“…And that’s another week done, then!” Sade teased Ellie as they made their way out of their university campus. “Now the REAL hard work starts, heh!”

“Meh, I wouldn’t call it THAT hard,” Ellie replied with a sad smile. “Well, not PHYSICALLY hard, anyway…”

“Yeah, I get that,” Sade said softly. “But, you know, end of one era, beginning of another?”

“Yeah,” Ellie replied. “And I am looking forward to it, really, I just-“

“It’s okay, I understand,” Sade whispered, giving her friend’s hand a gentle squeeze as they headed to the nearest tube station.

A short while later, the two girls walked up the road toward the house that had been Ellie’s home for almost a year, where Ellie couldn’t help but let out a shiver at the sight of the large van parked outside- and the sight of her possessions being loaded into the back of it.

“Hi you two!” Janet said as she slid a large plastic container into the van. “End of an era, heh!”

“Yeah,” Ellie said with a grimace. “But, you know, beginning of another, right?”

“Oh, definitely,” Janet said. “And you are going to have so much fun, really. I remember when I was at uni, living away from home for the first time…” Janet smiled wistfully as she remembered being Ellie's age, with the freedom she suddenly found she had. The freedom to party all night, to spend as much time as she wanted with her friends- and, most importantly, the freedom to leave 'John' far behind her, even if only for a short while. The difference, of course, was that Ellie was free to be the girl she really was every hour of every day, and while Janet didn’t resent the young woman, she would certainly miss her a lot.

“Are- are there many boxes left?” Ellie asked in a shaky, emotional voice.

“Just a couple,” Janet replied, biting her lip as she looked her young friend in the eye. Mere seconds later, both women broke down in tears and immediately reached toward each other for a long, tight hug.

“I’m going to miss you,” Ellie whispered toward the woman who over the previous few years had been more of a parent to her than her own biological parents.

“I’ll miss you too,” Janet replied. “Your bedroom will always be here waiting for you whenever you need it. Don’t even bother asking- consider this an open, ongoing invitation.”

“Thank you,” Ellie sobbed, before sighing and laughing as the girl she considered her surrogate sister emerged from the house, all but dropping the box she was carrying as she raced over to Ellie for a hug of her own.

“Ugh, I’m gonna miss you so much…” Lindsay moaned into her friend’s shoulder.

“Any time you want to stay over, you don’t even need to ask,” Ellie said as she tried to compose herself.

“You wouldn’t need to ask me, either,” Janet said. “Now that you’re eighteen, and you’ll probably be leaving soon too…”

“Ah- no, I’ll be here for a while yet,” Lindsay chuckled. “Especially now that I know I’ll be going to uni here in London in September!”

“Nah, you’ll want your independence eventually, and probably sooner rather than later,” Janet advised. “All kids do eventually, it’s just part of life. Doesn’t make it any easier as parent though, heh.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not in my immediate future,” Lindsay said with a sad smile as she picked her box back up and loaded it into the van.

“Was that the last box?” Janet asked, biting her lip as her daughter nodded sadly. “Well- okay then, I guess it’s time.” The four women all nodded in agreement as they headed to Janet’s car, while the van drove away toward Sade and Ellie’s new home.

“Can we stop and pick up Jade along the way?” Ellie asked.

“Of course,” Janet replied. “I’m sure I can stand having four teenaged girls in my car for at least a few minutes without having an aneurysm.” The middle-aged woman smirked as the three girls all responded with eye rolls and sarcastic laughter.

“I could always drive if you want?” Lindsay asked, smirking as she saw the colour start to drain from her parent’s face.

“…Maybe another time,” Janet said in a stern but quiet voice. “Maybe.”

“So much for talking about ‘independence’, then,” Lindsay said with an overdramatic sigh that made Janet smirk, and which was a distraction Ellie very much appreciated.

A few minutes later, the car pulled up outside of Ellie’s parents’ home, and a few seconds later, Jade all but sprinted out, giggling excitedly as she slid onto the backseat alongside Sade and her sister. Ellie easily understood her excitement- after all, Jade would be welcome at the flat whenever she wanted to, which Ellie knew would be a welcome respite from her, or rather, their often overbearing and overprotective parents. Even though it was Ellie who was becoming the independent one, she was more than happy to share a tiny bit of that independence with her beloved sister. However, as they set off, Ellie couldn’t help but fidget awkwardly at the sight of their parents stood in the front doorway- after all, mere weeks earlier, Ellie had rejected their offer to move back in with them, and part of the reason was that she didn’t want to leave Janet in the lurch. And yet there she was, moving into her own flat and leaving Janet behind. The difference, however, was that Ellie was moving into her OWN place- something no one, not her parents, not even Janet could deny.

Besides which, when she’d announced her plans to her parents, they had reaffirmed their offer for her to stay with them whenever she wanted, bringing a warm feeling to Ellie’s heart. Three years earlier, she’d had no home and no family. Now she had three homes and more family than she could ever have hoped for. Ellie mused on how much her family life reflected her physical progress as well- 24 months earlier, she had been entirely anatomically and chemically male. Now, she had smoother, softer skin, a narrower waist, wider hips and small but perky breasts. She was indistinguishable from any other girl, with the exception of one thing- and that wouldn't be around for much longer either.

