The Summer We Changed

Chapter 8

"Ellie, do you realise how mortifying it is to be carrying a placard at the airport," Adrian grimaced. "I am sure aunt Si is not amnesiac. She can sure remember how we look," 

"Fine," I rolled my eyes at him and put the placard down. "Stop grumbling, will you?" 

"Good," He smiled, ruffling my hairs. "Oh, look! There they are!" 

"Where?" I demanded and Adrian turned my head to the opposite direction of where I was looking. 

Sure enough, walking towards us with a big, mischievious  smile plastered on her face was our dearest, beloved and the coolest aunt Sidney. Describing her was a bit difficult to be honest. She was gorgeous,no doubt about that. Tall and confident with dark hairs and dark eyes and an aura of I-can-and-will-rule-the-world. Behind her, tackling a wheelie case was her daughter, Alyssa. Unlike her mother, she had a soft, shy smile on her face. 

My mouth dropped open at her sight. Holy hell! When was the last time I saw her, again? She has grown so so much. Alyssa was aunt Si and uncle Jose's adopted daughter since Aunt Sydney lost her first child in a miscarriage. It was a really bad time so  none of our parents talk about it. However, once they found Alyssa everything came back to normal. Alyssa was very aware of the fact that she was adopted but that made no difference in any of our hearts or hers for the matter. Since she was adopted, she resembled neither of her parents except for the fact that she was equally stunning as her mother. 

Alyssa was as tall as her mother even though I precisely remember she was almost my height the last time I saw her. She was petite with long wavy blonde hairs almost upto her hips and hazel eyes with an adorable chin dimple. Today she was wearing a lacy white crop top over blue washed denims and white sneakers. Her long hairs were let loose and they literally shined as sunrays fell on them. I stared down at myself and was instantly filled with self-pity. 

But it soon evaporated as she placed her arms around me in a warm hug. I squealed with laughter and she mirrored my happiness though not so hysterically as me. Like Adrian, Alyssa too was shy and reserved as a person. And like Adrian, she too was smarty pants with excellent scores throughout her life. She also played excellent piano and was good in painting as well. If I even start comparing both of us, my life would end there with humiliation. 

"I missed you," She smiled at me. "Look at you!" 

"I should be the one saying that, isn't it?" I grinned. "Jesus! Look at you Alyy, you have grown so so much," 

"Its just because you are seeing me after a really long time," She smiled. 

Before I could reply, I was hauled by aunt Sidney who almost crushed me in a bear hug. Man, was she strong! 

"What's up dude?" She grinned, examining me at arms length. "You sure have grown a lot!" 

"Yeah, it's good to see you too, aunt Si!" I laughed. "You have grown quite younger, I would say," 

"Haven't I?" She grinned with pleasure. "I am so going to make your mom jealous!" 

"Sure, do have a try," I chuckled. 

Aunt Si smiled and turned her attention to Adrian who grinned at her. She went completely hysterical on seeing him as well. 

"Look at you!" She exclaimed in wonder. "A proper man! So grown up! So handsome!" 

"Thanks, aunt Si," Adrian murmured, blushing a little. Didn't she met him last year only? He turned to Alyssa and smiled fondly who reciprocated, blushing a little. 

Why the hell was she blushing? 

They hugged each other and I eyed them with jealousy. If I ever hug Adrian, I had to hug his waist because I wasn't tall enough, mere 5'5 to hug him completely. However, Alyssa was quite tall maybe around 5'7 so she had no difficulty hugging him properly. Why? Oh why was I born with all the deformities? My father was quite tall maybe only an inch shorter than Adrian. My mother was taller than me and my sister, lets just not talk about her. She was in one word : Perfect. 

"Ellie?" Aunt Si shook me back to Earth and I had to stow my self-loathing for later. 

"Huh?" I muttered, dragging my eyes back to her. 

"Let's go," She smiled. "Why are you so lost? Did you find someone huh?" She playfully nudged me and I refrained from rolling my eyes. 

