The Bucket List

e i g h t e e n

"Hello Ellie, how are you?" Mrs Ross asked, walking into the room with a large smile on her face. Mrs Ross looked nothing like Daniel. Everything about them looked different from Daniel except for their eyes. They both had the same chocolate brown eyes, except that Mrs Ross' eyes were much kinder than Daniel's. She had strawberry blond hair that was tied up in a high ponytail, a thin long nose, and thin lips. She was beautiful, and I wondered if Daniel got all the bad genes.

Okay, that was a lie. If it weren't for Daniel's proud attitude, I guess he could pass as being handsome. It just felt weird to think that Daniel was handsome.

"Hi, Mrs Ross. I'm well, thank you. How are you?"

"I'm splendid. It's lovely to officially meet you. Daniel hasn't stopped talking about you for weeks," Mrs Ross stated. I looked at Daniel whose cheeks turned slightly red as he glared at his mum.

"I did not," Daniel grumbled.

"Don't be embarrassed Daniel. It's fine to talk about your girlfriend with your parents," Mrs Ross said. I looked at Daniel again with a forced smile. Girlfriend? Didn't he tell them we were friends.

I awkwardly laughed. "We're just friends," I corrected.

"Oh, I sorry?"

"Daniel and I are friends," I repeated.

Mrs Ross looked at Daniel with a quizzical expression and her mouth gaps with realisation. "Oh dear, I'm sorry. He just talks so much about you, I just assumed. Sorry Daniel. I didn't realise you had a crush on Ellie," Mrs Ross apologised. I stifled a laugh, earning a glare from Daniel.

"I don't have a crush on Ellie," he mumbled. I really hoped he was telling the truth. "I'm going to find dad." Daniel headed down the other hallway and away from my sight. Why did he leave me with his mum?

Mrs Ross smiled at me. "You father would never stop talking about you either—he's so proud of you," she said.

I knew he was but I had a feeling dad wanted me to be more like Daniel. He admitted it himself, but I wouldn't tell Mrs Ross that. Daniel wanted me to impress his parents. I got the impression that he wanted his parents to like at least one of his friends. I wasn't entirely confident that I was going to be that person. But I was flattered.

"Oh really?" I smiled shyly.

"Of course. When you and Daniel became friends, I've been eager to meet you, but Daniel always says that your busy with studies. We always wished Daniel would study a little more but he's too immature and careless," Mrs Ross complained.

She could say that again. "But Daniel is really smart." Even though he shows it in a very evil way sometimes. "He gets great grades at school and he has surprised me more than once of how clever he can be."

"That's sweet of you to say," she smiled.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed two figures appear in the room. I looked to my left and Daniel and his dad entered the lounge.

"Hello Ellie, it's good to see you again," Mr Ross greeted. Wait, he met me before? I don't remember this.

If I had to say which one of his parents Daniel looked the most like, it was definitely his dad. They had the same dark brown hair, broad shoulder, wide chiselled jaw, and the same long nose.

"Hello, Mr Ross," I smiled.

"Oh please, call me Patrick."

"Oh, yes, and call me Nancy," Mrs Ross added. "It's so rare to hear Daniel's friends call us Mr and Mrs Ross, that I found it quite appealing to hear," Mrs Ross giggled.