Chapter One:
Alana Must Really Like This Elevator
As we stepped out of the airport, toting our luggage, it was, of course, raining. I silently cursed myself for wearing my strawberry blonde hair down. I'd be Frizz City in five minutes. Still, I couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of a light shower on my skin.
Alana sprinted towards the busy street, flailing her arms and screaming, "Taxi!" but to no avail. She slumped her shoulders and pouted. I walked up next to her and whistled. A little cab pulled over for us. "I will never understand how you do that," Alan marveled. I smiled as we slid into the cab.
"Where to?" a husky man with a chestnut beard and a balding head demanded. Alana gave the address to her aunt's house and we were off.
Since junior year, Alana and I had been planning on visiting Manchester after doing a presentation on the English town in World History. We both got jobs at a small, locally-owned restaurant in our hometown. After three years, we'd accumulated about $57,000. We knew it was meant to be when Alana's Aunt Wei invited us to stay with her in Manchester for a month.
It was still raining when the cabbie dropped us off at Aunt Wei's flat building. I stepped into the elevator with two young men. the brown-haired boy asked, "What floor?" I turned to Alana for an answer, but she said nothing. Instead she let out a banshee-like shriek.
"Oh my gosh! You're Dan and Phil!"
I practically had to peel Alana off of the poor boys. "Alana! You can't just attack strangers like that!"
"But they're not strangers! I know them!" I covered her loud mouth and turned to the boys, who looked as sheepish as I did.
"I'm really sorry. My friend thinks you're famous Youtubers. Danisonice and Magnificentphil or something."
Alana peeled my hand from her mouth. "Seriously? How many times have I told you their names now?"
"About four gazillion."
The two boys chuckled. The ebony-haired one spoke this time. "Actually, she's right."
"Ha! See?" Alana yelled. I rolled my eyes.
"I'm Phil and this is Dan." They both did a little macho-man-type pose and sang, "Dun, da duuuuuuuun!"
Alana giggled girlier than I'd ever heard her giggle. "Wow. Gorgeous and funny." I rolled my eyes once again. Both boys blushed.
"Um, thanks," the boy called Dan said.
"Oh, and your accents! Can you say literally?" If I didn't stop her now and he refused, someone's head was definitely getting ripped off.
"Alright, that's enough. I'm sure they don't want to be bothered."
"Nah, it's cool," Phil reassured.
"Don't encourage her," I warned. "She'll never stop." Alana pouted. "Could you press Floor 4?"
"That's actually where we're headed," Dan smiled. Alana screeched again.
"Oh my gosh! Literally?!"
"Literally. Our flat's on that floor." I was sure my best friend would faint any minute.
"So cool!"
The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Alana spoke to Dan as if she couldn't get her words out fast enough, asking a million and one questions. "I feel sorry for the poor boy."
Phil, who was still in the lift, said, "Ah, he's used to it by now. Being famous comes with a price." He grinned cheesily at me.
"I really am sorry about her, though."
"It's nothing, really."
"Oh, obviously you do not know Alana."
"Pretty name."
"I know. I've always been jealous."
He furrowed his brows. "Why?"
Oh great. Here I was,spilling my heart out to a was sooo not like me. But I figured, with Alana, I'd be getting to know these boys pretty well over the next month.
"Everything about her is perfect. From her name to her perfectly manicured nails."
"I fancy imperfect. Shows you're real, yeah?"
"Yeah, I guess." I turned to hunt Alan down, but I felt a tug on my pinky. I looked back at Phil.
"I never got your name."
"Ellison Rush. You can call me Elli."
"It's quite different. I like it." He smiled softly at me.
As I bid goodbye to my newfound acquaintance, I could help but smile. Even hunting down my crazy best friend couldn't put a damper on my mood.
