There was more than just studying and exams in Elodie’s new London life. More than just hours spent in the library with books in front of her… but that’s what we’re starting with.
”I heard he left her…” Words from across the room made Elodie look up, the silence of the library being disrupted by two girls whose words she couldn’t help but overhear. With her tired eyes and makeup that didn’t help her look fresh, Elodie met the eyes of strangers. Out of all the empty seats, those two girls were sitting glued to one another at the table where they could have a better view of our tired girl. And a girl that supposedly got dumped. ”I hope he did,” with no shame, those girls were staring back at Elodie, their voices not quiet enough. ”But that means he won’t come back. How am I supposed to grab his attention now?” Last words Elodie paid attention to before closing her eyes and tilting her head down, a soft sigh leaving her lips. This… yeah, this is what she had to deal with on the daily basis but she never said a single thing - girls trying to come on to her boyfriend who, for their information, did not leave her. Elodie showing up to her college alone and leaving alone was all they could see and assume she wasn’t with Riker anymore but there was a reason for it. Some boyfriends have dreams and like to travel and some girlfriends are supportive of them and let them do whatever would make them happy. That was the case with Elodie and Riker. For a whole month she was all alone in her spacious apartment that now felt extremely empty because her boyfriend was on a tour. Her little guitars who was often keeping her up at 3 am when she should be resting. There were some cons and pros to it… Pros: have you seen him? Cons: every girl at her college has seen him and thought the same thing. We are not going to talk about all the times they would go up to him and pretend not to see Elodie, only to end their attempt at flirting with “Oh, I didn’t see you there”.
[color="#dbb9a0”]”One green tea creme frappuccino for you and day three of me trying to convince myself it’s drinkable,”[/color] she didn’t even have to look up to know who the person putting the drinks on the table in front of her was. So let me introduce you to Mark, one of Elodie’s first college friends. Mark is a good guy, a smart guy with an accent everyone would die for. Curly haired boy with a bright smile that had the biggest crush on Elodie from the very first time he saw her, talked to her but don’t tell her that. She already knows it but what can she really do? He has always been a good friend to her and he knows she is in a happy relationship so there is no harm in keeping him close to her. But the poor guy still had hope. “She already moved on. How desperate do you have to be…” Hearing those girls again, this time Elodie ignored them and smiled sweetly at her friend as she leaned back in her seat. The book in front of her closing while she reached for the cup. [color="darksalmon”]”If it weren’t for you I’d never have a drink in my hands,”[/color] bringing the straw to her lips, she continued. [color="darksalmon”]”And if only you got us those muffi-”[/color] But before she could continue, Mark was already pulling a little paper bag from his backpack and placed it on top of Elodie’s book, a grin on his face. A grin that soon matched hers as she opened the bag and saw muffins she was about to mention, jokingly of course. She never asked him to bring her drinks and food whenever he felt like it but here he was, being a caring friend. ”You’re officially my favorite person,” pouting in an appreciative way, she looked back at him and was now staring at the guy whose arms were crossed over the table, looking at her in a way she could not describe but had an idea of what it could mean. He really wasn’t giving up.
