When Saturday night came around, I dreaded going to Todd’s party. I waited until Mama went to bartend to sneak out. She’d told me to practice my vocals, and truthfully, I would’ve rather done that than go to Todd’s.

There was nothing I liked about the idea of going to his house and being surrounded by drunks. Plus, I knew Todd was just trying to get in my pants, and I had no interest in that whatsoever, but I also couldn’t stand by and let him keep bullying Elliott.

If all it took was me showing up at his stupid party for him to leave Elliott alone, then I’d make my presence known.

But first, I made a pit stop.

Elliott was already performing on the corner when I arrived. He had a newsboy hat sitting on top of his head, and he wore a white button-down shirt with black suspenders attached to his pants. He looked exactly how a jazz musician should, and he sounded even better. He was so nervous at all points in his life, except for when that saxophone was in his hands. When Elliott had his music, his soul was free. Because of jazz, Elliott was able to breathe.

It was insane what his music did to me, how it made me want to be happy and sad all at once. Some of his songs were upbeat, and sometimes he’d even dance a bit as he played.

Other songs…they cried.

I could feel the sadness in them, and I could see Elliott being affected by them. There were more people standing around watching him this time, more individuals tossing change into his instrument case. It was as if he was building his own little fanbase.

And I was the leader of the pack.

There was no way I could walk away until he finished his last note. When he finished, I just wanted more, and so did everyone else.

“Encore!” a few shouted, and Elliott lowered his brows, appearing to be deep in thought.

“I-I-I can do one more?” he told everyone, earning a round of cheers.

As his fingers danced across the keys on his saxophone and he began to blow, my heart tightened. The sounds, they were familiar, but I didn’t recognize them at first. As he played, tears formed in my eyes, and I listened to him, wanting nothing more than to move in closer. I wanted to feel his energy, his heartbeats as he played.

As the tears fell down my cheeks, I prayed for him to never stop playing, but still, eventually he finished.

As he started packing up, he returned to his nervous self, and this time, I wasn’t going to miss my opportunity.

“You were perfect again,” I said, smiling his way.

When he looked up, his eyes darted, paused, then shifted again before they settled on me. His glasses were sliding down his nose, and he used his index finger to adjust them. “You came to watch me?”

I nodded. “I told you, you’re the best musician I’ve ever heard.”

His lips parted to speak, but he didn’t say anything.

I shifted around in my shoes, unsure what to say but needing to say something…anything. “You said your uncle taught you to play?”

“Yeah. Well, he’s more of a family friend, but he’s al-always been an uncle to me. He’s beyond talented in everything he does.”

“Tell him I said job well done.”

Elliott smiled, and I felt it in my own cheeks.

“I better get going,” he told me, placing his saxophone in the case and locking it.

“Oh, well, okay.” I bit my bottom lip. “Have a good night.”

He nodded once. “You too.” He lifted his case and started walking off, but then I called after him. “Yeah?”

“What was that last song you played?”

“Oh. Um…” He cleared his throat and nodded once. “It was ‘The Rose’ by Bette Midler. It’s, like, my mom’s favorite song. I learned it one year for Mother’s Day.” He grimaced and shook his head. “That made me sound like the biggest loser in the world.”

I laughed. “Or the sweetest son in the world. I really liked it.”

He shifted back and forth for a second before rubbing the back of his neck. “Okay, well…bye.”

In a flash, he hurried off.

What a strange boy.

* * *

“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Todd said the moment I showed up at his house. “I thought you were gonna stand me up.”

I gave him a forced smile as he walked over and wrapped his arm around my waist. “I told you I’d show up, didn’t I?”

“Of course. Come on in. Make yourself at home. Mi casa es su casa.” He winked. “Let me give you a tour.”

I sighed but agreed as he took me around his house, only really showing me one area—his bedroom.

“This is where the magic happens,” he declared.

“Do you pull a rabbit out of a hat?” I joked.

“No, but I do have a solid-sized carrot if you’re interested in seeing it,” he replied, making my skin crawl.

“Do you think you could get me a drink?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

He nodded and hurried off, leaving me to stand in the living room. There were a ton of people at the party, all wasted and high. I wanted to be neither of those things. I wanted to be at home with my music.

If I had to choose between people or music, music would always win.

