Page 18 of The Boy I Once Loved

Chapter Four

A half-hour later, we drive four houses down the street and pull up at Dylan's house. From the outside, it looks exactly the same as I remember it. I had spent many hours as a child at this house. Memories of family barbeques rush through my brain. This house was like a second home to me once upon a time.

Dylan hops out and comes round to my side of his car. I have given up refusing his help now and I just have to grin and bear it. I will have to get on top of my feelings as it is clear no matter how much I try he is determined to be in my life, and it is better to have him in my life as a friend than not at all. Lifting me out and getting me steady on my crutches, he then leads the way into his house.

“Hey mum, we’re home.”

“In the back, sweetie,” replies a voice that I know very well. We walk through to the back of the house, which is a large open plan living space. Dylan’s mum, Stacey, sits on the sofa with a kindle in her hand. She looks up when we come in and a big smile erupts on her face. “Well, look at you!” She rushes over and sweeps me into a tight hug. She leans back and takes me in, her ocean blue eyes full of emotion. “All grown up and still as beautiful as ever. God, we have missed you.”

"It's been a long time," I state, offering her a smile. I do adore Dylan's mum; she has always been like a second mum to me.

She pats my cheek affectionately. “I’m so pleased you’re back, honey. It will be good for your mum having you around.”

At the mention of my mum, I stiffen, and I see Dylan and his mum share a look. “Broken ankle, huh? Why when you two hang out does someone always end up injured?” She laughs and ruffles her son’s hair.

"Leave off mum." He shoos her away from him. "El's mum did the night shift and as El is temporarily disabled, I said she could come here for the day."

"Of course. You know you are welcome here anytime. This place has always been a second home to you." She glances at her watch. "I should get ready for my class, but can we catch up properly when I get back?"

I nod and she gives me another quick hug before she disappears off upstairs, leaving just the two of us again.

Dylan rubs at the back of his neck. "Sorry about that, she was a bit full-on. I guess you can tell she missed you."

I laugh and bat my hand. “Ah, I love your mum; she can hug me to death anytime.”

“Come on, let’s find Charlie. He will probably be in the den playing on the Xbox.”

I follow him to the den. It has changed since I was last here, where the walls were once blue, they are now painted a fresh white that makes the most of the light. There on a large black leather sofa is Charlie. The last time I had seen him he was a cute 5-year-old. He is still just as cute now, but taller.

"Hey, squirt. You remember this person?" Dylan asks as he sits down beside his brother and points at me.

Charlie stares at me for a minute, and then his eyes drift across the room and land on a photo. A photo of me, Dylan and Charlie on the beach. Recognition dawns on his face. “It’s Ella umbrella,” he says with a grin.

“Hey Charlie, I didn’t think you would remember me.”

Charlie's eyes are back on his game when he replies. "I remember you, you used to take me skateboarding."

“I did.” I grin. I had forgotten about the period he went through when he was obsessed with his new skateboard and he used to bug me and Dylan to take him to the skate park all the time. I take a seat on the other side of him. Dylan is busy texting on his phone. “What are you playing on?”

“Minecraft,” he tells me. His brow is furrowed in concentration on what he is building on screen. “I’m building an army fort.”

"That looks fantastic. You still love the army, hey?" Another thing I remembered well was that Charlie had always been obsessed with the army. He had several army outfits when he was five, including an army tent he slept in, in his bedroom. Charlie spends the next five minutes showing me his army world that he has built. I can't help but smile at his enthusiasm and Dylan catches my gaze over his head and he grins at me. For a second, we just look at each other and smile before the sound of the doorbell pulls me from my trance.

“That will be the guys. I forgot we’d arranged to hang out here today. Is that okay?” He looks at me a little uncertain.

I shrug. "It's your house."

He sighs and scuffs the floor with his trainer. “it’s just I know you never wanted to hang with me and the guys once we got older.”

I frown as memories of him shutting me out crowd my brain. More like he never thought I was cool enough to hang with him and his friends. "As I said, it's your house, Dylan." I turn my attention back to his brother. "So, kidder, show me this bunker."

Dylan goes off to answer the door, and I lean my head back against the sofa. I hear voices and laughter and then as they get closer; I hear Dylan say in a warning tone. “And don’t be annoying fuckers.”

Dylan comes back in with about five others trailing behind him. Connor sees me and he smiles, and my attention turns to the girl who he has his arm around. She is petite with mid-brown shoulder-length hair and olive skin. She is pretty in that natural way. Behind them are three other boys, one I recognise straight away to be Caleb Mills, someone I'd known most of my life as we had gone to the same primary and secondary school together.

“Hey Ella, How’s the ankle?” Connor asks as he sits down beside me, pulling his girlfriend down next to him.

I shrug and look at my boot. "It's still broken," I tell him with a grin.

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