Supine 'til Aurora • Dan Howell

• Chapter 11 •

Out the corner of my eye, I saw Oliver pull his phone out his pocket, and click onto Snapchat, holding the screen and bringing the filters up.

Raising an eyebrow at him, I adjusted my position in my seat, and turned to face him as he held the phone up.

With the dog filter activated, we both pouted, then opened out mouths revealing the dog tongue, and then both smiled, then pulled a face. We always loved taking pictures together and we had a ridiculous amount of them.

Switching to one of the many flower crown filters, I pulled a fish face, and he stuck his tongue out, rolling his eyes into the back of his head.

"Oh my gosh." I whispered, smiling at the humorous image on the screen. "I love that. Please send it to me."

○○○

"Ah. Home sweet home." Oliver sing-songed as he leaped into the cab we hailed, bashing his head on the door.

Laughing at his clumsiness, I got in after him, giving the cab driver directions to Oliver's grandma's house, or Dee, as she continuously tells me to call her. We always went there first to cut costs as it was closer, and then she would drive me to my brother's apartment.

On the drive there, I took the opportunity to message Dan and let him know I'd landed safely.

Hello we've landed,
and we're going to
Oliver's grandma's
house and then my
brothers apartment.

great!
cant wait to meet up

My stomach fluttered slightly, though I ignored it, and continued to text him throughout the rest of the cab ride, feeling too awkward around the cab driver to talk to Oliver much.

Pulling up outside Dee's house, we got out, paying the driver on the way, as yanked our suitcases out the trunk of the car. Driving off in a whirl of dusk and grit, we were left just outside of the massive white house.
Oliver ran up the front steps, two at a time, and pressed the buzzer.

Pulling my suitcase up the thin steps, the door burst open as I reached the top. Dee stood there, her porcelain skin a heavy contrast with her deep black blazer and skirt, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Oliver!" She shrieked, throwing her arms open ready for embrace.

"Grandma!" Oliver exclaimed back, slightly less enthusiastic than her, but I could tell he was trying. He threw himself into her arms and rested his head on hers.

As they broke apart, she caught my eye with her pale blue ones, and a wide smile spread across her rouged cheeks.

"Ava, it's wonderful to see you again, my love." Smiling, she hugged me as well.

"It's lovely to see you too, Mrs Antoine."

"Ava, please, call me Dee. I've said it so many times." She chuckled, slipping her hand into her pocket and pulling out her silver car key. "Would you like to head off now?"

"Yeah sure." I smiled, taking hold of my suitcase again.

"Oliver, if you head up to the top floor there's some carrot cake for you. Just mind your head; there's a bucket of jelly above the door."

Oliver fronted in confusion slightly, farrowing his eyebrows but clearly deciding not to question her, before giving me a tight hug.

"It was lovely spending Christmas with you again, Ava. Keep me posted on Dan, okay?"

Glaring for a second, I said my goodbyes and began to make my way down the stairs.

"See you on New Years eve for the party! Oliver called after me as I got in Dee's Rolls Royce, my mind suddenly swamped with memories as Dee put the keys in and the car leapt to life; I had completely forgotten about the New Years party we have on the night of New Years. We invite everyone we know in the city, from Dee's work colleagues, to Oliver's cousins, to my brothers. It was an annual event that everyone looked forward to; always held at Dee's mansion, and we always count down to the new year.

Oliver had always loved it, and I couldn't blame him - I was shocked I had forgotten.

As the conversation in the car turned from small talk to possible future jobs, I began to wonder whether or not I should invite Dan and Phil, atleast until Dee had sprung some unexpected news on me.

"Ava. I've been told you want to go into Photography or Design somewhere?" Dee asked me, breaking me from my thoughts.

I hummed, "Oh. Yes."

"Well. There's an independent company connected to me that do photoshoots for bigger companies, so they get together with models and design costumes, sets; you get the idea - and then produce photos to sell to companies. Well let me think.... I know they've done some for Vogue."

Sitting there, overwhelmed, I couldn't really find any words.

"Brilliant company. Never produced a bad photo in their lives. Anyway, I'm friends with a high up there, and they mentioned they're looking to hire. They asked if I knew anyone, or had any recommendations. I was wondering if you wanted an interview?"

○○○

"And she said she'd get me an interview for the 4th!" I exclaimed, laying back on the sofa in my brothers living room.

"Thats great, Ava." Ashton smiled at me, warmly, picking his book back up and scanning across the page. "I knew you'd end up in a job like that." He grinned, looking up at me again.

"Besides that and the New Years party, do you have any other plans?"

"Yeah, I'm going to get together with with a friend of mine."

"Who is she?"

"He." I corrected, "and just someone I met a few months ago."

Ashton raised his eyebrows, and Alex finally looked up from his phone.

"What?" Frowning, I looked from one brother to the other, both of them wearing a stern poker face.

"A guy?" Alex interjected.

"Yes?" Frowning at him slightly. I knew where he was taking this.

"Are you dating?"

"No. Of course not. We're friends." I moaned, pulling at my jumper sleeve.

Ashton hummed at me, his eyes rolling as he looked over at Alex who was smirking.

"Shut up." I mumbled.

"We didn't say anything." Ashton smiled, "yet..."

________

so here we are ava is in London and things are about to get even more exciting.