*Knock*, "Come in." Ellen said to whoever was knocking. School was reopening tomorrow, and she was busy packing with her mom, and one of the maids. It had been a week and true to her words, she had not gone out. She switched off her phone so that no one could reach her, not even her friends or Henry. Her parents tried to make her go out after apologizing profusely, especially her dad, who was on eggshells with his wife for putting their daughter back in her shell, like the old her. When she was asked why her phone was off, she replied she didn't have a phone before and still lived happily, politely turning down their request to put it back on. Elena was worried about her daughter who seemed to have lost weight in a week. She would just stay at home reading books and helping with chores, like she used to, when they were living in Nima. She even said two days ago, that she missed her simple life, before getting entangled with the rich world and that saddened her mother. All attempts to bring her out of her shell proved futile, so they let her be. None, however, knew that the real reason behind her countenance was because she felt guilty for lying to her trusting mother, yet missed her boyfriend. She had not heard from him, or her friends in a week. She would meet her friends in school again, but she didn't know if she would see Henry again anytime soon. "Good afternoon aunty, Elle." Stephanie, Abigail, and Kelly greeted with a smile. "Glad to see you are alive Elle." Kelly teased and they laughed. "What are you doing here? I thought you had left the country, Steph." Ellen asked with surprise, turning to Steph with her last sentence. "We came to see you. You've gone awol on us, and we miss you. Plus, my flight leaves tonight, so with aunt's permission, can we have a girls' day out before I leave the country?" Steph said with excitement, looking at Elena. "Um, I'm packing for school tomorrow, I don't think I can leave, plus I don't want to worry my parents, and I have to study a little as well. You guys go on without me, I don't really have time for this." Ellen answered, disappointing everyone in the room, even the maid. Elena was about to protest when "yes you do. You have time Ellen, she has time, take her away. It's been a nuisance watching her behave like a robot. I'm really sorry about what happened to both of you, I am. So please, go out and have fun, you're ruining my marriage." Aaron beat her to it, pleading with sincerity and sarcasm, joining his wife on the bed. "Come on Elle, do you want to ruin your parents' marriage? How is she doing that though?" Stephanie, who could talk to Aaron casually, asked with intrigue. "My wife is upset with me because my daughter won't leave the house or speak to her friends, and that's my fault. So please, carry her out of this mansion, so that my empress here will stop being mad at me. Honey, won't you forgive daddy? I'm sorry I misjudged you, I trust you completely, and I know you won't let us down." Aaron explained, drawing his daughter into his arms, before she finally relented, again, out of guilt. The girls left after Elena promised to take care of the packing, and Aaron promised to help her. He didn't want her stressing herself, as she swooned easily these days. He had made her stop going to work because of that, but the stubborn woman only agreed after he said she can go back again after her first trimester, the baby would be stronger by then, and so would Elena, whose symptoms got bad these days, with everything she ate coming out again. "Are we cool now?" Aaron asked his wife, but she didn't mind him. "Come on baby, I made a mistake. She's your daughter after all, I should have known better. ("Yeah, you should have". Elena said, folding clothes) I'm sorry, please forgive me. ("What about comparing me to a goat?" she asked) I didn't…I'm sorry." He apologized, hugging her from behind. "Aaron, I'm busy, please leave. Don't you have a surgery to perform, or meeting to attend?" Elena said and asked, turning her head to look at him. That move gave Aaron a chance to kiss her briefly before she shot him a deadly look. "Honey, come on, won't you forgive daddy?" Aaron said, using the same words he used for Ellen, and that did the trick, because Elena finally laughed. "Oh, hallelujah!" He exclaimed with bliss and Elena laughed, the maid smiling secretly to herself as she arranged the provisions.
***
Ellen was in tears as she explained to her friends what happened after she left the party last week, and how bad she felt for lying to her mom, and still missing Henry. They were in the car to God knows where, as she couldn't ask when they bombarded her with questions. "Elle, did you have a fight with Henry? Was it because I thought you were Clara? We've been trying to get to you for some days now, and Kobby called me worried about you. He said you were not replying to any of his texts and your phone was switched off when he calls too. What happened?" Stephanie started. "Yeah Elle, did something happen? You wouldn't even see us when we asked to come see you." Abby chimed in. "And what did your dad mean by he misjudged you?" Kelly asked as well. "Elle, what's wrong?" Abby asked again when she started crying. Kelly was sitting at the front, but Stephanie and Abby hugged her till she calmed down, explaining everything to them. "Do you guys think I should break up with Henry?" She asked after explaining, cleaning her tears. "Do you want to break up with him?" Steph asked. "No, but my parents would be so disappointed in me." She answered. "Ellen, you have dated the guy for almost two months now, and your parents have no clue. Besides, we're always here to be your alibi. You love him, and he loves you; the rest does not matter." Stephanie said to the shock of the girls. "Okay, you really confuse me sometimes, you know that? Are you for, or against their relationship?" Kelly asked the question on their minds. "I admit I've been on and off, for good reason, but who am I to stand in the way of love? I've seen the way he looks at and talks about you, that's how he was with me. The guy has stopped calling me Naa in front of you, don't think I haven't noticed that. Maybe we weren't meant to be, but you two are, because he's really doing his best to please you. You have no idea how much he bothered me to ask you if he had done something wrong after his birthday." Steph answered, giving her full approval of their relationship, convinced Henry wasn't playing. The car finally pulled over and Ellen realized they were at the beach. "Beach? What are we doing here?" Ellen asked, as they got down after paying the gate fee. "You will see." Steph said, leading them to the place. "Ellen! Aww I've missed you so much." Clara greeted and hugged her cheerfully. Ellen was wearing Stephanie's shades, as her eyes were swollen from the tears she shed in the car. "Yeah, Ellen, you ghosted us after the party." Eric said with a smile. "Hi everyone, I'm sorry, I've been busy. I wasn't expecting to see you all here." Ellen greeted with a comment. Clara, Eric, and James, the guy that brought Steph and Henry together at the mall, were all there, except yours truly. "It's a going away party before we all leave for school. I couldn't exactly mention that in front of your parents." Stephanie said with a smile, taking a seat by James, who placed an arm around her. Ellen turned to look sideways, as if looking for someone. "Oh thank God you are looking for him, I thought you two fought or something. Poor boy has been going crazy not getting through to you. He's behind you Elle, he's ordering for us." Clara said with a teasing smile, and Ellen blushed, looking behind to see Henry at the counter of the restaurant they were sitting. The water was clear, and the waves were beautiful to watch, making the place cool with breeze. "Why don't you go and talk to him?" Steph urged, when Ellen turned back to look at them. She had not seen him when they entered, but he did. She was wearing a cute skirt and top, because she thought this was a girls' outing, she'd have worn jeans instead if she knew they were coming here, or that the boys would be present. Henry had to admit his girlfriend was beautiful in anything she wore, as he pretended not to see them. "Um, I'll just sit here." Ellen answered Steph, looking down. "It's fine Elle, he's coming with our food." Clara said as Henry got to the table with waiters behind him. "Well, there you are. How can we start a party without the guest of honor?" Henry said, going to Steph's side. "Don't do that Kobby, not today." Steph warned with a solemn expression, glancing at Ellen, who had finally switched on her phone. "Don't do what, Naa?" Henry asked innocently, sitting by her. "Don't pretend you don't see her, Kobby, she's too stressed for that today." Steph said, Ellen getting teary again when she heard her. "Um, excuse me for a minute." Ellen excused with a tearful voice which got Clara worried. "Is something wrong?" She asked them and Abby sighed. "Don't just sit there, go after her!" Steph exclaimed, Henry getting up to go after his girl.