Ellie

Twenty Two

As the days turned into weeks and the time passed, Ellie started to let herself relax, beginning to realise that Brett was going to keep to his word and not say anything, or refer back to that night and that kiss. She was feeling she could finally put it behind her.

The only odd exception was when someone mentioned them winning the award, and it brought the moment back only too vividly, and she found herself cursing the fact their first accolade would be always be connected to what had happened between her and Brett later that evening

Though, she had to reluctantly admit that she had found that there was suddenly a slight restraint in their relationship, where the easy going teasing and camaraderie that had previously existed between them, had now toned down somewhat. She preferred to blame it on the pressure of them trying to finish their second album than anything personal. After their recent success, there was no time for goofing around.

They knew their next album had to be better than the first, so recently their total focus had been on this, to build on their first success, they meant to stay at the top. now they had finally reached it.

Ellie was gratified when she called her father, and was able to facetime with him, she could talk shop with him about how it was going with the album, and he understood perfectly what she was going through. She had to admit that since she had chosen this path of music, it had brought them even closer. He was never tired of encouraging her, and telling her how proud he was of her, which made her put all the more effort and heart into what the band were trying to achieve.

They more or less had all the songs for the album recorded, but there was just a few left, that Brett was still working out some of the lyrics he was not completely happy with.

So, when he came strolling into the recording studio looking pleased with himself that he had finally nailed it, they were all filled with relief and on tenterhooks to find out how it would go, hoping they could finish it and get it recorded to all their satisfaction.

Brett informed them that the song itself was themed on relationships between people, lovers, friends and family, and the good and the bad and the complicated aspects of it all.

Ellie was happy enough as she listened to his new lyrics, except when it came to near the end of the last verse, and he sang out the words,' The kiss that night didn't mean anything, but yet it changed everything'

It didn't take her long to make a connection in the words, jolting her out of her complacency. At first she couldn't even speak, not believing he even had the audacity to put these words in one of their songs, after they had agreed to let it go.

 She didn't know what he was playing at, but she could hardly pull him up on it with everyone else around them. She noticed he was also avoiding looking in her direction. But she was not going to let it slide so easily either.

"Y'know, I don't think that line, goes really well with the song" she then spoke up as casually as she could.

 Meanwhile, Joe and Donnie were staring daggers at her, not believing she was making this objection now, when they were so close to getting the song done,  and they wondering what she was playing at.

Brett, who had been sitting in a chair,  looked across at her, where she stood leaning against the table, his hazel eyes rested on her intently "Oh you don't?  Why not?" he queried in casual curiosity, which she knew was just an act.

"It-It doesn't really make any sense to me," she blurted, out straining her brain to come up with a rationale reason for her objection, without admitting the real reason why

"Really?" Brett now feigned bewilderment, much to her annoyance, and she sensed he was enjoying her discomfort. 

He glanced round at the others "What about you guys? Do you have trouble grasping it? All I am trying to convey in the line is how sometimes throw-away kisses. can have more meaning than they were intended, so  I don't see the problem"

Joe shrugged, "It sounds fine to me in that context," he replied reasonably

"Yeah I don't have a problem with it either " Donnie agreed, "especially now you explained it"

"Well, I can't see how a throw away kiss can change everything.. its just a stupid kiss after all you said yourself,  it doesn't mean anything" Ellie persisted.

"Wow, you seem to be taking this all very personally, it's just a line in a song, what's your problem?" Brett then said with a small puzzled frown. This only irritated her more, because she knew he was fully aware  why she was objecting, but was being  deliberately obtuse about it. 

He was just secretly  goading her, and she couldn't call him out on it without revealing the real reason. and he knew it.  Now she was backed into a corner,  as all eyes were on her.

"I don't have a problem with it personally," she found herself snapping  in return, "I just said I don't think it fits with the song, that's all, You are reading way to much into it" she finished through gritted teeth

"I don't think I am reading too much into anything, actually I think that's more your problem" Brett drawled, as he continued to challenge her.

Now  her stormy brown eyes locked with his  challenging hazel ones, and a tense silence filled the room that made the others around them shift uneasily.

"Hey, is there something personal going on between you two guys, that you both  need to take a moment?" Donnie now spoke up with some uncertainty, sensing a strange animosity between them that they had not witnessed in a while

"No!" Brett and Ellie denied in sharp unison, as they turned to him

"Okay," Donnie said, deciding  he should back off. Though he was still unconvinced,  as he exchanged a bewildered look with Joe, who just shrugged, and seemed as puzzled as him, not quite understanding what was going on either.

"Well then, considering that it's three against one, I say the line stays in the song" Brett then stated in deliberation, his voice firm, that it brooked no argument. But yet, the look in his eyes dared her to go on objecting.

She knew she couldn't really, not without drawing more attention to herself. She was also realising that  making a bigger deal of it was not helping her case, and making her seem like she was just being difficult for no real reason, much to her frustration. 

She found she had to swallow hard before replying with a shrug, "Fine then, whatever." but there was a tightness in her voice, because deep down she was still smouldering that he could do this to her, and when she she got the chance to speak to him alone, she was going to ask him what the hell he was playing at.