Hey! I finally have another chapter written. So I hope you enjoy, and remember I own nothing other than characters not usually on the show, and review! I know you all can do better than two reviews per chapter. If thats the way it is going to be, I will not be posting the rest of the story any time soon. So review. Thanks.
************************************************************************************
Ellie, Ethan, and Jason returned home around 6:30 Monday night. Ellie was still refusing to talk to Ethan about anything, and she would only answer yes or no questions. Ethan was able to figure out why Ellie was mad at him, but how was his fault that she had done so badly in her free skate? Nothing like personal problems can effect a skating preformance that much...Could it? Either way, Ethan soon stopped even trying to talk to Ellie.
"Hey you two. How was your trip?" Their mother asked as Ethan and Ellie got into their parents car.
"Fine." They said in the same, bored tone.
"Oh it couldn't have been that bad." Mr. Craft said. For some reason their parents both seemed very cheery, probably because they knew something was bothering Ellie and did not want to upset her.
"It wasn't anything special." Ellie said. "I missed out on hardware for the second year in a row. No big." With that she shot a look of hate at her brother.
Ethan scowled and nugded his sister in the arm. Ellie just did the same back to him, and they looked like two little kids fighting over a piece of candy.
"Did you get all your school work done?" Mrs. Craft asked them trying to change the subject.
"Yes." They mumbled.
"Aren't you excited about going to Russia in two weeks, Ellie?" Her mother asked, refering to the next skating event, the 'Cup of Russia'.
"Oh yeah. But I already talked to Taylor and she said I could room with her, since her parents aren't going with her to this one." Ellie told her. "If thats alright."
"Of course it is alright." Mrs. Craft said lightly. "But what is Ethan going to do?"
Ellie moved closer to the window. "I don't want him to come." She finally said.
A look of surprise came across her parent's faces, Ethan just turned to look out the window.
"Well, I suppose that is alright, since it would be better than rooming alone." Mrs. Craft said.
"Okay, I'll call her tomorrow." Ellie said, reveled she would not go to another skating event where Ethan would mess with her brain again and she would lose out on another medal. After winning gold at the Nationals, losing out on medals of any color at the Grand Prix events would look pretty bad, and she did not want that to happen.
It was silent the rest of the car ride home, and even as they unpacked the car and went to their bedrooms. Ellie decided to catch up on some sleep while Ethan decided to call Mark.
"Hello?" Mark's voice came on the other line.
"Hey, it's Ethan." He said as he sat down on his bed to take off his shoes.
"Hey man, whats up?" Mark asked, he sounded pleased that it was Ethan who was calling.
"Nothing much. Just got back from the worst trip of my life." Ethan told him with a twinge of anger in his voice.
"How so?" Mark asked.
"I just happened to realize that my parents only care about Ellie, and not me."
"Come again?" Mark sounded bewildered.
Ethan sighed. "Ellie is the talented twin, and I am the rejected, never going to amount to anything twin."
Mark was quite for a moment. "I can't believe it. Claire and her bitchy posse have finally gotten to you."
"What? No way." Ethan said firmly.
"Say what you will. But you have never thought that way until now. Admit it Ethan, I'm right." There was a long silent pause. "I have to finish some homework. I'll see you tomottow." Mark said and he then hung up.
"I hate it when he talks like he knows everything!" Ethan said to himself, too blind to see that that Mark had hit the nail on the head as to why Ethan felt that way.
******************************************************************************************************
Ellie went to school without Ethan the next day and soon found Lizzie sitting outside the school, it wasn't the usual December cold as usual, and that was why many people where enjoying the slightly good weather while they could.
"Hey Lizzie." Ellie said as she sat down next to her.
Lizzie looked up from her history book and smiled when she realized it was Ellie. "Hey, how are you?"
"Tired." Ellie said with a laugh. "How about you?"
"I've been better." Lizzie said. "I have to get my history homework done before second period."
"Better hurry." Ellie teased.
Lizzie shrugged. "I only have a few more problems to do." She said, as she wrote something across the paper. "Miranda and I are going to the mall tomorrow night. You want to come?"
Ellie thought a minute. Tomorrow was Wednesday, she would have training until four thirty, and then have a little homework, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Plus, she had to get for a little while...Even if it meant not doing homework for one night. "Sure, count me in."
"Cool." Lizzie said as the first bell rang. She then closed her book with the paper in it. "We'll meet at the food court at 5:00 tomorrow night...Sound good?"
Ellie stood up, and swung her bag over her shoulder. "Sounds great."
