ADOPTED BY THE SIDEMEN

• Valentine's Day (part 1) •

***
Holly's POV
***

I stay nibbling on my nails as I perch on the side of the bed. It's gone past five pm in the afternoon and I'm nervous about meeting JJ's new girlfriend.

It's the thirteenth, meaning that tomorrow is Valentine's Day and JJ's decided to bring his new girlfriend over to the house so I can meet her today. I'm scared, I'll admit, but I don't know how to feel really. I keep thinking about Amber and how lovely she was, but I know I have to move on. If JJ can do it, so can I.

I kick off the fluffy blanket that lays across my body and sit up in bed. My head hurts a little bit, but I think I'm just nervous to meet JJ's girlfriend. I can't remember if he told me her name or not.

I jump when my phone rings and I pick it up after JJ's contact flashes on the screen.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Hey, Holls. Ella and I are on the way home now"

"Oh," I look around the room anxiously. "Okay"

"We'll be there in ten minutes, okay? And change out of your pajamas please. I know what you're like"

I giggle and look down at myself. I am in fact wearing teddy bear pajamas and boot slippers. Yes, I know it's noon, but I like to stay in pajamas all day. JJ doesn't really mind, but I guess I'm meeting Ella for the first time and he wants me to make a good impression. I guess I have to fool her into thinking I'm not a slob.

"Fine, dad," I reply, rolling my eyes with a smile. "See you soon"

"See you soon, love"

JJ ends the call and I put my phone down. I walk to my closet and pick out a casual outfit consisting of jeans, a navy blue sweater and my white trainers. I tie my hair into a low bun and apply light makeup. Eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss.

Just as I finish slicking on the second coat of lip gloss, I hear JJ's car crunch into the driveway. I drop the tube and focus on trying to steady my heartbeat. I feel nervous, but I don't think I have a reason to be. JJ says she's really lovely and sweet and sensitive.

"Right, stop being a wuss," I mutter to myself, smoothing my hair down around my bun. "Just go down there and say hello"

I give myself one last look over in the mirror and wipe away the smudged lip gloss on my chin. After that, I leave my room and jog downstairs just as the front door opens. I freeze in my tracks as JJ and Ella's voices intertwine with laughter and chatter. They stop when they see me, Ella's face smiling and JJ's eyebrows raised in amusement at my hesitation.

"H-h-hey"

"Hey," Ella replies, her warm smile relaxing me instantly.

JJ gestures for me to come down the stairs and mouths that it's okay. When Ella looks at him, he drops his hands and smiles at her.

"This is my daughter, Holly," JJ says, putting his arm around my shoulders.

"I figured," Ella chuckles, her kind brown eyes holding mine.

Ella's pretty. Like, really pretty. Her wavy copper brown hair shines from the sun streaming in from the windows and her green eyes are sprinkled with gold flecks. Her face is heart shaped and her jawline is prominent . Her cheekbones stand out and her natural freckles decorate her cheeks and nose. In the best way possible, she looks like Bambi. Ella's tall, but not too tall. She's taller than me, but shorter than JJ. Her figure is gorgeous too, curvy in all the right places. I also like her style. She's wearing jeans with a turtleneck and black boots.

"I like your eyeliner," Ella comments, gesturing at her own eyelids. "I can never do wings. You'll have to teach me"

"Sure," I smile, leaning against the stair banister.