[color="darkred”]”There you are!”[/color] Another voice Elodie knew very well but this time it echoed through the whole library, everyone’s head turning in the direction of it. With a white “backpack” that could fit only her phone and keys, Ally Warren, a brunette girl with a Scottish accent (who Dorian will hook up with in the near future) walked towards Elodie and Mark looking as fresh as ever. At least someone was getting enough sleep. Ally is your typical daddy’s girl getting everything, almost everything, she wanted but she was not one of those stuck up girls with fake personalities you’d see on every corner in high school. She was fun and down to earth and everything Elodie needed in a friend after her falling out with someone she called a best friend for the longest time. Remember Kara? Yeah, that ended right before Elodie left her hometown and it was possibly the best thing that could’ve happened to her. But how did Ally become her friend? Imagine this: a lonely girl standing in the middle of a hallway in an unfamiliar country while the only two people she knew were God knows where. She was seen with a guy that had a very famous friend so some of the girls walking past her knew who he was. Now imagine that same girl in that same hallway but with a group of British blondies standing in front of her, interrogating her after her very first class. “How do you know him?” “Is he your cousin?” “Can you introduce us to him?” Being in a different country, plus being a little shy and also overwhelmed did not help in that situation. Tightly holding onto her bag, she was just staring back at the group, unable to find even some simple words to say. All until her hero showed up and made those girls go away. I’m sorry, that wasn’t very exciting but that poor girl was Elodie and the hero was Ally. [color="darkred”]”I spent the whole morning looking for you and not sleeping in,”[/color] Taking a seat right next to Elodie, she picked Elo’s drink, bringing it to her lips but the guy next to her friend caught her attention, making her stop and slightly tilt her head. [color=“darkred”]”Hi,”[/color] now their friendship was not really the best but they didn’t necessarily dislike each other. It was hard to not like Mark but Ally could see right through his acts of kindness toward Elodie and she was not a big fan of it. It was not the best look going after someone who was taken while there were millions of other girls around you. [color=”#dbb9a0”]”Some of us have classes to go to,”[/color] taking it as a cue to leave, the poor guy looked between the two and stood up with a sweet smile on his lips and a cup of a drink he was forcing himself to drink in his hand. ”See you after?” With that, he left.
It wasn’t long before the girls had to leave as well, 1) because they had a class, and 2) because Ally’s was supposedly being too loud. Elodie would agree with that but there was not a chance she’d ever interrupt her friend and tell her to be quiet. [color="darkred”]”I have to show you something,”[/color] approaching the door of the amphitheatre, Elodie was the first one to enter, looking back at her friend pulling out a phone from her tiny backpack. Where are the rest of her things? Oh, yeah, Ally didn’t “need” anything else. She was one of those students learning most things just by listening so things as taking notes were a big distraction. They were both met with muffled voices and conversations of other students that were already in there as they made their way to the seats they always took. Closer to the stage but not too close, on the far left. As soon as Elodie sat down and dropped her bag on the desk, Ally’s phone landed on it, her insta notifications opened. [color="darkred”]”Look who followed me.”[/color] And who did? I’ll let you take three guesses. No, just one, it’s that easy. Someone from Oxford? No. Elodie’s brother Dorian? Yup. It shouldn’t really be a surprise but Elodie felt a little tug on her hear seeing his name there. Not because Ally was her friend and Dorian followed her, never meeting the girl in real life, but because of the event that took place a month ago, when he started ignoring all of her calls and texts. It was one thing breaking up with someone but another breaking up with a person you were deeply in love with, and Elodie could see how much he really loved Jessica. [color="darkred”]”I never realized how hot he is,”[/color] Ally’s voice turning into a whisper, taking a seat next to Elodie, she gently nudged her with her elbow. [color="darkred”]”Doesn’t he have a girlfriend? I remember you telling me something-”[/color] Her words were not cut off by Elodie replying, just her slowly shaking her head, looking at Ally with a weak smile. [color="darkred”]”Oh… OOHH…”[/color] [color="darksalmon”]”Don’t even think about it!”[/color] A soft giggle escaped Elodie’s lips this time, pushing the phone back to Ally. That was… not going to end well. [color="darkred”]”I’m noooot,”[/color] a devilish smile played on Ally’s lips as she picked up her own phone, finally hitting the follow back button. ”Hey… I’m serious. I don’t know what happened but-”
[color=“#b75548”]”Ready for tonight?”[/color] Nessa’s sweet voice interrupted Elodie, in a flowy pink dress taking a seat in front of the two girls. Nessa was Ally’s friend for the longest time, the two knowing each other since elementary school and here they were, in college together. Elodie liked Nessa, she was more like her with her sweet voice and warm smiles. Ally introduced them to each other the first day she met Elo, after saving her from that group of girls ready to spend eternity asking her questions. That’s how Elodie became a part of Ally’s little friend group. And tonight, well, it was Nessa’s birthday. The bad part of it? She knew most students and invited all of them since her parents got a beautiful venue that could fit the whole country. Plus Nessa had many friends out of college… it’s going to be one fun night. [color=“darkred”]”Talking about that…”[/color] Looking away from Elodie with a cheeky smile suggesting they’ll be continuing their previous conversation, her attention was now on her old friend. [color=“darkred”]”Do you know how much I loooove your silky green dress?”[/color] [color=”#b75548”]”We have the same dress, Ally.”[/color] [color=“darkred”]”About that… remember our first party this January? Well, I don’t have that dress anymore-”[/color]
Forgetting about her brother and the mean girls from the library, Elodie was just sitting there, with a sweet smile on her lips listening to her two friends. This. This is everything she was hoping she’d have once she moves and starts college. A perfect relationship and perfect friends in a beautiful city. If only she had Heidi here.
