Ellie

Three

If Ellie thought Brett's little stunt of pulling her up on stage with him, would not get around by the following day, she had forgotten how swiftly social media could make one small incident turn into some sort of local overnight sensation.

  As she was walking through the corridor, on her way to her next class that following afternoon, she found herself suddenly being  pulled aside by a rather aggrieved Perry, whose usual plaited afro locks had been loosened and set free, so some of his dark frizzy fringe fell over his brown eyes, which now frowned at her in disbelief "What the hell is going on Ellie? I can't believe you got up on stage and played with Kikz last night, I thought you couldn't stand that asshole Brett, now you are singing along with him?"

"I-I wasn't singing with him" Ellie denied vehemently, and I can't stand Brett Carter, I didn't even want to be up on stage with him and his band... Look, I was going to come find you later, and explain what happened last night, but believe me when I tell you I was not happy about what happened" she then attempted to explain.

"Really?" Perry seemed to doubt her sincerity, "from the video my mate Les showed me earlier on his phone, which his girlfriend Jacey recorded  last night,  because you see, she happened to be there at the club,  it  kindda looked like you were enjoying yourself" he added almost accusingly

For a moment Ellie, couldn't reply, suddenly mortified by the realisation that the incident had been recorded and was now circulating online amongst people she knew, and found herself inwardly cursing Brett Carter once again.

"Whatever you thought you saw in that video, I am telling you the truth," she replied in desperation, hoping Perry  believed her

"Then what were you even doing at the club last night, especially since Brett happened to be playing there, and we weren't?" Perry then demanded.

"I went to get my bracelet, remember I told you I realised it was missing on Sunday, It had fallen off in the dressing room, and when I phoned Keith he said it had been handed in and he had left it behind the bar for me to collect" she hurriedly explained. "I didn't even know Kikz were playing until I got there. I just hung around to have one drink that Rob the bar man offered me on the house, but then I had every intention of leaving, only this crazy fight broke out at the bar, and the lights went on, and bloody Brett Carter realised I was there, so he decided to have fun at my expense, pulling me up on stage with him knowing it was the last thing I wanted, it was his way of getting back at me for showing him up on Saturday during our rehearsals " she hurriedly tried to explain.

"So, now you are saying he forced you to get up on stage with him?" Perry still sounded a little sceptical

"Yes, more or less" Ellie insisted, "he started shouting out the crowd about me being in the club, and how it would be good if I got up and joined him on the stage.. I was trying to get away, but he was encouraging them to keep me there, and before I knew it he jumped off the stage and grabbed my hand and pulled me up with him. Then he hinted he knew who my father was, taunting me about it, and so the next thing I knew, I found myself with a guitar, and playing one of my dad's old songs.. It was crazy... but when the song finished, I swear, I couldn't get away quick enough, you have to believe me, If I had known they were playing there last night, I would have collected my bracelet on another day, and saved myself some humiliation" she frowned

"Well from what I saw on that video. it didn't seem he was trying to humiliate you, quite the opposite actually" Perry's brown eyes now narrowed suspiciously, "Did you say he mentioned he knew he knew who your father is?"

"Yes, and if you saw the video, you know it was of my dad's song we were singing," Ellie hissed, lowering her tone as others were passing them in the corridor. The guys in the band were the only few people she had confided in personally about her background, but only because Perry had been messing about with her cell phone one day, and found a photo of her with her family and recognised her father, but as they were already good friends before the incident.