"Sweet. Well we better get to homeroom...One more tardy for me and I have detention." Lizzie said with a little laugh.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ethan and Mark pulled into the school parking lot as the first bell rang. Ellie had not woken him up, so he was really running behind. Not to mention, he had to call Mark at the last minute to get a ride to school. Ethan's day so far was not going very well.
"You gonna need a ride tomorrow too?" Mark asked as he jumped out of the driver's seat and pulled his bag out. "Cause if you do...Please tell me with more than a two minute notice."
"Hey man, I told you...Ellie just kind of left me this morning." Ethan said as they began to walk into school. "I didn't know she was going to do that."
"Oh yeah, when you piss Ellie off she just forgives and then forgets within twenty four hours." Mark mumbled.
"What was that?" Ethan asked. He heard 'piss Ellie off' but that was it.
"Nothing." Mark said as he pushed through the front doors of school. "Did you talk to Ellie at all last night?"
"No. Why should I?" Ethan asked.
Mark shook his head. "Because you idiot...Its obvisous that what you told her pissed her off enough to mess with her brain...You don't talk to her soon, it is going to turn into the Jerry Springer set whenever you two are in the same room." He said as they walked into their homeroom and slid into their two usual seats in the back of the room.
"No, she'll forget all about it by tonight...I know her better than you do." Ethan said.
"I'm really sure about that." Mark said as the final bell rang and the announcements came over the intercome.
****************************************
Ellie had gone to practice that day at noon, as usual. But practice was awful. Timothy said that he understood she was under a lot of stress, but she had to better than sixth place at the next three events or the Olympics would not exactly be a pretty thing. Meaning that he wasn't going to ease up on training. She ran through her long program four times, the whole way through. Not to mention practice spin after spin, and jump after jump. It was not fun at all and she was very tired when she got home. The biggest upset came when her parents for some unknown reason wanted them to have a family dinner and made her come down and sit across from Ethan at dinner.
"So, Ellie, how was practice?" Mrs. Craft asked, in her motherly tone.
"It was fine. I think I will do better in Russia next weekend." Ellie said, she then looked at Ethan. "Considering someone will not be coming."
Ethan looked at her and glared. "If that was meant to piss me off it didn't. I don't even want to go...So there." He said, then looking back at his plate.
"Fine. I bet you can find some nice cheerleaders to hang out with that weekend anyway. You probably won't even know I'm gone." Ellie said.
"Cheerleaders?" Mrs. Craft asked.
Ethan turned red, and continued to stare down at his food. His parents never exactly approved of him dating cheerleaders, but he did anyway, just hoping that they would never find out.
"Oh yeah mom, Ethan can't get enough of the cheerleaders at school." Ellie said, obvisously knowing that Ethan was probably going to be grounded for it. "You know his old girlfriend...."
"Shut up Ellie!" Ethan yelled. "I stopped hanging out with those girls a long time ago!"
"Oh yeah, two weeks is a long time." Ellie said keeping her cool, even though it was very hard to do so.
"Hey, I have not talked to anyone of them within the two weeks. I don't even like them anymore...Plus your the one to talk...Your going back and forth between Travis and Jason anyway!" Ethan yelled.
Ellie got enraged. It was totally out of line for him to say that, she stood up and threw her napkin down. "For your information! I haven't gone on a date with either of them...Thereofore, we are just friends and nothing is going on between us!" She screamed at him.
"Ellie...Calm down." Her mother said.
"You too Ethan...This is out of control!" Their father yelled. "Ellie we know you had a bad weekend for skating, but that doesn't mean you have to go one hating your brother."
"He's the stupid reason that I had a bad skating weekend!" Ellie yelled.
"What are you..." Mrs. Craft began.
"He somehow got the idea in his head that he's the neglected and wished that I had never moved here from Texas." Ellie yelled. "If it wasn't for him, I would still be in Texas, and everything would be fine! He's the freaking reason that I messed up! It was his ex-girlfriend who almost ruined my future skating career!"
"She's one of your best friends...Why are you bringing her up?" Ethan asked her.
"Because she's my friend now, but back then she was in your group!" Ellie yelled. She then paused and took a deep breath. "You know it doesn't even matter...I have made the decision that I'm moving back to Texas as soon as the school year is over."
Everyone stared at her for a moment, even Ethan looked very hurt she said that.
"Ellen Maire...I don't think that is something you should think about now." Her father said. "You should focus more on the next month and a half, then you can make a decison like that."
"I'm not staying here!" Ellie screamed as she then slammed her fists down on a table and began to walk out of the kitchen.
