I sat on the couch burying my head in my hands, feeling my knees trembling. I really just wanted to lose my shit, but I had no time to let down the floodgates; hearing the slamming of the screen door caused my head to snap up. There Adam stood in the doorway, the light shining behind his silhouette, Ray-Bans shielding his eyes as he leant against the door jamb, smiling as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
“For a while I thought you had joined the witness protection program,” he joked, because that’s what he would do, that’s what he always did. I looked at this boy standing before me and nothing else mattered. I stood, moving over to him, trying my hardest to keep my tears at bay. I simply stopped in front of him, wishing that I could see his eyes, and just like he always did he read my mind because he lifted his shades, sitting them back to divide the dark fold of his thick dark hair. His eyes ticked curiously across my face; I hoped he couldn’t tell I was upset, but he read me better than anyone: the tinge of pink in my cheeks, my shiny eyes, dishevelled hair. If he knew something was wrong he never said anything and I loved him for that. I simply stepped into him, wrapping my arms around him, my chin resting in the alcove of his neck. Adam froze for the briefest moment, taken aback by the unexpectedness of it, before slowly and oh-so gently circling his arms around me, embracing me in his strength, his warmth. Without saying a word he just held me and that’s when I couldn’t hold it in anymore, I couldn’t disguise my body shaking as I cried in Adam’s arms, not wanting to ever let go as he gently rubbed my back, comforting me more than he could ever understand.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.
“You didn’t break something in my room, did you? Is that why you ran away?”
Adam was trying to be light-hearted, and it did make me laugh a little as I lowered my hands and stepped back a little, wiping my eyes, as I shook my head.
Adam looked confused. “Then what are you sorry about?”
I was genuinely taken aback; had we been friends for so long he was immune to my wicked ways?
“I’ve been such a bitch to you, and you don’t deserve it.”
“Hmm, I think I give as good as I get.”
“No, no, you don’t, you put up with me and I am nothing but—”
“Ellie.”
Adam cut me off, looking down on me in wonder. “It’s us.”
I blinked, trying to decipher what that exactly meant. Adam broke into a boyish grin before shrugging. “It’s what we do.”
“It is?”
“Sure, we chase each other around in public bars in our undies; it’s what friends do, right?”
My heart skipped a beat. “Only the best of friends.”
“Correct, and if you’re lucky I might just drive you back to Maitland myself.”
Adam really did know all the right things to say. I could have fought it, been adamant in not troubling him, that I would wait for the late night bus, but there was no part of my being that wanted to say no, to not spend another moment with him, or another car ride.
“I’d really like that.”
Adam laughed. “Who are you and what have you done with the real Ellie?”
“This is Ellie version 2.O.” I smirked.
“Does this Ellie have better taste in music?”
I placed my hands on my hips. “What?”
“I will take you home under one condition.”
My brows rose in question.
“No Starship songs.”
“Oh, come on.”
“Meet me at the Onslow when you’re ready.”
“Adam, you cannot be serious, they’re a classic.”
“No,” he said, backing out toward the front door.