Heidi, maybe Elodie wouldn’t feel so lonely now when Riker was away if only her dog was with her. Locking the door and placing the keys in a beige bowl that was on a console table in that hallway, no matter if it’s been two weeks, she felt sadness having no one to lovingly welcome her. By now she was supposed to get used to that and in a way she did, but she still missed her boyfriend. Talking about him… he should be free in an hour, the time Elodie would face time him or he’d be faster than her. That gave her plenty of time to make lunch and take a long, relaxing bath first. Walking through the apartment and dropping her bag on the kitchen counter, every curtain was open allowing the light to illuminate the dark browns of the wooden floor. There was one new thing Elodie became obsessed with - record players. Her mother found her a fully furnished apartment that she immediately fell in love with and she had the luck to find an old record player in a corner of the bedroom. Eventually, she moved to the living room from where she could always hear the music playing, and as of recently - Taylor Swift’s Evermore album. Putting that one on now, she let her yellow dress fall down to the floor and picking it up, Elodie made her way to the bathroom. The scent of vanilla spilling out in every direction as soon as he lit the candle and let the bath fill up with water.
An hour later, after making lunch and with Willow playing in the background again, Elodie was lying in bed in nothing but a silky robe, holding the phone up and waiting for Riker to pick up. A strand of her wet hair twisting around her finger as she felt her hopes slowly dying. There was not a single day that they haven’t talked to each other, at least once, but this was the second time she tried to face time and failed. Dropping the phone down next to her, Elodie plopped herself up on her elbows, her gaze moving to the door of a spacious walk-in closet on the other side of the bedroom. That was one of three requests she had for the apartment because having too many clothes would not be fun if she only had one wardrobe. Other requests: big windows and one park nearby. The moment she sat up, Elodie finally heard her phone ringing and seeing her favorite name on the screen a big smile appeared on her lips, not wasting a second to answer. [color="darksalmon”]”Hiii,”[/color] letting her back hit the bed again, the silky robe perfectly falling over her curves, she accepted the facetime call with a soft giggle. [color="darksalmon”]”I miss you…”[/color] The expression she had slightly changed exposing a frown but it was quickly replaced with yet another smile as she gently bit her thumb. [color="darksalmon”]”Oh! I need your help,”[/color] quickly adding, she got up from the bed and walked to her closet, placing her phone on the vanity table. [color="darksalmon”]”You know that party I’m going to tonight? Wellll… I need your help because I can’t pick what I like more,”[/color] with a cheeky smile she straightened up, loosening the robe. At the very beginning of their friendship, this is what Riker would do to her - he’d call her to ask for help, knowing or maybe not knowing how much what followed would make her blush. Seeing him walking to another room and saying something about the robe brought out a little mischievous smile but she ignored him and instead grabbed two dresses. But before she could say anything her phone turned black. Battery died. ”Nononono…” Dropping her dresses and picking up the phone, she ran back to her bedroom to find the charger.
