A & E

A&E

I knocked on Ella’s front door. As I’d already discovered, she had no doorbell. Her Mum answered it.
“Hello. Ella’s upstairs. You know where her room is don’t you?”
I smiled politely as I always did with adults.
“Of course Sue. Thank you. I’ll make my way up.”
She smiled back at me and followed me through to the kitchen. She stopped there but I carried on, through the large utility room and up the back set of stairs to Ella’s room and dance studio. Everyone was in the mirrored room, as we all called it. This is because, being a dance studio, it had one very large mirror at the far end of the space. Without it, it wasn’t really a dance studio, just another room.
Frankie, Cameron and Emily were already there. They all put their arms out for a hug. I went over to Frankie first, then Emily and then Cameron. Finally I went over to Ella giving her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek before I handed over my present to her.
She opened it. Then her arms were around me giving me another huge hug.
“Oh April! I love it! And the little charm ballet shoes! It’s so me.”
I had given her a small brown bracelet with a ballet shoe charm on it. I’d thought it was pretty, and everyone loved Thomas Sabo, so why not?
“Ella!” Sue called up the stairs from the kitchen, “Harry’s here!”
Ella jumped up at this. She rushed down the stairs, with everyone following.
Great. Harry’s here.
“Harry!” Ella ran into his arms and gave him a quick kiss before stepping back, embarrassed, to let him greet the rest of us.
“Hi Harry.” I said to him, whilst giving him a long hug. I knew he was with Ella, but I hugged him for a long time anyway, savoring something that we once had.
“Hi April. How are you?” he asked.
“I’m alright, yeah. Okay.” I replied hazily, “You? You and Ella still going strong?”
“Yeah, everything’s pretty good at the moment between us. She’s forgiven me for...” He looked at me. We both knew what the unfinished sentence finished with.
“Oh good. Good.”
“Harry!” Frankie shouted.
“Harry.” Another voice said.
“Hi Ethan.” Harry replied.
“So, if you want, you can come upstairs…”
“Get it!” Harry shouted.
“Funny. Anyway, if you want to that’s fine. I’m playing C.O.D so I don’t mind if you want to play as well. I’ll be upstairs.” He retreated back to his room.
Ella looked at us all, anticipating what everyone was about to do next.
“Why don’t we all go upstairs?” Frankie said.
“Yeah. It’s more…sociable.” Emily added.
“Okay. I’m fine with that. Ella?” Cameron replied.
“Guys. He’s my older brother. Please. If you’re going to do this, just, be a bit more subtle.” Ella said, only half joking.
“I agree.” I said, not joking at all.
“Okay,” Frankie replied diplomatically, “We’ll go upstairs, and you guys can go do…whatever it is you want to do. Right?”
I knew what Ella was going to say, even before Frankie had finished.
“Lets go upstairs then.” I was sure I could hear a hint of defeat in her voice.
Before any of us could move, there was another knock on the door.
“Michael!” Frankie, Emily, Ella and Cameron shouted in unison. For some reason, they all loved him. Maybe I would have aswell, if I hadn’t known him since I was four years old.
“Girls!” he said in a fake girly voice, “Where’s Harry?”
“Here.” a voice said from the kitchen.
“We were all just about to go up to Ethan’s room to play on the PS3`. You coming?”
Michael looked at Ella like she was insane.
“Yes.” is all he said, before walking briskly up the stairs to Ethan’s room.
“Hey Ella? I’m just going to go to your room for a minute. A bit of quiet. Is that okay?
She nodded, before following the other girls upstairs. Just as they left, there was another knock on the door.
“God. How many people are coming today?”
“Get it?” a voice said behind me. I jumped.
“Harry! You scared me! Don’t ever do that again.” I tried to say it forcefully, but I was trying to hold back laughter at the same time, so it didn’t really work.
“Everyone’s upstairs, and I’ve got to open the door so.”
I turned to open the door, but he grabbed my wrist.
“April,” he said, “We’ve got to talk. Soon.”
I looked at him, “I know Harry. But now isn’t the right time. Maybe later when everyone’s gone to sleep and no one can interrupt. But right now, you’ve got a girlfriend upstairs who is probably wondering where you are. So go.” I told him.
He let go of my wrist and I opened the door.
“Rose. Jenny. Hi. Everyone’s in Ethan’s room so upstairs and first door on the right.” I said to them.
“Thanks.” Jenny replied, smiling warmly at me before following my directions. I finally left the hall, and walked quickly to Ella’s room.
I sat down, and turned on the voice recorder on my phone. Then, I sang. I sang randomly, just a song that I knew came from the heart. I wasn’t controlling it, it just…happened.
I was so involved in the song, that I didn’t notice anyone was there, until I heard clapping behind me.
Shit.
I turned around. And who was it, but Harry.
“What are you doing?” I asked him.
“We have to talk.” he replied.
“Not now.” I said firmly.
“The limo bus is here!” Sue shouted from downstairs.
I stood up, put my phone in my bag, and walked downstairs.
Harry didn’t follow me.