"Ellen!" Her mother called after her. "Come back her and we will talk about this!"
Ellie hit the wall and ended up punching a hole in it. She then turned back to them, "I'm not staying here! And you can't make me!" She told them fiercely with tears in her eyes. She then turned and stomped up to her bedroom, and slammed the door.
The rest of her family sat at the table for a moment. It was in that moment when Ellie told all of them that she wanted to go back to Texas that Ethan realized what he told her, must have really hurt. He then stood up and began to walk out of the room, debating whether or not to go talk to her or not.
"Ethan Matthew Craft...Come back here this instant." Mr. Craft said in his booming fatherly tone.
Ethan turned and went to go sit back down at the table.
"Now, just tell us...Why is Ellie blaming you for why she had a bad skating day?" Mrs. Craft asked.
Ethan sighed and began to tell his parents the whole story, including that it was Claire who put the thought in his head.
*************************************************************************************************
Mark picked Ethan up the next morning for school. For once, he was leaving for school eariler than Ellie.
"So, has Ellie forgiven you yet?" Mark asked as they began to drive down the street to school.
Ethan sighed. "No. She really hates me." He said.
"Yeah I know." Mark said.
Ethan looked at him. "How?"
"You forgot your notebook in my car yesterday, and being the good friend I am, I came and brought it over to your house." Mark said. "But of course, I came at the time when you and Ellie had your little run in."
"You heard that?"
"I think the whole city heard it." Mark said. "I don't think she is going to forget about it anytime soon."
"Neither do I. I feel really bad. After seeing her all torn up last night, I understand why she is so pissed, and I don't blame her one bit." Ethan said. "I think I'll be riding to school with you for a long time."
"Not if you come up with a really nice way of telling her you are sorry." Mark said.
"And home am I going to do that?"
Mark shrugged. "If you are really sorry, you'll think of something."
"Yeah right." Ethan then slumped in his seat and stared out the window the rest of the time.
************************************************************************
Ellie met Lizzie and Miranda later that day at the mall, and she was ready to go shopping. The only thing that got her through the whole day, and her practice, was knowing she was going to be having a little fun afterwards.
"Hey chica." Miranda said with a smile. "Whats up.
"Oh nothing much. How about you?" Ellie asked.
"Oh we were just thinking about the school's winter formal. Maybe if we get dresses now, they will be a little cheaper." Lizzie said.
Ellie looked puzzled. "Winter formal?"
"Yeah, its like homecoming dance. All the grades are invited and you get to dress up and it is really really fun. They pick a 'Ice King' and 'Ice Queen', just like homecoming king and queen...Its awesome." Miranda explained.
"When is it?" Ellie asked.
"Kate said the last Friday in January...And I guess that is right, considering she is charge of the dance." Miranda said. "You don't have skating that weekend, do you?"
Ellie thought a moment. "Nope." She said happily.
"Great. Then lets get a jump start on looking for dresses." Lizzie said as they began to walk to their first dress desination.
"Then we can get a jump start on getting dates." Miranda said.
"Oh, that is going to be a little hard for me." Ellie said.
Lizzie just nudged her. "No way girl, you can bring Jason...Or Travis. I bet either of them would love to go with you." She said.
Ellie remembered what Ethan had said the night before. "Maybe not..."
"Maybe yes!" Miranda said.
Ellie just shrugged and didn't say another word about it the whole trip. On the plus side, she got a bunch of new clothes and had a few dresses in mind. Not to mention she also was able to forget her problems for at least a few hours.
At the end of the night, Miranda and Lizzie both had dresses in mind to buy, now they just had to go home and beg their parents to buy it for them. Ellie hadn't seen anything she liked. But she was able to get a few new pairs of jeans and sweaters. She was finally happy to have an afternoon of laughing and fun, rather than just stress and homework. Something she had despreately needed.
*******************************************************************************
Ethan sat in his room trying to do his Chemistry homework. As always, he had no idea what it meant, and he had his mind on something else.
The phone rang and he got up to answer it. "Hello?"
"Its for me Ethan! Hang up!" Ellie's voice came.
"Whatever you say." He said as he then turned the phone off. He then put the phone back down on the pad and shook his head. "She will never forgive me for this one." He thought as he knocked a bunch of papers off of his desk, onto the ground.
He sat back down at his desk when one of the papers caught his eye. He went over and picked it up, and it was the newspaper from Nationals with their picture, when a quote under the picture made his eyes water.
"Ethan is my best friend. I don't think I could ask for a better brother or friend in life. Sure we fight, thats what siblings do...But there will never be anything we can't overcome." It read in bold black print.
