Beside You

Introducing Ella

Hadley 

 As we're leaving prom storm clouds start to roll in. We consider not going to the prom party, but Arya is pretty insistent. Plus, it's being held at James Coleman's house, which is better described as a mansion. His dad is the CEO of a large company. The size of the house means that everyone will be able to fit inside if it does begin to rain. 

 Arya and I go back to my house to change out of our dresses before heading to the party. We take my car to James', since I won't be drinking, and chances are Arya will be.

 When I turn on to James' street both sides of the road are lined with cars. James is the captain of the basketball team and he's on the soccer team, so he's very popular in our school. This is expected to be the party of the year, so I wouldn't be surprised if practically the whole school is there, regardless of whether or not they were at the prom.

 As we approach the house the music gets louder and louder, until the point when it becomes almost deafening. When we reach the house the door is wide open, most likely in an attempt to cool down the house in all og the humidity. As soon as we step through the door I'm hit with the scent of alcohol and sweat. This is winding up to be a great night. Not. 

 Considering how large James' house is I'm shocked by how full it is. I don't even think that half of these people go to Preston. Once we clear the doorway I turn to ask Arya if she wants to try to find any of our other friends, but she has disappeared. Great. Now I'm alone. I walk through the room towards the staircase. I'm hoping that if I can make it to higher ground so that I can find someone. Anyone. As I push through the huge crowd I start to feel panicked. I need to find one of my friends soon.

 Just when I'm about to admit defeat I see Mitchell walking around the outside of the crowded room. I quickly fight my way through the throngs of people in an attempt to reach him before I lose sight of him. I finally catch up to him as he enters the kitchen.

"Hey Hadley, what's wrong?" he asks me, most likely seeing the concern on my face and becoming concerned himself.

 "Nothing, I hope. It's just that Arya disappeared and I couldn't find anyone else."

 "Well you can hang out with me for the rest of the night, or at least until you find Arya or Maddi."

 "Thank you, that would be awesome."

 ~*~ 

 I actually had a lot of fun hanging out with Mitchell at the party last night. Colton joined us for a bit, Ryder wasn't with him, which was surprising, but I guess I shouldn't have been very shocked, seeing as it was the biggest party of the year and he's not dumb enough to get caught there. 

 I left the party relatively early, around 11:30, because I have to be at school the next day, even though it's a Sunday. Mr. Carroll wants me and a couple of the other yearbook members to meet up and sort through the prom pictures, as it is the last page we need to do before we can send it in to be printed. I get to Preston around 11. I walk straight through the halls and to the art hall, where the Photography/Yearbook classroom is located. When I get there the only other people there are Mr. Carroll, one younger member and Ella Campbell, my closest friend in yearbook, she's the head of the student life section of the yearbook.

 I sit at the computer next to Ella and start to work. We have to go through all of the pictures, which were taken by one of the Grade 10 members this time, since all of the senior members actually attended the dance. The pictures go through a couple stages, the girl in grade 10, who's name I discover to be Emily, put all of the pictures onto her computer and fixes the colour. Once Emily has put the pictures into a folder that can be accessed by any of us Mr. Carroll puts them on the website so that people can download them, print them, whatever they want.

 Once they've been posted Ella sorts through the picture and narrows down which ones to actually put on the spread. Finally, I will make the final cut and put the pictures together to make the final page, then caption them with the names of the couples.

 When I begin to look through the pictures I make it through about ten before the picture of Ryder and I pop up. Even though he wasn't at the party last night I still can't help but think about the conversation Ryder and I had last night. Although we mutually decided to only be friends I know that we won't be hanging out very much anymore. It would be too weird. Maddi and Arya told me that they believed that Ryder liked me, and eventually I realized that they were right. And I just don't think that it would be fair of me to lead him on. Because I don't feel the same way, and I just don't think I ever could. I'm about to move the photo into the reject folder when Ella interrupts.

 "What are you doing?" she demands, "Why are you getting rid of that picture? It's such a good picture of the two of you!" 

 "Well, I figured it would be better to put the pictures of actual couples in the yearbook." I explain.

 "You mean you guys aren't together? I totally thought you were now. Oh well, that's not the point. You're the head editor. You can use that to your advantage. Put the picture in, I think you'll like being able to look back on it later. You might not be a couple now, but I know it won't last long. I think you'll be together before next school year even starts."