Beatless by Amber L. Johnson Read Free Book Online Page A

the entire thing was done, Tucker had added the files to the computer for us to practice with.
    “I think it sounds okay.”
    “I think it sounds incredible.” The other girls in the room shared another look and I had to close my mouth from saying anything more.
    “So we start here. Unless we can get some more people in here, we should just do this.” He regarded us seriously. “Are we ready to begin?”
     

 
    Mal,
    I want to tell you that everyone makes mistakes. You already know that, but what you probably don’t understand is that the human condition is called that for a reason. It’s a burden to be alive and responsible for every action that we make. Our humanity is our downfall. But, if we’re lucky, we have people that will accept us – flaws and all. And they’ll forgive us for our mistakes. They’ll pardon us for the choices that we’ve made that are beautiful, tragic, and life changing.
    Being alive is the greatest gift we’ll ever receive. But our responsibility is to accept our imperfections and move on. Dwelling on the past and wallowing in our failures will not help anyone. It’s getting back on your feet and proving that you’ve learned and are willing to try again that shows who you really are.
    Sam

~*~6~*~
    It was grueling and a little exhausting singing so much. Learning so fast. I had to call in sick to work that week in order to make sure I had enough time for rehearsals and homework. Not to mention my driving lessons.
    The day I mastered the clutch I almost cried. “I hate this car, but oh my God, I actually did it.”
    “We should celebrate.” Tucker beamed at me from the passenger seat. He’d kept his hands to himself since that day in his basement and I’d lulled myself into believing that the chemistry between us was simply based on a moment of silliness in the car and the intimate way he’d been teaching me the scales and breath control. It was a passing thing. Nothing to dwell on.
    “Okay.” I reached over and squeezed his knee. He jumped a little and I clutched harder. “Are you ticklish?”
    “No.” His face was telling a different story, though. And while he was trying to pull my hand from his leg, I gripped even tighter.
    “I had no idea!”
    “I’m not!” It came out in a howl of laughter.
    His arms flailed and he scooted away from me, his upper body almost halfway out the window in an attempt to escape. I finally let him go and he settled back into the seat begrudgingly, giving me a hilariously dirty look. “If you tell anybody . . .”
    “It’ll be our little secret,” I promised.
    The drive from the school parking lot to my house was carefree while we listened to the radio and I tried my best not to stall out at the multiple stop signs that lined the road. Once in the driveway, I checked for any sign of Sam, but again, she wasn’t there. “I thought maybe you’d get to meet my aunt, but she’s gone a lot lately. She’s been acting so weird.”
    Tucker leaned forward and gazed up at my house. “Like how?”
    “I don’t know. You’d have to know how she used to be to understand. I know she’s sad and it’s not easy. But I’ll find her watching the same movie that she’s already watched a thousand times since she moved back in. Or she’ll wander around the house like she doesn’t know what to do with herself. Yesterday she called me Myra. Not that it means anything because my family has a habit of interchanging people’s names, but I’ve never known Sam to do it. I chalked it up to her missing my mom and getting it wrong.”
    “Hmm.”
    “Honestly, I wanted to show her that I finally got the car to go.” I smiled and brushed the thoughts of Sam aside. “Whatever. Come in and I’ll make a snack. Sam’s actually good at keeping the fridge stocked.”
    He trailed behind and it didn’t occur to me until I’d pulled a box of taquitos from the freezer that he’d never been in my house. While removing the wrapper, I offhandedly offered,