Backstage Girl

09 | thinking outside the bach's

Ella couldn't believe Rory had remembered.

She cut into her spanakopita, drinking in the opulence of The Pegasi. Other than the restaurant they went to in Los Angeles, it was the nicest place she'd ever been; bunches of manicured greenery dangled down from the ceiling, and all of the white napkins were crisp and ironed. The air smelled like olive oil and freshly cooked bread.

Ella was in heaven.

She looked across the table at where her brother was chowing down on his pork souvlaki with just a little too much enthusiasm.

He must have been planning this for ages, the sneaky liar.

"You didn't have to do this, you know," Ella told him. "We could have gone to Chipotle."

"This is better," Rory said.

"And you were out with Vienna."

"She wasn't feeling well, anyways."

"Still." Ella leaned forward, spearing some of his souvlaki. "Thank-you, Ror."

She popped it into her mouth, savouring the taste of tangy tzatziki. God, Greek food was good. The only thing that could make it better was if Max—

Ella stopped that thought.

No.

Immediately, Ella felt guilty; she was enjoying a nice birthday lunch with her brother. Why the hell was she thinking about Max?

Unfortunately, Rory's next topic of conversation wasn't much better.

"So," he said. "University."

Ella almost choked on the pork. "Oh, no," she groaned. "Do we have to do this? Right now?"

"You can't put it off forever," Rory pointed out.

If Ella was Louise, she would tell Rory to shove it and stab at her pork mutinously until he gave up trying. As it was, Ella merely took a delicate sip of water.

"There's nothing to discuss," she said, as firmly as she could. "I don't want to go back to business school, Rory. I mean it."

"Then what do you want to do?"

Her grip tightened on her knife. Instinctively, Ella wanted to lie to him — to tell Rory that she didn't know, or invent a burgeoning interest in marine biology — but then she thought of Max's face when he overheard her singing in the shower.

What was it he said?

You're incredibly talented, Ella. I wish you'd realize it.

"Do you remember our first talent show?" Ella asked abruptly. "The one we did in sixth grade in front of the whole school?"

Rory blinked. "I—yes. Why?"

"You performed a Luke Bryan song," she said, ignoring him. "You wore those cowboy boots and everything, remember?"

"And a hat," Rory added, grinning. "God, I was terrible at guitar."

"And me?" Ella prompted. "Do you remember what I did?"

Rory screwed up his face. And even though Ella had expected it — even though she knew that he wouldn't remember — it still felt like a blow. Of course he didn't remember her questionable rendition of "Roar" by Katy Perry on the violin. Of course he didn't remember that she had spent nights painstakingly practicing the lyrics, working so hard to get it right.

"It was Katy Perry," she prompted. "A recent one."

Rory frowned. "Elle, is there some reason you're bringing this up?"