The Art of Living

[16] Thanks, I Guess.

Somehow the drive wasn't as relaxing at all anymore after that. Brian was upset, at least he was upset with all of them and not just Ellie. But in the end she was the one who had to sit next to him. And she was the one who had to deal with his upset glares. And only very slowly but surely they were getting closer to Truro. When Ellie could see the city on the guide signs she let out a long sigh of relief. Not much longer, thank god. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take sitting next to grumpy Brian.

Even though he was slowly calming down, and when she looked at him again, the tension had disappeared from his face. Good. Ellie leaned against the wall of the van again, closing her eyes.

"Hey Brian, have you given Ellie the present you got for her this time yet?"

Roger's voice coming from the front immediately pulled Ellie back into reality though and she stared at the back of Roger's head. That was the only thing she could see of him.

"A present?" She asked, sounding much more tense than someone who was looking forward to a present.

Freddie turned around and smirked at her. Oh great. "Oh yes, a present. Because he insisted he had to do something nice for you."

Oh dear god. Ellie tried to keep a straight face. Apparently despite what she had thought it still hadn't gotten through to Brian that Ellie didn't want more. He still seemed to insist on keeping trying, because you didn't just keep giving presents to some random person, did you? Ellie certainly didn't know anyone who would.

"Freddie, just shut up.. I only saw this by coincidence so yeah.. here. I still hope you like it." He got an envelope out from his backpack and held it out for Ellie.

Ellie looked at the other three guys helplessly before grabbing the envelope from Brian. "Thank you..." She examined the envelope for a moment before she opened it carefully and looked inside. Not quite able to tell what exactly it was she got out what was in the envelope and looked at it. It were two pieces of paper, two tickets as it seemed. It didn't take long for Ellie to recognise the name written on it - her favourite painter.

Surprised she looked at Brian and then at the tickets again. Could that be true? How did he know that? Did he know that or was that just a lucky coincidence?

"I saw that there was this exhibition on and I thought you might like to go and because going alone is no fun I got you two tickets..."

This was so.. unexpected, completely unexpected. And nice. She was actually tempted to just accept the present, because she would love to go to that exhibition, but she still didn't want to give Brian any ideas. Because she was nearly certain that the fact that he had given her two tickets was done with an ulterior motive. It would be rude not to take him, wouldn't it? But she didn't want to take him. She just had to let him down nicely.

"This is very nice.. but I really can't accept this, Brian. You've already done a lot, you don't have to do these things for me." She placed the tickets back in the envelope and handed it back to Brian.

But - unsurprisingly - he didn't take it. He shook his head. "No, no, please. You take it. It's for you, and.. someone you think would like to go with you. Someone who might appreciate good art.."

Ellie was still looking at him with big eyes and shook her head too. "No, honestly. You've done too much already, I -"

"I'm not going to take them back, so just keep them. If you're really that opposed to accepting a present from me then just throw them out. But I'd at least like to think that you appreciate my gesture. Even if you don't care."

That she had not epected that. That he would be so honest. That he would feel that way. She didn't want him to see through her so she shook her head. "No, no I do care." She didn't care, at least that was what she told herself. "I just.. You give me all those presents but you really don't have to." That was true. He didn't have to and she sort of wished he didn't give her all those presents because that did put pressure on her. If she didn't take them he would be upset - as he had just proven - but if she did take them she would be giving him false hope. As he had proven with the necklace and bracelet. So either way she was screwed. And not in the good way.