“Okay, everyone hop out,” Janet ordered as the car pulled up behind the removal van outside Ellie’s new flat. “I’ll go and get parked, you make a start on unloading.” Janet smirked as the four teenagers all dutifully exited the car and made their way to the van, while she drove further up the road to look for a parking space. As she trundled along the road, Janet couldn’t help but think about how quiet the car had suddenly become- and how quiet her life was going to be. Sure, she still had her work, and she had her friends- two of whom she’d be meeting for drinks later that night, as she did every Friday- but that didn’t change the fact that her life was about to irreversibly change. Janet had known all along that Ellie living with her would only be a temporary arrangement, but she hadn’t known how much of an impact the young girl would have on her life, and how much she’d grow to love her like she was one of her own. The fact that Janet did still have one of her own children living with her was some comfort, but it also reminded her that Lindsay was just as estranged from the rest of the family as she herself was- and Janet continued to blame herself for that.

“Jeez, Ellie, you- you have a LOT of shit,” Sade complained as she hauled a heavy box up the stairs into her flat.

“It’s not too much, is it?” Ellie asked cautiously. “Like, there will be room, right?”

“Oh- sure, yeah,” Sade replied. “I wasn’t complaining about you taking up space, believe me, I was complaining ‘cause I’m jealous!” Ellie grimaced as she remembered that Sade’s situation was similar to hers- forced to leave her family home with very little to her name simply because of who she was. The difference was that Sade didn’t have a ‘guardian angel’ like Janet to help her out, though Ellie was determined to help out her new flatmate in whatever way she could, no matter how small.

“This is a cool place though,” Jade said with a smile. “Know when the housewarming party will be? You are having one, right?”

“Umm, after I’ve unpacked, yeah!” Ellie replied, sighing happily as her sister began to blush. “Aww, Jade, it’s okay… I’m really looking forward to the party too, hehe!”

“So am I!” Sade giggled. “I’m so glad you agreed to move in, I know this is gonna be AWESOME, hehe!”

“It is,” Ellie said with a wide grin as she unloaded another box full of her musical instruments. “Never would’ve imagined my life would be like this three years ago, heh.”

“Yeah, I can kinda vouch for that,” Jade said with a sad smile that earned a hug from her older sister. “We’ve definitely both changed for the better, though.”

“Definitely,” Ellie confirmed.

“So’s my dad, the more I think about it,” Lindsay mused. “I mean, how many people can say they have a dad they can share make-up tips with? And he- sorry, SHE’s a lot happier now, that’s the main thing.”

“Definitely,” Ellie said.

“And I know I’m a lot happier to have friends like you three,” Lindsay said, blushing as her three friends all groaned and rolled their eyes.

“Can we leave the soppy shit until we’ve finished unloading, please?” Sade asked.

“Okay, okay,” Lindsay sighed. “It’s true, though.”

“Even more so for me,” Jade said. “For ‘obvious reasons’, heh.”

“Friends forever?” Sade suggested, earning happy giggles from the three other girls.

“Friends forever!” The four young women all cheered, their cry travelling down to where Janet was stood on the pavement below.

“Good on you, girls,” Janet whispered to herself with a warm, loving smile.

The five women spent the next hour helping Ellie unpack and get settled in, and once they were done unpacking, Jade, Lindsay and Janet said goodbye to their friend, surrogate daughter and sister, with each woman giving Ellie an extra-long hug- none longer than Janet. Ellie let out a small tear as she was left alone with her new flatmate, who consoled her with a gentle hug.

“Hey,” Sade said softly. “Do you need a minute?”

“N- no, no, I’ll be alright,” Ellie replied. “Just, you know, actually realising now that this is my home, heh. And, yes, how lucky I was to have Janet in the first place.”

“Meh, it’s not like you'll never see her again,” Sade shrugged.

“Yeah, I know,” Ellie chuckled. “And yes, I know I should be thinking about all the fun we’re going to have together!”

“Damn right!” Sade giggled. “And tonight IS Friday night… Though I think we’re both a bit tired for anything TOO noisy tonight, heh!”

“Well- yeah,” Ellie said, before giggling as Sade picked up her guitar from where Ellie had unpacked it. “Don’t tell me- you’re gonna sing ‘Living on My Own’?”

“Uh- no,” Sade replied. “As if I’d ever dare imitate King Freddie! No, I have another tune in mind…” Ellie smiled as Sade sat down and began tuning her guitar, before playing a melody she’d heard many, many times before.

“What would you say if I sang out of tune?” Sade sang in her soft contralto voice.
“Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song
I will try not to sing out of key
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends…”

“Gonna try with a little help from my friends…” Ellie sang along with her new flatmate, both women wearing wide grins on their faces.

“…So, I’ve now got a room going spare,” Janet chuckled as she sat at her usual table in her usual pub with Meredith and Shannon.

“It really is like the end of an era, then,” Meredith said. “And I mean, you only moved in there a few months ago, and you needed a three bedroom place because you had the two girls living with you, but now you’ve only got one girl living with you, well…” Janet smiled as her motormouthed friend gradually trailed off.

“Well, that’s what happens when kids eventually grow up,” Janet said, before smiling devilishly at her blonde friend. “Something for you to look forward to in eighteen years’ time!”

