Sex, Chocolate, Rock N Roll

/ / 17. FRIENDS / /

"What are you all dressed up for?" She asked.

"Party." He said.

She turned around as he continued down the stairs, "here?"

"Yeah, mum and dad are gone, why not?"

She smiled, seeing how okay he seemed...and being honest, she knew she could go for a bit of a party herself, to cancel out the chaos of her life. "Count me in." She smirked, continuing up the stairs.

"Yeah, uh...by any chance have you talked to Matty? He told me he was going to talk to you..." he said.

Her heart raced at his mention of him, "um, yeah. He did. He just told me um...that you two...uh..."

"Please don't tell mum and dad about us...ever." He said quickly.

Us. The words sent an ache in Ellie's chest, because there was no them.

"He told me he was just trying to figure out his feelings." She turned back around, "since he was so freaked out when you kissed him in your room...that's all."

Alex looked around, feeling stupid. Ellie could see the embarrassment in his face, "but don't worry...um...you never know." Damnit. She didn't know what to say, she had to make him feel better....yet it was getting too complicated.

"I'm gonna go pick up the alcohol...I'll be back." He said, heading out of the house, just as he made his way through the door, there stood Holly on her way in.

"Uh, is Ellie here?" She asked.

Ellie stepped down from the staircase at the sound of her voice, "I'm right here..." she said.

"You look nice today..." Holly smiled at Alex.

"Thanks..." he smiled back, taking out his car keys.

"Could you not flirt with my brother." Ellie rolled her eyes.

"I'm not flirting, just giving him a compliment..." Holly rolled her's back.

"What do you want? I thought you hated me." Ellie said.

"I don't. I miss you, Ellie. I guess I was just jealous...and I'm sorry." she said.

Ellie shut the door, throwing her bag aside as she now assumed it would never make it to her bedroom, "jealous of what?"

Holly shrugged, looking around the house, seeing it was still exactly the same as always.

"You...and Matty..." she said slowly, "we both spent so many years drooling over the guy," she laughed slightly, "I never thought one day one of us could actually...hang out with him or anything... I even found this." She pulled out a book from her purse, showing it to Ellie.

Ellie took the book, turning it around and remembering, she laughed out loud, opening it to the very first page, "property of Mrs. and Mrs. Healy."

"Oh my God...throw this away and never pull it out of the trash." It was one of their old scrap books. Doodles and glitter all over the front cover.

"I really am sorry." Holly said.

Ellie handed the book back over to her, "me too. I did kind of start to ignore you...and I didn't mean to." She said.

Holly observed her, "why do you look like that..."

"Like what?" She asked.

"So...messy...you look like you haven't taken a proper bath or sleep in weeks. And you smell like cigarettes and alcohol..." She laughed.

Ellie shook her head, leaning her head back, tired of everyone asking, "I've been...just...going through things ." She explained.

"Please don't tell me you're on drugs." She said.

Ellie laughed, "I'm not on anything...let's go to my room, I have to tell you everything...trust me, its a long story."

-----------------------------

The music began to be a drag, Matty couldn't stand watching Ellie walk around and not being able to talk to her. Especially when he'd notice guys trying to talk to her... as they always did at Alex's parties if she was present, but it never bothered him then as it did now. It was odd, having things back the way they were just for her brother's sake, who he still hadn't even spoken with.

The entire party they'd just walk passed one another awkwardly and smile. He wasn't sure if Alex purposely neglected the topic because he felt too weird about it, as Matty had also...or if he just wanted Matty to be the first to bring it up...

Ellie came his way, smirking and winking at him as she made her way pass. He couldn't help but smile, holding his cigarette between his lips as his back leaned against the wall coolly. He looked around, seeing no one who paid enough attention as he grabbed her bum playfully while she passed.

He could hear her laughing as she continued on her way. He spotted Holly from afar, talking with Alex. He wondered what it was all about, it wouldn't possibly be fair if those two hit it off while he and Ellie would still have to continue in secret...but they'd already planned to tell.

He studied how intrigued Alex was with their conversation. Giving him enough time to follow Ellie into the kitchen, away from the noise of the party. Ellie watched him as she sipped on a beer, leaning against the counter.

"Hey." He said through exhalation of smoke.

"Hey." She smiled.

"How many numbers have you gotten tonight?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes, "how about you?"

He closed his eyes with a sarcastic grin, "you know I've had my back against that fucking wall all night."

She laughed softly, "I know...I haven't gotten any, I don't want any. I'm just waiting for this to be over so I can be with you." She said quietly.

Alex came rushing into the kitchen, pulling Matty by the back of his jacket and swinging him around, "YOU FUCKING PRICK YOU'VE BEEN SLEEPING AROUND WITH MY SISTER?!"

Ellie stood up straight, immediately, seeing Holly close behind him. She couldn't have ratted her out, she wouldn't...they were best friends...they'd just made up...and she trusted her.

"ALEX TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF ME! I CAN EXPLAIN!" At Matty's attempt to push him off a crowd swarmed around them like a hive of honeybees.

Alex threw a punch at Matty's face, decking him right in the nose. He held onto it as blood oozed between his fingers and down his hand.

"ALEX STOP!" Ellie came between the two, grabbing Alex by the arms as he went for more.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM?! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS SHIT?! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY FRIEND!"

"ALEX PLEASE! JUST LET US TALK IT OUT-" She said.

"GO TO YOUR ROOM ELLIE!" He shouted.

She looked up at him, breathing heavily as Ross pushed his way through the crowd, helping her break them up...Matty still holding onto his nose.

"Alex you are not dad." She said slowly, she'd never seen him so angry in her entire life...nor had he ever spoken to her so harshly before. "Holly, I can't believe you...don't you ever talk to me again." She pushed her way passed her and the rest of the people around, running up to her bedroom and slamming the door.