The Summer We Changed

Chapter 3

"Are you mad at me?" I asked Adrian as we waited for mom to pick me up. I didn't get a chance to talk to him the entire day. 

"Yes," He answered. "I am. What did I say about focus last night? I don't think you want to come with me to Cambridge, Elena"

Elena!

Adrian never called me Elena until he was really mad. s**t! s**t!

"Ava was saying something," I murmured. 

"I don't think anything can be more important than your studies at the moment," He answered, bluntly.  

"She told me that Jenny Simpson asked you for the summer dance," I said. "Did she?" 

"Yes, she did," He answered, uninterested. "And?" 

"Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded and it came out a little forcefully then I wanted it to. 

"I forgot," He answered simply. "I was waiting to tell you later and then it escaped my mind. How did Ava knows" 

"The entire school knows, Adrian," I rolled my eyes. "What did you say?"

"No obviously," He answered with a nonchalant shrug "I promised you, didn't I?"

Yesssss! I knew it!

"Yes but er do you want to go with her?" I asked after a beat. 

Please say no!

"What do you mean?" He asked, looking down at me. "Jeez!" 

"What?" I frowned. Adrian rolled his eyes and went down on his knees, taking me by surprise. I looked down to see that my shoelaces have come undone. 

"Don't tell me you don't know how to tie your shoelaces,"  He said, artfully tying them like you a tie a ribbon. 

"Of course I do," I muttered, appalled. "Someone must have trod on them during the recess, I think,"  

"Where's your mind these days?" He asked, looking exasperated. "What were you saying?" 

"Oh, I was asking that do you want to go with Jenny Simspon?" I asked. "To the summer dance?"  

"Why would I?" He demanded, frowning at me. 

"I don't know," I shrugged. "She's the prettiest girl in school...you're the handsomest, it's obvious isn't it? Maybe you would want to go but because you have promised me you couldn't say yes? I don't want to stop you if that's the case,"  

"My! If you could just have used this much brain for your studies," He rolled his eyes and slapped me on the head. It was a habit of his. Whenever he was mad at me or just wanted to annoy me he would slap me on the head. "And who said Jenny Simpson is the prettiest?"

"Everybody says so," I muttered with a shrug.

"Everybody is stupid," He retorted. "You are the prettiest!"

"Okay, now you are downright lying. I don't like liars!" I muttered, looking away. 

"Why do you think you are not pretty?" He demanded, turning me so that I could face him. "Ellie you need to be confident! You are the prettiest, believe that. Yeah, a little tomboyish for sure but pretty nevertheless," 

"Really?" I whispered and he smiled at me encouragingly. 

"Of course," He nodded. "And why would you think that I am forced to go with you? Why would I go with anybody else but my best friend? Wait, is this why you were so bothered?" 

"Yes," I nodded sheepishly and Adrian rolled his eyes and slapped me on the head again, harder this time. 

"Ellie, you are and always will be my first priority," He said, looking very sincere. "So stop worrying about that, okay?' 

"Okay!" I smiled and gave him a quick hug. "Oh, there's mom!" 

"Ah, great enjoy your shopping!" He smiled. "I will see you tomorrow then,okay?"

"Okay!" I smiled. "Bye!" 

"Bye!" 

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"What kind of dress do you want, Ellie?" Mom inquired as we shuffled through London Designer Outlet, looking for the perfect dress.  

I wasn't a dressy person to be honest. I was more of an over-sized tees and hoodies and sneakers kind of person. Just as Adrian said, tomboyish. So as it would be, I was really wary about buying a dress for myself. What if it made me look like a boy? A boy with long hairs! The thought horrified me. 

"Mom, do you think we can even find a dress for me?" I demanded, feeling a little pale. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" She demanded, dragging me into a Guess outlet. 

"I don't know," I wailed. "Look at me, do I even look girly to you? What if I end up looking like a boy?" 

Mom stared at me for a beat, her face expressionless and then burst out laughing like I just told the most hilarious joke of the world.  

"Who told you that?" She demanded, controlling her hysteria. "Who is filling your head with such nonsense?" 

"I can look at myself, mom," I said, rolling my eyes. "Show me one piece of dressy clothing in my wardrobe!" 

"You should always wear what you are most comfortable in. If you are more comfortable in shorts and hoodies than dresses or skirts then that's perfectly alright. But that also doesn't mean that you will look like a boy in a dress," Mom smiled. "Hell, I spent half of my life in tees and denims. Whatever little dressy stuff I had that was the courtesy of your aunt Sydney,"  

"Aunt Sydney has a great fashion sense!" I grinned. 

Aunt Sid as we call her was my mother's best friend just like uncle Julian. In fact she was, some fourth or fifth cousin of uncle Ju but  still the three of them were very closed. She currently lived in New York with her husband and her daughter Alyssa, who was of my age and a very close friend. She was the exact opposite of my mother. While mom was softer and more reserved as a person, aunt Sid was savage and ruthless and an absolute sport. 

"Yes, that she  has," Mom nodded with a fond smile "Come on! Let's find you the perfect dress," 

We shuffled around looking from aisle to aisle but somehow we just couldn't find the dress!

"Mom, it's not my wedding!" I groaned. "Let's just grab something and head to the food court! I am famished!" 

