*Beauty*
Gemma came over to my house at five on Saturday to get us ready for the festival.
I stepped back as Gemma, Layla and Madison squeezed through the door, taking turns to hug me.
Gemma perused me with narrowed eyes. "What. The. Heck. Ellie Kent, don't take this offensively but you, girl, look like a sack of potatoes."
I gave a half-hearted shrug as I glanced down at my baggy sweats. I did look like a sack of potatoes.
If my mom saw me like this, she would murder me.
"Are those eyebags?" Gemma said, her voice high with shock.
I shrugged again. Late night study fails could do that. Especially when you don't talk to your seven-year-crush who kissed you last Friday
To add to it, Will hadn't jogged past my house this morning. A first. In the time since he'd started jogging, he had never once missed a Saturday. Till today.
The message was loud and clear.
Gemma grabbed my hand. "Come on. We need an emergency make-up session like stat. You can't go like that to the festival. It's like the biggest event of the year," she waved her fingers, "besides my parties of course."
I rolled my eyes as she dragged me up the stairs. Layla and Madison giggled in response.
The moment we were in the room, Gemma dumped me on a chair as Layla and Madison perched on my bed.
As Gemma tied my hair back, my mind drifted to Will. What was he doing right now? What was he thinking about? I doubted he would be at the festival. I'd seen him there once a few years ago, a tall fourteen year old boy embedded in a crowd of enthusiastic visitors. The excitement that had coursed through my veins then, the anticipation that made me stretch to look above the crowd, was unrivalled.
Until he kissed me.
"How do you have this?"
My gaze jumped to Gemma who was casually flicking through our middle school newspaper from years ago. The very newspaper I'd been swooning over a few minutes before they'd arrived. Layla peered over her shoulder as her eyes scanned the page.
Layla stopped on a bookmarked page.
Madison frowned. "What's this...?"
Abruptly I stood up, snatching it from their grasp before tucking it under the bed, mentally reassuring myself that I would put it back into the designated Will compartment once they were gone.
They looked at me as if I was crazy.
"Just some stuff," I mumbled.
No need to mention that it included an interview Will had done a few years ago for the school paper. Or that it had a very cute picture of him smiling in it.
Downside was that Catherine was the journalist.
Layla and Madison were still looking at me as if I were crazy.
I calmly sat back down in front of Gemma and waited for her to continue.
It took an hour of my constant complaints and Gemma's insistence that she wasn't putting on too much make up (which she was) before Gemma finally declared she was finished.
My mother chose that exact moment to waddle in. And by waddle, I mean waddle. My mother had been hiding her pregnancy bump for the last three months but now she made a point to move as if the small bump on her stomach was double the size. She also made a point of stroking her stomach to make it blatant that she was pregnant.
I guess she'd decided to embrace it.
Her painted lips stretched into a smile. "Hello girls, how is everyone in here?"
They all chimed their 'good's.
Her smile grew wider. "Fantastic." Her lips thinned as her gaze fell on my sweats. I could almost see the vein pumping behind her eye. "Ellie, your clothing--"
"Congratulations on the baby," Madison blurted out.
I shot her a 'thank you for saving me' glance.
"Oh." My mother looked flustered. "Thank you very much," she preened.
"Do you know what gender the baby's going to be?" Madison asked, shooting her the 'I'm a good girl and all adults love me' smile.
Mom shook her head. "We had the scan yesterday but we decided to keep it a surprise." She rubbed her stomach. "Probably a girl." She wiggled her brows. "It is becoming a pattern. Just means more people to walk down the aisle for Martin."
They both laughed as if they were the best of friends before my mom spoke again.
"Anyway, me and Martin will be heading out. See you at the festival girls." She shot a smile at us. Then, with that, she shuffled out.
"Thanks for the save, Maddie," I murmured in an exhale.
Madison giggled, rubbing my shoulder. "What are friends for?"
Layla pressed her lips together. "Are you excited to be having a little brother or sister? I think I'd hate it. Nerissa is a hassle on her own."
