𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 (𝐂𝐅)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫- 𝐋𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐞

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I love Susanna, I always had. My mum told me even when I was in her belly I would kick the hardest whenever she  was around.

But I couldn't believe she had done this. She knows the debutant ball wasn't my scene in the first place, but this was a new level of meddling.

"I don't even know him Susanna! For all we know he could be a murderer!" I say a little too loud as our guests turn to us awkwardly.

"Don't be silly." She laughs lowering her voice as I sign I should do the same. "There the Richardson's, you've met James and Lola before, you were just to young to remember."

The name Lola was more familiar then James was, but by face I couldn't tell. "Either way, Susanna I can pick my own escort." I turn to her as she grabs my hands squeezing them softly.

"Hunny, it's two weeks left. You don't have a boyfriend and neither of the boys want to go. James is lovely, he even kissed you once on the cheek." She giggles a little, raising one of her hands that boops my cheek.

"Just get to know him, for me?" I really wish she hadn't said those last two words. She didn't know what Conrad had told me, so those words were more important than ever.  I had to do it, for Susanna.

"Fine." I sigh as her smile blossoms, she kisses my cheek quickly before grabbing ahold of one of my hands. "Come on let's go down." I follow her down the steps as we make our way over to Lola and James.

"Ellie, this is Lola and James. You met when you were babies." Lola gives me a bright smile pulling me into a short hug. "Don't worry I don't remember either, my mum had to pull out the baby photos." I laugh a little as I turn to James.

He was good looking, athletic, brown floppy hair that just covered his ears. But he was nothing compared to Conrad. "I'm the alleged murderer." My cheek flush with embarrassment, I can't believe he heard me!

"Sorry about that I just uh-
"I'm just kidding." He laughs and my should ease up when he starts to laugh.

"Where are the others Susanna?" Lola asks looking back to the house. "Pretty sure, everyone else is out. They barely spend time with us oldies now." She jokes pulling me into one of her arms.

"Conrad's home." I mention, noticing Lola's eyes open a tiny bit. "Oh well I go get him, see you kids in a bit." She waltzes off in her flory summer dress leaving silence in the air.

That was always the thing with Susanna, she could make a conversation out of anything. "So they're a baby photos?" I say cringing as Lola nods her head.

"Yep, there's one of all us girls being bathed in the kitchen sink." Baby photos were embarrassing enough, but ones of us in the bath?! Might as well write a kick me sign on my back.

"Well that's embarrassing." I laugh. "Don't worry there's one of the boys as well." She comes closer almost whispering. We both laugh as I see Susanna come back with Conrad following loosely behind.

Oh shit Conrad, how am I supposed to go to the Deb ball with some other guy when Conrad here? Just as they reach the bottom step I see Conrad turn to his mum, I couldn't make out what they were saying but it looked like it was a heated discussion.

Conrad looks over to us but more so to me, he takes a sigh before walking back into the house as susanna calls after him. She puts on a smile walking down the steps as if nothing happened. "What's going on?" I ask her as she shakes her head. "Oh you know Conrad just being Conrad." She let's out a nervous laugh.

"Um can I get anyone a drink?" I offer, it means I can quickly check on Conrad. "Could you get the jug of lemonade from out the fridge? Thank you sweetie." I nod my head as I walk up into the house where Conrad is, helping himself to the lemonade.

"That's for our guests." I walk over pulling it away from him, but by that point his glass was already full. "We'll apparently that Lola girl isn't just a guest." He wasn't looking at me, once again totally distant and cut off.

"What do you mean?" I furrow my eyebrows taking a seat next to him. "According ti my mum she's my future wife to be." He scoffs at the stupidity of it. "She was being dramatic, she's also said that James guy is my escort to the Deb ball." I shrug and finally Conrad looks up to me.

"You're not going with him are you?"
"Well Susanna asked me to do it for her, and she's right I don't have a date yet." He looks away, nodding his head slowly.

"Why are you gonna take me?" I already knew the answer was no. But I also knew Conrad would hate somebody else taking me, I need an escort and basically half of cousins have already been asked so maybe this works out for the best.

"Ellie you know-"
"Yeah yeah, I know deb's are for sheep and the idea of dancing in front of loads of people is embarrassing. Just strange how those opinions didn't matter when you took Nicole." I grab the jug of lemonade standing up walking away from him before I get to annoyed.

I head down the steps placing the jug on the table that was laid out with picky bits of food. I grab a cocktail sausage looking back to the house where I can see Conrad heading upstairs. Maybe I was too harsh, come across too strong for how little time we actually have spent together romantically.

But it still was a matter of fact, he wouldn't take me to the ball. So that left James.

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