No Happily Ever After

Kara took Zack’s guitar, and whilst he tried to teach her how to play, I hummed the tune to the song we’d just played, inactively. Alex had Rian’s book on his head, shielding his eyes, and Jack was getting ice cream. He’d probably eaten them all, judging by the mess on his face. He kicked the book from Alex’s face, luckily missing his actual face, and handed him the cone. Alex grunted and took it, a smile of acceptance filling his sunburnt face.
I sat for a while, trying to absorb the copy of Hamlet, but its horrific abuse after being kicked made it unreadable. I wanted desperately to swim, but after a while, made my way to the arcade. The only person in the dilapidated building was a tall boy with brown hair and big brown eyes. He wore no shirt, grey shorts and no shoes and appeared to be playing Pacman – it was the only working game in the building. Despite the new beach, and thousands of visitors, along with the many concession stands littered around, apparently building a new arcade was a facade and a large waste of money. I rolled my eyes and stood next to him, acutely aware of the fact I was wearing a mere bikini top, Jack’s sunglasses, shorts and flip flops.
’10 dollars says you can’t make it to the next round.’ The words left my lips before I’d even registered them.
’10 dollars says I can.’ He retorted, visibly working harder. I watched as he pushed the mechanism, jerking it around so it’d work more efficiently. He grinned in triumph when he reached the next round.
‘You won.’ I acknowledged, shoving a tattered 10 dollar note into his hands. He gave it back.
‘It’s ok; I don’t need your money. I’m Spencer.’ He held a hand out.
‘Ella.’ I flashed him a smile and one of his crossed his face. We shook hands, all too formal, and then left the arcade. ‘Surely that arcade is too … archaic for you.’ I joked.
‘Haha. Nope. I used to spend all my time there, and then when it burnt down, Pacman was the only game that survived. They didn’t shut it down, so there I go.’ He replied.
‘That must’ve been hard… It’s burning down.’ I tried to sympathize.
‘You get over it.’ He shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. ‘So how’re you?’
‘I’m fine.’ I smiled. ‘You?’
‘Wait!’ He cried. ‘I think I know you… Ella Dawson, right?’ He reached out and took off my sunglasses. ‘It is you!’
‘D-Do I-‘
‘We went to high school together. Spencer, remember?’ He frowned. ‘We used to s-‘
‘Sit by each other in English!’ I shrieked, jumping up. I threw my arms around him. ‘Spencer, it’s so lovely to see you!’
‘You too, Ella! How’s life been?’
‘It’s been good.’ We walked down towards the beach subconsciously. ‘I’m not a freak anymore. Or stupid.’
‘You were never stupid.’ He replied automatically.
‘Thanks. That’s really sweet of you.’ I smiled. ‘What about you?’
‘It’s had its ups and downs, but nothing too bad.’ He shrugged. ‘Where are we going?’
‘Do you want to meet my friends? And my boyfriend?’
‘Sure.’
By the time we got there, Jack had disappeared. Shaking my worries off, I introduced Spencer to the guys. They opened up warmly enough, even sharing drinks with him. I sat cross legged, with Zack’s arm around my shoulders, feeling slightly dizzy but elated.
‘Where’s Jack?’ Rian asked me, his lips nuzzling Kara’s shoulder.
‘I thought you guys knew.’
‘Calm down, Ella. He’s not your boyfriend, is he?’ Spencer laughed. ‘I mean, if he was your boyfriend that’d be fine, but you’re obviously dating Zack.’ He grinned, but the smile faded when the atmosphere turned awkward. ‘They are dating, right?’ He asked Alex. Zack took his arm off of me, and shuffled awkwardly away.
‘She’s dating Jack.’ Alex replied gently, careful not to annoy him.
‘Excuse me.’ I smiled falsely.
Once on my own, I tried to find my feelings and more importantly, my boyfriend. Where was Jack? Men selling beach toys and games sporting prize fishes beckoned me, but I ignored them.
Surely it didn’t look like I was dating Zack, did it? Because I wasn’t, and I had no immediate plans to do s-
‘I’m sorry.’ I gasped; stepping away from the stranger I’d bumped into.
‘Ella!’ Jack shrieked, holding onto me. ‘Where’d you go?’
‘To find you!’
‘I mean, before!’ He argued.
‘Oh, I went to the arcade.’ I shrugged.
‘You have a great singing voice.’ He slung his arm around my shoulders, and I beamed. This was the guy I wanted to spend my life with, forever.
‘Really? You knew I could sing.’ I punched him playfully.
