    A couple songs later, we take a break. Patrick grabs a couple of beers out of the old Fifties-style fridge for Lucy and himself. Trick’s dad keeps it well-stocked and doesn’t seem to notice the way it disappears. Then again, maybe he just doesn’t care. Trick knows better than to offer