“Oh- god,” Shannon giggled nervously as she sipped her orange juice. “Don’t make me laugh, please! I’m getting through enough knickers as it is with this pregnancy…” Janet and Meredith both smiled happily as their friend rubbed her expanded mid-section.

“Just two months to go…” Janet teased her friend. “Who knows- maybe we’ll be in hospital together?”

“Oh, have- have you got a date for your operation?” Shannon asked.

“…Not yet,” Janet confessed. “But I should find out next week. Hopefully early. You’re due the 19th of July, aren’t you?”

“Well remembered!” Shannon giggled.

“You learn to remember dates when you’re a dad,” Janet said with a proud smile. “And a mum, heh!”

“My dad was always useless with dates,” Meredith said. “Five years in a row he’d get me the wrong age of birthday card, when I was five, he’d give me a card for a four year old, when I was six, he’d give me a card with five on the front, when I was seven- well, you get the idea.”

“Sorry for asking if this is a sensitive question,” Janet said hesitantly, “but is- is your dad still around?”

“Yeah,” Meredith replied with a nod. “He’s seventy next year in April, we’re planning on having a big party for him. Then a big party in December- December next year- for my big four-oh.”

“Which we will both absolutely be going to,” Janet said as Shannon blushed and grimaced.

“Well… I will if this little guy will let me,” the blonde woman chuckled as she rubbed her extended belly once again.

“Well, he’ll be what, eighteen months by then?” Janet asked. “And I know more than a few teenaged girls who wouldn’t say no to doing some babysitting for some extra pocket money…”

“Well- I’ll think about it nearer the time,” Shannon said with a nervous giggle. “If you don’t mind me asking though, Janet, why are you having the operation so soon? I mean, you haven’t been transitioning that long, have- have you?”

“Well, I have been transitioning for over two years,” Janet replied. “And that is the minimum time to- well, the minimum amount of time that needs to have passed before you can arrange the surgery. And because I’ve gone private, I can, well, ‘queue-jump’. Though I think what you mean is ‘you lived as a man for 42 years, why rush now’, am I right?”

“…Sorry…” Shannon mumbled, earning a sympathetic smile from her friend.

“It’s okay,” Janet said softly. “I don’t mind you asking questions, honestly. And to give you an answer, it’s precisely because I lived as a man for 42 years that I need to have the operation done as soon as possible. I have a lot of catching up to do.”

“How long will you have to be off work?” Meredith asked. “Because, you know, a desk job isn’t all THAT physical, it’s not like you’re stacking shelves, so maybe you could be back quicker, ‘cause Shannon’s gonna be on maternity leave for MONTHS, and I figure this is, you know, the closest that someone, umm, without a womb…”

“At least a month,” Janet replied, smiling sympathetically at her friend’s unintentional faux pas. “JB says he doesn’t want me rushing back before I’m ready, and this is work I can do from home if necessary. A better question is, of course, how long will Tesco’s newest mummy be off work?”

“I’m hoping the whole twelve months,” Shannon replied. “I’ve worked there long enough to get full maternity pay, and besides, I kinda want to spend as much time with my baby as possible, you know?”

“I get that completely,” Janet said with a warm, motherly grin. “You won’t know until your baby’s in your arms just how much it’ll change your life- and for the better.” Even when they're eighteen, Janet thought to herself. Even when they're not even technically your child...

“…Is that who I think it is?” Sade asked her flatmate as a knock came from the front door.

“Hopefully,” Ellie replied with a smug grin, which became a wide, excited smile when she opened the door and was greeted by a long, deep kiss from her boyfriend.

“Hey babe,” the tall young man said with an excited giggle. “Hey Sade!”

“Hey Oli,” Sade replied with a mock exasperated sigh. “Moved in less than two hours and already you’re bringing boys home?”

“No, not ‘boys’,” Ellie retorted with a snort. “Just this one!” Despite her pretend frustration, Sade couldn’t help but giggle at the sickly-sweet voice her flatmate used- and the hand that she slipped into her boyfriend’s rear jeans pocket.

“Ah, fair enough, then,” Sade chuckled. “You two get a pass for being cute, hehe!”

“Another advantage of having my own place is- well, being able to ‘have’ Oli whenever I want,” Ellie said as she sat down and snuggled up next to her boyfriend. “Janet was SO old-fashioned about that. Though not as bad as my other parents were, that’s for damn sure.”

“Well, I’ve probably got you beaten there,” Sade sighed. “Not that it’s a competition or anything, heh.”

“Ah- yeah…” Ellie grimaced. “Sorry if I’m, you know, rubbing it in your face or anything…”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Sade said with a smile. “There’s bound to be a girl out there for me somewhere, heh. And I’m more likely to find her in London than in Suffolk, that’s for sure!”

“Even more likely if you throw a flat warming party,” Oli said, smirking as Sade rolled her eyes at him, before pausing.

“Well…” Sade said with a grin. “I suppose it’s not the worst idea, hehe!”

“Tomorrow?” Ellie suggested. “After work?”

“Sounds good to me!” Sade giggled. “That just leaves what we’re going to do tonight, then. I mean, I WOULD have liked some time to get to know my new flatmate a bit better…”

“Ah- okay,” Oli said as he fidgeted awkwardly in his seat. “Though in fairness, me and Ell have only been going out a few weeks, so technically you already know her better than me.” Despite herself, Sade couldn’t help but giggle at Oli’s bravado.