"I think I caused the one thing we can't get through." Ethan thought to himself as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I've lost the only true friend I have ever had."
He just sat there for the next hour, thinking about Ellie, and how much it sucked being an only child. He also thought about what it would be like if she really did go back to Texas. He would lose his sister, best friend, tutor, role model, and everything she really was it him.
Ethan then looked down at the newspaper he had once again thrown onto the floor. "Thats it! I got it" He exclaimed. "I got it."
********************************************************************************
The next week went by rather quickly. Ellie stopped talking to Ethan completely, except for..."I need to use the phone now!" or "Get out of my way!" Jason had helped her channel all her frustration and she was skating much better. She hoped to make up for the horrible performance two weeks prior.
She went to St. Petersburg Russia with Jason, and as planned shared a room with Taylor. She was unpacking her bag when she came across something she knew she had not packed. It was a piece of paper with a picture on it of her falling on a jump at Skate Canada, above it read, "Worlds Worst Brother". Ellie sat down on her bed and read the print below.
"American skating sweetheart, Maire Craft had a little trouble at the skaing Grand Prix event Skate Canada two weeks ago as a result of a fight with her twin brother Ethan. Trouble started when Ethan let a jealous cheerleader's words get to his head, in turn causing an argument between them. To make matters worse, it the fight came two hours before Maire had to skate her free progam. Harsh words hurt Maire greatly and it took a huge toll on her skating, causing her to place sixth over all. However, Ethan has come forth saying that he knows what he did was wrong and is truely sorry. Not just for ruining his sisters chances at a medal, but for many things. Now thanks to him being a selfish idiot, his role model and best friend is gone. As Maire goes on to the next of three Grand Prix events, Ethan stays at home alone, hoping to regain the friend he lost."
Ellie felt a twinge of guilt. She had probably hurt her family so much when she told them that she wanted to move back to Texas. She never really meant it, it was just something she had said out of anger.
She then noticed Ethan's hand writing on the bottom, "Please turn over". Ellie did and it was another note from Ethan, but this was written in his handwriting.
"Ellie, I just want you to know that I am extremely sorry about what I said a few weeks ago. Claire and her posse are jealous of what you have accomplished and tried to turn me into a green eyed monster along with them. Stupidly I fell for it, and then everything seemed like the whole spotlight was on you, and you know how the rest goes. I just want you to know that I am really sorry about what I said, and the way I said it. I can't fully say I am not jealous, but I know that I should be happy for what you are doing. Anyway, I hope you like the newspaper article that I made for you. And I really hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. If you do, then do the secret signal before your freeskate...You know I will be watching. Good luck in Russia, come home soon. Love~ Ethan."
Ellie smiled. Ater least Ethan could admit he was wrong. She did miss him a lot, and something like that shouldn't break up best friends? No way. Ellie then put the paper down and continued to unpack. She had a feeling she would be doing very well in both of her programs.
**************************************************
Ellie managed to pull off a great short program. It put her in over all 2nd behind Elise Stone of Canada. Then, two nights later Ellie couldn't wait to get out onto the ice to show everyone that she was there to skate and that she could still medal at the Olympics.
She took to the ice after a great warm-up. She was excited, and ready to skate. After getting final advice from Timothy, she skated out as the crowd cheered.
As she took her opening pose, she scratched behind her left ear, then shook her fingers. Then her music began, and she skated a flawless program.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ethan watched the first skaters preform, not exactly with full attention, he was just waiting for Ellie to go on.
(*(SKating next is Maire Craft of the United States.)*) The camera then showed Ellie strecthing her arms, and then turn and wave to camera.
After a commerical break, the camera was showing some girl in a light pink dress waiting for her scores. After the scores, the speaker introduced Ellie, or Maire as they said. Ethan's stomach was turning as he watched Ellie skate out to the middle of the rink, but then relaxed and smiled brightly when he saw Ellie scratch her ear and then shake her fingers. It was there secret signal for Ellie and Ethan before she skated. They came up with it when she began appearing on TV, just for a way to say, "I know your watching, and I miss you." But in this case it meant that she forgave Ethan for being a punk.
Ethan watched his sister skate and smiled again when he found out that she had won the gold medal. He then picked up the phone and dialed Mark's phone number. "Hey Mark, I don't need a ride to school this week."
*************************************************************************************
One other thing, in the real world, the Grand Prix series are BEFORE Nationals. But I switched it around. (Just for anyone who could possibly been wondering about it). Thought I should clear that up.
