Girl Online: The Next Chapter

chapter one

"Just one more El I promise!" Me and Elliott are on Brighton Beach and he's posing while i snap photos. It's around dusk and the sun is setting right behind the old pier. Perfect.
"Fineee, last one Pen, then we go home. It's already 9.00!" I'm amazed at how long we've been down here. It's so easy to lose track of time when it's summer and the sun sets so much later. I snap the last shot of Elliott (who is throwing his arms out and jumping in the air High School Musical style.) "Come on then Wiki, we better get home!" Elliott grabs our jackets from the stones and links his arm in mine. We stroll along the seafront towards my house and see an old couple holding hands, having a coffee in Lucky Beach while the sunsets. I grin. I can just imagine that this is what my parents will be like when they get older. Hopeless romantics. I grin again as I think of Noah and me. Will this be our future? Before I can ponder this for too long, Elliott breaks me out of my trance.
"Ocean Strong you have many talents. Including knowing the best hot chocolate places and ABBA karaoke but walking at a reasonable pace is not one of them. We've walked all of twenty yards! Come ON now Pen!" I laugh. "Sorry El!" I say, as I realise just how slowly I had been walking. "What's the hurry anyway? Have we got somewhere to be?!" A small flicker of fear crossed Elliott's face for just a second. Instantly he smoothed his face out again and all remnants were gone, as quickly as they came.
"Nothing, nothing. Now come on Pen or we'll be here for hours!" He slips his arm through mine and I let him drag me through the streets of Brighton.

Elliott has the tiniest of grins as I unlock the door to my house. We walk in and are immediately bombarded by a chorus of "Happy Birthday Penny!" The floor is invisible as it's masked by a sea of rose, gold and silver balloons, and there's printed 'Happy 18th Penny' bunting above all the doorways. On a table under the window is a huge table stacked with presents, each wrapped in silver paper. I look round at each face. All my favourite people are here! Mum, Dad, Tom, his longterm girlfriend Mel, Elliott and Alex. All my favourite people-with one exception.
"Oh my God you guys!" I grin as I pull Elliott in for a hug. "You're sneaky El!"
"What can I say Pen, you know me!" he teases and winks.
"Now Penny, we know it's not your actual birthday until Sunday but we thought we'd surprise you for reasons we've been sworn to secrecy." Mum says with a twinkle in her eye, that I know all too well.
"What do you me-" I ask, until I get interrupted by the sound of someone walking down the hall. The identical grin on all of their faces can only mean one thing.
" Oh my God, NOAH!" I exclaim as he walks into the room, with that gorgeous smile and trademark dimples. When he sees me, his grin broadens and he holds out his arms. I run and jump up into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. He catches me effortlessly and I throw my arms around him.
"Hey baby! Oof!" He says as he gets a huge mouthful of my hair. Sniggers and laughs erupt around us and i remember we've got an audience. I get down from Noah's arms, sheepish. He puts his arm around me, chuckling and kisses my cheek.
"But how are you here? You're meant to be in Brooklyn with Sadie Lee and Bella, sorting out the tour?" Noah had a load of publicity and interviews flying everywhere when he quit the tour and moved down to Brighton. He decided he needed to be with Sadie Lee and his little sister Bella to deal with the stress. Of course i understood but that didn't stop me from missing the HELL out of him! Everyone's smiles seemed to get even bigger at this point. They seemed to be permanent! God that must really hurt their face. This family is weird today!
"Yes, yes I know but that's all been put on hold for a bit. I couldn't miss my girl's birthday now could I?!" Noah says, now holding me at arms length and looking me up and down appreciatively.
"But-" I start, but Elliott's quicker.
" HE'S PUT IT ON HOLD BECAUSE HE'S TALKING YOU AWAY FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS PARTY NOW!" Elliott explodes, obviously unable to hold in the surprise any longer.