“It’s okay, I was only kidding,” Sade reassured the young man. “And I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to get an early night either, hehe!”

“Well… Maybe not THIS early,” Ellie giggled as she reached for the TV remote before snuggling back into her boyfriend’s arms, where she stayed for the rest of the evening, happy in the knowledge that despite their differences, her flatmate and her boyfriend got along well- another thing Ellie considered to be a vast improvement to her life.

Ellie woke up the following morning still wrapped in the arms of her boyfriend, her body still tingling from the sensations they shared the previous night. As she opened her eyes, she was briefly confused by the unfamiliar surroundings, before remembering that she was in her room- not 'her room at Janet's house, but HER room, in HER own place. Ellie grinned as the knowledge of her new independence came back to her- even if she was a little sad that she wouldn't see Janet's face when she entered the living room.

“Urf,” Oli moaned as Ellie unwrapped herself from his embrace. “Babe? What time is it?”

“Ugh, too early,” Ellie replied as she pulled on a clean bra and matching thong. “But I’ve got to be at work, and- well, yeah…”

“Eh, okay,” Oli said with a disappointed sigh. “I should probably get moving too, I start work at 10:30.”

“While I start at 9, you lazy sod,” Ellie teased her boyfriend, giggling as he rolled his eyes and laid back down.

“Really?” Oli asked. “You’re calling me lazy after THAT night we just had?”

“…Maybe not the best choice of words,” Ellie said, giggling happily as she gave her boyfriend a quick kiss before sitting down to apply her make-up.

“Speaking of,” Oli said, “aren’t you going to shower before work?”

“Are you saying I smell?” Ellie asked with a mock-offended pout that quickly changed into a smirk.

“No, you know I like the way you smell,” Oli replied. “Especially after last night, heh. Not sure your customers would like it as much as me, though?”

“Meh, well, they’ll have to live with it,” Ellie shrugged. “Now that I actually have to pay the water bills, me and Sade are kinda taking it in turns, showering every other day, you know?”

“No room for me in there, then?” Oli asked, smirking as Ellie rolled her eyes.

“Maybe when it’s my turn in the shower, we can share,” Ellie teased. “When I don’t have to shave my face, anyway…” Ellie paused as she saw her boyfriend trying not to grimace in the mirror.

“Meh, that’s just the way it is,” Oli shrugged, making Ellie grin once again.

“Ah, I definitely picked the right boyfriend, hehe!” Ellie giggled as she leaned over to give Oli a kiss, before pulling on the stylish top and short skirt that made up her unofficial work 'uniform'. “You want any breakfast, or shall we get it along the way?”

“Nah, I’ll make some,” Oli replied, getting out of bed and pulling on his boxer shorts and t-shirt from the previous night before heading out of the bedroom and toward the kitchen.

“Oh- babe, you don’t have to do that, really,” Ellie protested.

“Nah, I want to,” Oli replied. “Now that you’re this ultra-independent woman, I want to do something to not, you know, feel like a child anymore?”

“Oh, you more than did THAT last night!” Ellie giggled. “But thanks.” Ellie grinned widely as she followed her boyfriend to the kitchen, where he prepared a filling breakfast of toast and eggs for them both. As she ate, Ellie mused on her boyfriend’s words, on how in a very short space of time, she had gone from being a girl completely dependent on others for support to being an independent woman with all the freedom she wanted, albeit with all the responsibilities that came with that freedom. However, Ellie didn’t mind having to pay a water bill if it meant that she could wake up next to her boyfriend whenever she wanted- and she definitely didn’t mind the extra responsibilities if it meant that she could throw parties whenever she wanted. It was a 'new normal' Ellie was eager to adapt to- almost as eager as she was to adapt to the 'new normal' of simply living as Ellie.

Later that evening, after a quick dinner, Ellie headed through to her bedroom to change out of her work clothes into a tight, long-sleeved and very short purple party dress, before applying a thicker layer of make-up, including thick, dark eyeshadow and eyeliner, blood red lipstick and a cloud of sweet-smelling perfume. Ellie then coated and recoated her fingernails in dark red polish, before slipping her feet into a pair of very uncomfortable, but more importantly to Ellie, very sexy pair of shoes with 4” stiletto heels. With her look complete, Ellie headed out into the living room of the flat, where her flatmate cooed in approval of Ellie’s look.

“Hubba hubba, Miss Blake!” Sade teased.

“Thank you,” Ellie said with a smug grin as she did a slow twirl for her friend.

“I still say it’s a pity that you’re straight,” Sade chuckled. “And impossible that you were ever a boy!”

“I won’t comment on the first thing,” Ellie giggled. “As for the second thing… You might be right, hehe! Ahh, it feels like every day, you know? I leave ‘Liam’ further and further behind…”

“Well, good riddance to ‘him’,” Sade chuckled as Ellie eagerly nodded in agreement. “Though I am gonna need to up my game for tonight!”

“I was about to say,” Ellie teased. “You’re really gonna wear jeans and a t-shirt to the party?”