Anyway...You like the story and want me to post the rest? REVIEW! The next two chapters will most likely be focused more on friendship rather than Ellie's skating. So review and you will find out what happens.
************************************************************************************
Ellie, Ethan, and Jason returned home around 6:30 Monday night. Ellie was still refusing to talk to Ethan about anything, and she would only answer yes or no questions. Ethan was able to figure out why Ellie was mad at him, but how was his fault that she had done so badly in her free skate? Nothing like personal problems can effect a skating preformance that much...Could it? Either way, Ethan soon stopped even trying to talk to Ellie.
"Hey you two. How was your trip?" Their mother asked as Ethan and Ellie got into their parents car.
"Fine." They said in the same, bored tone.
"Oh it couldn't have been that bad." Mr. Craft said. For some reason their parents both seemed very cheery, probably because they knew something was bothering Ellie and did not want to upset her.
"It wasn't anything special." Ellie said. "I missed out on hardware for the second year in a row. No big." With that she shot a look of hate at her brother.
Ethan scowled and nugded his sister in the arm. Ellie just did the same back to him, and they looked like two little kids fighting over a piece of candy.
"Did you get all your school work done?" Mrs. Craft asked them trying to change the subject.
"Yes." They mumbled.
"Aren't you excited about going to Russia in two weeks, Ellie?" Her mother asked, refering to the next skating event, the 'Cup of Russia'.
"Oh yeah. But I already talked to Taylor and she said I could room with her, since her parents aren't going with her to this one." Ellie told her. "If thats alright."
"Of course it is alright." Mrs. Craft said lightly. "But what is Ethan going to do?"
Ellie moved closer to the window. "I don't want him to come." She finally said.
A look of surprise came across her parent's faces, Ethan just turned to look out the window.
"Well, I suppose that is alright, since it would be better than rooming alone." Mrs. Craft said.
"Okay, I'll call her tomorrow." Ellie said, reveled she would not go to another skating event where Ethan would mess with her brain again and she would lose out on another medal. After winning gold at the Nationals, losing out on medals of any color at the Grand Prix events would look pretty bad, and she did not want that to happen.
It was silent the rest of the car ride home, and even as they unpacked the car and went to their bedrooms. Ellie decided to catch up on some sleep while Ethan decided to call Mark.
"Hello?" Mark's voice came on the other line.
"Hey, it's Ethan." He said as he sat down on his bed to take off his shoes.
"Hey man, whats up?" Mark asked, he sounded pleased that it was Ethan who was calling.
"Nothing much. Just got back from the worst trip of my life." Ethan told him with a twinge of anger in his voice.
"How so?" Mark asked.
"I just happened to realize that my parents only care about Ellie, and not me."
"Come again?" Mark sounded bewildered.
Ethan sighed. "Ellie is the talented twin, and I am the rejected, never going to amount to anything twin."
Mark was quite for a moment. "I can't believe it. Claire and her bitchy posse have finally gotten to you."
"What? No way." Ethan said firmly.
"Say what you will. But you have never thought that way until now. Admit it Ethan, I'm right." There was a long silent pause. "I have to finish some homework. I'll see you tomottow." Mark said and he then hung up.
"I hate it when he talks like he knows everything!" Ethan said to himself, too blind to see that that Mark had hit the nail on the head as to why Ethan felt that way.
******************************************************************************************************
Ellie went to school without Ethan the next day and soon found Lizzie sitting outside the school, it wasn't the usual December cold as usual, and that was why many people where enjoying the slightly good weather while they could.
"Hey Lizzie." Ellie said as she sat down next to her.
Lizzie looked up from her history book and smiled when she realized it was Ellie. "Hey, how are you?"
"Tired." Ellie said with a laugh. "How about you?"
"I've been better." Lizzie said. "I have to get my history homework done before second period."
"Better hurry." Ellie teased.
Lizzie shrugged. "I only have a few more problems to do." She said, as she wrote something across the paper. "Miranda and I are going to the mall tomorrow night. You want to come?"
Ellie thought a minute. Tomorrow was Wednesday, she would have training until four thirty, and then have a little homework, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Plus, she had to get for a little while...Even if it meant not doing homework for one night. "Sure, count me in."
"Cool." Lizzie said as the first bell rang. She then closed her book with the paper in it. "We'll meet at the food court at 5:00 tomorrow night...Sound good?"
Ellie stood up, and swung her bag over her shoulder. "Sounds great."
