Page 10 of Unholy Confessions
"They gave you medication?"
He nods, pulling his hand free to reach into his pocket. He shows me a small orange prescription bottle. "Adderall. For the ADHD. And an antidepressant. I've been on them for about a week now, and Montgomery, it's like someone turned the lights on in my brain."
I study his face, noting the clarity in his green eyes, the way his shoulders aren't hunched with the weight of whatever invisible burden he'd been carrying. "You do seem different. More present."
"I am." He grins, and it's the first genuine smile I've seen from him in months. "I can actually finish thoughts now. I can sit through a conversation without my mind wandering to seventeen different places. I can play guitar for hours without getting frustrated and giving up."
The mention of guitar makes my pulse quicken. RJ's been playing since he was twelve, and he's incredibly talented, but lately, he'd been so hard on himself about everything. "That's amazing, RJ. I'm so happy for you."
"But you're worried," he says, reading my expression with the ease of someone who's known me for years.
I bite my lip, considering how to voice my concerns without sounding like I'm not supportive. "I just... I want you to be careful, okay? I know these medications can help, but I also know they can be addictive. Especially Adderall."
His expression sobers slightly, and he nods. "I know. The doctor went over all of that with me and my parents. We're monitoring it closely, and I'm seeing a therapist too. I'm not taking any chances, Montgomery. I want to get better the right way."
Relief washes over me, and I squeeze his hand again. "Good. Because I can't lose you, RJ. I need you here and healthy and being yourself."
Something shifts in his expression, something deeper and more intense than friendship. For a moment, the air between us feels charged, like right before a thunderstorm. But then he clears his throat and looks away, and the moment passes.
"There's something else," he says, his voice tinged with excitement. "Something I wanted to tell you in person."
"What?"
"EJ called me yesterday. He wants me to join his band."
My eyes widen, and an excited scream erupts from my throat. "Grey Skies? Are you serious?"
"Dead serious." RJ's grin is infectious now. "They need a lead guitarist, and EJ thinks I'm good enough. He said if I can prove myself, if I can handle the commitment and the pressure, then I can stay permanently."
"RJ, that's incredible!" I throw my arms around him without thinking, pulling him into a hug. He stiffens for just a second before his arms come around me, holding me tight. I breathe in his scent, feel the solid warmth of his chest against mine, and for a moment, I let myself imagine that this is more than friendship.
When I pull back, our faces are inches apart, and I can see gold flecks in his green eyes. "I'm so proud of you," I whisper.
"I haven't done anything yet," he says, but his voice is rough around the edges.
"You got help. You're taking care of yourself. That's huge, RJ."
He stares at me for a long moment, and I swear I can see something like longing in his expression. But then he leans back, putting distance between us again. "For the first time in forever, I'm excited about the future, Montgomery. I actually think I can accomplish the things I want to accomplish."
"Like what?"
"Like making music that matters. Like..." He pauses, his gaze flickering to my lips before he looks away. "Like a lot of things."
I feel heat rise in my cheeks. "What kind of plans does EJ have for Grey Skies?"
"They're working on an EP right now, and if I join, I'd be part of that process. EJ said they might even let me contribute some of my own songs."
"You've been writing songs?" This is news to me.
"Yeah, especially this past week. It's like the medication cleared all the fog out of my head, and suddenly I can organize my thoughts into lyrics. I've written three songs already."
"Will you play one for me sometime?"
He grins, throwing me a wink. "Maybe."
I laugh, the sound echoing off the gazebo's wooden roof. "When do you start with the band?"
"Next week. EJ wants me to come to a few practice sessions first, see how I mesh with the other guys. If it goes well, they'll officially bring me on."
