Rhythm of Love

Alex's Point of View

My uncle had closed shop. It was just us, Eli and Beech and Hellin and Cyn and Nora and her bandmates. We were bumping music loud enough to disturb the neighbors--if there were any--and we all sang along. Conner and Behind the Unknown's drummer--whose name I happily forgot--tapped out the beats to the music, and the guys pretended to strum guitars using ketchup and beer bottles. Eli held Nora to him, her back to his chest, his arms across her torso and his hands on her shoulders, swaying with her as she sang with Beech and I.

A song Welcome To Paradise had been practicing came on and we that knew the significance of the song laughed as I fell into the rythm of Eminem's rap. Nora and Beech sang along with Rihanna's voice and I almost told everyone to be quiet so I could listen to Nora sing.

I shook my head, my frown hidden as I kept up with Eminem. Nora had Eli again. She was better off that way.

Better off without me.

Hellin left with Cyn and Beech, saying it was past their bedtime, and the happy mess of people, the two bands finally getting along, slowed down to a low thrum and ketchup bottles were placed back and empty beer bottles were recycled. Damien crashed on a chair with half of his band mates and Ivan crashing around him, smiling like loons. Conner stared at the door where Beech had dissappeared after hugging him.

"Hey," I said, waving my hand in front of his face. His eyes flicked to mine slowly. "Remember she's ten." He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, cause I'm totally like that," he said. I shrugged and laughed.

A shadow fell over me and I looked up to see a half drunk Damien. He nodded toward the door and started toward it, stumbling a little. Wary, I followed, afraid to say anything, lest he go off on me like I supposedly did to Nora.

We walked slowly, and finally Damien stopped, looking up at the star filled night with no moon.

"I know you and Nora did the deed," he said slowly. I stared at him, shocked. "She talks in her sleep. And I know how confused she is about you and Eli. In my opinion, she's better off with him."

"He's not good with kids," I mumbled, almost laughing at my arguement against this half drunk older man.

"No," Damien replies softly, still staring at the sky. "But you're not good with women." I opened my mouth to argue but he rambled on in his drunken stupor. "I've seen the way you treat girls, Lex." My eyes widened at the use of my family's nickname for me. "The way you discarded them when you wanted nothing more from them." He laughed. "Maybe I'm seeing it wrong," he said, finally looking at me. "Maybe you're a good guy and you don't mean to hurt my cousin. But I swear to God, Alex, if you or Eli hurt her, a lot worse will happen than that bloody nose I gave you."

He began walking back toward the bar. Back toward his friends and my friends and my family. I felt like a zombie apocalypse would break out then and there as I watched him stumble towards the place where I grew up, but nothing happened as he reached the door and walked through it. I sighed and followed.

I wouldn't hurt Nora again. I couldn't.

As I walked through the door every head turned to me, checking for signs of a fight. Satisfied there was none, they turned back to their conversations, except for one person. Nora stepped up to me, her head tilted a little to the side and her eyes sparkling with concern and what I knew was love.

"Are you okay?" she asked, brushing her fingers over my forearm, raising goosebumps and causing my flesh to tingle.

I almost dropped it all. Amost grabbed her and pulled her to me, pressing my lips to hers and forgetting where I was and who I was with, who all would be watching.

But I remembered my brother. Remember him swaying with Nora in his arms, a smile on his face as he listened to her sing. I looked at him and saw that he was watching us, worry in his eyes.

Worried I'd blow up at her again.

My face turned back to Nora but I couldn't look her in the eyes. I knew if I did I would pull her to me and never let her go. I just stared at the light freckles on her nose and nodded.

"I'm fine, thanks, Nora," I manage, turning away.

I heard her shuffle back to Eli and I smiled darkly. I pivoted and walked out, getting into the cab of my truck but not turning it on. Someone clambered in on the other side of me and Xavier stared at the lights of the building.

"Weird, huh?" he said, not really expecting an answer. "Just a week ago, Damien gave me a black eye, and tonight, we were all laughing at the same jokes, singing to the same songs." I was quiet.

"He envys you," he went on. "Eli. He told me in the car, when we were waiting for Nora to clean up and Ivan was pacing outside. He knows how long you guys knew each other. Knows he'll never be musically conected to Nora like you are. It makes him want to try that much harder.

"He also said," Xavier went on, pausing a little, "he said that if you tried to get Nora there was nothing he could do but give her up. Tonight he told me that he didn't go to Nora because he thought you would. Or that she would go to you. He didn't want to know that he lost her."

A tear gathered in my eye. "He has," I whispered. And then I broke. I lost it all.

Deep down I knew. I had to give her up.

I couldn't let myself hurt Nora. Did that mean I had to give her to my brother?