So wake up your sleeping heart

 

"You know, you love him," Eli said, feeling he held the baby more than Amy did. It seemed she liked playing HOT POTATO every time he arrived at her place when he found her taking care of her baby brother. It was as if she didn't want him to see how much she really liked babies, after all. 

"I just need help," she was closed-mouthed about her intentions, but later Darry told hm that she was just testing him. "She wants to see if your Dad Material."

Eli squinted at the thought, he hadn't mastered Boyfriend Material. But he managed to handle everything to Amy's liking, and besides, her mother was always around. It wasn't like they were stranded with the infant.

"Oh, you're doing just fine," Amy's mother told him that Andrew really seemed to love men. "He loves his father very much and he knows you are part of the family too."

This had him practically shaking in his old black Chuck Taylors. He thought he might lose it, but somehow, he held on to the baby as if he was supposed to at his best.

If only, he could get away to the Youth Center more. But he worked for Dory and helped with violin lessons after school.

"See, you have the making to being a real artist," Dory informed him one afternoon. He'd filled out a form for him.  "I think you could get a music scholarship."

"A music scholarship?"

There was a competition in the city, bringing in talent. A new level of nerves hit him. He didn't like the pressure.

"Oh,  just do what you do best, let the rest fall in place," Dory told him. "You don't know where it might lead you."

"Precisely," it made Eli restless. Of course, he got the OK from his parents and even Amy and her parents were thrilled for him.

On one hand, he liked being himself, playing video games, and watching old movies. Yes, there was that chance of being alone in the shadows. It was such a slipper slop. Did he even recognize himself anymore?