Wannabe

Two and a half years ago.

Jayleigh's POV (from "Invisible Popularity" see my profile)

"So Elle, did I hear you say your boxes are being picked up?" Junior asks as he pops a chicken nugget in his mouth.

"Yeah next week. I'm moving into a dorm in New College Village."

"No way!" Chad says almost spitting out his food. "That is where my dorm is."

"Your dorm for what?" Ellie asks cautiously.

"My dorm to live in. I'm going to the University of New South Wales. I took up their scholarship for footy."

"So we are...?"

"Going to be seeing a lot of each." Chad says with a smile. "Look Elle, I wanted to talk about ... well everything, could we maybe talk outside?"

Ellie looks between the three of us. Junior and I trying our best not to be awkward.

"No. It is fine Chad. We have nothing to talk about."

"Really I thought-"

"We are fine." Ellie says with a small smile and Chad and Junior go back to their game.

Present Day.

Ellie's POV

"Hey Elle."

Ellie Hart, that is me, well Eleanor actually but no one calls me that except my Gran. The guy interrupting my alone time? That would be Chad Murphy my ex-boyfriend. We ended on good terms. Good as in I decided not to be angry anymore. Chad and I were both super popular in high school. He still is because he is on the football team. Chad and I grew apart. I thought I loved him but I realised a couple of weeks before school finished that it wasn't really love.

"Hi Chad." I reply not looking up from my script. I have until tomorrow to have this memorised. I have such a good track record I'm not about to give it up now. I got into N.I.D.A, the National Institute of Dramatic Arts straight out of high school. I moved to Sydney to follow my dreams. Chad doesn't go to N.I.D.A, he is next door at UNSW.

"What are you doing?"

"Reading."

"Well that is obvious." Chad is smirking I can hear it in his voice.

"I have to memorise this script by tomorrow."

"I could run lines with you." Chad offers.

"How did you find me?" I ask ignoring his offer.

"You weren't at the library, or Clarks Cafe, or in your dorm so I thought you must be here. The roof is your special place." Chad knows me really well. It is expected after all we dated for three years. "I have training soon but I have time to read with you."

"It's ok Chad, really." I look up from my script to see him giving me the puppy dog eyes. Two and a half years ago this would have made me swoon. Now, I know better. "Don't you have other girls you could be talking to?"

"I don't want to talk to them, I want to talk to you."

"I'm not your girlfriend anymore Chad."

"About that... I think we should get back together."

"What is my answer every time you suggest that?"

"No?"

"Exactly. Look Chad, you are a nice guy and I love you," his eyes light up, "as a friend."

"I'm sick of being in the friend zone with you Elle. We were good together, I know it and deep down you know it. One of these days you are going to be my girlfriend again."

"Whatever Chad."

"I'll leave you alone."

"Thank you." I smile up at him and he leans down to kiss my cheek.

"Bye gorgeous." He says as he leaves me to my happy place.

We just got back form a weekend in Queensland with our friends from high school. Junior Patterson and Jayleigh Whitmore. Junior and Jay are an awesome couple. They really love each other. They are each others best friends and I think that is super sweet. Junior proposed to Jay while we were there. Of course, Jay said yes. They agreed to hold off on actually getting married until they are finished with University but Junior wanted the world to know that Jay is taken. I want that. I had that with Chad... for a little while.

Looking at the time on my watch, I notice I only have fifteen minutes till my shift at the cafe. Slipping my script back into my shoulder bag I head down off the roof. The cafe is only about a five minute walk from my dorm building.

On my walk I call Jay to check in. I know I just saw her but we talk to each other at least every couple of days.

"Hey Ellie." Junior's voice greets me.

"You aren't Jayleigh."

"You would be correct."

"Where is she?"

"She left her phone at the apartment today sorry Elle."

"Can you tell her I was checking in?"

"Yeah of course. You all good?"

"Yeah I'm fine I-" I'm cut off as I run into a wall. No that isn't a wall... I look up and notice I actually ran into a ridiculous hard chest.

"Watch it!" Th guy growls at me. His head is half hidden under a hoodie but I take note of his silver eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't uh-"

"Move!" He growls a little louder. I stay frozen on the spot as his eyes narrow at me.

"Elle are you ok? What happened?" Junior's worried voice can be heard through the phone that is no longer against my ear. I quickly press my phone back to my ear.

"I'm fine Junior. Say hi to Jay for me Love you. Bye!" I hang up quickly and push the phone back into the pocket of my jeans.

"I said 'move'" Silver eyes says again and I look up at him. He sighs and places his hands on my waist. I gasp at the action.

"What are you-" Before I can get out my question he lifts me as though I weigh nothing and moves me out of his way. Completely confused I stand where he put me until he is long gone possibly even turned a corner.

What just happened?

Eventually my feet are able to work again and I walk straight to the cafe. As I enter the front door chimes and the two people behind the counter Claire and Tyler look up to greet me.

"Great! I'm out!" Claire says taking off her apron. "See you Elle bye Tyler."

"Bye Claire" the two of us say together. I slip my shoulder bag under the front counter and wrap an apron around my waist.

"You're not finished?” I ask Tyler while he cleans the cappuccino machine.

"Nope I pulled a double today."

"Lucky me." I say with a smile. Tyler is a nice guy a very good friend here in Sydney. He is a business major over at UNSW and his parents own this cafe.

"You think?" He looks over at me with a grin. "Do you want to go out tonight?" The other thing about Tyler... he has been asking me out since the day he met me.

"Tyler..."

"Please. Come on Ellie. You don't even have to think of it as a date."

"Would it be a date?"

"Well...yeah." Tyler smiles at me sheepishly. I think back over my weekend with Jay and Junior and know I should bite the bullet I'm never going to find a nice guy if I turn them all down.

"Ok."

"I'll pay. Of course I would anyway. But you just in case you didn't- wait! What?"

"I said 'ok' I'll go out with you tonight. Just give me time to go home and get the coffee smell off me first."

Tyler wraps his arms around me lifts me off the ground spinning me in a circle. I squeal and many of our customers look over confused.

"Tyler, put the poor girl down." Tyler's father comes out of the kitchen with a range of new baked goods for the cabinet. "Good afternoon Ellie."

"Good afternoon Mr Clark." I say with a smile as Tyler lowers me to the ground.

"Ellie agreed to go out with me tonight Dad!" Tyler practically shouts.

"Do you know what your getting into?" Mr Clark directs his question at me with his eyebrow raised.

"Dad!"

"I thought it was about time." I say using the same tone Mr Clark just had.

"Ok, you are both really mean."

"Well how about I make up for it. Your mum gets here in an hour. It is a pretty quite day so when she gets here you can both go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Ellie, it is the least I can do to thank you for taking out my son."

The next hour until Mrs Clark arrives passes quickly. There is no wiping the grin off Tyler's face. And to be honest there is no wiping the smile off my face. I have a date! I can't wait to tell Jay.