23
Ella
2 Years Ago—January 2016
T he thing I hate about January is that the hype of autumn and winter has died off, and for me, it means nothing to look forward to until September when the hype for all things Halloween starts, and then Christmas. But the thing I hate about this specific January is that it means I have to meet Dean and my mother together because I didn’t spend Christmas with them, which means the awkward catch-up of small talk and awkward lies about my whereabouts. Instead of being with Lily in Essex for two weeks like they thought, I spent most of the time with Matty, spending long days in my penthouse bed and not getting up or worrying about prying family.
As soon as I walk into the coffee shop, my eyes meet Matty’s, though this time it’s pure panic and not the usual relief and homecoming that swims between us.
“Ells Bells, what the—”
“They picked this place to meet. We have to act as if we don’t know each other, obviously,” I hiss over the counter. Luckily, there’s no queue and no family here yet.
“As much as I hate it and can’t promise I won’t be staring at you most of the time, that’s fine. Hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows, right?”
“You know my order like the back of your hand.” I pay and move to the waiting area just as my mum and Dean walk in and join the queue.
I’ve never had an out-of-body experience before, but I imagine this is one of those moments. Both Dean and Mum would be so… disgusted to know the truth, not just because of the contract, but because they are so wrapped up in the wealthy lifestyle that they would hate to think of one of their own being romantically linked to someone of working class.
Dean stays by the waiting area, but Mum clicks over in her heels that make her look ridiculously overdressed and she beams at me.
“Ella! My darling,” she greets. I stand up and give her a quick hug.
“Hi, Mum,” I mutter. She lets me go and hands me a gift bag with Christmas trees on it. “Thank you! I’ll open it at home.”
Dean walks over with two cups of cappuccino. I notice they have no biscuits whereas I have two; one placed over the other to make the very mismatched shape of a heart. Subtle, Matty , I think to myself.
“Ella.” Dean smiles as he sits next to Mum.
“Hi, Dean,” I greet.
“How was your Christmas in Essex?” Mum asks. “I bet it wasn’t as atmospheric as our wonderland at home.”
“Mother,” I chide. “Actually, I had a lovely time.”
“I’m pleased for you, sweetheart, though your father and I missed you!” She waves her hand in the air for effect.
“My parents and I went over for Christmas dinner,” Dean chimes in and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Of course, they did.
“Oh, lovely,” I feign interest and take some sips of my drink.
“It’ll be great this year because you’ll come home for it, Ella,” Mum mentions, not subtle in the slightest.
“I haven’t even finished my first year of uni, Mother, I’m not even thinking about Christmas. We’ve only just had one.” I look over her shoulder and catch Matty’s eye as he goes to collect cups on the table behind us. He gives me a small smile.
“What made you take pity on your friend, Ella?” Dean asks. I put my mug down and scowl at him.
“I didn’t take pity on anyone; she was spending Christmas alone with her sister, and they offered for me to spend it with them,” I lie. “There was no pity involved, thank you.”
“If you say so,” he responds.
“And I had a lovely time,” I retort.
“I take it back.”
“Good,” I spit back and pick my mug back up.
“You could have brought them to us,” Mum mentions. “We’d love to feed some orphans—”
“Mum, for fuck’s sake.” I scoff.
“Language and tone, young lady,” Mum retorts.
“I could say the same to you. Just because they lost their parents doesn’t mean anything. Stop being a snob, Mother.”
“I’m sure she is a lovely young person,” she corrects herself and drinks her coffee in sips until it’s empty.
“You should come and spend some time with us in between your, um, busy schedule,” Dean mentions, and I notice he puts some sarcastic undertones behind ‘busy schedule’.
“Sure.”
We all know I’m lying. In the four months I’ve been at university, I have spent a total of one Sunday dinner with my parents, one hour visit with Dean and the past fifteen minutes with Mum and Dean. It’s been peaceful as hell, and I don’t want that to change.
“Ella, why don’t you come over tomorrow for dinner? Your father has been missing you like crazy,” Mum says, and for once in a very long time, the look on her face suggests a genuine motherly concern.