‘I didn’t know you were that good! You should sing with Alex. Or… Zack.’ He shrugged.
‘Maybe I will.’
‘Who with?’
‘Does that matter?’ I frowned. ‘They’re both good singers, and Zack should have a right to flaunt his voice too.’
‘So you’re singing with Zack?’ He asked in a hard voice.
‘I might, or I might not.’ I shook my head. ‘What is with you?’
‘Nothing.’ He assured me. ‘I’m just thinking of the CD.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘I know you, Jack, and you weren’t thinking of the CD.’
‘Unh.’ He grunted and rolled his eyes, before lifting me into his arms. ‘I love you.’
‘I love you too.’ I mumbled, distracted by the feel of his shoulder on my cheek. The smell of his skin, and the way it was perfectly warm. I felt safe, and happy, and in that moment, everything was fine.
By the time we got to the beach, a storm was brewing.
‘We’d better head home.’ Alex sighed. ‘How’re you gonna get home, Spence? Kara?’
‘I have a car.’ Kara replied easily, shoving her stuff into her bag. ‘And Rian’s staying at mine.’
‘Sorry, guys.’ Rian apologized.
‘We can take you home, Spencer.’ Zack smiled broadly, and Spencer returned the smile with a relieved grin. They’d hit it off immediately.
‘That’s cool, I can walk.’
‘Heck no, it’s miles.’ Alex argued. I crouched down and helped him pack everything away. ‘We’re taking you home.’
‘Thanks, guys.’ Spencer grinned at us before pulling a shirt on. As if this gesture was a reminder, Jack grabbed his shirt and handed it to me. I automatically pulled it over my body, and scowled at Zack’s amused smile. It reached down to mid-thigh.
Once we were all inside the car, I sat at the front with Alex whilst Zack, Spencer and Jack crooned in the back. By the time we pulled up in front of Spencer’s apartment block, the 4 boys had quickly become best friends.
I felt awkward around them.
‘Ella?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Cya.’ Spencer leaned in through the open window and hugged me quickly. More astonished than anything, I didn’t get the chance to hug him back; he pulled away and disappeared far too quickly.
‘He’s cool.’ Alex grinned as we pulled out of the driveway.
‘He cheated on my answers in English. Until I got bad grades and did too…’
‘Typical that you stopped getting bad grades when you met Jack…’ Zack rolled his eyes.
‘There wasn’t even a lot of tutoring going on.’ Jack winked.
I flushed, but laughed along with the guys. ‘Yeah, Jack kept hitting on the librarian’s assistant.’
‘Ella got mad. Or jealous.’ Jack continued.
‘So we would just scowl at each other from each side of the table. But then he’d throw a book at me, and tell me to get learning.’
‘We’d write songs and stuff right there to help her learn.’ Jack grinned and placed his hand on my shoulder. I turned around and smiled.
I lived for these moments.
‘Finally, we’re home.’ Zack groaned and leaped out, leaving the rest of us to carry his crap. I grabbed his stuff and threw it at him the second I got through the door. Hurt, he picked something up and took aim, until Jack threw himself at Zack and the object in his hand fell.
‘You guys…’ I rolled my eyes.
‘I’m so bored.’ Alex moaned, flopping onto the sofa. ‘I need a girlfriend.’
‘Get back with Lisa.’ Jack replied immediately. ‘Dude, she was the best thing to happen to you.’
‘I know…’ He sighed. ‘She wouldn’t take me back, though. I treated her like dirt.’
I never thought I’d ever hear Alex Gaskarth, of all people, say something like that.
‘She was head over heels for you.’ Zack reminded him, squishing in the space next to him. ‘Seriously, you were all she could talk about.’
‘Just wait until she hears That Girl.’ Alex sighed.
‘Go visit her. On her doorstep.’
‘Not by myself.’ Alex argued hotly.
‘How unromantic would it be if we turned up with you?’ Zack scoffed.
‘Zack Merrick, giving us romance advice…?’ Alex teased, playfully punching his arm. ‘Come with me guys. You too, Ella. You have to meet Lisa.’
‘S-Sure.’ I shrugged. From hearing That Girl, she didn’t sound very nice, but regardless, if Alex said she was nice, she had to be.
‘I’ll go boo-‘It was Jack who scrambled up the stairs to get his laptop.
‘We have to confer to Rian. And he’ll be with Kara…’ Alex winked and Zack pretended to puke.
‘Too much information.’
‘So it’s settled.’ Alex grinned at all of us. ‘We’re visiting Lisa.’