"Mom!" Alyssa came to my rescue. "You can investigate her later," 

"Fine! Fine!" She muttered and headed to the car. I mouthed a thank you to Alyssa and she winked at me. 

Adrian stowed the luggage in the boot and climbed on the driver's seat. I walked over towards the passenger seat and was about to open the door when Alyssa placed her hand on it as well. We both stared at each other awkwardly and Alyssa gave me a embarrassed smile. 

"That's okay," She added hurriedly. "I will go in the back," 

"No, that's okay!" I said. "I always sit on the front. You go ahead, I will go in the back," 

"But?" Alyssa muttered and I thumped her back assuringly before climbing in the back beside aunt Si. 

Adrian was talking to Alyssa about something that was beyond the level of my little brain. I stared out of the window feeling my mood sour. I never sit back, especially not when Adrian's driving. And somehow I felt a bit jealous. I was pathetic. Really pathetic. 

Stop it! Stop it now!

We reached my home because that's where aunt Sidney and Alyssa will be staying after uncle Julian lost to mom in good old rock, paper, scissor. I smiled at the memory. When they were not playing parents, both my mom and uncle Julian fought like kids. It was hilarious to watch. 

"I'll get the stuff inside," Adrian said, parking the car. 

"I will help," I added hurriedly and Adrian nodded. 

Aunt Sidney and Alyssa went inside while I helped Adrian with the luggage. He seemed in a really high mood as he whistled to himself. It was annoying me a little but I kept my irritation to myself. 

"What's got you so sulky?" He demanded, flicking me. 

"Nothing," I answered with a smile. If I tell him that I am jealous of Alyssa for no apparent reason he will boycott me as his best friend for sure. 

"Really?" He inquired and I nodded in reply. 

How could I tell him that my  insecure, self-loathing, jealous stupid brain was playing games with me and I was jealous of our best friend?

Aunt Sydney's arrival turned my otherwise quiet and reserved mother into a crazy maniac. Years and years of friendship will do that to a person. I could easily see how close they were. We still had a lot to learn. 

"Ellie looks so grown up, Ella," Aunt Sidney commented, smiling at me. 

"Of course she is, you saw her probably three years ago, Sid," Mom rolled her eyes. We were all hauled up in the living room drinking coffee and cookies. 

"Yeah, that's true. Time flies by," She smiled fondly. "So. Ellie? Any guy you would want your aunt Sid to meet?"  

"She is as single as the word gets," Adrian answered for me. I scowled at him.

"And you're not?" I pointed, poking my finger in his forehead.

Out of the blue, Alyssa who was sitting on the other side of me spit out the coffee she was drinking. My mom quickly thumped her back and handed her a tissue. I. frowned. What's with her?

"God, you children are just like your parents!" Aunt Sidney said, dramatically fanning herself.

"You didn't have a boyfriend either at their age," Mom pointed. "Alyssa, what about you?"

"Huh?" Alyssa asked who was weirdly distracted about something.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Mom repeated.

"Oh...no. No, I don't have a boyfriend aunt Ella," She answered at last and my mother raised her brow at aunt Sid who rolled her eyes in response.

"Jeez, what are you guys even talking about!" I exclaimed. "Come on Alyssa, I will show you to your room,"

"I should get going too. Mom asked me to run some errands for the dinner," Adrian announced, standing up. "I will see you guys in the evening,"

"Bye sweetheart," Aunt Sidney waved.

"Bye, Adrian," Alyssa said and gave him a shy smile which he reciprocated with a big bright one. I inwardly rolled my eyes. Alyssa was too girly to be honest. Or I was too tomboyish. But whatever, she was infinitely far more graceful and prettier than me.

"Bye Ellie!" Adrian said, giving me a one arm hug and I nodded, waving back at him in response.

I watched Alyssa, as she neatly folded up her cloths and stowed them in the wardrobes. She did it with absolute precision and I was reminded of my wardrobes. I pursed my lips. God help me!