“HELL no,” Sade replied. “Half the LGBT society’s coming and a lot of them are single!” Ellie grinned as her friend rushed to her bedroom, but after Sade had gone, Ellie found herself musing on her flatmate’s compliment.

Ellie may have been a few months away from being able to apply for her gender recognition certificate, but to her it truly did feel that no matter what anyone else said, she had never been male. The more she thought about her life as ‘Liam’, the more it felt like a dream- a nightmare even, that she only woke up from when she declared herself as ‘Ellie’ to the rest of the world. And while her journey had had more than its fair share of bumps, some of them huge, she took pride from the fact that she never looked back, never felt the urge to go back to being ‘Liam’ and hiding herself away from the world. She had earned the right to be the woman she wanted, she had earned her independence, she had earned an attractive, caring boyfriend and she had definitely earned all of her friends- many of whom descended on her flat shortly after the clock ticked over to 7pm.

“Hey Ell!” Lindsay said, greeting her former housemate with a long, tight hug as she entered the flat carrying a heavy-looking shopping bag. “Looking hot tonight Miss Blake!”

“You too, Miss Cole!” Ellie giggled as Lindsay did a twirl to show off her long-sleeved red minidress. “You flying solo tonight, then?”

“Meh, I- I invited over a friend, he might be here later,” Lindsay replied, confusing Ellie as she fidgeted awkwardly. “How many are you expecting?”

“Well, I invited most of the LGBT society,” Ellie said with a smug grin. “So yes, there’ll be plenty of boys coming, and yes, some of them will be interested in girls, hehe! Unless this friend you’re inviting is a new boyfriend…?”

“Ah- no, no, we- we’re just friends,” Lindsay giggled as she helped herself to a bottle of beer. “You’re settling in okay, then?”

“WAY more than just ‘okay’!” Ellie giggled. “I mean, yes, I miss Janet, but- but this is MY place, you know?”

“Half yours, anyway,” Sade said as she emerged from her bedroom and gave the newly arrived girl a gentle hug. “Ugh, typical, I’m surrounded by sexy women who are only interested in BOYS!”

“Meh, someone has to keep them company,” Lindsay said, earning a giggle from her two friends. “What happened with you and Bethany anyway?”

“Meh, it just kinda fizzled out,” Sade shrugged. “It happens. Who knows, maybe I’ll meet a girl tonight?”

“Well, you’ve definitely increased your chances by wearing that!” Ellie teased her flatmate, who replied by giggling and showing off the extra short playsuit and shiny black tights she’d chosen for the evening.

“Mm,” Sade mumbled in agreement. “Tonight’s not about me, though, is it?”

“Meh, it’s your flat too,” Ellie shrugged as wicked grins spread across her friends’ faces. “…What?”

“We kinda- kinda got you something for tonight,” Lindsay said as she opened her carrier bag to reveal that beer wasn’t the only thing contained within.

“Oh- come on…” Ellie protested as her friends withdrew from the bag a sparkly plastic tiara and a sash made from a shiny fabric that had the words ‘Miss Independent’ written on the front. Her protests continued but were ignored as Lindsay and Sade all but forced the items onto her head and her body. “I feel stupid…”

“Oh, come on,” Lindsay protested. “It’s just a bit of fun, isn’t it?”

“And if anyone here is a beauty queen, it’s you!” Sade teased her flatmate, who sighed and adjusted her tiara before posing as her friends got their phones out to photograph her.

“Well- thanks,” Ellie giggled as she pulled more poses for the cameras. “And as your queen, I hereby declare that this party has started, and shall be very loud and very fun!”

“Yeah!” Lindsay and Sade cheered as they turned on the stereo and opened the first bottle of wine.

The partygoers started arriving a short while later, and before long, the flat was heaving as over a dozen boys and girls drank, danced and had fun- and the guests hadn't stopped arriving.

“Hey Ellie!” Ellie’s friend Ian said in his distinctive Welsh accent. “Or should that be ’your majesty’?”

“Funny man,” Ellie replied as she straightened her sash and took Ian’s bag of drinks from him. “Thanks for coming, though.”

“Meh, I’m not gonna turn down a party, heh!” Ian replied with a smile, though Ellie quickly detected the sadness in her friend’s eyes.

“Still missing Chloe?” Ellie asked.

“Meh, a little,” Ian shrugged. “Maybe. But she made it clear what she thinks, heh. Don’t suppose there are any single straight girls here tonight, are they?”

“I’ll try not to take offence at that,” Sade teased as she greeted Ian with a hug. “Have you met Lindsay before?”

“Don't think so!” Ian replied with a grin as Sade led him away. Ellie didn’t have to wait long for the next partygoer to arrive, though- and her smile widened when she saw who it was.

“Hey you!” Ellie giggled as her boyfriend greeted her with a gentle kiss.

“Hey Ellie- sorry, your majesty,” Oli said, dramatically bowing before his girlfriend as she rolled her eyes.

“I am going to kill Sade and Lindsay for this,” Ellie sighed.

“Nah, it suits you,” Oli said as he fiddled with Ellie’s tiara.

“Hands off!” Ellie protested with a giggle. “You’ll break it…”

“Ah, so you DO want to be a queen, then?” Oli asked, smirking as his girlfriend rolled her eyes.

