Fairytale

3.

Ella

This was the first time any boy - besides my brothers and my dad - had ever stepped foot in my bedroom.

And it was Alfie Edwards, of all people.

Curiously, I watched his expression as he looked around my room. He had set my flowers on my bedside table, and slowly turned his body, to gaze upon everything from the cream canopy, to the feathery dream catchers, to the floor mirror. He was in awe of everything.

And I was in awe of him. His sleek and velvety hair, short and unruly, was a blend of both gold and chocolate shades. He had a dark and bristly beard, that was cut short. His skin was tanned, and his cheekbones were sharp. An acid-washed denim button-down clung to his chest - where muscles were evident through the thin material. Black shorts that stopped just above his knees revealed his toned legs.

Alfie looked absolutely handsome, and I couldn't tear my eyes off him.

I watched as he furrowed his eyes, and I began to chew on my lip.

"What is it?" I asked, unsteady.

He shook his head, slowly, as if in disbelief.

"This room, it's not what I expected" he told me, still looking around. "Not how I imagined it."

I felt tingles up my spine.

"You imagined my room?"

He snapped out of his little trance, and I saw his cheeks flush a little red.

"Well . . . I mean . . . it was when I was walking up the stairs" he mumbled, scratching the back of his head, as if he were nervous.

I nodded, my lips pursed.

An awkward silence followed, until he slowly and surely, approached me. He was a mere few inches away from me, so close I could feel his breath dance on my eyelashes.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled - and accidentally breathed him in. He smelled musky, and earthy, as if he had gone into a forest and picked the flowers himself.

I felt his fingertips brush my bare arm, and my eyes immediately shot open. I took a step back, struggling to catch my breath for a second.

"I'm sorry, your skin . . . it looks so . . ."

I cut him short, thrusting a yearbook under his nose.

"Will you sign it?"

He looked down at the book, and a grin burst onto his face.

"I'd love to" he answered, taking it from my hands, and flipping open the first page. I presented him with a pen.

Before he signed his name, he glanced at the pages. Turning the pages, back and forth, he looked puzzled.

"Am I the only one to sign this?" he asked, and I felt my stomach turn.

He's judging me. And just when I thought he was different.

"If you don't want to sign it, it's okay - "

"I never said that" he assured me, looking taken aback.

He flashed me a warm smile, and began to move the pen across the page.

Alfie handed me the book back, and I glanced over the words.

"And then my soul saw you, and kind of went 'oh, there you are, I've been looking for you'."

Smiling, I brushed the page with my fingertips. It surprised me, not only that he wrote those words, but he wrote it in my yearbook.

"It's beautiful" I gasped. "It's just so beautiful."

"A beautiful quite, for a beautiful girl" he spoke, softly.

I looked up at him, and my breath hitches in my throat.

Suddenly, a figure erupted into the room, causing me to jump out of my skin.

It was only Ross, the kindest of my brothers. He omitted warmth, and friendliness, much unlike the other two Beauvais boys.

"Oh, hi. I didn't realise Ella had company" he said, clearly shocked by the appearance of a boy in my room.

"I'm Alfie, we went to school together" he explained, holding out his hand, for Ross to shake. He did, and smiled.

"Nice to meet a friend of Ella's" Ross spoke, and it wasn't malicious, or cruel, the way he said it, or the way Jacob would of said it. He meant it, truly, and I could see he was happy for me.

It was my turn to greet my brother. I wrapped my arms around him, and melted into his warm touch.

"You're home early" I smiled, glad I was in his presence, after seven long months of missing it.

"Yes well, I would of been home sooner, but my graduation was yesterday too" he replied.

"Of course" I sighed, nodding.

He hugged me again, as if checking I was really there. Then he pulled away, and left for the door.

"Oh, and Ella, before I forget, dad told me to tell you that your celebration will have to wait - they've booked into a hotel for their anniversary, and won't be back until tomorrow afternoon."

His expression was pitiful, and it only made the tears want to flow even more. However, I held them in, and put on a brave face.

"I'm sorry, sis" he tried, but I shook my head.

"It's okay, not your fault" I muttered.

"We can always go out for dinner tomorrow, if you'd like? To that fancy Italian place you like down on Harcourt Avenue?"

I smiled, despite how neglected I was feeling, and nodded. Ross looked slightly less guilty, as he shut the door behind him.

I turned to Alfie, and saw how bashful he had grown.

"I'm sorry, about that" I sighed, gesturing behind me to the door.

"Don't be" he grinned. "It just gives me a reason to ask you round mine for dinner tonight."