CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
"Wooow!" Abby and Kelly screamed together when they entered Ellen's room. This was the nth time they were using that expression. Ellen had invited them over to her house, so that they could join her and Steph for their outing today. The following week was her birthday, and the girls wanted to get her surprised birthday gifts, so they agreed. After all, why would they pass up the chance to see Dr. Wilson's house and Ellen's new home? They were astonished to see the mansion and absolutely loved Ellen's room. "Whoa, you have your name on your bedsheet and door?" Kelly pointed out and Ellen nodded excitedly. She remembered staying on her knees the night she returned from school thanking God for this blessing she thought would come, only when she was done with school, and working to make money. If anyone had told her at the beginning of the year, that her life would go through such a miraculous change, she would not have believed it. She would have claimed it, attributing it to the future, because she was determined to make hers, and her mother's future better than their present. "Awn it's teddy. Can't believe you told your parents we gave this to you, hahaha." Abby teased and they laughed. "We have got to have a sleepover before school reopens. This is a long vacation and we're going to use it to the fullest. You really are using the latest version; I've been bugging my father to change my phone to this, but he refuses." Kelly commented and pouted. "Kell, put it down before it goes missing." Abby teased her and they laughed, falling on the comfortable bed. Ellen's parents had left earlier to attend a funeral, but gave her enough money for her needs during their outing. "Aaron, you are going to spoil our daughter if you keep on giving her this kind of money. I didn't raise her that way." Elena had expressed with concern. "Let her be spoilt Elena. She's Aaron Wilson's daughter; the money is hers. Besides, her friends can't be the only one to show off wealth. Have you seen Stephanie? I can't let my daughter feel left out. Don't worry, she won't forget your training." Aaron had brushed her concern with rich people's logic, and Elena nodded on their way to the funeral this morning. The girls were still talking and laughing when Steph's call came through. "Hi, I'm downstairs. You ready?" "Yes please, we're coming down. Let's go." Ellen said and took the lead after straightening her bed. "Wow Elle, it's been only a week since you came home, and you've gained weight. Am I the only one who thinks Henry is going to swoon when he sees his girl again? Just look at that shape and butt." Kelly teased and Ellen turned red. "You just always have to find a way to bring him into our conversation, don't you?" A flushed Ellen retorted. "Of course. I will keep going till you admit you like him. I hope you have spoken to him since you came. I don't want him getting upset over that." Kelly said, and Abby nodded. Ellen was about to rebut when they saw Steph downstairs. Abby and Kelly's jaws touched the floor. Ellen smiled, glad she's not the only one affected by Stephanie's beauty. "Girls, Stephanie. Steph, Abigail, and Kelly." Ellen introduced proudly. "Hi. Nice to finally meet you. Abby and Kell, right? Ellen told me about you two." Steph said with a melting smile. They smiled back and exchanged hugs when Steph extended her arms. "Shall we? My friend will be meeting us in the mall. Hope that's cool?" Steph said as they entered the car. It was spacious enough for all four of them, with Abby at the front. "Sure." They agreed in unison.