"Sweet. Well we better get to homeroom...One more tardy for me and I have detention." Lizzie said with a little laugh.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ethan and Mark pulled into the school parking lot as the first bell rang. Ellie had not woken him up, so he was really running behind. Not to mention, he had to call Mark at the last minute to get a ride to school. Ethan's day so far was not going very well.
"You gonna need a ride tomorrow too?" Mark asked as he jumped out of the driver's seat and pulled his bag out. "Cause if you do...Please tell me with more than a two minute notice."
"Hey man, I told you...Ellie just kind of left me this morning." Ethan said as they began to walk into school. "I didn't know she was going to do that."
"Oh yeah, when you piss Ellie off she just forgives and then forgets within twenty four hours." Mark mumbled.
"What was that?" Ethan asked. He heard 'piss Ellie off' but that was it.
"Nothing." Mark said as he pushed through the front doors of school. "Did you talk to Ellie at all last night?"
"No. Why should I?" Ethan asked.
Mark shook his head. "Because you idiot...Its obvisous that what you told her pissed her off enough to mess with her brain...You don't talk to her soon, it is going to turn into the Jerry Springer set whenever you two are in the same room." He said as they walked into their homeroom and slid into their two usual seats in the back of the room.
"No, she'll forget all about it by tonight...I know her better than you do." Ethan said.
"I'm really sure about that." Mark said as the final bell rang and the announcements came over the intercome.
****************************************
Ellie had gone to practice that day at noon, as usual. But practice was awful. Timothy said that he understood she was under a lot of stress, but she had to better than sixth place at the next three events or the Olympics would not exactly be a pretty thing. Meaning that he wasn't going to ease up on training. She ran through her long program four times, the whole way through. Not to mention practice spin after spin, and jump after jump. It was not fun at all and she was very tired when she got home. The biggest upset came when her parents for some unknown reason wanted them to have a family dinner and made her come down and sit across from Ethan at dinner.
"So, Ellie, how was practice?" Mrs. Craft asked, in her motherly tone.
"It was fine. I think I will do better in Russia next weekend." Ellie said, she then looked at Ethan. "Considering someone will not be coming."
Ethan looked at her and glared. "If that was meant to piss me off it didn't. I don't even want to go...So there." He said, then looking back at his plate.
"Fine. I bet you can find some nice cheerleaders to hang out with that weekend anyway. You probably won't even know I'm gone." Ellie said.
"Cheerleaders?" Mrs. Craft asked.
Ethan turned red, and continued to stare down at his food. His parents never exactly approved of him dating cheerleaders, but he did anyway, just hoping that they would never find out.
"Oh yeah mom, Ethan can't get enough of the cheerleaders at school." Ellie said, obvisously knowing that Ethan was probably going to be grounded for it. "You know his old girlfriend...."
"Shut up Ellie!" Ethan yelled. "I stopped hanging out with those girls a long time ago!"
"Oh yeah, two weeks is a long time." Ellie said keeping her cool, even though it was very hard to do so.
"Hey, I have not talked to anyone of them within the two weeks. I don't even like them anymore...Plus your the one to talk...Your going back and forth between Travis and Jason anyway!" Ethan yelled.
Ellie got enraged. It was totally out of line for him to say that, she stood up and threw her napkin down. "For your information! I haven't gone on a date with either of them...Thereofore, we are just friends and nothing is going on between us!" She screamed at him.
"Ellie...Calm down." Her mother said.
"You too Ethan...This is out of control!" Their father yelled. "Ellie we know you had a bad weekend for skating, but that doesn't mean you have to go one hating your brother."
"He's the stupid reason that I had a bad skating weekend!" Ellie yelled.
"What are you..." Mrs. Craft began.
"He somehow got the idea in his head that he's the neglected and wished that I had never moved here from Texas." Ellie yelled. "If it wasn't for him, I would still be in Texas, and everything would be fine! He's the freaking reason that I messed up! It was his ex-girlfriend who almost ruined my future skating career!"
"She's one of your best friends...Why are you bringing her up?" Ethan asked her.
"Because she's my friend now, but back then she was in your group!" Ellie yelled. She then paused and took a deep breath. "You know it doesn't even matter...I have made the decision that I'm moving back to Texas as soon as the school year is over."
Everyone stared at her for a moment, even Ethan looked very hurt she said that.
"Ellen Maire...I don't think that is something you should think about now." Her father said. "You should focus more on the next month and a half, then you can make a decison like that."
"I'm not staying here!" Ellie screamed as she then slammed her fists down on a table and began to walk out of the kitchen.
"Ellen!" Her mother called after her. "Come back her and we will talk about this!"
