Between the lines • a between us sequel (Ellie Williams x female oc)

𝟐𝟖 • 𝗍𝗐𝗂𝗇 𝗌𝗂𝗓𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌

Somehow it was how I always imagined it to be. The siding was a faded yellow, chipped and probably rotting in more places than one, an old tire swing hanging from an oak in the front yard, and a once white fence, but the yard has seemed to taint it green at its bases.

I swallowed hard before exiting the car. I looked up at the second story, trying to guess which window Ellie had looked out of when she was younger.

"Just breathe, babe. You got this."

As I look up, the front door swings open, and an older gentleman with a warm smile greets us.

"Bout time you two showed up."

His smile was bright and his eyes squinted.

We approached, his arms already widening for a hug.

"I was just bout' to call you. Had me worryin'."

Ellie lets go, offering an apologetic chuckle, "Sorry. We hit traffic leaving the city."

She looked at me and her eyes widened like she had just remembered something.

"Joel, this is Skyler. Skyler, Joel."

I hold out my hand, and smile, "It's nice to finally meet you."

He grabbed it, but instead of shaking it, he used it to pull me in for a hug.

"Ellie's talked my ear off enough about you. I think we're past the formalities."

His embrace was firm, but at the same time comforting.

I let go and smile, having a harder time keeping eye contact than I thought I would.

"Hopefully all good things."

I side-eye her, her offering a small smile, but it was enough reassurance to help put me at ease.

Joel waved his arm towards the open screen door, "Get settled in. I just pulled the grill out outback. Come out when you're ready."
And just like that, he was off- No bombarding of questions or what I thought would be closer to an interrogation rather than a simple getting to know your girlfriend's parent.

Ellie takes the lead as we head upstairs, a collage of framed photos on the wall, some of them of her at different stages of her life. One of them was when she was really young, 14-15 or so. She was in a softball jersey posed with a bat, and a helmet on that looked about 3 sizes too big. And another where she looked older, but still had some of her baby fat in her cheeks, giving the middle finger in front of a car that I didn't recognize from the driveway.

"It was my first car. I totaled it."

I turned to look at her, "Huh?"

She points to the photo, "A 2001 Pontiac Firebird. I worked my ass off to save up for it, and I fucked it less than a month after having it."

She sounded sad, almost disappointed with herself even though it was so long ago.

"How?" I asked, and she turned back around and continued up the stairs where I followed.

"Probably drunk and high. I don't remember much, but I was told I was pretty lucky to walk away from it."

For a moment, I was surprised, shocked even, but sometimes it's easy to forget Ellie wasn't always the person she is now, but seeing her room- an angsty teenager's cave still frozen in time, it brought me back to the person I knew in college.

Posters covered every square inch of wall space- bands, movies, and even raunchy pictures of women with their tits out.
It's no surprise really.

"Wow, El..." I let out, half in genuine admiration, while the other half wanted to punch her for being such a douche.