The Summer We Changed

Chapter 4

"Stop fussing, Ellie!" Mom admonished as she did my hairs. "Jeez, you're unbearable!" 

"Do not put too much makeup on me!" I warned my mother. "I just want to be me," 

It was finally the day for the annual summer dance which was basically the English version of high school prom. Every year, this dance was conducted for the senior Sixth form students, the British version of high school. After clearing  sixth form one can apply for further studies in any university. The main motive for the dance was to relieve students of the final examination stress which was usually a month away from the day of the dance. 

It was a big deal for every senior form student. After all how many times do you get to be all dressed up and enjoy your last days as a school student? From what I have heard from my sister who was in same school, the night of the summer dance has always been epic. So I was really looking forward to it despite all the unnecessary fuss my mom was doing in getting me ready. 

"Why are you so fussy?" Mom admonished. "Don't you wanna look better than who was that girl you were talking about...Jenny Simpson?" 

"I can never beat Jenny Simpson mom," I rolled my eyes. "So better let me be me and hurry up because Adrian will be here any moment!" 

"He is already here," Dad announced, leaning by the door. "Wow, do my princess look stunning!" 

Oh...I felt my hands go cold at the thought of going like this in front of him!

"Dad!" I groaned. I hated being complimented. It makes me nervous and then I go all blushy which was really stupid. 

"What?" He smiled. "I can't compliment my daughter?" 

"Of course you can," Mom said, moving away as she assessed her handy work. "She is just unnecessarily fussy. Come on, get up and have a look!"  

"I will wipe my face away if there's excess makeup," I threatened, standing up. 

"Just have a look, will you?"Mom chastised. "God, this girl!" 

I scowled but eventually walked up to the full length mirror in my room and as I stared at my reflection, I gasped inwardly. Who was this? This couldn't be me! I moved my arm and the reflection on the mirror mirrored the act. It was me. Wow. 

The dress was a perfect fit and my slender arms and long legs looked amazingly pretty in it. The pink heels made me look even taller and my long brown hairs were tied in a low side-bun on the right side of my neck. Thankfully, mom hasn't just shoved makeup on my face but kept it bare minimum with just liner and pink lips and some blush. I actually looked beautiful and to think Adrian will see my like this...I almost forgot how to breath. 

"Shall we?" Dad smiled and I nodded, trying to calm my breath. 

I followed behind mom and dad and leaning a little over the glass railing I could see Adrian waiting, scrolling through his phone. He looked up as he heard the footsteps and his eyes followed mom and dad then finally landing at me. His reaction was exactly what I was hoping for. His eyes widened with shock and he kept staring at me until Dad has to slap him on the back. 

"Take care of our daughter, Adrian," Dad laughed, making him go red. "She's your responsibility, tonight," 

"Of course, don't worry uncle Jacob," Adrian smiled and I almost melted inside. He looked too good to be true in his black tuxedo, brushed back dark hairs and as always was carrying his amazing smile. Man, was he hot! 

"That's stupid Jacob, he is the one looking after her all the time anyway," Mom smiled. "Alright you two, off you go. Don't get into any mischief and don't go to borderline, okay?" 

"Okay!" We both said in unison. 

"Alright, goodbye guys!" I grinned, feeling giddy. 

"Shall we?" Adrian asked and I nodded my head vigorously. 

"We shall!" I laughed and took his arm. "Whoa! You got uncle's car!" 

"Don't tell me you were expecting to ride on a bike wearing something like this," Adrian mocked, good humoredly. 

"Yeah, this heels," I rolled my eyes. "If this weren't so short I would have wore sneakers beneath the dress," 

"The colour looks good on you," He smiled, opening the passenger side door for me. 

"And?" I asked, biting my lip with anxiety. 

"You look too beautiful, Ms Parker," He smiled, leaning closer to me. "I am afraid...I might fall in love with you tonight," 

Breathe Elena! Breath....

"Really?" I whispered. What would I not do to hear those three words from him! What would I not give to get his love? 

"Relax!" He laughed. "I was just kidding! And I love you anyway, after all you are my one and only best friend!" 

I cringed inwardly. Jesus, I was starting to hate the word now. Why does a best friend has to be loved just as a best friend? Who wrote that bloody rule?

With my mood soured a little due to my unbeatable overthinking capabilities, we reached our school which to my amazement looked like a miniature fairyland. Fairy lights twinkled on the trees and gates and as far as eyes can see. On the gate a big banner said: Welcome To The Annual Summer Dance!