Ellie hit the wall and ended up punching a hole in it. She then turned back to them, "I'm not staying here! And you can't make me!" She told them fiercely with tears in her eyes. She then turned and stomped up to her bedroom, and slammed the door.
The rest of her family sat at the table for a moment. It was in that moment when Ellie told all of them that she wanted to go back to Texas that Ethan realized what he told her, must have really hurt. He then stood up and began to walk out of the room, debating whether or not to go talk to her or not.
"Ethan Matthew Craft...Come back here this instant." Mr. Craft said in his booming fatherly tone.
Ethan turned and went to go sit back down at the table.
"Now, just tell us...Why is Ellie blaming you for why she had a bad skating day?" Mrs. Craft asked.
Ethan sighed and began to tell his parents the whole story, including that it was Claire who put the thought in his head.
*************************************************************************************************
Mark picked Ethan up the next morning for school. For once, he was leaving for school eariler than Ellie.
"So, has Ellie forgiven you yet?" Mark asked as they began to drive down the street to school.
Ethan sighed. "No. She really hates me." He said.
"Yeah I know." Mark said.
Ethan looked at him. "How?"
"You forgot your notebook in my car yesterday, and being the good friend I am, I came and brought it over to your house." Mark said. "But of course, I came at the time when you and Ellie had your little run in."
"You heard that?"
"I think the whole city heard it." Mark said. "I don't think she is going to forget about it anytime soon."
"Neither do I. I feel really bad. After seeing her all torn up last night, I understand why she is so pissed, and I don't blame her one bit." Ethan said. "I think I'll be riding to school with you for a long time."
"Not if you come up with a really nice way of telling her you are sorry." Mark said.
"And home am I going to do that?"
Mark shrugged. "If you are really sorry, you'll think of something."
"Yeah right." Ethan then slumped in his seat and stared out the window the rest of the time.
************************************************************************
Ellie met Lizzie and Miranda later that day at the mall, and she was ready to go shopping. The only thing that got her through the whole day, and her practice, was knowing she was going to be having a little fun afterwards.
"Hey chica." Miranda said with a smile. "Whats up.
"Oh nothing much. How about you?" Ellie asked.
"Oh we were just thinking about the school's winter formal. Maybe if we get dresses now, they will be a little cheaper." Lizzie said.
Ellie looked puzzled. "Winter formal?"
"Yeah, its like homecoming dance. All the grades are invited and you get to dress up and it is really really fun. They pick a 'Ice King' and 'Ice Queen', just like homecoming king and queen...Its awesome." Miranda explained.
"When is it?" Ellie asked.
"Kate said the last Friday in January...And I guess that is right, considering she is charge of the dance." Miranda said. "You don't have skating that weekend, do you?"
Ellie thought a moment. "Nope." She said happily.
"Great. Then lets get a jump start on looking for dresses." Lizzie said as they began to walk to their first dress desination.
"Then we can get a jump start on getting dates." Miranda said.
"Oh, that is going to be a little hard for me." Ellie said.
Lizzie just nudged her. "No way girl, you can bring Jason...Or Travis. I bet either of them would love to go with you." She said.
Ellie remembered what Ethan had said the night before. "Maybe not..."
"Maybe yes!" Miranda said.
Ellie just shrugged and didn't say another word about it the whole trip. On the plus side, she got a bunch of new clothes and had a few dresses in mind. Not to mention she also was able to forget her problems for at least a few hours.
At the end of the night, Miranda and Lizzie both had dresses in mind to buy, now they just had to go home and beg their parents to buy it for them. Ellie hadn't seen anything she liked. But she was able to get a few new pairs of jeans and sweaters. She was finally happy to have an afternoon of laughing and fun, rather than just stress and homework. Something she had despreately needed.
*******************************************************************************
Ethan sat in his room trying to do his Chemistry homework. As always, he had no idea what it meant, and he had his mind on something else.
The phone rang and he got up to answer it. "Hello?"
"Its for me Ethan! Hang up!" Ellie's voice came.
"Whatever you say." He said as he then turned the phone off. He then put the phone back down on the pad and shook his head. "She will never forgive me for this one." He thought as he knocked a bunch of papers off of his desk, onto the ground.
He sat back down at his desk when one of the papers caught his eye. He went over and picked it up, and it was the newspaper from Nationals with their picture, when a quote under the picture made his eyes water.
"Ethan is my best friend. I don't think I could ask for a better brother or friend in life. Sure we fight, thats what siblings do...But there will never be anything we can't overcome." It read in bold black print.
"I think I caused the one thing we can't get through." Ethan thought to himself as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I've lost the only true friend I have ever had."