[color=“darkred”]”Another shot! Go, go,”[/color] placing a bunch of shot glasses on a glass table, Ally was already a little bit tipsy. Or a lot. Here is another fact about Ally: she is the biggest lightweight you could ever meet but she loves to drink. Usually the girls would get together and drink wine as they did just 10 minutes ago before Ally found a nice group of guys and got lost, had some shots with them and now here she was, making her girlfriends take more with her. [color=“darkred”]”This one guy… he asked for your number but I said no,”[/color] with a proud smile, trying to be quiet, Ally looked at Elodie who was staring back at her with concern written all over her face. Not because of that guy but because her friend was visibly already drunk. [color="darksalmon”]”Thank you,”[/color] but chuckling and shaking her head, Elodie replied ignoring her need to stop her friend from drinking more and just let her have all the fun she wants. That’s what Elodie also needed, after all. [color=“darkred”]”I don’t need that, I just need you to take this,”[/color] grinning, Ally pushed one glass toward Elodie before looking over at her other friends. [color=“darkred”]”Hey, hey, where is Nessa? Doesn’t matter, drink!”[/color] Now here is a fact about Elodie: call her classy, but she only likes wine. Being the last one to force herself to take that shot, she tried really hard not to make a fact but very quickly failed, covering her lips as Ally laughed at her. [color=“darkred”]”You can do better than that!”[/color] ”It’s disgusting…”
[color=“#dbb9a0”]”Ladies,”[/color] feeling a hand on her waist, Elodie looked to her side, her gaze landing on no one else but Mark. As soon she lowering her gaze to the place where his hand was resting, he removed it and once again she met his eyes. There was a guilty smile on his lips as he looked away from her, now saying hi to everyone else that was around Elodie. His friends, since they all knew each other at this point. In similar situations such as parties and some kind of gatherings when Elodie wasn’t in the company of her boyfriend, Mark would do small thing like this thinking he could get away with it. But all it took for him to stop, for a few minutes at least, was the look she would give him. It wasn’t a serious one and she never looked mad, you could just see she did not appreciate it. [color=“darkred”]”Hello Mark, and helllloo hotties!”[/color] Following her gaze, Elodie noticed a group of guys walking towards them. What she could assume was a group Ally was chatting with not so long ago. Four guys, all dressed in black and white with their British accents soon found themselves at their table. There was one fella Elodie noticed was looking in her direction from the second they got near and she could only assume it was a guy Ally mentioned to her earlier. Great… Looking away from all of them, nervously she started playing with a ring in her finger, wishing they never showed up. Okay, listen… Elodie didn’t like to be the one ruining the fun for everyone so she never said anything, she’d just stay quiet and force a smile once someone asks her something, but she was never comfortable in a company of so many guys. Things would just be so much better if she was there only with her friends. Noticing that, Mark gently placed a hand on her shoulder, quietly asking, [color=”#dbb9a0”]”I’m going to grab some drinks. Do you want to come with me?”[/color] YES, she thought but instead she simply nodded giving him a sweet smile. That’s how she was once again saved by her friend from an uncomfortable situation… if only it stayed like that. Disappearing into the crowd to find wine so Elodie wouldn’t have to bump into people, Mark left her standing there alone. A perfect opportunity for our other British guy to jump in. [color=“#c21e56”]”Your boyfriend left you already?”[/color] A great start, isn’t it? Nothing better than that being the first words a guy says to you. Turning around, Elodie was standing face to face with a guy from second ago, a cheeky smile playing on his lips. [color=“darksalmon”]”He is not my boy-”[/color] Slightly furrowing her brows with her voice so quiet, he cut her off to introduce himself. [color=”#c21e56”]”I’m Luke.”[/color] She didn’t have to finish what she was trying to say for him to know what will come out of her mouth, so he wasted no time. [color=”#c21e56”]”And you must be Elodie? Sorry, I heard it when Ally asked where you went so I just assumed…”[/color] Counting with his hand casually placed in his pockets and that same smile still on his lips. This was the part where he thought she would say something, confirm that was her name… anything. But she did not. Elodie just stood there, now crossing her arms in discomfort but trying to keep her expression friendly. [color="#c21e56”]”I thought you left without me getting a chance to talk to you-”[/color]
Phone ringing. Thank. God. Looking down at the phone in her hands, Elodie’s never been happier to see Riker’s name on the screen. A huge smile found its way to her lips as she looked up at the Luke guy and finally said her first words to him, [color="darksalmon”]”Sorry, I want to take this. It’s my boyfriend.”[/color] With that she turned around and walked away from the guy. [color="darksalmon”]”Thank God! I really wish you were here right now…[/color][color="darksalmon”]No, no, everything is fine…[/color][color="darksalmon”]Someone was just coming onto me I didn’t know how to get away…[/color][color=“darksalmon”]Wait, what!? You’re coming back in two days?! Ahhhh…”[/color]