Hello Stranger

Chapter 17

"Get up! Get up! Get up!" Someone yells as they repeatedly hit me with a pillow while I'm trying to sleep. A pull the pillow I was laying on over my head hoping whoever it was would go away. The yelling stopped and I wasn't getting hit with a pillow. But a weight plopped down on me. "Excuse me! Did you miss me saying get up?" Of course. The voice belonged to Ellie.

I rolled over onto my back and Ellie readjust herself to make sure she didn't fall off of me. "What?" I ask scowling at her.

"Don't what me! What happened last night?" Ellie exclaims.

"What are you talking about? What are you even doing in here?" I grumble wanting to go back to sleep.

"With Grayson!" Ellie exclaims. She was way too happy for it to still be morning. Ellie isn't a morning person.

"I have no idea what you're talking..." I trail off as yesterday comes back to me. "Oh."

"Yeah. Now, what happened?" Ellie repeats.

"Nothing, we just kissed. Can I go back to sleep now?" I ask exhaustedly. I miss Ellie not being a morning person.

"You just kissed? The way you guys were looking at each other in the pool, you looked like you were about to do a lot more than kiss," Ellie says with her eyebrow raised.

I felt myself blushing as I widen my eyes, "How did you know about that?"

"Oh," Ellie says realizing she sounded like she was stalking me or something. "We were in Ethan's room and we heard some splashes in the pool so we looked out the window and we saw you guys in the pool."

"How much did you see?" I ask feeling embarrassed.

"Not much. Aaron and Jackson came in and told us to get away from the window cause we looked creepy and were invading your privacy," Ellie shrugged. Remind me to thank them later. "But how is it possible you just kissed?"

"He left," I state.

"What?!" She practically yells.

"Oh my gosh. Inside voice, please. It's still morning," I whine.

Ellie looked at me sheepishly. "Sorry. But what do you mean he left? Where did he go? He didn't come back?"

"He got a call and had to go. I don't know where and I don't know when he'll be back," I answer. "Now, can I go back to sleep? It's Sunday. There's nothing to do on Sundays."

"You could always answer Xavier's calls or texts. You realize he's resorted to texting me to see if everything's okay? He said he went by your house and Asher told him you were out and didn't say where or when you'd be back," Ellie says.

"Good. He doesn't need to know. I just need some time to think about something," I reply.

"Did he do something?" Ellie asks.

"He lied about something he knew was very important to me. I just need some time to think. We'll be okay," I say trying to reassure her.

"Well, then I guess you have no reason to get out of bed. Meaning you can stay here all you want," Ellie says. I could tell by her face that she didn't want to leave.

"Nap with me?" I ask. "Afterwards we can binge-watch Friends."

Her eyes light up as she flops to the side next me pulling the blanket over her. It didn't take her long before she got comfortable. We both laid on our sides facing each other like we often did. "I want to tell you something. But I'm afraid it will change things between us."

"It doesn't," I state surely. I knew what she was going to say already.

"Well... I don't think I like boys..." Ellie starts. "I think I'm gay."