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"I'm telling you Elle, this dress was made for you. Tell her ladies." Steph complimented the body con dress Ellen had on. It was a red toe-length dress with sparkles on it. It fit Ellen as it wrapped her body like a gift wrapped for giving, bringing out her front, back and side glory with a slit at the side, exposing her beautiful leg. "Yes Elle, it really fits you. You can take it out for a dinner date with you know who." Kelly as usual teased and they laughed. "She has a boyfriend? You told me otherwise." Steph asked with surprise. "No, I don't, don't pay attention to her please. She lives to tease." Ellen defended in alarm. "She doesn't have a boyfriend yet, because she won't admit she likes him. Can you believe she rejected him to his face?" Kelly clarified and asked with a serious expression that made them laugh. "Wow, that's savage. If you like him, what's stopping you? Who is this mystery guy anyway?" Steph commented with a tease, making Ellen blush. "Stephanie Naa Clarke." Someone mentioned her name with surprise, and she froze. Only few people addressed her with her full name, which she had removed the middle one from. She removed it because one person liked calling her with it, and it irked her after they drew apart. The girls gasped at who had just entered the store with a guy behind him. Ellen was about to answer Steph's question when the two people walked in to mention her name. They all stood frozen to their roots as Stephanie slowly turned to face him. Every atom in her body was screaming at her not to turn, but she did, regretting immediately. "Kobby." She said weakly, almost falling, but the other guy caught her before Henry could. "Well, it's been a minute." Henry said with a smirk. Steph almost slapped him, but glared at him instead. "You, okay?" James, her friend asked. Steph shook herself out of his arms and queried instead, "why is he here? You were supposed to come alone or come with the whole world but him!" She was really upset with this guy. "Wow, still cranky I see." Henry commented and that broke the straw on the camel's back. Steph stretched her hand to slap him, but he caught it fast with a smirk. "Feisty as well. I missed you, Naa baby." He added. Ellen felt her stomach churn and dashed to the dressing room to change. She didn't want to believe Henry had seen her, but was intentionally ignoring her to flirt with Stephanie. 'How do they even know each other?' she wondered as she changed. Seems she was right; Henry wouldn't look at her if he saw Stephanie. "Knock yourself out of it, Ellen. What's wrong with you?" She scolded herself when she realized she was getting jealous. *Knock knock. * She jumped when she heard a knock. "Just a minute." She said as she slid on her top. She was done changing now and opened the door to find the annoying guy in front of her. Henry had honestly not noticed the three girls, as he had heard Stephanie's voice when he was entering with James. "Hey man, you busy?" James had called him earlier. "No, what's up?" He had replied. "Come with me to the mall, I have a surprise for you." James had said, and he drove to meet him. They were talking while entering the boutique, when he heard a familiar voice. He thought he was hearing things, when he turned to James, who grinned and winked. 'No way.' He thought as he mentioned her name just to be sure, and the girl turned out to be his first ever girlfriend, Naa. Memories flashed in his mind, as he smirked at the girl who looked like she would collapse soon. Henry and Steph were twelve and ten respectively, when Henry proposed to her with flowers and a candy ring. They were first friends, who met because of his sister Audrey, and her brother Christian, when she was eight, and Henry was ten. They became close friends, together with Clara, till she left for Canada. When she came back, Henry shot his chance on her birthday, and they hit it off with everyone knowing about them. Both their parents were partners and friends, together with the Wilsons, so, though they were young, they thought their families would be joined more than friendship, and left them be. They dated for three years, only for Henry to tell her he can't continue anymore, when Steph found out he was doing things, after he got to senior high school. What hurt the most, was that he told her she's too little for him, as Steph was in middle school abroad, while he was in high school. They were each other's first everything at such a young age, but it turns out Henry either didn't love her as much as she loved him, or his love flew like the planes she's been sitting in. He left her for Pastor Mark's daughter, saying she was at least around more than Steph was. "I'm sorry if I hurt you Naa, you are still my baby, literally, and I hope we can be friends." He had said after ripping her poor heart out, and Steph ran in tears, not speaking to him again. That was three years ago, poor girl decided not to date anyone out of love, but take a page in Henry's playbook and just have fun. Their breakup almost destroyed the partnership between both families, as Steph got really depressed at that age. Chris stopped being friends with Audrey too, because of this, and she left with her mother to London. She really liked Chris, but her idiotic little brother destroyed everything. This made the Clarkes not like Henry, that's why Isabella wanted to be sure Ellen was not close to him, when she saw them on TV during the contest.
Henry finally realized Ellen was there, when he saw a figure dashed to the adjoining room, and saw Abby and Kelly standing there, watching the drama. "Hey, I didn't see you girls. Was that …" He greeted, leaving Stephanie and stopped midway when the girls nodded, knowing who he was asking about. He left in the direction of the door while Stephanie stepped out, still boiling. She used to think about how it would be if they came face to face again whenever she sat in the plane to come home, but they never met till today. She was so not prepared to see him. Both good and bad memories she spent three years suppressing, despite Aaron's taunts and tease, came flooding back, and she needed air.