"No, we have to get you the right dress!" Mom said determinedly. "Did you forgot Jessica's summer dance dress? How stunning was that!" 

"That was Jess mom," I muttered. "She look good in everything anyway," 

"That's a very ridiculous thing to say," She chastised. "Stop demeaning yourself and cheer up because...I think I found the one!" 

"It's pink!"I exclaimed. I hated that colour. 

"Come on, just try it on!" Mom admonished. "Don't you want Adrian to look at you in a whole new way?" 

What?

"What was that supposed to mean?" I inquired, suspiciously. 

"Just try it on!" She smiled, shoving me into a changing room. 

I stared at the dress and then at my reflection on the full length mirror. How the hell does these two go together? 

It was a short baby pink one-shouldered dress with a frilly skirt and lace bodice. It was beautiful but was it for me?

"Just put it on," I muttered to myself and slipped into the dress, denying to have the first glance myself.  

"What do you think?"I demanded, emerging out of the changing room. "Bad? Very bad or hideous?"

"Gorgeous," Mom smiled. "See, didn't I tell you? Jesus, I feel grateful to be blessed with two such beautiful daughters," 

"Okay...okay," I muttered, feeling embarrassed. "Can we go eat now?" 

"Okay, let's go," Mom laughed. "What do you want to eat?" 

"The biggest sub I could find and then my favourite buttermilk doughnuts...oh and can I get a chocolate smoothie with ice-cream?" I grinned. 

"Whatever you want, sweetheart!" Mom laughed. "Mind you fit into that dress though," 

"Oh come on!" I groaned, good humoredly and then both of us burst out laughing. 

---------------------------------------------------

"Did you get the dress for the dance next week?" Ava demanded as we strolled hand in hand through the ground. 

For some reason we were given a free period today which was a once in a lifetime thing. So we intend to use it for relaxation despite the fact that I should be studying. Adrian was out practicing for an upcoming match which spared me from spending this once in a lifetime opportunity in the library. 

"Yeah, mom took me for shopping last week," I answered. "She brought me this pink dress. It's pretty but I don't how it will look on me. I'll send you a picture when I get home," 

"Cool," She smiled. "I got a black one but I don't know if Henry will like it!" 

"Of course he will," I encouraged. "He's already smitten. He will love it even if you wear a sack,"

"What about Adrian?" She asked, nudging me. "Did he like it? The dress, I mean," 

"I haven't shown him yet," I answered. "Let's just hope he doesn't faint!" 

"Gosh! To think you will be coming with the most desirable guy of our school!" She sighed as we both squinted to see Adrian practicing nets. 

"I know right," I muttered, feeling the usual excitement on seeing him building in my chest. 

"Will you tell him then?" Ava asked. 

"Tell him what?" I demanded. 

"That you love him, what else?" She said rolling her eyes. 

"Sssh!" I smacked her on her hand. "Quiet!" 

"Okay, okay! Jeez!" She rubbed her hand vigorously. "So will you?" 

"No, not yet!" I answered. "After exams. I don't want to create a drama and distract him!" 

"Hmm, let's just hope it won't be too late!" Ava warned. "Guys like him, they are as rare as ...I don't know but you get my point!" 

"He said no to Jenny Simpson for me!" I pointed, proudly. "He isn't going anywhere," 

"Well, I hope the best for you buddy!" She smiled. "Come on let's go and see your knight in shinning armor. Man is he hot!" 

"You are already committed!" I nudged her. "Don't drool over my man!" 

"He is not yours, yet!" She pointed. "Until then, I am free to drool over him!" 

We both giggled and jogged towards the basketball rink where the men's team was practicing. Adrian was there, demonstrating how to dribble correctly. We sat down on the stairs and watched as he artfully played around, beating all of others to pulp. He waved at me and I smiled, momentarily distracted by his perfect body visible through his see- through vest. 

He was hot! No denying! 

"Hey!" He smiled, jogging over to me after practice was over. "What are you doing here? Hey! Ava!" 

"Hey, Adrian!" Ava smiled her biggest, brightest smile at him. 

"We were bored of studying so," I answered. "Nice form you guys!" 

"Oh look, it's Adrian's girlfriend!" One of them whistled. 

I felt pleased at that. So they too think I was his girlfriend! How cool was that?

"She's not my girlfriend, Henry," Adrian answered, ruffling my hairs. "She is my best friend. There's a difference. Isn't it? Ellie?" 

Ava glanced at me and I looked away, feeling like Adrian has slapped me. Wow, to think I never expected him to say that! The truth. 

"Yes," I muttered, plastering a fake smile. "I should get going. See you later," 

"Okay," He nodded and clambered off towards his friends. 

"It's not his fault," Ava consoled as we settle down into our seats. "He doesn't know how you feel about him. Plus it is true, there is a difference between a girlfriend and a best friend," 

"I know," I nodded, gurgling down water from my bottle. "It's just that...I didn't expect it to hurt that much. I feel pathetic," 

"Of course it does, after all you love him," Ava said, rubbing my back. "But you'll see, once you tell him everything will be sorted," 

"Hmm," I muttered and were quieten down by the next teacher as the class resumed. 

I turned my face to Adrian who was as always focused and felt a sudden feeling of dread inside me. 

Once I tell him...will everything be sorted?

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