Third In Line

Chapter Fifty Seven - The Runaway Returns

"Doyouwanttocomebacktotheparty?" Ellie blurted out. She could feel her cheeks going red.

"What?" Scarlett asked, also blushing.

"Do you... want... to come back to my party? It's probably time for the cake..." Ellie stared down at Scarlett's feet. "It's probably quieter now, all the posh people might've gone home."

"You mean, back at your mansion? A party?" Scarlett sounded reluctant.

It's not really a mansion. Well. It's... a large house. "Yeah, it'll be fun."

"Maybe that's not the best..." Scarlett trailed off, looking down at herself. The band tee and ripped jeans probably wouldn't fit the dress code.

Ellie could tell what she was thinking. She linked her arm with Scarlett before she could think about going home alone. "It's fine, you look great."

"Are you sure?" Scarlett asked her. "I'm not sure..."

Ellie felt odd, like their roles had reversed. Scarlett was now the nervous and uncertain one, whilst Ellie was the leader, dragging her along. Weird how much difference a bit of makeup and styling could make.

Scarlett yanked her back hard, bringing both of them to a sudden stop. Ellie was surprised at how pushy she was being. She had made a new friend, and she wanted to bring her to a big party, with lots of food, so they could hang out even more.

And Scarlett lives in a tiny flat with a bunch of dirty people, surely she wants this?

"What's wrong?" Ellie asked her.

"I'm just not so sure it's a good idea." Scarlett played with her hair and avoided looking Ellie in the eyes.

"It'll be fine, I promise. I just want to hang out with you, if anyone has a problem we can tell them to go away, okay?" Ellie reassured her.

Scarlett smiled at her, her face brightening up. "What have I created? Did I fuck up the succession plan already?"

"Shutup." Ellie yanked her back by the arm and they were on their way. Back through the grass, towards the river.

They passed by a dozen or so guests from the party who had gone for leisurely strolls along the river. Some gave her strange looks, probably due to her dress. If it wasn't for that last remnant of the party she probably wouldn't have been recognised.

Nobody stopped them, instead just giving Ellie a double take to make sure it was her. The makeup and hair seemed to be throwing everyone off. It definitely wasn't ordinary princess style. She felt like a girl doing a poor impersonation of a princess, one who didn't understand the rules that dictated their appearance.

She didn't care. With Scarlett by her side she felt relaxed, like she could be Ellie, but be her own version of Ellie. A version that she could be proud of.

They reached the edge of the forest where she had run through hours before and started making their way back through, following the path of crushed grass that had clearly become a popular route for escaping the party. Scarlett kept slowing down, hit by waves of anxiety as they steadily got closer to the house and could hear the voices of hundreds of people up ahead.

It wasn't quieter. If anything it was louder than before. Nobody had gone home just yet. Scarlett froze.

"Ellie, it's pretty busy."

"It's.... it's fine! Please stay." Ellie almost begged her, taking the moment to slip her heels back on.

"We can leave when we want?" Scarlett asked. It was more like a statement.

Her hair suddenly didn't feel so cool. It felt massive and uncomfortable. She imagined her eyes being even worse, black circles that covered her whole forehead, overdone to the extreme.

"I can't go in there alone, not like this." Ellie held onto Scarlett's arm, desperately patting her hair down. "Please, for me?"

Scarlett groaned, flinging her head back and finally relenting. "Fine, okay, fine. Let's do it."

"Eleanor! Where have you been!" Anna's voice shouted down at them. She'd heard them talking and was marching ominously towards them, but then she froze. Scarlett froze, Ellie froze.

"Abby?" Anna whispered.

"What?" Ellie asked, stunned. Her hold on Scarlett's arm vanished. The girl next to her slipped away in an instant. Ellie span around and saw Scarlett sprinting away, expertly leaping over tree branches and roots, not stopping to look back even once. She disappeared into the woods like some sort of mythical creature, leaving Ellie shaking. Ellie hugged herself, trying to contain the shock.

"That was..." Ellie struggled to use her words.

"What were you... she..." Anna couldn't use her words either.

Anna looked like she was about to run after Scarlett, there was a longing look in Anna's eyes that stared at the last spot she'd seen her.

"Never mind! We have to get you back to the party." Anna gripped her shoulders and turned her around, marching her back towards the garden. She did her best to push down Ellie's hair as they moved, tutting and repeatedly asking what Ellie had done to herself. She wouldn't stop talking, preventing Ellie from getting a word in about what just happened. Her support was now gone, she felt like everyone was against her, even Anna. Was Scarlett even real?

Now Ellie was the one who didn't want to move, her feet turning to concrete. Anna led her through the maze of hedges and back into the thick of the party guests, all of whom split apart to let her through to the centre of the garden where the cake had been set up. Her family had all gathered around the massive cake, set up on top of a large round table.

Everyone was looking at her, all the guests and staff, all waiting. She spotted Taylor again, winking at her and giving her a sort of proud smile. They were all proud, appraising her. Nobody paid any attention to the makeup or the hair, or the state of her dress.

Ellie was still in shock, floating along through the whole event, guided by the hand by her parents. They brought her close to the cake, put a large knife in her hand and helped her cut the first slice. Everyone around them cheered, cameras were flashing, everyone smiling, laughing. Her family all around her, Alex hugging her side, the twins hugging her legs, their parents looming above them, cheering her on and shouting.

"Happy birthday Ellie!"

That was Viola's granddaughter.