Page 238 of Love Unwritten
Cole begins playing the first few chords of a song I wrote to a crowd made up of thousands of people. I knew it would make me emotional, but I didn’t expect to get teary-eyed within the first ten seconds.
Picturing a future without you
was like looking through a lens tinted blue.
Shades of navy bled to black
until I could no longer remember
what my life was like before you came back and threw it off-center.
I saw Ava’s live concert videos. Listened to her play my song after she won the Album of the Year award that I should have also been there to accept. I watched from the sidelines as all my accomplishments were stolen by someone else—as my dreams of ever writing songs again were crushed into a thousand pieces, only to be rebuilt into something far better.
I swipe at my cheeks. Cole’s assistant passes me a tissue at one point, which only makes me cry harder.
He gives me a one-armed hug above the waist that makes me wish Rafael were here to share this moment with me. To see me shine from my little backstage corner while the world hears my song.
I push the thought aside and enjoy the moment.
The song goes by too fast, and it makes me wish we’d added another verse solely so I could bask in the glow for a little longer. I’m so caught up in the buzz that I don’t notice the silence of the crowd until Cole turns to face the wings of the stage with a smile. “Hey, Ellie. I think they love your song.”
My chest clenches as the stadium agrees.
“Do you want to come out here and let them tell you themselves?”
Cole sure has the ability to rile up a crowd. Laughing. Screaming. Crying. The man is a true star, and it’s obvious why his shows sell out.
The roar of the people attending tonight’s show hits me like a shot of adrenaline, and before the voice in the back of my head speaks out, I step onto the stage and wave.
Cole beckons me forward before holding out the mic for me. “Say hi.”
“Hi,” I croak.
People break out in laughter in the first row, and my cheeks warm, both from the bright lights and my slight embarrassment.
Cole turns to the crowd. “So what do we all think of Ellie’s song?”
It’s electric, the way the crowd gets louder as Cole points the mic and spins it in a circle, and I find myself breaking out into a smile as I finally let go of the hurt I held on to for over a year because of Ava and Darius.
What they did doesn’t matter anymore because I’m choosing to move forward and pave my own way. Song by song and day by day, I will build a name for myself.
And all that starts today.
“I know you were most likely hoping for a better alternative…” My lawyer lets her sentence hang.
With all the packing I need to do before heading back to Lake Wisteria, the last thing I need is to spend time on a video call with my lawyer and Rafael, but Ms. Copper said it was urgent.
According to her team, Ava’s legal counsel is looking to settle before the end of the week, so I’m faced with an impossible choice: either accept Ava’s settlement money and sign a non-disclosure agreement or have my case heard in court and risk walking away with nothing.
“So no one would know what really happened?”
Ms. Copper shakes her head. “No.”
“But Ellie would receive full credit?” Rafael asks.
I look at his spot on the video call while simultaneously wishing he were here, holding my hand while Ms. Copper delivered the news.
Ms. Copper’s legal aid reviews something on their tablet. “Ms. Sinclair will be listed in the credits of each song she helped write.”