Only the Beginning

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen:

Ellie's POV.

June 1, 2012

"Let me in!" I scream banging on the door to my parents house.

"Not yet!" Justin yells back through the door.

He left before me to come ere, he told me he had things he needed to prepare for that I couldn't see. And that he wanted to help Mom with decorations and what not. Honestly. I don't know.

"Ugh! Justin! How much longer?! It's hot out here! I want to get in the pool!" I exclaim sighing and fanning myself with my hand.

"Ok enter," he says in a fake deep voice as he swings open the door and waving his arm for me to come in.

"It's weird for you to be letting me into my family's house."

"Yeah. It feels weird for me too," he explains chuckling.

I take in all the decorations.

They really decided to go all out this year. With balloons covering every inch of the ceiling. And a banner that says "Happy Birthday" across it hung at the staircase. Even the food.

"Geez, who payed for all this?!" I ask knowing my dad and mom don't really have that much money.

"Me," Justin says nodding his head.

"Seriously?! You payed for my birthday party?! This is huge!"

"Well yeah. I mean. Your my girl. Even though you aren't really. You my best friend. So therefor your my girl... I'm gonna stop talking now..." He trails off from trying too hard to explain as I raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"It's okay. It's cute when you babble," I tell him laughing lightly.

"I'm cute?" He asks sheepishly.

"Ellie!!!!" Marissa exclaims coming in from the kitchen wearing flour all on her face, and ketchup on her pajama pants.

"Hey Mom," I laugh giving he a hug, "New makeup?"

"What?" She asks completely confused, and I point at the little but of flour she has on her face. She wipes it off quickly laughing.

"Still in pajamas?!"

"Oh my gosh. You have no idea," she says leaning against the dining room table and letting out a sigh, "Justin came up with all this great stuff... But we didnt realize how much work it would be."

"He does that," I laugh and look at him scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"He tries really hard for you though honey," she says patting my shoulder, then whispers the next part, " He's definitely a keeper."

I glare at her and she raises her hands in the air defensively and returns to her work in the kitchen.

"What did she say?" He asks clearly not having heard it since she whispered it into my ear.

"Nothing," I lie smiling.

"Oh come on. I know you better than that. Your lying. What did she tell you?"

"Nothing!"

"Ellie," he says wiping the grin from before off of his face and replacing it with a completely straight face.

"Justin," I say mimicking him and then changing the subject, "I'm gonna go say hi to the girls."

"This isn't over," he says as I turn on my heels laughing.

"Hey El," Ciara says as I walk outside to find them sitting by the pool with their legs hanging in.

"Hey guys, what's up?"