“Here you go,” Todd said, handing me a beer. I pretended to sip it, and when his hand landed on my butt, I jumped, spilling the drink all over my shirt. “Whoa! Easy there, girl. I know I have a way of getting girls wet, but we can ease into that.”

“I’m sorry. I think I’m actually gonna head out,” I told him, my nerves building. I was out of my element. I loved high school, but these were not my people.

“You legit just got here. How about we play a game of spin the bottle?” he offered. “A few already have a game going in the kitchen.”

“No, sorry. I’m just tired.”

“That’s too bad,” he replied with a frown. “I just hope Boney Bones doesn’t have too rough of a Monday.”

I stood up straighter. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m not stupid, Jasmine. I know you only agreed to come because you felt bad for that loser. I’ll admit, it’s sexy as fuck that you care about those in need, but I don’t know how much I can leave him alone if you’re only gonna hang out for five minutes.”

I was taken aback by his comment. “Is that a threat?”

“What? No way.” He laughed, moving in closer to whisper near my ear. “It’s a promise. A few rounds of spin the bottle, and Boney Bones will make it to see Tuesday.”

“And if I don’t play?”

“Well, let’s just say things could get a whole lot worse for Elliott Adams.”

I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to slug Todd right in his privates. I hated him more than words could express. I wanted nothing to do with him and his stupid games, but if kissing a few boys meant Elliott wouldn’t be pushed around as much, I’d spin a freaking bottle.

* * *

On Monday, my heart dropped when I saw Todd and his followers shoving Elliott around. I rushed over and pushed Todd. “What the heck are you doing?” I barked. I’d stayed at his stupid party on Saturday. I’d done things I didn’t want to do just so this wouldn’t happen to Elliott.

“You said you would leave him alone,” I scowled at Todd.

He licked his lips and combed his hands through his hair. “Did I? I don’t remember. Maybe you should’ve stayed longer, or perhaps next Saturday you’ll use tongue.”

I wanted to vomit as I watched him and his goons walk off. I hurried over to Elliott and helped him up.

“Are you okay?”

He wiped his forehead and pushed his glasses up his nose. “I’m sorry,” he said, leaving me bewildered.

“What? You did nothing wrong. Those guys are jerks.”

“Yeah, well, I’m u-used to it.”

“Just because you’re used to it, that doesn’t make it right.”

He nodded once, and his embarrassment was clear in his stare. “I be-better get to class.” With that, he walked off.

Poor guy.

As I went to my locker to get the books for my next class, a girl snapped at me. “What’s your angle, huh?” she barked, barging up to my locker.

I raised an eyebrow, at how forward she was being as she crossed her arms and glared my way.

“Excuse me?”

“I said what’s your angle? Is it some kind of mean prank where the pretty girl pretends to like the quiet boy and then the popular kids break his heart?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about my brother, Elliott.”

Oh…

“I didn’t know he had a sister.”

“Yeah, well, now you do. I’m Katie, and you’re the girl who’s using my brother,” she replied.

“What? No. Elliott is my—”

“Don’t say friend, you don’t know him,” she sneered, cutting me off. “People like you don’t befriend people like my brother.”

“People like me? What’s that supposed to mean?”

She nodded to my purse. “You have a Chanel handbag on your arm. You obviously have money and you can have any guy you want looking your way.”

I held my bag close to my side and twitched a little. It had been a gift that Ray found at a secondhand shop last Christmas. “You don’t know me, and the fact that you’re judging me based on a purse shows exactly how much you don’t know.”

She sighed and chewed on her bottom lip as she narrowed her stare. “Come here.”

“Where?”

“Jesus, will you just follow me?” She marched off toward the courtyard. We stepped outside into the hot New Orleans air and she pointed to the flag pole. “Last year, some kids handcuffed Elliott to the flagpole, sprayed silly string at him, and cracked eggs on his head. Two months before you got here, they cornered him in the locker room and attacked him with water balloons.”

“That’s awful.”

She grimaced. “You have no clue. Some of the balloons were filled with piss.”

I gasped, disgusted and shocked by how low some of my classmates could go. “What fucking assholes!” I hissed, my hand clasped to my chest.

Katie arched an eyebrow. “Why are you talking to him?”

