From Europe, With Love... and Hate

Chapter 7 The Plan

(Ella's POV)

"Hmm, well aren't you back a bit late?" I questioned Mark quizzically.

"Well, from the looks of things, you just got back too." He responded with a smirk. I looked around the room and realized I had left my clothes and stuff on the ground.

"Yeah, but I wasn't out with the girl I like, in the city of love." I said with raised eyebrows, putting emphasis on the word 'love'. From this, his persona began to falter. He tried to think of something clever to say. I smirked. There was no way he knew about Luc so I win! Ha! That is, until a mischievous expression formed on his face. Oh fuck.

"We might have been out, but you and Cameron have both been here ALL night. Now is it safe to say that the clothes discarded all over the room were not placed there by you?" He said suggestively. My mouth dropped in shock. What the fuck!?

"I wasn't even here all night, dingus." I responded with folded arms. How dare he suggest such actions? Ugh, This is making me sick just thinking about it.

"Serena called me the same thing..." He said, smiling before being brought back to the issue. "Oh you weren't? Then where were you, may I ask?"

"Wait, wait, wait. Backtrack. Were you just smiling while thinking about Serena insulting you by calling you a 'dingus'? Wow, you got it bad, kid." I mocked. I knew he liked her and he knew, so why hide it?

"She wasn't making fun of me, she was teasing me...Why does it matter to you anyways?" He asked stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at me through squinted eyes. "Has she said something to you?" Oh god, what has he even told her that she would tell me?

"No...why do YOU care so much if she said anything?" I asked with raised eyebrows. But before he could answer, I interrupted him. "Look, let's just cut to the chase. I know that you like her....a lot. No need to deny it, it's beyond obvious to everyone...but Serena. Anyway, I want to help you out with that." He contemplated whether to deny my statement or not, opening and closing his mouth several times until he finally decided on what to say.

"Why do you want to help?" he asked suspiciously. Ok, good. He didn't deny it, we are making progress! I shrugged my shoulders in response.

"I don't know, maybe I want to see two of my friends really happy. Plus, I totally ship SMARK." I smirked at him. He turned a deep shade of red as I said this and remained standing awkwardly at the door. He said nothing for a good couple of seconds. Just as he was about to say something, we got interrupted by a knock at the door. Great! Just as he was about to confess and let me help him....and Serena. Damn!! My luck sucks.

And my luck just keeps getting worse and worse... well it wasn't actually as bad as it could have been... It was just Tanner.

He gave Mark the bro shake they always do and then sat on Mark's bed. I rolled my eyes and just lied down in the comfort of my own bed, slightly eavesdropping, slightly writing an email.

"Hey man, how was it?" He asked him. My interests were peaked, so Mark tells the guys everything? Well that's bullshit I'm the one who could actually help him out with Serena since I know her better. Whatever, eavesdropping may not be the most conventional method of doing this, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

"How was what?" He asked, pointedly looking at me.

"Come on bro, Ella is smart, she knows a lot, probably even more than we do since Serena and her are best friends." Tanner was a smart guy.

"Yeah Mark, I know basically everything and I had actually planned on getting the information on tonight out of you anyways, so you might as well tell us while it is still of a peaceful accord." He just looked at me with a scowl of disapproval.