Page 4 (1/2)

"I’m sorry" I meant it I understood what that was like It was one of the reasons I had decided to leave Virginia behind and start over in Scotland

As if sensing my utter sincerity, Ellie relaxed I would never understand how someone could lay theer, but for once I wasn’t scared of Ellie’s openness Yeah, it , but once she got to knowto happen

To my surprise, an extremely co that too, Ellie sh?"

"I live here now Dual citizenship It feels more like home here"

She liked that answer

"Are you a student?"

I shook hts at Club 39 on George Street But I’ at the moment"

Ellie seemed thrilled by my confession "That’s brilliant! I’ve alanted to be friends with a writer And that’s so brave to go for what you really want My brother thinks being a PhD student is a waste of my time because I could work for him, but I love it I’m a tutor at the university as well It’s just… well it et aith doing what they enjoy even if it doesn’t pay rimaced "That sounds terrible, doesn’t it?"

I wasn’t really the judging kind "It’s your life, Ellie You’ve been blessed financially That doesn’t h school I could hear her nasally voice in ht process to yourself, Joss Accepting your inheritance doesn’t make you a terrible person It’s what your parents wanted for you’

Frohteen, I’d lived with two foster fainia Neither fa, fancy house and expensive food and clothes, to eating a lot of SpaghettiO’s and sharing clothes with a younger foster ‘sister’ who happened to be the sahteenth year, and the public knowledge that I would be receiving a substantial inheritance, I’d been approached by a nu for investe of what they assumed was a naïve kid, as well as a class how the ‘other half’ lived duringsucked up to by fake people more interested in my deep pockets than in me were two of the reasons I was reluctant to touch thethere with Ellie, souilt (although a different kind),connection to her

"The room is yours," Ellie suddenly announced

Her abrupt bubbliness brought laughter toserious all of a sudden, Ellie nodded "I have a good feeling about you"

I have a good feeling about you, too I gave her a relieved smile "Then I’d love to move in"

~2~

A week later I’d moved into the luxury apartment on Dublin Street

Unlike Ellie and her clutter, I liked everything to be organized around

"Are you sure you don’t want to sit and have a cup of tea with me?" Ellie asked from the doorway as I stood in my room surrounded by boxes and a couple of suitcases

"I really want to get this all unpacked so I can just relax" I s her off I always hated this part of a burgeoning friendship–the exhausting hedging of one another’s personality, trying to work out how a person would react to a certain tone, or attitude

Ellie just nodded her understanding "Okay Well, I’ve got to tutor in an hour, so I think I’ll walk instead of grabbing a cab, which ive you so you "

I grunted and waved her away as she flashed me a pretty smile and headed out

As soon as the front door slammed shut, I flopped down on my incredibly comfortable new bed "Welco

Kings of Leon sang ‘your sex is on fire’ really loudly atso quickly intruded upon With a tilt of my hip, I slipped my phone out of my pocket and smiled at the caller ID

"Hey you," I answered warent, pretentious new flat yet?" Rhian asked without preaht, you lucky coas al at the pictures you sent me Is that place for real?"

"I take it the apart up to your expectations?"

"Expectations? I’lorified cardboard box!"

I snorted

"Fuck off," Rhian grumbled half-heartedly "I miss you and our mice-riddled palace"

"Ithat as you stare at your claw-footed bath tub with its gold-plated taps?"

"Nope… as I lie on my five thousand dollar bed"