My lips parted and I paused, trying to figure out the best way to answer. How could I express to her what I hadn’t even realized yet? How could I make her understand the feelings racing through my gut? How could words sum up what Elliott did to my heart and mind?

“Well?” she asked, her foot twitching against the cement.

“Because I heard his music. I heard his music last weekend, and then when I listened to him play…I don’t know…” I swallowed hard. “It’s like, for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel alone.”

Katie’s hard glare softened. “My mom was right—you’re more than the Chanel bag.”

“Wait, you’ve talked to your mom about me?” Because that’s not weird at all.

“Not the point. The point is…” Her voice was low and faded away. Everything about her softened. She was the complete opposite of who she’d been when she first approached me. “I don’t mean to judge, but I’ve seen my brother go through more wars than anyone ever deserves to go through. I’m just very protective of him.”

“No, I get it. I hate that he’s going through so many of his own wars.”

“His wars? No. It all started years ago when he went to war for my mom and me. After that, he never really had a chance to stop.”

“You love him.”

“He’s the best little brother in the history of little brothers.”

“He’s not like most people. He’s…innocent.”

“I know. It’s strange, isn’t it? How someone who has been through so much shit can still be so far from jaded. Can you just do me a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Keep listening to his music.”

“Of course.” She started to walk away, and I called after her. “Thank you—for going to war for him.”

“We’re family,” she whispered. “We take care of one another.”

Family. We take care of one another.

I loved that.

That afternoon as I walked to my science class I found Elliott standing at his locker. The moment I saw him, my heart began pounding against my ribcage. I couldn’t get the images out of my head—the water balloons, the silly string, or the handcuffs.

Why would anyone treat someone as kind as him in such an ugly way? It made no sense.

“Elliott!” I hollered, hurrying over to him.

“Hey,” he said timidly.

I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and hold him close to me. I wanted nothing more than to pull him close and let him know that all the jerks that picked on him were nothing more than trash themselves. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and apologize for a world that didn’t treat him right for stupid reasons.

But, his space was his, and so, I waited.

“I have a question,” I said softly, butterflies swarming in my gut.

“I have an answer?” he replied, but in the form of a question—because he was Elliott, and he answered things with question marks.

“Can I hug you?”

He stood up tall, and cleared his throat. Sweat formed on his forehead. “What?”

“I said, can I hug you?”

He grimaced and stepped backward. “My sister was r-r-right,” he murmured.

“What?”

“She said you were mo-mocking me, and she was right.”

“No, Elliott, that’s not it. I just…”

“Just what?”

My hands started shaking, and I couldn’t find the words for what I needed to express. “Because…” I twitched, feeling more nervous. “Well, because…because…” My eyes glassed over, looking at the skinny boy who seemed so fragile. “Because…” My voice trembled, and Elliott narrowed his eyes.

“Jasmine?” he asked.

“Yes?”

“Breathe.”

“I-I am.”

“You’re not. Trust me, I know what it’s like not to br-breathe.”

I took a deep breath, and Elliott’s eyes stayed locked with mine. “I saw your sister, and she told me what the kids did to you before, and I just hate them, you know? And I hate that… I mean, you’re just so nice! And you keep to yourself and…and…and—”

“Jasmine?”

“Yes, Elliott?” I asked, my eyes filling up as I became shakier.

“Can I hug you?”

I laughed shyly and wiped away the few tears that fell from my eyes. “But why?”

He gave me a smile that felt so huge, so warm, like a home I’d never known existed. “Because I don’t want you to cry.”

He wrapped his arms around me and held on tight. It was funny how it had worked out. When I’d approached him, I’d been determined to comfort him for his past pain, but somehow the situation had been reversed. As Elliott held me, he was healing the parts of me I always pretended weren’t broken. When his skin touched mine, we melted together and all my cracks were covered with temporary bandages.

And then he whispered, “You’ll be okay.”

How had he known?

How had he known my biggest fear was that I wouldn’t be okay?

“You know what?” he whispered, his mouth close to my ear as he held me tight.

“What?”

“You never have to ask me for a hug, okay?”

I sighed and fell a little more into him. “Okay.”

“Jasmine?” he whispered one more time.

“Yes, Elliott?”

“Does this mean we’re friends?”

I laughed and nodded against his shoulder. “This means we’re friends.”