“…Fine, then,” Ellie sighed, before waving her empty beer bottle at her boyfriend. “And as queen, I royally command you to get me another drink!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Oli said with a salute that made Ellie giggle as another knock came from the front door. When Ellie opened the door, however, her smile instantly vanished.

Stood in the doorway, large as life, was the unmistakable face of Ethan Cole. Ellie hadn’t seen the young man in the flesh since his sentencing almost two years earlier, but his face had haunted her nightmares countless times since then, and the sight of his brown eyes staring into hers caused every muscle in Ellie’s body to tense up, freezing her to the spot as time seemed to stand still. Unable to move even an inch, Ellie did the only thing she could in the circumstances- she screamed. She screamed long enough and loud enough to bring the entire party to a halt, and only stopped when her boyfriend placed a comforting hand on her shoulder- though even that touch was enough to make Ellie flinch.

“What’s up, babe?” Oli asked. “Who’s this?”

“H- hi,” Ethan said with a hesitant wave, trembling nervously as the entire flat turned to stare at him. “Is Lind- umm, Lindsay- Lindsay said, umm…”

“I- I invited him,” Lindsay said, stepping between Ellie and her brother and taking a nervous, shaky breath. “Ellie, he- he wants to apologise.”

“How do- have you- have you been talking to him?” Ellie asked, her voice a hoarse whisper.

“And isn’t there a restraining order in place too?” Sade asked as she stood at her flatmate’s side.

“He just- he just wants to apologise,” Lindsay said. “We- we have been talking, yes. He- he’s feels really bad, and-“ Lindsay’s explanation ended abruptly when Ellie slapped her across the face, the sound of the slap seeming to echo in the now-silent flat. Ellie and Lindsay stared at each other in shock as time once again seemed to stand still, before the latter girl just sighed and shook her head, leaving the party alongside her brother.

“…Party’s over,” Ellie mumbled as she felt her stomach churn and her legs start to buckle. “I said party’s over! Everybody- please, just- just leave.”

“You heard the woman,” Sade said as she started escorting the guests to the door. “Thank you for coming, but now it’s time to go.”

“You too,” Ellie whispered to her boyfriend. “I- I need to be alone tonight.”

“Oh, but babe, you- you shouldn’t be alone,” Oli protested.

“She’ll be fine, I’ll be here,” Sade said softly. “Go on.”

“Well- okay,” Oli said, leaning in to give Ellie a kiss goodbye only to frown in confusion as she reflexively pulled back away from him. “I’ll, umm, I’ll- I’ll get going, then…”

“Bye,” Ellie mumbled, her cheeks flushing as every pair of eyes turned in her direction on their way out of the flat. Once everyone bar Sade had left, Ellie felt tears start to trickle down her cheeks, and before long, the tears began to gush, Ellie making anguished sobs and struggling to catch her breath with how hard she was crying.

“Ell- Ellie,” Sade whispered, handing the blonde girl a handful of kitchen roll to mop up her tears. “Would- would you like me to go as well?”

“No,” Ellie sobbed. “I- I can’t kick you out of your flat, and I- I-“

“You don’t want to be alone?” Sade asked, smiling as her flatmate tearfully nodded. “It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I- I’m sorry I ruined the party…” Ellie blubbed, earning an angry groan from her friend.

“YOU didn’t ruin anything!” Sade admonished her friend. “It was that tall bastard! He- he was the one you told me about, right?”

“Yes,” Ellie whispered. “Lindsay’s brother. Janet’s son.”

“It’s hard to believe how anyone like him can come from someone as sweet and caring as Janet,” Sade snorted. “As for Lindsay- ugh, I dunno what to think.”

“She’s a bitch,” Ellie spat, her despair slowly giving way to a feeling of intense anger and hatred. “She invited him here knowing- ugh. I hope they both get run over on the way home.”

“…But harsh, but okay,” Sade said, flinching as Ellie stared angrily at her. “Okay… You- you should get an early night. Sleep this off, see how you are tomorrow. Don’t worry about tidying up, I’ll do all that, you just- you just get yourself to bed, okay?”

“Okay,” Ellie said, before smiling sadly. “Thanks, Sade. You- you’re a great flatmate, and a great friend.” Unlike that bitch Lindsay, Ellie sadly thought to herself.

“It’s what friends do,” Sade shrugged.

“Most of them,” Ellie whispered as she headed to her bedroom, making the other girl pause and frown.

“I- I’m not going to defend Lindsay,” Sade said quietly.

“Good,” Ellie angrily snorted.

“But- but she probably had a reason for doing what she did,” Sade said. “You- ugh, never mind, just- just get some sleep, okay?”

“Okay,” Ellie whispered, barely containing her anger as she closed her bedroom door behind her, before slumping to the floor and weeping yet more tears, tears of sadness at the thought of losing someone who had become one of her best friends, tears of anger at being betrayed by said friend, and tears of fear- fear at who might be the next to stab her in the back.

What angered and saddened Ellie the most, though, was that it wasn’t like Lindsay had made an honest mistake- she knew how much Ellie hated Ethan. She knew the trauma Ellie had gone through following the assault. She knew the nightmares Ellie had had to endure, and most of all, she knew that Ethan legally couldn’t come anywhere near Ellie. What he had done had left lasting scars, both mentally and physically. Through her darkest days, Ellie had always been able to hold on to her hatred of Ethan to pull her through. She would never be able to forget what he did or forgive him for doing it, and Lindsay clearly expected her to- after all, why else would she bring Ethan to her flat?

