right eyebrow and trying to bring the conversation to an end.
Morgan sat down next to me with a little sigh. “You know this band, Chaos, they do a mix of covers and their own stuff. They're really good if you want to come check them out.” She squeezed my knee. “You should meet us there at nine. We'll shake our asses on the dance floor.”
“I don't know.” My nose wrinkled.
“Oh come on, Ella Bella! Come have fun with me.” She made a face, the cute, adorable one that made her look like a little kid again.
I grinned. “Maybe.”
“You better.” She pointed at me, standing from the couch and adjusting her dress. “I'll be looking out for you the second I walk through that pub door, you hear me?”
“I hear ya,” I called over my shoulder as she walked out the door. “Have fun!”
Slumping back onto the couch, I gazed at the TV remote perched on the coffee table and pursed my lips. Staying here was easier; I hated going out on my own.
“I miss Cali.” I pouted again, like a stupid little five-year-old. I was so pathetic sometimes.
But I did miss Cali. If I was in Pasadena right now, Jody and I would be doing something fun together. She never let me just sit on my butt and feel sorry for myself.
Glancing at my watch, I quickly calculated the time difference and reached for my laptop. I dialed up Jody on Skype and tapped my finger, hoping her online status actually meant she was around.
“Ells Bells! What are you doing calling me?” Her bubbly voice reached me before her image did. I watched the dial spin and then up popped my blonde friend, her green eyes bright and cheerful.
“Hey, Jo-Jo.” I waved.
“Whatchya doin'?” Her straight white teeth appeared.
“Just hanging in my room.”
“What?” Her smile disappeared. “Ella, it's Friday night. Unless David is currently in your bed naked, you should be out right now.”
I giggled, feeling my cheeks heat with color. “David has to study tonight, so I'm flying solo.”
“Well, call a friend, go out!”
“Morgan's on a date. I don't want to play third wheel.”
“What about your other friends?”
“What other friends?”
“Are you kidding me right now?” Her mouth dropped open. “Ella Simmons, you have been there for over a month. What have you been doing with your time?”
“Studying.”
“That's it?” Jody groaned.
“David's taken me out a couple of times.” I sat up straighter, trying to stand up for my loser lifestyle.
“Honey, come on. You are hiding and you know it. When was the last time you wore makeup?”
“What has that got to do with anything?”
“Makeup equals going out, and going out means spending time with other people and having fun.”
“I...you know I'm not great at making friends. I'm too shy.”
“Stop hiding behind that excuse!”
“I always used to rely on you and Morgan. I'm not good at this stuff.”
“Well, get it together then. Practice makes perfect. Believe me, I know.” Her exasperated voice made me smile.
“How are rehearsals going?”
“They're great. They're fun, but I'm so tired. Between dance class, singing lessons, learning lines and rehearsals coming out my backside, I don't have a life at the moment,” she whined.
“At least you're hanging out with people you like.”
“That is true and if the cast weren't so damn cool, I'd be pulling my hair out in clumps.”
“The trials of being talented.” I tipped my head and winked.
Jody laughed at me before gazing at her watch. Her eyes bulged. “Babe, I'm sorry. I gotta go in a sec.”
“Okay.” I tried to hide my disappointment behind a broad grin, but I wasn't fooling anyone.
Leaning toward the camera, Jody's stern face filled the screen. “You have to promise me that you will go out tonight.”
I cringed.
“Ella, you have to promise or I'm not leaving, and then I'll be late and I'll get in trouble and it'll be your fault.”
I poked out my tongue at her. She pressed her lips together, squashing her
Morgan sat down next to me with a little sigh. “You know this band, Chaos, they do a mix of covers and their own stuff. They're really good if you want to come check them out.” She squeezed my knee. “You should meet us there at nine. We'll shake our asses on the dance floor.”
“I don't know.” My nose wrinkled.
“Oh come on, Ella Bella! Come have fun with me.” She made a face, the cute, adorable one that made her look like a little kid again.
I grinned. “Maybe.”
“You better.” She pointed at me, standing from the couch and adjusting her dress. “I'll be looking out for you the second I walk through that pub door, you hear me?”
“I hear ya,” I called over my shoulder as she walked out the door. “Have fun!”
Slumping back onto the couch, I gazed at the TV remote perched on the coffee table and pursed my lips. Staying here was easier; I hated going out on my own.
“I miss Cali.” I pouted again, like a stupid little five-year-old. I was so pathetic sometimes.
But I did miss Cali. If I was in Pasadena right now, Jody and I would be doing something fun together. She never let me just sit on my butt and feel sorry for myself.
Glancing at my watch, I quickly calculated the time difference and reached for my laptop. I dialed up Jody on Skype and tapped my finger, hoping her online status actually meant she was around.
“Ells Bells! What are you doing calling me?” Her bubbly voice reached me before her image did. I watched the dial spin and then up popped my blonde friend, her green eyes bright and cheerful.
“Hey, Jo-Jo.” I waved.
“Whatchya doin'?” Her straight white teeth appeared.
“Just hanging in my room.”
“What?” Her smile disappeared. “Ella, it's Friday night. Unless David is currently in your bed naked, you should be out right now.”
I giggled, feeling my cheeks heat with color. “David has to study tonight, so I'm flying solo.”
“Well, call a friend, go out!”
“Morgan's on a date. I don't want to play third wheel.”
“What about your other friends?”
“What other friends?”
“Are you kidding me right now?” Her mouth dropped open. “Ella Simmons, you have been there for over a month. What have you been doing with your time?”
“Studying.”
“That's it?” Jody groaned.
“David's taken me out a couple of times.” I sat up straighter, trying to stand up for my loser lifestyle.
“Honey, come on. You are hiding and you know it. When was the last time you wore makeup?”
“What has that got to do with anything?”
“Makeup equals going out, and going out means spending time with other people and having fun.”
“I...you know I'm not great at making friends. I'm too shy.”
“Stop hiding behind that excuse!”
“I always used to rely on you and Morgan. I'm not good at this stuff.”
“Well, get it together then. Practice makes perfect. Believe me, I know.” Her exasperated voice made me smile.
“How are rehearsals going?”
“They're great. They're fun, but I'm so tired. Between dance class, singing lessons, learning lines and rehearsals coming out my backside, I don't have a life at the moment,” she whined.
“At least you're hanging out with people you like.”
“That is true and if the cast weren't so damn cool, I'd be pulling my hair out in clumps.”
“The trials of being talented.” I tipped my head and winked.
Jody laughed at me before gazing at her watch. Her eyes bulged. “Babe, I'm sorry. I gotta go in a sec.”
“Okay.” I tried to hide my disappointment behind a broad grin, but I wasn't fooling anyone.
Leaning toward the camera, Jody's stern face filled the screen. “You have to promise me that you will go out tonight.”
I cringed.
“Ella, you have to promise or I'm not leaving, and then I'll be late and I'll get in trouble and it'll be your fault.”
I poked out my tongue at her. She pressed her lips together, squashing her
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