Chapter 3
Seven Years Ago—Instagram Direct Message, one week after open mic night
ElleryLuvsMusic: Dante? Why did you leave?
DBakerBass: Wow. Ellery? From LA?
ElleryLuvsMusic: Please. You know you remember me ;)
DBakerBass: You are pretty unforgettable.
ElleryLuvsMusic: Is that why you left without giving me your number? You’re surprisingly difficult to find online. Don’t you know you’re part of the “catalog every part of my life on social media” generation?
DBakerBass: ROFL.
ElleryLuvsMusic: I only found you because you posted a picture of your frets and I recognized the etching. It’s so cool how you did that. Did you use a safety pin?
DBakerBass: That’s a little creepy? Lol
ElleryLuvsMusic: Whatever. You know you’re grateful. Otherwise you’d be lost to the ether and we wouldn’t meet again for fifteen years like in some late night movie.
DBakerBass: That’s incredibly specific haha
ElleryLuvsMusic: My point stands. How’s school.
DBakerBass: I can’t believe it’s almost over. Graduation is two months away.
ElleryLuvsMusic: I have another year of academic torture awaiting me. Are you coming to LA after graduation?
…
ElleryLuvsMusic: Dante? I didn’t mean to scare you or anything. Or freak you out.
ElleryLuvsMusic: I just…It wasn’t just me, was it? That night was special. That song was something else.
ElleryLuvsMusic: I really want to be your friend.
DBakerBass: Same. I don’t know about LA. My friend works on a cruise line here and said she could get me a job on some of the Alaska cruises. I might do that. At least it’s music.
ElleryLuvsMusic: And you get to travel, you lucky asshole (insert heart emoji x 3)
DBakerBass: So…what happened with that guy?
ElleryLuvsMusic: What guy?
DBakerBass: That guy from the end of the night. Adam Schwartz or something? What did he want?
ElleryLuvsMusic: Wow, I’d totally forgotten about that. Some starlet poacher. Gag. Like I don’t know how manipulative those influencer mansion gigs are. Please.
…
DBakerBass: Cool.
ElleryLuvsMusic: Shit, my roommate just got back from the bar and is puking. I’ve got to go. Keep in touch. Yeah? Here’s my number. I don’t use IG DMs, except this is the only way I could find you. Too many creeps on here want to tell me they “like my smile.”
DBakerBass: Kick them all in the nuts.
ElleryLuvsMusic: Definitely. Talk soon.
…
DBakerBass: Definitely.