He just sat there for the next hour, thinking about Ellie, and how much it sucked being an only child. He also thought about what it would be like if she really did go back to Texas. He would lose his sister, best friend, tutor, role model, and everything she really was it him.
Ethan then looked down at the newspaper he had once again thrown onto the floor. "Thats it! I got it" He exclaimed. "I got it."
********************************************************************************
The next week went by rather quickly. Ellie stopped talking to Ethan completely, except for..."I need to use the phone now!" or "Get out of my way!" Jason had helped her channel all her frustration and she was skating much better. She hoped to make up for the horrible performance two weeks prior.
She went to St. Petersburg Russia with Jason, and as planned shared a room with Taylor. She was unpacking her bag when she came across something she knew she had not packed. It was a piece of paper with a picture on it of her falling on a jump at Skate Canada, above it read, "Worlds Worst Brother". Ellie sat down on her bed and read the print below.
"American skating sweetheart, Maire Craft had a little trouble at the skaing Grand Prix event Skate Canada two weeks ago as a result of a fight with her twin brother Ethan. Trouble started when Ethan let a jealous cheerleader's words get to his head, in turn causing an argument between them. To make matters worse, it the fight came two hours before Maire had to skate her free progam. Harsh words hurt Maire greatly and it took a huge toll on her skating, causing her to place sixth over all. However, Ethan has come forth saying that he knows what he did was wrong and is truely sorry. Not just for ruining his sisters chances at a medal, but for many things. Now thanks to him being a selfish idiot, his role model and best friend is gone. As Maire goes on to the next of three Grand Prix events, Ethan stays at home alone, hoping to regain the friend he lost."
Ellie felt a twinge of guilt. She had probably hurt her family so much when she told them that she wanted to move back to Texas. She never really meant it, it was just something she had said out of anger.
She then noticed Ethan's hand writing on the bottom, "Please turn over". Ellie did and it was another note from Ethan, but this was written in his handwriting.
"Ellie, I just want you to know that I am extremely sorry about what I said a few weeks ago. Claire and her posse are jealous of what you have accomplished and tried to turn me into a green eyed monster along with them. Stupidly I fell for it, and then everything seemed like the whole spotlight was on you, and you know how the rest goes. I just want you to know that I am really sorry about what I said, and the way I said it. I can't fully say I am not jealous, but I know that I should be happy for what you are doing. Anyway, I hope you like the newspaper article that I made for you. And I really hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. If you do, then do the secret signal before your freeskate...You know I will be watching. Good luck in Russia, come home soon. Love~ Ethan."
Ellie smiled. Ater least Ethan could admit he was wrong. She did miss him a lot, and something like that shouldn't break up best friends? No way. Ellie then put the paper down and continued to unpack. She had a feeling she would be doing very well in both of her programs.
**************************************************
Ellie managed to pull off a great short program. It put her in over all 2nd behind Elise Stone of Canada. Then, two nights later Ellie couldn't wait to get out onto the ice to show everyone that she was there to skate and that she could still medal at the Olympics.
She took to the ice after a great warm-up. She was excited, and ready to skate. After getting final advice from Timothy, she skated out as the crowd cheered.
As she took her opening pose, she scratched behind her left ear, then shook her fingers. Then her music began, and she skated a flawless program.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ethan watched the first skaters preform, not exactly with full attention, he was just waiting for Ellie to go on.
(*(SKating next is Maire Craft of the United States.)*) The camera then showed Ellie strecthing her arms, and then turn and wave to camera.
After a commerical break, the camera was showing some girl in a light pink dress waiting for her scores. After the scores, the speaker introduced Ellie, or Maire as they said. Ethan's stomach was turning as he watched Ellie skate out to the middle of the rink, but then relaxed and smiled brightly when he saw Ellie scratch her ear and then shake her fingers. It was there secret signal for Ellie and Ethan before she skated. They came up with it when she began appearing on TV, just for a way to say, "I know your watching, and I miss you." But in this case it meant that she forgave Ethan for being a punk.
Ethan watched his sister skate and smiled again when he found out that she had won the gold medal. He then picked up the phone and dialed Mark's phone number. "Hey Mark, I don't need a ride to school this week."
*************************************************************************************
One other thing, in the real world, the Grand Prix series are BEFORE Nationals. But I switched it around. (Just for anyone who could possibly been wondering about it). Thought I should clear that up.
Anyway...You like the story and want me to post the rest? REVIEW! The next two chapters will most likely be focused more on friendship rather than Ellie's skating. So review and you will find out what happens.