𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 | Tom Holland

5

I doubted it.

A small, shy maid opened the door after I had knocked on it a few times, and she blushed when she saw me.

"E-Ellie's in her room, just up the stairs to the very top and to the right." she stuttered quietly.

I nodded and entered the house. A strong wave of warmth overcame me as I took off my shoes and my coat. I looked up at the many flights of stairs and made my way up them.

There were at least 4 different floors with long corridors stretched on either side of the stairs, probably filled with hundreds of rooms.

When I finally reached the top floor, I looked towards the right. It was the first time I had ever been in her house, and the thought of getting lost in it frightened me.

My feet padded against the white carpet floor softly, and as I approached the start of the corridor I breathed deeply. There were tons of doors, and I had no idea which one was her room.

I guessed she had a sign on her door like most teenage girls have, and soon I spotted a bright sign saying 'Ellie's room' at the very end of the hallway.

I knocked on it gently before opening it slightly and sneaking my head through the small crack. Her room was probably double the size of my living room, and it even had a small flight of steps at the corner of the room, leading to who god knows where. It was mostly pink and white, and it contained a few beanbag seats with a big couch on one end of the room and a huge tv on the other. She had a massive kingsized bed with fairy lights decorating the header.

"Ellie?" I called.

"Who is it?!" yelled a frightened voice. I suddenly realised that there was a splashing of water sound coming from a door at the far end of the enormous room.

"It's me, Tom" I entered the room and closed the door behind me.

"Your early!" she screeched from behind the door, "I'm having a shower!"

"Oh, sorry, I can come back in half an hour" I mumbled, scratching the back of my neck embarrassingly, and turning back to the door.

"You can't leave now that your here" she groaned, and I heard the water stop. I waited for a few moments before she stepped out from behind the door, a towel wrapped around her and her hair dripping wet.

"I don't need to be here Ellie, I can leave-"

"Just stay!" she interrupted, annoyed. "So what should we start with?" Her tone had completely changed, but it didn't seem fake to me at the time. I was just slightly overwhelmed by seeing her in a towel.

"Don't you want to change first?" I asked awkwardly.

"No, no it's fine." she went to her bed and sat down, patting the sheets next to her, inviting me to sit down.

She was treating me differently, and for the first time, I actually liked her. She was talking to me normally, not in a disgusted voice.

She actually looked at me.

Something inside me set alight, and I suddenly felt comfortable. So this was what it felt like to be friends with Ellie Andrews.

"I'll go get my laptop, just wait a two seconds" she got up and smiled at me warmly, and I started to feel butterflies swarming around in my stomach. I was so excited and happy to finally be able to speak to her.

Sam was so lucky.

"Here it is" she mumbled to herself as she lifted a few clothes that were scrawled across the floor. As she bent over, her cleavage was revealed slightly, so I looked away.

I didn't look at her like that.

I couldn't.

As she came back to the bed and sat down, I realised how pretty she was. Her blue eyes were sparkling and bright, not the usual cold and sharpness that I saw every day. Her lips were plump and pale pink, and they pulled into a wide, beautiful smile.

"I really don't know what to do, because to be honest, I don't pay any attention in English" she giggled cutely as she opened up PowerPoint on her laptop. I laughed a little too.

"It's alright, that's what you've got me for." I took the laptop from her and started to search up information on the play.

"I really want to do well on this project, Tom" she muttered.

I gulped.

She had actually said my name.

"I mean, it's half of our grade, and I think we can work really hard together" she leaned back on her arms and pulled a strand of hair that was falling over her face behind her small ear.

"Yeah" I agreed as I quickly scanned over the script of the play.

"What scene should we do to act out?" I asked her.

"Hmm..." she came back up and rested her head gently on my shoulder to see the computer screen.

"Let's do this scene" She pointed to the scene where Romeo and Juliet kiss.

I swallowed hard again.

"Are you sure? Will Dan be okay with it?" I asked nervously.

"Oh yeah, of course he won't mind! It's for our grade right?" she replied nonchalantly, and removed her head from my shoulder.

"So when can we meet up? Friday after school? It's the only day I can do." I lied. I was free every day, but she probably wasn't.

"Oh, no, sorry, I have a date with Dan" she said.

"But we can do it really quickly! We don't even have to practise the kiss, not at all, just the acting bit before it" I pleaded.

"Ugh, okay fine." she gave in, rolling her eyes slightly.

"Oh and, one thing, Laura is coming over for a sleepover tonight, and I have a party tomorrow, so I won't be able to do the PowerPoint with you." She looked at me, concerned, whilst biting her lip.

I couldn't disappoint her.

Especially when she had accepted me as her friend.

"Oh okay, no problem, I'll do it!" I quickly added before closing the laptop, "I'll do it on my laptop"

"Thank you!" she flung her arms around me and pulled away before it became awkward.

"I better get going now anyway." I mumbled as I got up from the bed.

"Oh yeah, sure. Bye!" she waved at me a little as I slipped out of the door.

As I turned around, I bumped into someone.

"Hey, watch where your going!" a girl protested. I found myself face to face with Laura, and stepped out of her way as she looked at me, disgusted.

As I walked down the corridor, I heard Laura's faded voice proclaim.

"What the hell was Tom doing here?!" Then Ellie replied, "It's just a stupid project, don't worry, nothing's going to change."