The last string

Chapter 2

Lucas
I'd be lying if I said my eyes didn't light up when I saw Ellora's sleepy face appear from behind the curtain. Her usual messy black hair was messier and more pushed to one side of her face. She looked like she had just woken up from a nap, and she defiantly wasn't happy with me.

  She glares her eyes at me and my smile lifts. Today didn't go how I had hoped it would, I almost ruined my perfect attendance because my alarm hadn't gone off, and during practice I had strained a muscle and was forced to sit out for the rest of practice.

  But all those thoughts go away at the sight of her face. I knew she hated me from the day I had accidentally ruined our fifth birthday party, and I have to admit that before that day I only saw her as my mom best friends daughter.

  But by the time we both reached high school I couldn't help but notice her more, I couldn't help but glance in her direction every time the test scores got out, hoping to see her glaring at me.

  Some would say I have a crush on her, and maybe there right, but right now I can't think of anything other than the sleepy look on her face.

  She rolls her eyes before shutting the window and slamming the curtains close as if they were a door, not giving me a second glance.

  I laugh outright as I turn off my car and pocket my keys. My mom is already home and cooking dinner as I walk into the house.

  Her light brown hair is a shade lighter than mine, is up in a messy ponytail pulled back hastily away from her face.

  I give her a kiss on the cheek before she brushes me off complaining about me being sweaty from practice.

  "Your father is on his way home." she says not looking at me, keeping her full attention on the raw chicken in front of her. "Make sure you study for your history test tomorrow"

  One thing she's a stickler on is getting good grades, she's constantly comparing me to Ellora, even though our grades are usually tied.

  She gives me a small, tiered smile, she's a cop and I know she works hard at her job, still comes home in time to cook dinner at a reasonable time. I've offered to cook dinner sometimes, but she brushed me off like she normally does.

  I walk upstairs throwing my backpack down on the floor next to my cluttered desk. I look out the window to the closed curtains of Ellora's room, she's had the same curtains for as long as I can remember, they are now lighter than they were due to the sun, but she has yet to remove them and get new ones.

  I bet her desk isn't messy I think looking out the window again.

  It's been years since I've been in her room, but I have no doubt it's effortlessly neat, she's yelled at me for the slightest messes I've made so I wonder how much pressure she puts on herself.

  Ive heard our moms talking about her on multiple occasions, they're always talking about how good she is in school, how she's going to grow up to be extremely successful one day, and how she's lucky these things come so easily to her. And not that I disagree with them but I can't help but wonder how much pressure she's really under.

  I've barely seen her hang out with her friends on the weekends, hell she was even studying at our 15th birthday.

  "The girl is never tired" I've heard my mom laugh, and I can't help but disagree, she must be exhausted but she definitely does a good job at hiding it.

  I pick up my laptop from my backpack and start studying.

An hour and a half later my mom calls me for dinner. I skip steps as I stumble downstairs and into the kitchen.

  My father's sitting at the table, his ginger hair pulled up into a man bun and his eyebrows furrowed. My mother hands me a bowl of chicken and rice and a second container full of it.

  I shove a mouthful of food into my mouth as I point at the container trying to talk but stopping as my mother gives me the look.

  "if you don't mind running over to give that to Ellora after you finish eating." she says it in a way that makes me know it wasn't an offer and that I had too, not that I wouldn't have "Celeste is working the nightshift at the hospital so Ellora will be alone tonight." she says her last words drowned out by the sound of the ice machine.

  I don't bother finishing my food before I grab the Tupperware and my own bole and head to the front door, balancing the food so I wouldn't drop it and it didn't burn me too much.

  Using the streetlight to make sure I didn't trip I walk over to Ellora's exited to see her face.

  I rang the doorbell with my unoccupied hand and within seconds she's at the door, her curly black hair shoved into a messy bun, her usual sweater and skirt gone, instead replaced with a black tank top and grey sweatpants that looked WAY too big for her.

  If you had told young Lucas that his childhood crush had gotten 10 times hotter, he wouldn't have believed you.

  I hear her clear her throat and that's when I notice that I've been staring for an inappropriate amount of time.

  "i brought you food." I say holding out the Tupperware out to her giving her my best smile.

  She looks from my smile, to the food in my hands, back to my smile. Hesitantly she takes it and begins to walk away, but I stop her before she has the chance to close the door.

  "Can I come in?" I ask putting my hand in the doorway in case she try's to close it anyway, though I have no doubt she would have slammed it on my fingers if given the chance.

  "Sure." She starts walking to the kitchen and I make sure to keep my eyes focused on things around the house.

  Their house is a lot like ours, though their furniture looks like someone actually lives here, whereas ours looks like something you would find in a magazine for a basic family home.

  I follow her into her kitchen and watch as she puts some of the food into a bowl before placing it on the counter and facing me, the look on her face being not exactly pleasant.

  "Are you not happy to see me?" I joke crossing my arms and leaning on the counter across her, mimicking her pose. This only makes her eyes glare at me more.

  "Why are you here?" she asks watching me shove a pile of food into my mouth, still not taking a bite of hers.

  I swallow before answering, "like I said, my mom wanted to make sure you ate, so she sent me over here to give you food." I pause and when she doesn't say anything I do "your welcome." I say slurring the words together as I take another bite of food.

  She rolls her eyes and walks to the fridge grabbing an energy drink out of it, I watch as she opens it and takes a sip, I watch as a droplet of water falls down the corner of her mouth and onto her-

  I cough and look away, earning a weird look from her.

  "well, I appreciate the food, but I don't need a babysitter." she says crossing her arms again and then uncrossing them "so you can go," she says looking at the floor.

  I feel almost sad I'm being kicked out, we haven't hung out in forever, and while that's not entirely her fault I don't want to make her nervous by my presence. I grab my bowl of food and start walking to the door, her following behind me but keeping at a distance.

  I step out into the chilly autumn air and right when I'm about to say goodbye she slams the door in my face.