All Mixed Up

Girl time

"Don't lie to me!" Ella teases as we walk home together.
"I have no clue what you're talking about." I answer back. The summer sun tickles our skin with that traditional summery warmth and there's not a cloud in sight...yet.
"You were staring at him for five minutes straight! It was creepy!" Our argument continues for two blocks. She claims I like Mathias but I'm not too sure. A straightforward rule like that is easy to break but then again is so much easier to follow.
"Look, at this point I don't care what you think. At least I know I don't like him." I turn down the path to my house, turning to wave goodbye to Ella only for her to stand there shaking her head at me, muttering something to herself before leaving.

At dinner, I think to myself since mum and dad are out probably shooting another movie together. I'm unfortunately the daughter of two famous actors. Why unfortunately? I might as well be an orphan. I rarely see them let alone talk to them. Day begins to grow darker as night creeps closer. I can't let some pathetic new student make me break my rule. I mean, he's annoying and I know that so why am I even arguing with myself about this? I shouldn't even have a second thought about disliking the guy! I don't even know him and you can't fall for someone without knowing who they really are can you? Pushing my empty plate away from me, I sigh and rest my head on the table. Of all the bad things to happen it had to be love. I dial that familiar number and wait for Ella's answer.
"Hello?"
"ELLA I'M FEELING!" I shout into the phone. She goes silent for a minute while I burst into tears. Tears of many many emotions.
"I thought that was the case. Get your sorry ass over here." She hangs up and begin to trudge over to Ella's in the dark. Stars flicker up in pitch black sky. The moon's beams illuminate the street for me.

"Sixteen years wasn't bad. Too bad you broke your record a week before your seventeenth birthday." Ella pours me some tea before sitting next to me in her pyjamas.
"That's not the point," I start to complain. "The fact I've broken it at all just shows how weak I am!" I dramatically flop to the floor like I'm in some terribly acted Hollywood movie. She picks me back up again, placing me back on a chair only for me to pathetically fall back onto the floor again.
"You're not weak you're just not invincible. You've got to expect something like this at one point." She explains.
"Only because you've fallen for Ryo." I state, getting back up by myself.
"Who wouldn't like him? He's just amazing!" She states with a small squeal of happiness at the thought of him, probably.
"Whatever." I reply. The two of us sit there, her parents occasionally walking through the room but the silence still goes uninterrupted for a while.
"Do you think I'd ever have a chance with him?" I ask her, contemplating what could possibly be in store for me.
"First you didn't want to admit liking him and now you're wondering if you could ever date him? What is with you, Kaia?" Ella is right, though. This is unusual behaviour and it makes it even worse it's for that stupid guy.
"Even I don't know what's with me." I answer back, sipping the last of my hot chocolate loudly from the mug. A catchy song interrupts the moment and she rushes to answer her phone, not even looking to see who it is before doing it.
"Hello?" She asks as she puts the phone to her ear. I wait anxiously and awkwardly, watching her as her face lights up with happiness.
"O-oh! Yeah of course! I'll be there in a sec!" She puts the phone down and runs to get her coat on, telling me I should go home so I do. While I wander through the desolate streets I think to myself. What could've possibly been so important she had to leave in her pyjamas? I could've followed her but she would find me out like last time.

I shudder at the amusing memory.

While walking by an alley, I hear two voices. Two recognisable voices. Hiding myself behind a wall, I listen in like the stalker I am.
"What do you mean? Lukas never told me that."
"He's your brother; I wouldn't expect him to tell you that."
"Whatever you stupid freak." The conversation pauses as if they suspect I'm here. I'm willing to take the risk and stay so I do.
"Also about the whole liquorice thing-"
"I thought we dropped that, Mathias." My heart stops at the name. I thought it'd be Lukas and Mathias but apparently it's Lukas' brother. Either way, its unmistakable that's Mathias.
"I still want to say I'm sorry."
"I don't care if you're sorry, using my liquorice to stir your coffee is unacceptable." I almost catch myself laughing but I manage to stifle it, causing tears to form in my eyes with the pain of trying to bottle it up.
"I'll buy you more, Emil!"
"Shut up and let's go home." The second voice is monotonous compared to Mathias'. By the sounds of things, though, he's called Emil. Learn something new everyday, huh? Perhaps Emil is someone I can ask for help. Help with what, though? I don't even know what I'm thinking about! I peer around the corner discreetly, trying not to be noticed. What were they talking about Lukas anyway? They're gone for now anyway. I step out into the alleyway, watching the silhouettes disappear into the night.

Looks like I need to get some liquorice.