Until you came along (english)

Chapter 1

"No Alec you can't do this to me! You promise me to attend my birthday, so don't change your mind at the  last moment!"

Isabelle Lightwood was beside herself. Her phone stuck up between her ear and her shoulder, she was talking on the phone with her big brother while searching in her cupboard for an outfit for the evening. Indeed, this day was very important to her. She was celebrating her birthday and not just any: her 18th birthday. It has been 2 months since she has all organized for everything to be perfect. She planned to do it at home, because her parents had kindly left her the house.

Right now, it was 6 pm. The party began at 8pm and Isabelle was starting to stress out because she still didn't know which dress she was gonna wear. She was in her bedroom, searching for the perfect dress, when her phone started to ring: it was Alec, who wanted to tell her that he won't stay for her birthday eventually.

"Listen Izzy, you're my sister and I wouldn't want to miss your 18th birthday, but ... you know me well ... I don't really like parties, and I know you, I'm sure you have invited at least 200 persons !!"

"You exaggerate, replied Izzy. "No, I have only invited 50 persons. Friends of our ancient high school, friends of friends ... Well, that's not the point! I don't want you to miss this ... And anyway, where are you? You should be here to help me!"

"Sorry, I just go out of gym, it's pretty far from here. I will try to come home as fast as I can ... But don't be too happy, I won't stay! All those people, it's stressing me out, I don't know how you do."

Alexander Lightwood was 19 years old. He was a shy and reserved young man, but he was so kind and generous and loyal. He was the exact opposite of his sister Isabelle, who was very sociable.

So, Alec didn't want to stay at Izzy's party at all. He loved her sister, but all this people, the alcohol, the noise ... it was too much for him.

"Really Alec, you're exaggerating ... You could make an effort, it's my 18th birthday ..."

"If that's what scares you, I've got your birthday gift, don't worry ... And I will hang up the phone before you ask me what it is!!"

And without giving her time to answer, he hung up the phone. Alec ran a hand through his hair and sighed, because he knew that he had to come back home and confront his sister. Just at the thought, he winced.

She said that there would be people of their ancient high school ...

Indeed, Alec and Isabelle both get their baccalaureate and were now at university. Alec was in his second year of business school. Isabelle was in her fist year, and she was studying history and english.

So, Isabelle had decided to invite all of their friends from their ancient high school for her 18th birthday.

The problem is that Alec never considered them as "friends." It was rather Izzy's friends, and it was thanks to her that he was sociable a minimum. It was Isabelle who had introduced him to plenty of people of their high school, so many people that he didn't even remember their names for the most of them. He has always admired Izzy for the fact that she had a lot of friends, whereas, him, had only 1 or 2.

Alec sighed again, and continue to walk home. He looked at his watch: it was 6:15pm. He had spent almost a quarter of an hour on the phone with Izzy. He knew that the party only began at 8pm so if he was fast enough, he would have time to come home, to change clothes and to go and see his friend Peter. Peter was one of the only Alec's friend that Izzy didn't know and so that wasn't invited to the party. Yeah, he was gonna do that. He hurried so he can arrive faster at home.

At 19:45pm, Alec was finally home and entered hastily in the living room. He believed he could have avoided his sister, but she almost jumped on him.

"Finally! I thought you would never be back!" She exclaimed.

"Izzy, I just came to change clothes and then I go and see Peter."

"Oh, don't start again with that, you're not going anywhere!! There is no way for you to leave! You'll see, it'll be funny!"

"Funny??? Seeing people completely drunk, dancing tightly, and having my ears killed because of the noise?? Sorry, but we don't have the same definition of "funny"!"

And then Alec tried again to escape his sister and to leave, but she had blocked him the passage.

"You can be such a killjoy Alec! Why are you always seeing the wrong side of things? Can't you just say to yourself that we are all friends who reunite for my 18th birthday? Alec, you must have fun, you can't be serious all the time! And tonight is the perfect moment for that!"

At this moment, the doorbell rang, and Izzy, smiling, rushed to open the door. A lot of people entered at the same time. Boys kissed her on the cheek and girls hugged her. They wished her a happy birthday and to Alec's surprise, they said hello to him and recognized him (whereas Alec didn't remember who they were.)

Alec, uncomfortable, finally decided to stay now that the first guests were there. He wouldn't want to be disrespectful by leaving. So, he approached his sister and took her apart.

"How could they remember me? I don't even remember their name!"

"Maybe if you were more sociable, you would have!" laughed Izzy."

"Well ... And Simon, when will he come?"

"He can't be here before 9 pm ... He called me this morning, he has to finish a very important work, according to him. A math work, apparently ... I understood nothing."

Simon was Isabelle's boyfriend for more than one year. They have the same age and he was in his first year of medicine. He was working hard to succeed, even if that prevented him to see his friends. Today, for example, he had to finish an important work before he could go to Izzy's party.

Alec nodded. He looked around the living room and noticed that the more time passed, the more people there were. Isabelle had put the music to the bottom. She gave him a little pat on the shoulder that meant: "You're not going anywhere!", and then she was gone, lost in the crowd of people.

Alec went to the kitchen, poured a glass of water and sat on a chair. The evening promised to be long.

Bonsoir tout le monde !
Comme promis, voici « Until you came along » en anglais ! J'espère que cela vous fera plaisir et que cela vous intéressera de voir ce que cela donne en anglais ! Je compte poster un chapitre par jour !
Et d'autre part, je continue à réfléchir à écrire une troisième fiction Malec. Je vous tiens au courant !
Merci encore pour votre soutien, et gros bisous !
Sarah