I shrugged. "I don't know. I am sorta excited but I haven't really thought about it." Too busy thinking about Will. "Besides that, how's Nerissa?"
Ok, yes, I'm fishing for things related to Will. I can't help it.
Layla rolled her eyes. "Annoying, as usual. She's like super excited over some stupid Harvard trip for brainiacs. Apparently, only the top math nerds get to go. My mom's on me about it, saying I'm not educational enough. I mean, I get she's the school principal but school isn't everything, ya know?"
I nodded absently. "Harvard trip you say..."
I bet Will was going. And I was probably too stupid to be offered a place. Sigh.
Gemma was silent until the sound of my parent's car departing vibrated though the house.
"Good," she said.
My eyes narrowed at her mischievous smile. "Gem," I said in warning.
Gemma grabbed a shopping bag she'd brought in with her, pulling out articles of clothing.
Her smile grew wider and fear creeped up my spine.
Why did I agree to this?
Thirty minutes later I was dressed in black painted on jeans that clung to every inch of my legs, A cropped red sweater and high-heeled ankle boots. Curled blonde hair gathered beyond my shoulders and my face was a portrait of make-up.
"Gemma!" I protested, gesturing to my exposed stomach. "I am not going out like this!"
"You look gorgeous Ellie," she squealed. "What's the problem?"
Um, I don't know, maybe that I look like a dumb blonde hoo--
"Yeah, you look gorgeous," Madison squealed.
Layla nodded in agreement. "Hot," she added.
I crossed my arms. "I'm not wearing this."
Gemma sighed and stepped closer. "Look, Ellie, you've got to be brave here. You're gorgeous so I don't understand why you're so insecure. I don't know what for. Cause you turn heads when you walk through the door. Don't need make up to cover up. Being the way that you are is enough. You don't know you're beau--"
"Are you using One Direction lyrics to persuade me right now?" I asked in disbelief.
Gemma wiggled her brows. "Always trust hot British guys."
I rolled my eyes. "Gemma--"
"Please? For me?" she pleaded. She gestured to the others. "For us?"
Then they all gave me puppy dog eyes.
"Besides, it doesn't matter right? There's no one you really care about seeing you like this, right?"
I frowned. That was true. Will wouldn't be there.
And she did put a lot of effort into my outfit.
I sighed. "Fine." Then I made a face. "One second."
I raced back to my room, pulling on a black vest top beneath the cropped sweater.
"Ok, done!" I declared as I descended the stairs.
They stared at me in silence.
"Come on guys! It's freezing outside!"
Abruptly, the girls squealed, leaping on me with hugs.
I just rolled my eyes and laughed.
Gemma clapped her hands. "Okay, girls, let's get ready."
The car picking us up arrived at seven, which Gemma considered fashionably late. As the boys in the car whistled at our appearance, one thought nudged the edge of my mind:
I really wish Will would be there.
What was I thinking? It wasn't going to happen.
*
The festival was beautiful. Red and orange lanterns hung from decorative lines that bordered each path in the park. A pink and orange glow lit the bustling stalls and laughter danced through the air. The scent of exotic food poured from wooden stands and people gathered in front of the store owner, handing over cash and coins.
The entire festival, like always, was littered with couples nestled together beneath the lights, coats brazen against the wind.
Since I was a child, I'd always heard the festival myth. On the night of the festival, when the moon was gleaming down on the residents of our town, if you kissed under the fireworks with your other half you'd be together forever.
Since I was ten, I'd imagined Will and I coming here, kissing beneath the burst of fireworks. Being together for eternity like all the couples that flitted through the throng of festival goers.
Instead, in reality, I'd ended up squished next to an overly friendly Justin with a front seat view of Gemma making out with some football player I knew she didn't like while Tyler, watching Gemma longingly, was relentlessly pursued by Chelsea Simmons. Layla and Madison were glued to cute guys and had armfuls of teddy bears their various admirers had won for them.
