The Art of Living

[25] It Was Good to See You Back

The next day wasn't really spectacular. Even though the morning was interesting. Because Ellie woke up surprisingly early, she glanced at the clock and saw that it wasn't even nine. And since it was Sunday, Ellie didn't bother getting up yet. She lay on her back and stared at the ceiling, before she got herself to turn her head and look at Brian. He was still asleep, very obviously. And he looked adorable actually. His curls were messy, his mouth was opened slightly, and he was curled up a little so he would fit onto the short mattress.

With a small smile on her face, Ellie quietly sat up and reached for the book which she had placed on the side table for the night. But now, since she didn't want to get up yet, she wanted to continue reading it. She was curious about what she had started to read the night before. Maybe just because it was Brian's book, Brian's interest, but maybe also because it actually was interesting.

It was interesting, and while Ellie was reading, time flew by and before she knew it, she could perceive movement in the room. Ellie looked up from the book and saw Brian looking at her already. It was surprising how sneaky he could be. "Oh... hey.. morning," she said very quietly, closing the book. She kept a finger between the pages so she could continue reading if she got the chance.

"Morning," he replied with a small smile. "Are you actually reading that?"

"Uhm.." Ellie pushed some of her hair behind her ears and looked down at the book, shrugging. "Yeah.. I just ignore all the formulas and stuff. I don't read everything, just what makes sense to me.."

Brian sat up and opened the book again to have a look at what she was reading. "I told you it's interesting, didn't I?"

"Yeah.. You did.." Ellie smiled. "Did I wake you?"

Brian shook his head. "No, no you didn't, don't worry. But I'm sorry about waking you last night though."

"Oh don't worry, it's okay. I really hadn't been sleeping for long. And it was good to see you back."

Brian didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. His questioning expression said enough.

Ellie straightened up and looked at the book. "Uhm.. I mean.. You know... bad things happen to good people, so ... it was good to see you safe, back here.."

"Oh.. yes.." Brian smiled and nodded. "Of course that's what you meant.." He ran a hand through his curls, trying to make them less messy.

Slightly amused, Ellie watched him for a moment before she spoke up again. "Do you want to go into the kitchen so we don't wake those three?" She gestured to Freddie, Roger and Mike who were still sleeping.

Brian nodded and got up, stretching his long body.

Ellie watched him, unable not to get distracted. He was wearing a simple shirt and some shorts, which made his legs seem incredibly long. He went from looking adorable being asleep to very attractive being awake.

"You coming?" Brian's gentle voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Ellie nodded and quickly got up too, supporting herself on the wall. "Yes.. Yes, I'm coming.. Let's go." She waited for him to go ahead and followed him, trying not to step on any of their friends. He opened the door for her and let her go first. "Do you think we can just make breakfast? Will Sue and Pat be okay with that?"

"Oh definitely," Brian told her and went into the kitchen with her. "They'll be happy to see that we took care of ourselves."

Ellie nodded a little and filled the kettle before she started to boil water. "Okay.."

"Do think porridge will be fine as breakfast again?" Brian asked and got out a few things from various cupboards, he really seemed to know his way around their kitchen.

"I guess so," Ellie replied, shrugging a little. "Do you need help?"

"I'm fine, don't worry," Brian said, glancing at her with a small smile.

Ellie nodded. "Okay.. Uhm.. I'm gonna be right back then." She smiled a little before she went into the bathroom to get ready for the day. It was less awkward than standing around and not knowing what to say.

When she got out again, almost everybody else seemed to have gotten up, surprising Ellie a little. The kitchen was full with people, people who greeted her. Brian handed her a cup of tea and a bowl with porridge, giving her a smile. Ellie thanked him and sat on the chair that he offered her. He was being really nice and she simply appreciated it. She just thanked him and smiled at him, not making a big deal of it. And that surprised everyone, including Ellie and Brian.

They had a long breakfast, before they packed and made sure they really had everything, and then they said goodbye to Sue and Pat, before they returned to London. Five long hours in the car again. This time, after two days with the four guys, Ellie talked a bit more, just like all of them. The five hours passed much faster than the five hours on Friday had, and it was a huge relief for her.

When they got to London, Mike insisted to drop her off at her flat, because he didn't see the point of her having to take the bus and tube if they were driving anyway. Especially since it was Sunday and the busses weren't going as often anymore. Ellie had tried to convince him that wasn't necessary, but he insisted. Since he knew where she lived, she didn't have to navigate him, and soon Mike pulled up in front of the house the lived in.

"Thanks for a fun weekend, you guys. I really enjoyed it," she told them when the car was turned off for a moment. "So if you need a photographer again, you know where to find me." She smiled at them, not wanting to keep them longer than necessary. Brian got out - he had to after all since he was sitting between her and the door - and even helped her with her bags. "Bye, you guys, I'll see you around probably," she told them, waving at them. Then she did something else surprising. She gave Brian a quick hug, a very spontaneous action, before she went inside her house with her two bags.

It was good to be back in the familiarity, even though after such a weekend filled with action and people it was awfully quiet. When she had unpacked, she didn't quite know what to do. She considered calling Lynn or Mary, but after a bit of consideration she decided not to, because they would probably both be busy with their guys. Freddie hadn't actually said he would go to visit Mary, but it had become kind of apparent throughout the drive. And Ellie was happy for them. Even though it made she realised how alone she could be. Especially in contrast with the weekend she just had.

For a short moment she considered to go to a bar, to see if she could find something for the night. But somehow she didn't feel like it. Not because she was exhausted from the weekend, no, she could definitely have gone out, but she didn't want to. She didn't get excited by the idea of sleeping with some random guy, because in the end she would still be alone. Not for the night, but even more so the following day. And that meant she wasn't even surprised when she found herself wishing Brian would be there with her. She had enjoyed his company more than she ever thought she could during the past days. She found herself wishing that she had his number.

• • • • • •

So.. this is pretty short, I know that, but it's a very important chapter. Hopefully you were able to tell that too. It seems that Ellie finally is on the same page as everyone else.

What do you think will happen next? I'm really curious about what you think might happen. Don't be shy to leave a comment, I love reading your reactions! 💚

Thank you so much for reading, and I will try not to keep you waiting for too long with the next chapter 😊