Ecie & Esme II: Another Day Like This

Six

'Who sent you the flowers?' Sara asked picking up a small card the next morning.

'I don't know,' Esme replied. 'They were here this morning.'

'Maybe it's Taylor,' Sara said.

'Taylor wouldn't do this for me,' Esme said. 'As sweet as he is, he'd never send me flowers.'

'Well then it looks like you've got yourself an admirer,' Sara said. 'Lucky, lucky.'

Esme looked at the flowers then back at the card and sighed.

'What are we doing today?' Sara asked drinking orange juice. 'Another lazy day by the pool, or will we venture into town?'

'I don't mind,' Esme replied. 'We can do whatever.'

'Oooh flowers,' Markus said seeing the flowers. 'Who is the lucky lady?'

'Esme,' Sara replied. 'She's got an admirer.'

'That's a little weird,' Markus said. 'Hopefully he's not a stalker.'

'Hopefully,' Esme replied.

Joey and Owen came out and saw the flowers too.

'Why don't you ever do stuff like that for me?' Joey asked sitting down at the table and looking at the flowers. 'It would be nice to get some every once in a while.'

'I'll remember it,' Owen replied. 'Who are they for?'

'Esme,' Sara said. 'She's got herself a stalker.'

'I do not,' Esme said. 'It's probably just someone on the floor being nice. 'It's nothing to get worked up over.'

'Cute flowers,' Ecie breezed into the main room in a blush silk See by Chloé printed dress. 'They smell good.'

'Where are you going today?' Esme looked at her sister. 'You look cute.'

'Thank you,' Ecie replied. 'I was on my way out. I thought I'd go for a walk through town and maybe do some shopping.'

Esme looked at her sister as she moved around the kitchen.

'Did you get my flowers?' Simon asked sitting down next to Esme.

'Simon,' Esme said looking at him. 'That was you? How did you find out which room I was in?'

'I guessed,' Simon grinned. 'Sorry about yesterday afternoon, the gallery was getting a little crowded.'

'Yeah well that's okay,' Esme replied. 'There was a lot of press outside the gallery when we were leaving.'

'I'm leaving tomorrow but I really want to see you again,' Simon said.

'What are you doing today?' Esme asked. 'I didn't really have anything planned.'

'I'm kind of busy today,' Simon replied. 'What are you doing tonight?'

'I'm having dinner with friends,' Esme replied. 'We were going to eat out of the hotel tonight. You should join us.'

'I don't think I'll be able to do dinner either.'

'Okay then,' Esme said a little confused. 'I mean I don't really know what you want then. If you're going to be so busy all day.'

'Could you meet me after your dinner?'

Esme looked at Simon.

'Please?'

'Okay,' Esme replied. 'I'll meet you after dinner. You can text me where.'

'Do you like movies?' Landon asked as he walked through town with Ecie.

'Yeah,' Ecie nodded. 'I love movies.'

'What's your favorite one?'

'I don't know,' Ecie smiled. 'I've got loads.'

'What's your movie collection like at home?' he asked. 'Is it pretty big.'

'Yeah,' Ecie nodded. 'I've got well over a thousand movies.'

'Wow,' Landon said. 'I should come over to your place sometime and watch a movie.'

'My parents don't live together,' Ecie laughed. 'So there's quite a collection at both of their houses.'

'Oh right,' Landon said apologetically. 'I'm sorry.'

'You don't need to be,' Ecie said. 'They were never really together and they live less than five hundred feet away from each other.'

'Oh right,' Landon laughed. 'That's not weird at all.'

'I know,' Ecie laughed. 'Well they own a production company so they have to work together even though they don't really like each other all that much.'

'A production company? That's pretty cool.'

'They're writers and directors,' Ecie explained. 'Over the years they've had to collect movies and they just accumulated.'

'Right,' Landon nodded. 'So tell me, how is it still living at home with your parents? Isn't it a little awkward at times?'

'I've got an older brother,' Ecie said. 'He still lives at home.'

Landon nodded. 'I understand.'

'I'm moving out in the summer though,' Ecie said. 'Me and my sister might be moving to LA.'

'LA? Really?'

'Yeah.'

'I used to live in LA.'

'It looks like it's a small world Landon.'

'It sure is,' Landon nodded. 'Where are you planning on moving in LA?'

'We're going to go and look at places in the summer,' Ecie replied. 'We've got a lot of time.'

'Are you going to miss living at home?'

'Oh yeah,' Ecie replied. 'I mean there's the free food and the free rent and everything is free. I'm going to have to leave my job in Malibu and get a new one when we move. I've been working in the same place for four years and it's my home.'

'Maybe change is good,' Landon said. 'You never know what might happen.'

'Yeah well, it's hard getting jobs these days and I like to work,' Ecie replied. 'I was always one of those straight A students.'

'Oh god,' Landon laughed. 'You were a nerd.'

'I'm cool,' Ecie smiled. 'I'm like the coolest nerd you'll ever meet.'

'Loser.'

Ecie stuck out her tongue. 'At least if I ever get homesick I can always go home and live there for the rest of my life.'

'Yeah,' Landon said. 'You've got two homes to choose from.'

'Exactly,' Ecie smiled. 'Oh well, my parents don't really even want me leaving so soon.'

'Is it because of what happened?'

Ecie nodded. 'I mean what happened to me totally sucked and its had a massive impact on me, but I need to move forward with my life. I can't be defined by what happened. I don't think I'll ever properly be over it, but I need to try.'

Landon looked at Ecie and smiled at her.

'What?'

'Nothing,' he smiled. He gave her a hug. 'Nothing at all, loser.'

Ecie pushed Landon playfully and they laughed.