It seemed like everyone was in a couple lately.
Except me. Because I was stuck on a guy out of my league.
Wow, I was in a horrible mood.
Justin watched me (which was now bordering on creepy btw). "You look hot today Ellie."
I smiled uncomfortably. "Thanks."
My gaze perused the crowd, the way I'd been doing for the last hour to stave off any possible conversation.
So far, I'd seen my mother, beaming as she waltzed through the attractions. My dad strode next to her, hand securely on her back as he whispered into her ear.
Even my parents had more romance in their lives than I did.
I'd seen Amelia a few moments later, talking to a boy with black framed glasses and messy brown hair. From the way her fingers pushed her hair behind her ear and red dusted her cheeks, I was guessing she liked him.
Which I couldn't really be angry at because they looked kind of cute together.
Tessa, clad in her cheerleading uniform, had skipped by at some point, arms wrapped around a massive football player nicknamed 'The Stone.' She'd gazed up at him affectionately and he'd swaddled an arm around her waist.
Sigh.
I wished I was with Will.
As I was thinking that, the tension finally broke. Tyler broke away from Chelsea and stalked over to Gemma. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her off the nameless footballer, tugging her into the crowd.
Well, finally.
Madison and Layla vocalized my sentiments.
After a moment of irritation, Chelsea changed her target and strode over to Justin.
"Hey," she said slowly as she slid a fingertip down Justin's chest. "I haven't seen you in a while." Her tongue rolled around the words. "Jus. Tin."
Justin appraised her with his eyes. "Hey to you too babe."
They started making out a few short seconds later.
Feeling like I was about to puke, I turned and left the vicinity, leaving everyone to their little romances.
For once, I was grateful for Chelsea's flirting. At least she'd distracted Justin.
Exhausted, I sunk onto a bench, sighing as my eyes ran over the crowd again.
What was Will doing right now? Probably something charitable, maybe volunteering at an orphanage or something. He was that kind of guy. The fact that someone who was so perfect had said he liked me was astounding. He had everything I was lacking. Where I was flawed, he was perfect.
Too perfect for me.
Too perfect to still feel the same way.
I wanted to curl up into a ball. Where had I gone wrong? What could I have said differently to keep his admirations?
Why wasn't I good enough?
And it was at that moment that I saw him.
His lengthy frame floated through the crowd. He towered over the throng, moving with perfect ease. My eyes latched onto his dark hair, even more dishevelled than usual, his red sweater and black jeans beneath a leather jacket, and lastly, the piercing green eyes that were startling against his flawless skin.
Will.
I could hear my heart thumping in my skull. I could feel the blood rushing into my head and my chest constricting.
Dang.
He was beautiful.
I like you, Will. The words pounded through my head. I like you and I wish I'd told you last week when we kissed.
It became hard to breathe.
I needed to say it. Even if it was just once.
I was going to.
Then the blood froze in my lungs. Catherine trailed after him, followed by Nerissa Chang and some of Will's friends.
It was as if my heart had dropped a thousand feet.
Catherine looked gorgeous in a bodycon black dress that emphasised her tall figure. Her legs stretched to eternity, covered in flawless toned skin. Make-up graced her face.
And so my dreams died.
Will paused in the small area within my viewpoint. He leaned against a wall as he watched Catherine and the others walk past.
It was torture. To see him right there--so close but so out of reach.
Gemma's words flickered into my mind.
Be brave.
My heart pounded in my chest.
He said he liked me.
Sweat gathered on my palms.
He might not feel the same way.
My breaths quickened.
But he said he liked me.
Maybe I need to make the first move.
The sound of my heartbeat was so loud that I couldn't hear anything else.
Don't do anything stupid Ellie. Don't do anything--
I pulled out my phone and rapidly typed two letters:
Hi
Then, before I could over think it, I wrote:
I see you.
*
Hello wonderfuls!!!
I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)
God bless
xxx
Yemi Everest