Chapter Three

Ella's POV

Recap

We reached his door and I was about to say goodbye when Jay suddenly grabbed me and kissed me hard on the mouth.

I pulled back in surprise and he looked deep in my eyes.

"Coop," he mumbled. "I like you a lot."

Story Starts

I almost fell over with surprise. Jay Adams, one of my best friends since I was six years old, was telling me that he likes me.

"Jay I…" my voice trailed off. How did I feel? Over the years I knew how cute Jay had grown, but there really was another guy that I had some serious feelings for, but I knew nothing was going to come out of that. I always had a bit of a crush on Jay. I looked in his eyes. "Jay, I like you too."

The biggest smile spread over his face and he kissed me again. He broke the kiss and pulled me into a hug. "Meet me at the pier tomorrow night around seven."

He pressed his lips to mine again and went inside.

I smiled, dropped Tony's board and headed off down the street. I didn't feel like going home, but I didn't want to head back to the beach. So I headed towards the Zephyr shop.

I entered the shop looked around. It was deserted.

"Skip?" I called. He popped his head out of the back.

"Hey Ella man! What's up bro?" he stepped out of the back room smelling like smoke.

"Not much, not much. How's business?" I asked.

"Kind of slow. You wanna buy something?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes but noticed a sweet surfboard leaning against the back wall. I walked over to it and looked it over.

"Yeah, just finished that one. It's pretty sweet," Skip said.

"How much?" I asked.

"Well…how much you go on you?" he slurred.

"Nothing, but I'll give you $60," I replied.

"$65," he said.

"Deal."

"Sweet, pick it up tomorrow or I'm putting it on display," he took the board and stumbled back into the backroom.

"Later Skip!" I called as I left the shop.

I headed home. There was nothing else to do.

"Hey Dad!" I called as I dashed up the stairs to my room.

I opened my bedroom door to find Stacy sitting on my bed flipping through a skate magazine.

"Hey," he said looking up and dropping the magazine. "Your uh, dad let me in."

"What's up?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh right, um, you left your surfboard on the beach…so did Jay, but Tony brought his over…so I thought I'd bring yours…how is Jay?" Stacy asked.

"He's great…oh right the head thing…yeah, he's fine," I said. "Hey, I didn't see your car outside."

"My car? Oh right, I skated over. I went home after you left and I brought your board with me, but when I got home I realized that you would freak when you realized that you didn't have it, so I brought it over…I got here like twenty minutes ago, were you at Jay's?" Stacy asked.

"No…I left like forty minutes ago, but I stopped off to see Skip. Bought a new surfboard," I said.

Stacy nodded casually. I sat down on the floor in front of him and leaned against his legs.

Stacy's POV

We sat in silence for a few minutes before I cleared my throat and said, "Elle, there something you want to talk about?"

"He kissed me, Stace. It turns out Jay actually has feelings for me," she said. I couldn't see her face, but I knew that she was smiling that gorgeous smile of hers.

I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. Ella and Jay. Jay and Ella.

"Do you have feelings for him?" I asked.

"You know, I think I do," she said. She turned and looked at me. She looked beautiful in the dimness of her room, with the last light from the sunset coming in through her window and illuminating her face.

I forced a smile. "That's great. You and Jay hooking up. That's…fantastic."

Her smile widened. "Good, I'm glad you approve."

She got off the floor and set next to me on the bed. She looked at me for a second before hugging me tightly.

She let go just as her door swung open and her father came in.

"Stacy! You're still here! Good…good. Hey! Tomorrow I'm having a luncheon for a few of my business associates, why don't you come? Ella will be here and that friend of yours Sid, you should come by...Eleanor! Right, I want you dressed nicely tomorrow. None of those baggy clothes…and no running around dressed like that either," Mr. Cooper said gesturing towards Ella's bathing suit and surf shorts.

"I was at the beach, Dad," Ella said.

"Right…right…the beach…I'll see you later kids…Stacy, you should come tomorrow…having a luncheon for some business associates," Mr. Cooper took off slowly down the hall mumbling to himself.

I stood up. "I should get going."

Ella walked me to her front porch. I dropped my board and she said, "Will you come tomorrow?"

I hesitated. "I dunno Elle…a bunch of stuffy business guys…not really my scene."

"As if it's mine! Please Stace, with you there I might actually have fun…I mean it'll be fun with Sid, but I'd love it if you were there," she gave me this adorable pleading look.