"Wow...the seniors were not bragging after all," Adrian remarked, climbing out. 

"Indeed," I nodded. We could hear the faint music and cheering coming from the playground, the main venue of the event. 

"Excited?" Adrian asked and I nodded in response. I was damn excited, my earlier dampened mood now forgotten. 

He gave me his arm and I gladly took it as we walked through the entrance towards the playground. The entire school building was decorated with flowers and lights and lanterns giving it a very romantic ambiance. To think our school, which was well known for it's discipline and strictness could go so lenient for just one night. 

"This all looks so romantic," Adrian commented, taking some pictures. 

"It does," I nodded. "Why are you taking pictures now? We have the entire night for that,"

"Just for fun," He shrugged, nonchalantly. "Come on...let's go," 

"Okay," I nodded, vigorously although inside I felt like he was lying about something. 

A gigantic tent was set up in the playground with a checkered dance floor in the exact center. On the right was an entire set-up for DJ  and on the left was a drinks bar and beside it was a long snack bar with variety of food items for the students. 

There even was a snapshot booth where you can get polaroids made for just two pounds! Since the theme of the dance was Summer Carnival, everything around was very  cheerful and sparkly with red, silver and golden themed decorations. There were clowns and robots of Avengers and Disney princesses, funny head-in-hole displays and even a temporary tattoo parlor. On an entirely different area was the activites hub with fun stuff like Bean Bag toss, a temporary graffiti wall and the very common and loved by all hoola-hop among many others. 

"Do you think they will serve alcohol in the bar?" I inquired. 

"Of course not," Adrian chuckled. "Just mocktails. Did you forget the no-alcohol policy?" 

"Hmmm," I nodded. "True that," 

"Elena!" Someone shrieked and I turned to see Ava almost running towards me in her pretty flowy black dress, accompanied by her boyfriend Henry. 

"Look at you!" I exclaimed. "You look smashing!" 

"So do you," She giggled. "What a transformation! Adrian, you must feel honoured to have accompanied her, don't you?" 

"Of course," Adrian smiled fondly at me. "Hey Henry!"

"Hey man!" Henry cheered, giving him a one-arm hug. "Let's get something to drink, shall we?" 

"Sure," Adrian nodded. "Girls, what would you like?" 

"I'll have whatever Henry will be having," Ava gave her boyfriend a flirty smile. 

"Ellie?" Adrian asked. "What would you like?"

"No idea...surprise me," I grinned at him. 

"You got it!" He smiled at me. "Ava, take care of my girl,"

My girl....

"Sure thing!" Ava gave him a thumbs up and then grinned at me. "You gotta make the move today, Elena! With this dress and the alcohol at Jenny's after party who knows what might happen!"

"Shut up!" I rolled my eyes. "And what after-party?" 

"You guys don't know?" She rolled her eyes. "Jenny Simpson is throwing an after party at her pool house. Entire senior batch is invited. There will be music, food and drinks! Who knows I might go skinny dipping as well," 

"What's the point, Adrian doesn't drink and neither do I," I muttered. "I don't think he will go," 

"Of course he will," Ava said. "And so will you. One night of fun won't kill you guys! You guys are eighteen! Grow up!" 

"What's going on?" Adrian  demanded, handing me some colourful liquid. The same as he was drinking. 

"What is this?" I demanded, eyeing the glass speculatively. 

"I don't know but tastes good," He answered with a smile, clinking his glass with mine. I grinned and raised it in a toast. 

"We were talking about Jenny Simpson's after party," Ava answered. "Elena was saying that you guys won't come to the party. You will come, right Adrian?"

"Ah, I don't know," He muttered. "I have got to get home and finish up my bio paper," 

"Oh God, you can do that tomorrow as well,"  Henry rolled his eyes. "Solving papers is what you have been doing this entire year! Just take a break and have some fun, will you?"

"Yeah, exactly," Ava backed her boyfriend. "Just relax your mind, Adrian," 

Adrian looked torn so he turned to me and I shrugged. I will go wherever he goes anyway, it really didn't matter. 

"Fine," He grinned and Henry smacked his back in encouragement. He had a weird sense of humor. 

"If things go overboard, we will go and catch a movie," Adrian whispered in my ears. 

"Right, in this dress," I rolled my eyes and he laughed, throwing his arm over my shoulder playfully. 