That question, along with countless others, tormented Ellie’s mind as she tried unsuccessfully to get to sleep that night. Every time she felt herself drifting off, she kept seeing Ethan’s face in her mind’s eye, the look in his eyes as she opened the door, the look of shock on Lindsay’s face as Ellie slapped her, the sound of the slap, the sound of Ellie’s own scream… The sound of glass breaking over the back of Ellie’s skull…

Ellie’s half-asleep, half-awake state continued until long after the sun had risen on the warm Sunday morning, and despite her extreme tiredness, she was still unable to fall asleep. Shortly after 9am, Ellie eventually gave up and rose from her bed, sighing as she passed her reflection in her mirror. She hadn’t bothered to remove the previous night’s make-up before heading to bed, nor had she brushed her hair, meaning that she looked a complete mess- her cheeks were streaked with mascara, her face was blotchy and her long blonde hair was straggly and matted. And worst of all, for the first time in a very long time, Ellie could see traces of ‘Liam’ peeking through the cracks in the mask…

When Ellie exited her bedroom, she was unsurprised to discover that Sade was already awake and making breakfast. She was slightly more surprised to discover that Janet was also sat in her living room, drinking a cup of coffee. She was, however, astonished at the other face smiling at her from her sofa.

“Hi Ellie,” Stephanie said softly, before smiling sympathetically as Ellie started to panic at her dishevelled state.

“Oh- um, hi, um- just- I just need-“ Ellie babbled.

“It’s okay, really,” Stephanie insisted. “Sit down, Ellie, I’ve seen much worse bedheads. Mostly from myself, heh!”

“Well- umm, okay…” Ellie said, grimacing as she carefully lowered herself onto a seat opposite her older friends. “You- I take it you- you heard about last night, then?”

“Yes,” Janet whispered quietly. “Ellie, I- I want you to know I had no idea what Lindsay was planning, and if I did, I would have tried to stop it. Lindsay’s my daughter, and I love her very, very much, but she- she can be a bit of an idiot sometimes. And last night was a huge example of that.” Janet paused and took a deep breath before continuing- she knew that Ellie would not like what she had to say next. “She genuinely didn’t want to hurt you, Ellie. She thought she would be doing a good thing, she thought she’d be helping you by bringing Ethan to the party.”

“She did-“ Ellie angrily snapped, before being silenced by a hand from the woman she viewed as a surrogate mother.

“Like I said, she can be an idiot,” Janet said. “And she knows it. She came home last night and spent most of the rest of the night crying. Not because of what happened between you and Ethan, but because of what happened between you and her. You- umm, Sade tells me that you- that you slapped Lindsay. Is this right?”

“…Maybe,” Ellie mumbled, her cheeks starting to flush with shame. “Yes…”

“Lindsay didn’t tell me that at all,” Janet said softly. “I think that’s because she thinks she deserved it. Obviously, I’m not going to be happy that someone struck my daughter. But Lindsay, she- she’s just ignoring it, completely disregarding it, so in this case, even though you know I hate violence, I can too.”

“On the topic of ‘violence’,” Ellie mumbled, “did you know Lindsay’s been talking to Ethan?”

“I only found that out last night too,” Janet whispered. “And I- I can’t blame her for it. Despite what he did, he’s still her brother.” Janet paused and grimaced as Ellie angrily scoffed- if Ellie had been upset before, she would be ballistic at what Janet had to say next. However, the truth needed to come out. “…And he’s still my son.”

“He doesn’t think so!” Ellie angrily spat, making both Janet and Stephanie fidget in their seats.

“Two years ago, I’d have agreed with you,” Janet said quietly. “But last night…” Janet bit her lip as she remembered the events of the previous night.

“You’re back early,” Janet had said as the front door of the house opened. “Did you have fun at the par- Li- Lindsay?” Janet jumped to her feet as she saw her daughter’s tear-streaked face and rushed over to give her a long, comforting hug. “What happened?”

“Me and Ellie, we- we had a fight,” Lindsay sobbed.

“Oh, god, Lindsay…” Janet moaned. “What about?”

“A- about me,” Ethan mumbled as he entered the house, causing Janet to freeze in shock. Like Ellie, she hadn’t seen Ethan since 2017, and had all but given up hope on ever speaking to him again. With tears starting to trickle from her eyes, Janet released Lindsay from her hug and opened up her arms for her son, both openly weeping as Ethan accepted her embrace.

“I- I’m sorry,” Ethan blubbed into his father’s shoulder.

“Shh, shh,” Janet whispered, savouring every second of once again holding her son in her arms, just as she'd first done over twenty years earlier. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

“…But I was wrong,” Janet explained to Ellie. “He DID need to apologise. To me, and especially to you. Every day that’s passed, he’s felt more and more guilty about what happened.”

“Good,” Ellie spat, before fidgeting as Janet frowned. “I- well, I guess I’m sorry too, but I can’t help how I feel about him. I HATE him. And I can’t ever forgive him.”

