The Art of Living

[44] My Hair?

When Ellie and Brian returned to Lynn's living room, there were two people more there. Charlotte and Sophia, Ellie remembered them. She remembered them as two girls who didn't seem to like her very much. She took a deep breath, holding Brian's hand tightly. She was starting to really like the reassurance.

"They have to be the two girls Lynn mentioned. What were their names again?"

"Charlotte and Sophia.." Ellie didn't sound too happy when she told him that.

Brian being Brian of course noticed that and leaned down a little so he could talk more quietly. "Do you not like them?"

"They weren't particularly nice to me the last time we met." Ellie was a little surprised that he noticed that just by how she was talking. But at the same time it wasn't all that surprising because Brian seemed to really mean it when he said that he cared.

Brian nodded a little. "It's okay, just don't pay that much attention to them. You can just talk to me. You don't have to talk to them if you don't want to."

"I should still say hello. And I can introduce you because they don't know you.. right?" She looked up at him, a small smile on her face. She just couldn't help herself but smile when she looked at him.

"Right, that sounds good." Brian nodded and smiled back at her.

Ellie took a deep breath and walked over to the dining table, where Charlotte and Sophia were sitting, talking among themselves. Holding Brian's hand tightly, she cleared her throat a little. "Hi.. I just wanted to say hello, and see how you two have been. It's nice to see you again." She smiled at him, leaning against Brian a little.

Both Charlotte and Sophia looked up, obviously surprised to see Ellie standing in front of them. And even more surprised to see her holding a guy's hand, because both of them very well remembered the last time they had met Ellie. She had ended up telling Lynn all about the last guy she had been with and they had listened, only to add some nasty remarks to the conversation. Nasty remarks that Ellie had pretended didn't matter, didn't get to her, even though they actually dragged her mood down quite a lot.

"Hello.. We've been good," Charlotte said.

Ellie took a deep breath, trying not to let the coolness affect her. "That's good to hear. Uh, Brian said that he hasn't met you before, so.. this is Brian, he's the guitarist of the band."

"And one of your one night stands?" Sophia said snarkily.

Ellie sighed a little. "No. He's not. Not that that's any of your business but he's not."

"Because we all heard you are capable of relationships," Sophia added, before Charlotte nudged her side and told her to just leave it.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Why do I even bother? You're just jealous that guys line up to be with me, that's something you can only dream of.. Not surprising though.." She let her eyes wander over them with a heavy sigh, exaggerating on purpose. "Right, have fun tonight, try not to turn too green with jealousy. C'mon, Brian.." She walked away, Brian following behind her.

When they were back in the couch area, a few metres from the dining table, Brian spoke up quietly. "They're not very nice.. are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine.. Don't worry. I have you." Ellie smiled at him, not quite as genuinely as she wanted him to believe. She wasn't sure he believed that, but he still nodded.

"Okay. We don't have to stay long if you don't want to, I'm just here because you're here."

Ellie's smile turned a little more genuine and she nodded. "Okay.. I'm just here because I didn't know those two would be here, and then Greg and Thomas are coming and.. yeah.. I'm just here for Lynn and Mary." She looked at where her friends were, Lynn was on her way over to Sophia and Charlotte, and Mary was sitting on the couch, next to Freddie. Ellie didn't really want to disturb them, because they were lost in a conversation with each other and didn't seem like they wanted someone to join them.