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We play for hours as I jot down the melodies and lyrics that we come up with in my notebook, erasing and fine-tuning until we’re satisfied. My stupid hand is throbbing and protesting the repetitive movements as it skims over the neck of the guitar, creating the only thing that brings me happiness in this pitiful excuse for a life.
The only thing until I met the gorgeous Ellie Palmer.
4
Ellie
Adam and I haven’t said a single word to each other since he beat up Callum three weeks ago. At first, it was too embarrassing to face him after letting myself get into that situation. Then, when he didn’t say anything about it, I decided it must be because I foolishly kissed him, and he didn’t want to lead me on. I mean, clearly, he’s not interested.
He’s so good looking that he can have any girl in the school. I mean, I’ve seen girls approaching him and heard the gossip. He probably has had every girl in the school. Except me, and that’s what hurts the most, the outright lack of interest on his part.
Would I allow myself to be one of his conquests? I’m not sure. Certainly he’s used to girls with more experience than me, which is none. But getting to be that close to him, kissing and touching, well, it has me seriously considering it even though the idea is just mental.
It’s been difficult, making a conscious decision to not stare at him every chance I get even though my body seems to know where he is at all times. It practically vibrates whenever he’s nearby, like there’s an electric charge between us. That’s stupid though, I’m sure he’s already forgotten about the idiot girl who walks through an abandoned lot with a boy she doesn’t know.
“Ellie!” I turn from my open locker to find my new best friend Kate barreling down the hall towards me, fully kitted out in her footy uniform, cleats and all.
“What? Why are you running?” I take in her disheveled appearance, her cheeks red and her breathing rapid and strained.
Kate has been my best, and really my only friend since starting at this school. Tall and athletic, with shoulder-length brown hair, she has the unfortunate fate of living in the same shoddy building as me. She’s lucky though. Not only does our school have one of the only girl’s football teams in the area, but she’s so talented that she’ll most likely get a very rare scholarship to play football for an American university. That means no more crappy council flat for her after this year.
She also tends to be a bit on the dramatic side.
“Good, you haven’t left yet,” she huffs, her chest heaving from the exertion.
I eye her suspiciously, “Aren’t you supposed to be a top athlete? Why are you all out of breath?”
Kate laughs, her high ponytail swinging behind her, brightening the dingy hallway enough to make me forget how dreadful it is here. “I ran all the way from the outdoor football pitch. I’m supposed to be at practice, but I wanted to catch you first. A few girls on the team were talking and said they’re going out tonight to see a new band that they heard is pretty hot. Come with us.” She smiles hopefully, waiting for my response.
“Awww, c’mon Kate. You know I’m not much for socializing.” Especially since I’m too afraid to leave my flat for anything but school, and never after dark. Not after what happened in that yard.
It feels as if Callum is just waiting for the right moment to attack me again, like a predator stalking its prey. He’s watching for a weak moment to get his revenge for the broken nose and ribs that Adam gave him and the complete beat down that Ryan got from Dax. Honestly, I think the only reason they’ve left me alone so far is to make me a nervous wreck from the anticipation.
“Don’t start with the whinging, Ellie. I’ll see you at eight and we’ll go together with all the girls. It’ll be fun!” Before I can protest, Kate spins on her heel and leaves me standing in front of my locker with my mouth hanging open.
Just great.
* * *
“Oh my God, pick one, Ellie! It’s not a fashion show, it’s a seedy pub. You know, beer on the floor, greasy finger foods, drunk people everywhere. You could wear a ratty shirt and trousers and no one would care.” Kate is sitting on the edge of my bed, waiting for me to figure out what to wear.
I shoot daggers at her. “No one will care what I wear, huh? Then maybe I don’t have to go,” I sniff as I chew on my tattered thumbnail.
Her expression goes from impatient to soft in a heartbeat. “You know what I mean. It’s going to be dark in there. You’re absolutely gorgeous no matter what, so just throw something on. The girls aren’t going to wait forever for us.”
Standing, she grabs a silver shirt and a pair of tight, dark wash jeans off of the bed and throws them in my direction. “Here, wear this. It’s perfect.”
I catch the clothes and sigh, pulling them on and straightening them out until they fit correctly. “Fine.” Pouting, I check my hair one last time in the tiny mirror on the door of my wardrobe before shoving my feet into a pair of shoes. “Let’s go.”
As we leave the building and start the long walk to the tube station, I wonder why the hell I agreed to this.
* * *
“This is the place?” I ask Kate, my nose wrinkled up in disgust. We’ve managed to get inside after waiting in a pretty long queue. One of Kate’s teammates brought us some pints.
Kate slides me a frustrated glare. “Don’t judge, El. The DK is one of the best pubs to catch a live act. They have all the great bands and loads of them end up huge someday.”
“I’ve heard that they’re gorgeous,” an exotic looking raven-haired girl named Tasha says. “Maybe one of us can manage to chat one up.” She giggles rid
