Page 47 of Endeavor

Grady

I stare at my notes. I should be working, but all I can think about is Emma. Why did I do that? What was I thinking? God, I’m an idiot. The one good thing to come my way in a long time and I throw it away just because something is scary. I should be protecting her. The officers don’t think she’s in danger, especially after I told them we broke up, but I can’t help feeling worried about her.

I look down to see a text from my mom.

Mom: You should call Emma.

Me: Stay out of it.

Mom: I’m just saying.

Me: STAY OUT OF IT!

Mom: Fine. But I just called her about her project, and I can tell she’s sad.

Me: She’ll get over it.

Mom: Don’t be a dick. I love you.

I toss my phone down. I love my mom, but she’s meddling too much in my personal life lately. She keeps saying she wants to see me settled like I’m forty-five or something. I pace the room. There’s so much on my mind right now. Emma. My brother. Telling my mom about my brother. The band’s next album. Oh, and a stalker.

I decide to say, “fuck it” and see if Max wants to hang out. Max always has a way of making me feel better.

Me: You want to hang out?

Max: Is the Pope Catholic?

Me: Beach?

Max: Beer?

Me: Hell yes.

Max: See you in thirty.

I grab my guitar case, a blanket, and some beer and I head down to the beach. I find our spot. Rhett, Max, and I have had the same beach spot for years. It’s our thing, and I hope it always will be. I’m pulling out my guitar when Max sits down.

I crack open a beer, hide it in a koozie, and hand it to him, we cheers.

“Want to talk about it?” he asks me.

“Nope.”

“Want to get wasted and play some music?”

“Hell yes.”

He laughs and pulls his guitar out of a case. We sit there on the beach and jam, playing everything and nothing in particular. By the time the sun sets, we are a good four beers each into a stupor. I lie back on the blanket and stare up at the sky.

“You should call her,” Max says.

“No, that’ll just make it worse. I fucked up. It’s over.”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

I turn to him. “Dude, we have a stalker. I can’t bring her into my life right now. What if something happens?”

“Just be honest with her.”

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