"Come on guys, lets take some pictures and stuff!" Karl, one of our over-enthusiastic classmates cried, dragging us towards the crowd. 

For the next two hours we laughed and laughed enjoying each one of the activities organised for us. We took so many pictures in the snapshot booth and Adrian won a cute pink teddy for me in the hoola-hop game beating Henry. We made a weird looking graffiti of our initials on the temporary graffiti wall and then clicked more pictures all the while munching the pocket-foods that were being served. By the time it was the turn for the main dance, my stomach had started to  hurt painfully due to all the hysteria. Even Adrian who was otherwise a bit on the reserved side couldn't wipe out his grin. 

"This is crazy," He exclaimed, sitting down beside me. "Damn it's hot here," 

"Here, have some Mojito," I smiled, handing him my glass. "Look at you all sweaty!" 

"I know right," He said, gulping down my remaining drink. "I feel like taking this shirt off. It's too fitted," 

"You can go skinny dipping at Jenny's," I joked, though inwardly I didn't like the idea at all. Adrian naked while a hundred of girls in their skimpy swim wears ogling at him was really not a very appealing prospect for me. 

"Are you kidding me?" He rolled his eyes. "Like in hell,"

Good boy! Very good boy!

"Ladies and gentleman," The MC's voice boomed over the speakers as he stood in the center of the checkered dance floor, a wide grin on his chubby face. I think he was one of our juniors but I wasn't sure. 

"It's finally time for the big event of the night!" He continued. "The main dance!"

The crowd hooted and cheered madly and the MC grinned widely, no doubt pleased at himself for the attention he has garnered. 

"Grab you partners, my friends and let's vote out the best couple and end this wonderful evening with the final show!" He ended and dramatically bowed in front of the crowd. 

"Are you ready, Ms Parker?" Adrian asked, his beautiful boyish smile plastered on his even more beautiful face. 

As I ever will be...

"Yep," I smiled and took his hand which almost enveloped mine since it was comparatively too big. I loved the feeling of my hand in his. His grip was firm but equally careful. And the warmth that his touch left...it was something that warmed me up from within. 

With Adrian hands in mine, we walked to the floor which was already crowded and found ourselves a little corner in the center. The mood lighting of the stage area changed to soother, dimmer and more romantic tones of blues and purples and lavender pink. 

"Wow," I muttered, feeling a bit awkward. 

"I know," He smiled and took my hand as a soft soothing melody started to envelope us.

 His one hand rested on my waist while I rested mine on his shoulder, which was an  ordeal even in my heels because he was so tall. Because there was so restricted space, I had no option but to move closer to him. Unlike me, who was inwardly having an heart attack, Adrian looked calm, composed and absolutely comfortable. 

"Don't let me fall, Adrian," I muttered, wishing I wasn't wearing this crappy heels. 

"Never," He smiled and tightened his grasp on my waist. 

The music was  slow and Adrian's steps perfectly matched its rhythm. All I needed to do was follow his lead and that was not something hard for me. Ever since childhood that's what I have done, follow his lead. He has always been my protector, someone who cared about even my tiniest needs. Over the years, nothing changed. Only my feelings got intensified. He was the gravity of my life and no matter how hard I try, I won't be able to get away from him. That' s how strong his hold was on me. And I dearly hoped that he felt the same and that I never have to go away from him. Ever. 

"What are you thinking?" Adrian asked, spinning me across the floor and then pulling me in with a jolt that made my head spin. 

"Nothing," I said. "Girls can't take their eyes off you today," 

"And boys can't take their eyes off you," He smiled his gentle, warm smile.  

"What about you?" I asked.

"Don't you think I am a boy?" He snickered, grabbing my waist and lowering me. "I told you, I am afraid I might fall in love with you today," 

"Would you prefer me like this?" I asked, staring intently at his dark eyes. They were so beautiful and today they were filled with admiration for me. 

"I prefer you the way you are," He answered, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "I don't care if you are in a over-sized tshirt or this cute little dress. You will always be my sweet, little, beautiful Ellie," 

I smiled at him and wished with all my heart if I could just kiss him. Just once. My feelings were not driven by lust but my heart was so filled with love for this one person that all the myriad emotions were getting hard to control. I rested my head on his chest as we danced slowly to some song I didn't know and I wished with all my heart that I could just say those three words...

I Love You, Adrian...

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A/n: Hey guys! Happy Sunday! Here's the next update :) Hope you are liking the story! Do support it like you supported Sinfully Yours guys!