First There Was You

Chapter 7: Elle

June 15

Rosseau, Muskoka

Not much for drinking outside the safety net of my own home or the homes of my close friends, and considering I'm still years away from the legal age, I shake my head when Mads offers me some of the fruit wine her boyfriend bought for her. I wander to the refrigerator to grab a diet coke instead, smiling when Mads rolls her eyes at me.

She looks incredible tonight. Her dad, her mum's second husband, is the most handsome man I've ever seen, and Mads certainly got his looks. Her smooth, dark coffee-with-a-touch-of-cream coloured skin is flawless, and she's one hundred percent gorgeous. Her pale green sundress is delicate, sexy. Just like her.

Most of my friends now like to play the whole binge-drink-at-parties game. Thanks, but no thanks.

Since my parents let me drink light beer or fruity wines at home, I don't find it particularly exciting to drink with my friends. At least not in the same way they seem to enjoy it. Plus, they take what they can get their hands on, often items from their parents' liquor cabinets that are way too strong for my taste.

Hudson and Theo find me, and I can see they went for soft drinks too. Two of us need to boat home, anyway. Theo brought his boat, rather than ride with us, hoping to meet a girl tonight and wanting his own transportation for flexibility. I'd only rolled my eyes, laughing when he'd told Hudson and I that he'd drive separately, tossing a wink in our direction as he'd jumped into his boat.

I feel a slender arm hook through mine and I smile, knowing it's Mads before looking. She might be one of my close friends, but we don't always have the most natural relationship. She lives to extremes, there is no such thing as a middle ground for her.

"So, have you found your summer boy-toy yet, Ellie? Spill."

"No, Mads. No boy-toy for me. Besides, I'm going to be too busy this summer. You know that."

Mads is definitely closer with Vi than with me, but we get along just fine.

Thinking of Vi makes me wish she was here, but she travels to Stockholm every summer to see her grandmother and extended family. I make a mental note to call her. It's already been four days since we spoke on the phone.

"Don't be like that, Elle. If a girl as gorgeous as you can't find a playmate for the summer to fill the small, available windows in your social calendar, then there's no hope for the rest of us."

I roll my eyes. "Mads, you have..." Oh, God. What is her boyfriend's name? Chris? Connor? Craig! "...Craig. Right?"

She makes a sexy little purring sound in my ear, which makes me laugh. "For now. Promise me, Elle. Promise you'll try to lighten up a little this summer, have some fun." Someone shouts her name, pulling her attention across the room. "Take my advice. Find a nice boy to play with this summer. It will be good for you. You are way too uptight. Laters, Ellie." She skips across the room and I breathe a sigh of relief.

The party's a little slow to start, the first official party is normally chock-full of that beginning of summer awkwardness in place as people settle back into old routines. When the music starts pumping out, people begin to loosen up, and the party gets rowdier and rowdier as the night moves on.

"Dance with me, Ellie. C'mon. Loosen up, live a little."

I don't recognize any of the music, but Hudson pulls me on to the small space reserved for dancing, without waiting for my answer. I laugh as he twists and twirls me, encouraging me to let loose. We're the only two dancing together.

Our mums force us to attend etiquette classes every year. Much to my initial horror, they included partnered dancing lessons.

At first, it was mortifying, but I'm actually grateful for the lessons. Not specifically for the dancing aspect, but for the rest. Of course, Hudson is a total natural, with a strong sense of rhythm, movement, and the music just flows through him. On the other hand, I am so much stiffer, not naturally prone to overly graceful movements despite my mother's hopes and dreams.