In Over Her Head by Elsie Russell - Parnasse.com

DESPERATE MOVES
Sounds of laughter wafted in from the hall. Must be visitors for
Ula. But then there was a knock at Penny's door. Max and Maia stood
next to Ula and Sandro. The duo had gone Platinum. Still playing
second fiddle, Max slouched a step behind his dazzling sister, but his
glow was chemical. Penny let them in. Sandro avoided her eyes as
usual, but Max couldn't take his off her.
Ula, miffed at Penny's lackluster welcome, instantly herded
them back to her place, but Max hung back, signaling he would join
them in a minute.
He closed the door behind him and took a step closer, "Purple,
oh baby," he slid his long arms around her.
She pulled away. She ignored his IM pleads as they become
more and more ardent and confused. "What is it Max, what can I do
for you?"
"Oh, baby, oh, baby." He drew her back to him and held her
face in his long calloused fingers. He ran his hands through her gilded
copper ringlets. "Don't be sad."
"I'm not sad, Max!" She pushed him away.
"You can't fool me."
"You're strung out, why don't you just leave, okay?"
"I named my guitar after you, Penelopay. I bin dreaming of you
since that first day in the café."
"Oh, please, I don't have time for this!"
"I love you. I told the whole world on the Grammies! You
don't watch much TV, huh, Purple?"
This time, when he wrapped his arms around her, he kissed her
tenderly on the lips.
"Oh, baby, baby, I love you, I do, I can make it better, my
purple belle."
She froze.
"When are you gonna crawl out of your funk, man? You
channel music from the stars, you move mountains, baby. Girl, I know
he's the love o' your life, but you gotta let him go, move on, cuz it's
never, ever gonna change."
She turned her head over towards the painting.
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