“I’m busy tomorrow, Mum, sorry,” I say. “I have lectures and I’ve got to start work on a presentation.”
“Fair enough.” She shrugs.
Part of me feels sorry for her; it must be strange having your only child ghosting you. But the three of us around the table know the real reason I don’t want to spend any time with them. Maybe if they thought about that before making this ludicrous marriage pact, things would be different.
I watch as Matty walks to the table beside ours, slowly putting the cups on the tray. He’s strategically decided to do so facing our table. I see that Dean’s noticed as well. I look away and finish my hot chocolate.
“I suppose you had better get back to work, Dean,” Mum announces, and I notice Matt’s eyes glance over toward me.
Dean looks away and at his watch. “I have a while yet, Martha. I’m rather interested as to why that… boy keeps looking your way, Ella. Do you know him?”
Fuck.
“What boy?” I act innocent. Matty moves away and glances back over, mouthing a ‘sorry’ behind Dean’s back.
“The employee with curly hair, do you know him?”
“No, why?”
“He keeps glaring at you as if you were his dessert or something,” Dean snarls.
“Get over it,” I scoff.
“Ella!” Mum warns.
“Maybe we should leave,” I suggest. “Or rather, I need to get to a lecture soon, so maybe—”
“We have time, Ella, you said it doesn’t start until two. It is one-twenty. Your campus is a five-minute walk away,” Dean says. “Anyway, I have your Christmas gift here.” He produces a box that I can tell has jewellery in it.
“Thanks,” I reply awkwardly as he hands it to me. I open it to reveal a silver necklace with a diamond in it.
“Maybe it can replace that old-looking thing around your neck,” he chides at the necklace Matt gave me for Christmas – his mother’s. I shoot Dean a disgusted look, close the lid and hand it back.
“I’m fine with this one, thank you,” I say.
“Ella Webb, don’t be so ungrateful!” Mum exclaims.
“I didn’t buy it to have it given back, Ella,” Dean says, but the hurt in his eyes is obvious.
“Honestly, Dean, I like this one. I wouldn’t wear it. If you want to, you can get me something else. I wouldn’t want you to waste money on something I simply wouldn’t wear!” I smile sweetly. Matt moves to that table from the till, and I notice Dean getting irate.
“Excuse me?” Dean demands through gritted teeth in Matt’s direction.
“Yes?” Matt walks over, clearly uncomfortable.
“Is there something wrong with you?”
“Dean!”.
His rudeness is new, he’s never usually like this. His eyes narrow towards Matt, and I’m wondering if there’s something there. There’s no way he could know, I’ve been so careful.
“Is there something I can help you with?” Matt replies.
“Well, I have noticed you keep staring at my fiancé—”
“I am not your fiancé.”
“I apologise if you feel that way, sir, but I can assure you I have only been doing my job,” Matt says awkwardly.
“Keep your eyes to yourself—”
“Dean, shut the fuck up!” I yell and everyone in the shop comes to a stand-still as I shoot out of my seat. “Leave him alone.”
I turn to Matt, trying to convey everything in my eyes to him. “Please accept my apologies for my… family friend here. He is confused. Please, accept this for your trouble.” I grab my purse and hand a ten-pound note in Matty’s hand.
“Um, thank you. And I apologise for the inconvenience,” Matt says and shuffles away.
“If you ever show me up like that again, Ella, I swear to God—” Mum sighs.
“Yes, Mother, because I’m the one that made a poor man out to be a pervert in front of his colleagues and bosses,” I scoff.
“You brought the shop to a stand-still, Ella.” Dean rolls his eyes.
“Oh, please,” I snap back.
“He needed to know you’re taken!” Dean shrugs.
He’s got to know, there’s no other reason for it. I haven’t slipped up once, I haven’t mentioned Matt, nor is there any reason for Dean to know.
Maybe I’m just being paranoid.
“You know what? I think I might go to my lecture early.”
I stand up, grabbing my bag. I purposefully leave the two Christmas presents and walk out of the shop.