Invisible - l.h

Chapter 6

"Uh, hi." She then turned around so she could face all four of us.

"I'm Luke, that's Calum & Michael. We all go to school together & that's Ashton, he's a year older than us."

"Yea, I know who you guys are. Why uh, why are you here?"

"For the beach jam." Calum answered. "We wanted to have a night out, listen to come music, hang at the beach."

"Oh." She replied. She looked extremely uncomfortable. Ellie was just spinning her phone in her hand as she darted her eyes between us & the sand below.

"But I just wanted to say that you absolutely killed it tonight." I then said & I saw a little smile form as she looked back up at me.

"Yea." Ashton agreed. "You were so good, like literally so good. I'm super impressed by your band, your sound. It's great."

"Oh well, uh, thank you."

"We wanted to let you know that. We were probably as surprised to see you up there as you are to see us here right now but you were so good, Ellie." I told her again. I couldn't believe I was actually talking to her now.

"That's really nice but I really should go, uhm, I just, sorry. I need to go."

& then Ellie quickly started walking up towards the crowd of people who were watching the final band's gig & I could only assume she was looking for the comfort of her bandmates.

"Well." Michael began. "That was...?"

"Interesting." I finished. "But sort of how I saw it coming."

"Did you see her face when you said her name? She looked like a deer in headlights." Ashton then said. "We really scared her."

"Yea." I answered. "But I think it's good that she knows we like her music, right?"

"Yea." Calum nodded. "I mean she may not say much to us but it must be cool to know people like your stuff, you know? I'm sure it's fine. We definitely caught her off guard."

"Do you think she has like social anxiety or something & that's why she doesn't talk to anyone?" I then asked. I couldn't think of another reason why she might be so shy.

"I don't really know but my gut says no." Ashton answered. "It's possible but I don't think she could own it on stage the way that she does & talk to the audience & stuff if she had a social problem. I think she might just hate school or since she doesn't have many friends, she has no choice but to stay quiet."

"But maybe music is her escape. So maybe the only time she feels comfortable enough to talk to strangers is when she has her music to shield her."

"True." Calum then agreed with me.

"I honestly don't know." Ashton sighed. "But I wish I did. I hate knowing people feel so alone. I mean you heard the lyrics to that song, right? The one they made her sing?"

"Yep." I popped the p. "I heard it loud & clear. Her life at school honestly sucks. I mean the one lyric was like are you sick of feeling left out? & another was like you might think I'm happy but I'm not gonna be okay."

"It's so sad." Michael nodded & agreed too. "It was like to be hurt & to feel lost. She's a pretty girl, talented too, so it's sad she feels that way. She shouldn't have to feel that way."

"Well we can only assume that song is all about her life, right?" Calum asked us & we all nodded. "It makes me hate popularity sometimes. I hate that people feel that way mostly because of the people we call our friends."

"I agree! That's why I was mad at Hope the other day when she walked straight into Ellie. I hate that popular people feel entitled to all of this shit when there are other people at our school who walk around feeling as upset as Ellie's song said. I honestly hate following in my brother's footsteps sometimes. I mean think about it, if I didn't have them, I wouldn't be popular."

"What do you mean?" Ashton asked me.

"Well, they were star athletes. I'm not. I'm only known for being their little brother & now for being good friends with the entire soccer team thanks to Calum. But if my brothers never made a name for themselves, who knows where I'd be in our school's social hierarchy. I mean I could be that maths nerd who has no friends."

"I'd still be your friend though." Calum told me. "So even if your brothers weren't popular for sports, I would still be on the team so you'd be where you are due to associating with me."

"Maybe. But what if everyone else on the team hated me since I just tagged along with you, you know? They wouldn't know me at all so they might think I'm just some loser so happened to know you & like no one would like me either. I'd be a try hard."

"That's sort of who I am." Michael said with a little laugh. "I'm only where I am thanks to knowing both of you."

"I guess." I sighed. "But I hate it sometimes. I really do. I hate the whole idea of popularity."

As I was contemplating the popularity I was handed to thanks to being a Hemmings, I saw Ellie walking straight towards us again.

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A/N hi! sorry it has been a couple days but i'm back on campus & i'm moved into my first apartment! it's so cute & my roomies are my favs & we had our first apartment party last night & it's great for entertaining so i'm happy.

i start classes tomorrow so once i figure out my usual schedule, i'm sure i'll be updating on a more regular basis but hey, luke did talk to ellie & so that's a start!!

good luck to anyone else starting tomorrow, sorry if you already have gone back to school & jel of anyone who has more time for break!

-

cathy