Hey, you

Chapter 9 - You, me and Joe makes three

Ellie didn't think much of her chicken baguette. Surely there was something a little more exciting to eat in the airport VIP lounge? She kicked back into the large armchair and began typing a message to Will on her phone;

'Just waiting to board, can't wait to see you tonight... I've missed you so much! X'

Ellie couldn't wait to be back in L.A. It had been a long trip and she was ready to go home, to see Daisy and Tom. Also she was excited to take some well-earned time off over the holidays. It was her favourite time of year, despite it being around Christmas when her Mom had left them, three years ago. But this year, she could focus on spending some quality time with Will. It was going to be nice, not to have to fit in seeing him around her busy schedule.

Ellie's phone buzzed in her hands, 'Have a great flight, stay safe. I love you xx' read Will's reply. She couldn't help but smile and slightly blush. Reading those three words coming from Will meant the world to her. It made her feel so happy, that amorous feeling when everything feels new and exciting. She couldn't wait to be in his arms again, she wanted to spend every day with him, to the point where her work came as quite the inconvenience.

The voiceover in the airport instructed that it was now time for Ellie's flight to board. She leaped to her feet and put her arms around her Dad's large belly, as they proceeded to the gate. It took Arthur by surprise. Ellie was never usually this loving towards him. He found it rather unusual, yet he wasn't complaining.

'What was that for?' he said, slightly awkwardly as he struggled to figure out whether or not to hug her back.

'Just because...' replied Ellie.

Arthur was still rather baffled by her sudden affection, but it was a welcomed development in his otherwise difficult relationship with his daughter...

***

The sound of crackling and popping from the stove of Will's apartment was getting rapid. Will quickly dashed to the kitchen from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, and another in his hand which he'd been using to dry his wavy dark hair that was still soaking wet. He quickly switched off the stove and placed the popcorn in a bowl before running back towards the bedroom to get changed.

Ellie's arrival was imminent and Will wanted the evening to be perfect. Their first boyfriend/girlfriend movie night. He quickly jumped into a pair of black jeans whilst putting a half-buttoned up shirt over his head, struggling to pull it over his back due to him still being damp from the shower.

A knock on the door sent Will running back down the hallway and towards the kitchen again, almost diving to the main door to the apartment and removing the latch.

Will casually opened the door, trying to make out that he hadn't been running around the apartment like somebody possessed for the past half hour.

'Hey...' his eyes widened in horror, '...Joe?!'

Joe was stood at Will's door, looking slightly drunk and still wearing his work apron which had mustard slurped down it, 'Mellissa kicked me out again,' he said, pathetically weeping. It had been the third time that week he'd paid a drunken visit to Will's apartment.

'Okay, that's really sad man but I'm actually quite busy right now and...'

'Can I crash here tonight? I've got nowhere else to go, and it's freezing outside,'

'I mean, can't you go to a motel or something? It's just really not a good time...' begged Will, looking down the hallway to see if Ellie had arrived yet.

'Wait, what's going on??' Joe was also now peering down the hallway to see who or what Will was looking for. 'You gotta girl coming haven't ya?' slurred Joe as he continued to drink the bottle of beer, occasionally missing his mouth as it began running down either side of his chin.