"I am sorry you have to stay in the guest room," I muttered apologetically. "My bed is not big enough to fit both of us," 

"That's okay, Ellie," She smiled. "I am just a door away," 

"Yep," I smiled. "So...sooo?" 

"So?" She demanded, looking puzzled. 

"You have met someone? Haven't you?" I asked, wriggling my brows. Her face went red and she quickly hid her face inside the wardrobe. Oh dear! 

"Come on,Ally!" I exclaimed. "Don't do this to me! Who is the lucky guy! Spill the beans!" 

"He is..."She muttered with a smile, sitting down in front of me. "He is someone very special," 

"Really?" I grinned. "Tell me more! What does he do? How does he look? Is he handsome?" 

"He is too handsome," She blushed. "And very intelligent," 

"Ahahh...just like you!" I giggled and she laughed. Damn, even her laugh was sweet and measured! Not hysterical guffaws like mine! 

"Yes and well he is just like me," She smiled as if remembering something. "He is kind and sweet and gentle," 

"Gentle,huh?" I nudged her with my elbow and she rolled her eyes. 

"Not that way, Ellie. You dirty person!" She laughed. "A gentle human being. And..."

"And?" 

"And... I don't know but I really feel like I love him," She blushed furiously. 

"Woah!" I exclaimed, standing up with shock. Alyssa in love? Woah! That was news!

"Hush!" She placed her hand on my mouth. "You will bring the entire household here," 

"I want to see him!" I clapped my hands. "Show me," 

"When the right time comes," She smiled. "What about you? How are you still single?"

"I...er.." I started but before I could say further Aunt Sid barged into the room. Alyssa gave me a 'later' look and I nodded. 

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The dinner at Adrian's was a crazy affair. For the first time we felt like we were the parents and they were the kids. It was highly amusing. Aunt Sidney has a different kind of aura to her and it was so much fun to see her bicker with uncle Julian. I also realised she has a special interest in teasing my father over little things. Apparently back in their days before Mom and Dad got married, aunt Si loathed dad. The reason was a different story altogether that all the adults were too busy to tell at the moment. 

"Ellie?" Aunt  said. "Help me with the potpie?' 

"Sure," I smiled and thankfully escaped to the comfort of aunt Amy's kitchen. 

With the world changing fast, cooking was no longer an uphill task. There were gadgets and appliances for every single thing. But for me, its sweating in the kitchen and cooking something with my own hands was the real fun. If cooking was the only subject that we ever had to study in school then I could swear, I would have been an easy winner. Again, uncle Ju's proposal to enroll in  a culinary school popped in my head and somehow the idea of actually studying how to cook made it a very appealing prospect. 

"Ellie? Do you still make those amazing peanut butter cupcakes?" Aunt Si demanded, dragging her attention minutely away from the game of Mahjong that the elders were playing with age old tiles carefully stacked away in uncle Ju's storeroom. 

"Yep," I smiled. "I will bake you some tomorrow," 

"Can't wait!" She winked at me. 

"What do you think?" Aunt Amy demanded, popping the chicken potpie out of the oven. 

"I think its lovely," I answered, dipping my finger into the melted cheese. "Yum!" 

"Great, then. Dinner's ready. Go fetch Adrian and Alyssa," She said, placing the pie on the electrical hot plate. 

"Uh, okay," I muttered, frowning. I didn't even realise the two were missing!

I  clambered up the stairs towards Adrian's room, whistling to myself. Adrian's door was half ajar and I was about to open it but something made me halt for a moment. I could hear muffled voices. First Alyssa's then Adrian's but they were so low that I couldn't make out anything. What in hell were they murmuring? 

After a moment everything went quiet. Absolutely silent. For some inexplicable reason, I felt a real bad feeling creeping up inside me. It was like something bad was about to happen. I took a deep breath and slightly and silently pushed open the door. 

Oh...

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A/N: Hey guys! Here's the next update! Hope you like it! Thank you for reading!