I sighed. "Alright, I'll be here."

"Promise?" she asked.

"I promise."

I was about to skate off when she said, "Hey Stacy?" I turned around. "Thanks…for bringing back my board."

"No problem," I smiled. I took off down her street, fighting the urge to look back.

Ella's POV

I woke up the next morning, showered and spent an hour figuring out what Dad meant by 'nice'. My idea of nicely dressed was baggy jeans and my Zephyr t-shirt.

I found a white skirt that Kathy Alva had given me for my birthday. I put it on with a white tank top and slid on a pair of sandals.

I went downstairs where Dad was ordering Gloria, our housekeeper, around.

"Eleanor! You look nice," Dad said glancing at me.

About an hour later guests started arriving. Sid and his dad were among the first but Sid couldn't talk because his dad wanted to introduce him to a bunch of stiffs. I stood around greeting random people going, "Oh hello! Welcome to our little party, we're so glad you could come. Try the crab cakes, they're fantastic!"

I couldn't stand it much longer. I wandered outside and sat on the porch's railing. I closed my eyes and leaned against a pillar.

"Ellie?" a soothing voice said quietly. I opened my eyes and Stacy was standing there his hair combed, wearing a nice button down shirt and dress pants that were a size too big on him.

"Hey, you look good," I said. It wasn't a lie.

"Thanks…I think I might be just a bit underdressed though. Every guy in there's wearing a tie," he said.

I smiled. "Ties don't suit you. You look good, I'm sure no one will mind that you're minus one accessory."

He grinned and said, "So, where's Sid?"

"Inside, his dad's showing him off, hoping to introduce him to one of those guys with either a rich daughter or an opening at their company or something," I rolled my eyes.

Stacy offered me his arm. "Shall we go inside?"

I laughed, linked my arm through his and let him lead me through the front door.

"Eleanor! There you are! Stacy! Wonderful, so glad you could come! Lunch will be served in five minutes if you two want to head into the dining room. Enjoy the party kids!" Dad said loudly.

I let Stacy lead me into the dining room and where Sid was sitting alone. I took a seat next to him and Stacy sat next to me. A bunch of business men in black suits started coming in and the guys and I amused ourselves by trying to pick out the ugliest on in the crowd.

The meal went by so slowly that it would have been painful if Sid and Stacy weren't there. Stacy especially provided me with entertainment, making me laugh with every comment.

After the meal the business dudes (as Sid, Stacy, and I so appropriately called them) all went back into the living room where they rambled amongst themselves.

The guys and I retreated to the back yard drinking the random booze that we had managed to sneak out of the party.

We were nice and buzzed when Dad came to get us saying that we should say goodbye to everyone.

I stood by the door with Stacy behind me saying goodbye to everyone, spouting crap like, "Thank you so much for coming. I hope this was as much fun for you as it was for me. Pleasure to see you again. My father just raves about how nice it always is to do business with you. Do come and see us again!"

Finally after the last business dude (Sid's dad dragging Sid along with him) had left I had the house to myself, Dad, Gloria, and of course Stacy.

Gloria, noticing how buzzed Stacy and I both were, made us some coffee to sober us up a bit.

"There's no point in me being sober again," I muttered as Stacy and I sipped the coffee in the privacy of my room. "I'll probably get drunk again later."

"You plan on drinking tonight?" Stacy asked, his buzz pretty much gone. He usually stayed relatively sober when we drank.

"I'm meeting Jay tonight. Jay…night…date…you know there's gonna be some alcohol involved," I reasoned.

"Yeah, just make sure Jay doesn't use alcohol to his advantage," Stacy muttered so quietly that for a second I thought I had imagined it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked as he set his coffee mug on the floor.

"Nothing…forget it. I just don't want to see you hurt," Stacy said not looking at me. He stood up abruptly and said, "I should probably get going. Tell your dad thanks for inviting me. I had fun."

Before I could say anything else he left.

Stacy's POV

"Nothing…forget it. I just don't want to see you hurt," I said avoiding her eyes at all costs. I stood up and said, "I should probably get going. Tell your dad thanks for inviting me. I had fun."

I left before I could say what I know I would have blurted out. I ran out to my car and got in. I started the engine and looked up at Ellie's bedroom window where she stood watching me.

"Ellie," I whispered. "I love you."