Flyingovermountains: OMG! I did do it! And I never caught it when I was proof reading it! Thanks for pointing it out! I'm so glad that you like the story…and nope…not everything is peachy keen. (Oh and just a little side note: I attended a small private school for twelve years… (I have to spend the last two years of high school at a public school)…and I got the snob remarks too. It's really not that fair that we have to be called that! (On the other hand! I do know a lot of snobbish people that go to the school…but that doesn't mean that everyone is!))) But I just read on your profile that you went to a private school.
Ella had to go to a special orientation for her new school. Bridget had tried to get off of work, but she couldn't. When they had gotten to New York City, permanently, Eric had passed the word around that Bridget Vreeland was now living in the city and was interested in a coaching job. She had landed one in two days. (Apparently her skills were in high demand.) Bridget was now the new soccer coach for the women's team at Columbia. The old one was at the age where he needed to rest. Retirement in Florida seemed to work better for him. He gladly handed over the position. And seeing as how the team had upcoming scrimmages, Bridget wouldn't let one day go to waste.
Eric was now standing in the long line of new students with Ella, waiting for the auditorium doors to open. "I'm sorry that your mom couldn't get today off Ella." Eric looked up from the paper he was reading. "How about I take you to get your school supplies today? Would that be ok?" Ella thought about it for a minute. "I guess that would be cool…thanks." Eric smiled. "No problem." The line started to move, and the two stopped talking.
"Ok, so you need two spiral bound notebooks, three subjects. Here they are." Eric picked up two notebooks and placed them in the basket. Ella took them out and put them back on the shelf. "I like green notebooks, not purple." She hadn't meant for it to come out the way it did. "I'm sorry Eric…it's just that things are different now." "I know Ella. We are all trying to get used to it." Eric pulled the two green notebooks from off of the shelf and placed them in the basket. "I have something else I need to talk to you about." "What?" Ella asked as she placed a binder in the basket. Eric pulled a big stack of paper off of the shelf and put it on top of the notebooks. "I'd like to have the guest room, redecorated for you…what do you think?" "I'd love that!" Ella almost hugged Eric, but didn't. "Ok then. I'll call my decorator and she can take you shopping." "You have a decorator?" Ella asked him. He laughed at her question. "You actually thought that I did that all by myself? I could do a one bedroom apartment, but not a three bedroom."
"Why did you get a three bedroom apartment? I mean you've lived there for a while now…and the place is just always empty." "I don't think I should be talking to you about this." Eric was trying to weasel himself out of the conversation. "It doesn't work like that Eric! I seriously want to know." Eric loaded the basket onto the conveyor belt and waited patiently for the cashier to ring everything up. "I thought I would eventually have a family." "I thought that I would eventually get one of those too." Ella crossed her arms and looked past Eric. Now wasn't the time to bring up everything that happened with her parents.
Anna paced back and forth in Holly's room. Holly was painting again. Esperanza was lying on Holly's bed watching Anna. "Stop it!" Esperanza yelled. Anna stopped in her tracks and turned to face Esperanza. "Sorry." She said, plopping down on the bed beside Esperanza. "I'm just restless. I fidget." "We've noticed." Holly chimed in. "I really miss Ells." Holly said. "I know you do." Anna said back. "So you don't miss her?" Holly asked Anna. Anna sat up. "No! I miss her…it's just that you said that you missed her. I was just telling you that you do." Esperanza sat up and put her arm around Anna's shoulders. "It's ok Anna…breathe!" She gave the eyes to Holly; Holly stuck her tongue out and went back to her painting.
Bridget was lying on the couch when Eric and Ella came in. Ella leaned down and kissed her mom on the forehead, and then stepped back to allow Eric to say hello to her. Bridget sat up and made room for the other two. "So did you two have a good time today? You've been gone for hours." "Oh yeah." Ella stated. "Eric and I found everything that I needed." "Well did you like the school?" "It was ok…it's not Bethesda. I'll just have to get used to it." Ella grabbed all of her bags and headed to her room. "Lucas and James are taking me out tonight. I've got to get ready."
Ella had dressed in her (other) favorite pair of jeans, and had bought a silver-metallic halter top to wear to the club. Lucas was amazed at the way she looked. "Does your mom know you're wearing that?" He asked her. She gave him an impish smile. "Sure…why not!"
Ella and Lucas walked into the club and started dancing right away. After about an hour, James pulled them both off of the floor and over to the bar. "What can I get you?" The bartender shouted over the loud noise coming from the band. "I'll take a martini!" Ella shouted back. "Oh no!" Lucas stepped in between her and the bar. "I don't think so! She'll take a coke!" The bartender slid it over to her and winked. "And what can I get you two?" He asked Lucas and James. "I just want a beer…he doesn't need anything!" Lucas took his beer and put his arm around Ella. "He's pretty cute? Don't you think?" Lucas asked Ella, referring to the bartender. Ella blushed. "Yeah…but I'm 16, he's too old for me."
"That's where you're wrong Ells!" James said coming to stand beside them. "That would be Jon! He's my brother's son! He's only 18…but don't tell the permit people that!" Ella smiled. (A window of hope.) "You guys told him about me?" Lucas turned around and put his bottle on the bar. "I had to do something! You can't spend every waking moment with me!"
Jon got off early, and came around the bar to find James. "Hey Jon…you off?" "Yeah James. Hey, I'm Jon." Jon turned his attention to Ella. She smiled. "I'm Ella. I'm Lucas' friend." "Yeah I know." Jon explained. "You want to dance?" Ella looked at Lucas who had a mischievous look in his eyes. She got out of her seat and let Jon lead her out onto the floor.
Three hours later, Ella and Jon were walking down the street with James and Lucas. They stopped at Ella's building and James motioned for Jon to walk her up. Ella hugged Lucas and James and then she and Jon walked inside.
"I had a lot of fun tonight." Ella said to Jon, while they were standing in the elevator. "Yeah, me too. We'll have to do it again sometime. I'm sorry that they had to sneak you inside, through the back door." "Oh no problem! I'll just have to get used to it, if I want to party." The two stood in silence until the elevator stopped on Eric's floor. Jon held the doors open so that Ella could get off. She took out her key and put it inside the whole. "I'll be seeing you around then…" She was about to open the door, when Jon stopped her. He leaned in and kissed her deeply on the mouth. Pulling away, Ella covered her mouth. "Right…I'll see you later Jon." She waited for Jon to enter the elevator before she walked inside. It was nearing three o'clock when she climbed into her bed.
Ella needed some action…lol! No…I'll have to wait and see what happens with Jon. (See…I got the whole being set up thing from my own life! (Not as funny as I make it sound!)) My cousin and my friend are setting me up with this guy…should be fun right? But leannyhoodle! I'll update later!
Let's pretend this is later…well it actually is, but you wouldn't know it. I just got back from the movies…and I may just have to strangle my friend!