Page 19 of The Boy I Once Loved

“No shit,” he replies, smiling. “Ella, this is Aria, my girlfriend.”

The pretty girl I now know to be Aria smiles brightly. "Hi, Ella. I've heard so much about you, I feel like I already know you."

I groan. “Don’t believe a word either of these two told you, it’s all lies.”

She laughs while Connor feigns hurt. “Ah, don’t worry, it was all good, especially from Dylan here.” She gestures with her head towards Dylan, who is over by the pool table setting up. He gives her a look, almost a warning.

“Well, well, Ella Harrison, how is it possible you have got hotter.” I look up to find Caleb standing before me, arms folded with a cheeky grin on his face. Caleb is all grown up, and he no longer looks like a boy. Like Dylan, he is all solid muscle.

I arch a brow. “Caleb Mills. Someone sprouted up.” Caleb had always been the smallest in all the boys at school and used to get ribbed no end about it, but teenage hormones have clearly been kind to him, and he is now a good six feet tall.

He winks and grins. “I’m all filled out now, Ella bear, in all the right places if you what I mean.”

“Mills,” Dylan says in warning as he pulls out the cues.

Caleb looks at him and smirks. “Relax, big boy. I know the score.”

I look between them both puzzled, but Connor pulls me from my confusion. “Ella, these two tools here are Jack and Lucas.”

My attention falls on the two new boys, neither of whom are familiar to me. The taller one has blonde hair that is shaved shorter on the sides but longer on top, he has green eyes and a warm smile. "Hey, Ella. Nice to finally meet you."

I smile in response, but I’m confused. What did he mean by finally? The second boy is just as tall. I'm beginning to think these boys have all been injected with growth hormones. He has caramel coloured skin and dark brown eyes and has a Latino look about him. He gives me a small wave and then makes his way over to the pool table. Lucas stops beside Dylan and whispers something in his ear that makes Dylan grin and roll his eyes.

“So, Ella, what is it like being back here after three years away?” Aria asks me, smiling.

I shrug. “It is what it is. Some things feel like they haven’t changed at all, other things make me feel like I’m a stranger here.”

“Yeah, it must feel weird,” she nods in reply. “It’ll be nice to have a girl to hang out with though, it gets a bit testosterone loaded being with this lot all the time.”

I smile, even though I don’t like her assumption that I will hang out with them on a regular basis. “Ah, I’m a bit of a loner. I kind of prefer my own company.”

She smiles somewhat more awkwardly this time. “Did you leave any broken-hearted boyfriend behind when you moved back here?”

I sense all the boys listening, even though they are all playing pool. “No. No boyfriend.”

“Really?” Her tone tells me she is surprised.

“Yeah, I had some good friends who were boys, but just friends.”

She nods. “Well, sometimes friendship can lead to more.” Her eyes flick over to Dylan and Connor nudges her and gives her a look.

I don’t reply and I turn my attention back to Charlie, who shows me more of his Minecraft world. I keep glancing over at Connor and Aria who are sitting together talking quietly and smiling and kissing. They look pretty loved up and it’s kind of sweet.

“They are always kissing,” Charlie whispers. “It’s so disgusting.”

I laugh. “Ah, you won’t think so one day, I promise you.”

He gives me a look of horror that tells me he finds that idea repulsive and that has me chuckling. I catch Dylan leaning against the wall as he waits to take his shot watching the two of us and I pull my tongue out at him which makes him grin. Using Charlie as my excuse not to interact with the others goes out the window when his neighbour comes to call for him and they disappear out on the front to play. Aria cheers that the tv is finally free and grabs the remote and Connor heads over to the pool table.

“What shall we watch, Ella?”

I shrug. “I don’t mind.”

“Ooh, do you watch Riverdale? I haven’t seen this week’s episode yet?”

This brings a groan from Dylan over by the pool table. “You like that shit too? She made me watch that drivel last night.”

Aria gives him the finger. “I wasn’t asking you. Have you seen this episode?”

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