“And I’m not ever going to ask you to,” Janet said. “Because I- I felt guilty too. I was so happy at seeing my son again that I- I didn’t realise at first that I was betraying you. Over the last two years, you have become as much my child as Ethan or Lindsay. I love you, Ellie. And I- I’m sorry.”

“No- no,” Ellie sighed. “You don’t ever need to apologise, Janet. What you’ve done for me, I- I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. Both of you.”

“Thanks,” Stephanie whispered. “But I can only take a very, very small bit of the credit here, heh.”

“More than you think,” Janet said. “Because I wouldn’t be here either if it wasn’t for you and Ellie. I certainly wouldn’t have my children back, either.” Janet bit her lip as Ellie frowned again, though she hoped that the young woman at least understood the impossible position she was in. “One day, Ellie, you’ll be a mother as well. And don’t say our ‘situation’ makes it impossible, because it really, really doesn’t.”

“Me being sterile kinda does, though,” Ellie retorted.

“Your future husband won’t be,” Stephanie shrugged.

“And I’ll happily lend you an egg or two,” Sade said with a warm smile as she sat down next to Janet on the arm of the sofa. “might even lend you somewhere to, you know, put it, if you want?”

“Aww- you guys- sorry, you girls!” Ellie giggled.

“And I know Lindsay would make that same offer too,” Janet said, immediately bringing Ellie’s mood back down again. “Ellie, she- she feels genuinely terrible about what happened. I don’t think she slept much tonight, and she wanted to come and apologise in person, but I- I said that wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“And you were right,” Ellie said, before sighing. “Though… Ugh, I dunno. Okay, so she thought she was doing the right thing. It was still shitty, though. But… Okay, I get that she didn’t really want to hurt me. And I- I wish I hadn’t slapped her, but- ugh, I dunno.”

“If- if she was here, right now?” Janet asked, biting her lip as Ellie sighed.

“I- I dunno,” Ellie replied. “Maybe I’d accept her apology, I- ugh. Is she outside in the car, then?”

“No, she’s still at home,” Janet replied. “But I can go and pick her up if you’d like?”

“…Okay,” Ellie replied, sighing as Janet smiled.

“I’ll be right back,” Janet said as she left Ellie alone in the flat with the two younger women.

“…Okay, so it’s Sunday morning, and Steph Abbott’s in my flat,” Sade said, making the other two women giggle- a feeling that felt particularly good to Ellie under the circumstances.

“I was going to drop round yesterday, to give you this,” Stephanie said, handing a small, carefully wrapped gift to Ellie. “As, like, a housewarming present, but I got kinda side-tracked, had a really busy week, heh. Then Janet called and explained what happened, so I thought, you know, I’d kill two birds with one stone, sort of thing.”

“Are you- are you and Kayla getting along okay, then?” Sade asked.

“Everything there’s going great,” Stephanie replied. “I’m surprised by how quiet it’s been actually, after all the fuss when we first came out, but- yeah. Maybe the universe is giving us a much-needed break, heh.”

“But you just said you had a busy week?” Ellie asked.

“Oh- definitely,” Stephanie replied. “But not, you know, stressful- the fun kind of ‘busy’, heh. Let's see... First there's Jamie and Stuart's wedding anniversary, that was Monday. Then Natalie and Zoe's engagement anniversary on Wednesday. Thursday was the anniversary of Nikki coming out to her parents, which we always make a big fuss of, and Friday was my little niece’s second birthday, so we had a big family get-together for that. And tonight is Charlotte Hartley’s birthday, so- yeah, busy week!”

“Ahh, I’m SO jealous though!” Sade sighed. “All we’ve got this week and next week is uni, heh.”

“And…?” Ellie teased, making her flatmate sigh and Stephanie smirk with confusion.

“…And my birthday this coming Friday,” Sade replied, earning an excited squeak from the famous singer.

“Oh, so cool!” Stephanie giggled. “Nineteen?”

“Yep,” Sade replied.

“Ah, SO cool,” Stephanie chuckled. “You celebrating it with your family?” The famous singer paused and frown in confusion as both of her young friends frowned, Sade in particular, averted their gaze. “…What? Did- did I say something I shouldn’t have?”

“Yeah, umm, I- I kinda don’t talk to my family much…” Sade grimaced.

“Oh,” Stephanie mumbled. “Umm, sorry…”

“It’s okay,” Sade shrugged. “And yes, it’s all because I’m G-A-Y. My parents told me that I was no longer welcome under their roof, and as for my sister- ugh. Just- ugh. That’s all I have to say about her.”

“That’s such a pity,” Stephanie sighed sadly.

“Meh, I’m better off without them,” Sade shrugged. “I much prefer the family I do have, the family I chose, heh!”

“D’aww,” Stephanie and Ellie simultaneously cooed.

“Plus, I reckon I can get, like, five albums worth of material out of my family, heh!” Sade chuckled.

“Ah, of course, you’re studying music as well, aren’t you?” Stephanie asked. “As I said earlier, Ellie's told me all about you. Have you written any songs of your own yet?”

“Ah- umm, may- maybe, umm, maybe a few…” Sade mumbled, her cheeks quickly reddening.

“Can you sing me some?” Stephanie asked as Ellie started to giggle excitedly.

“Oh- come on…” Sade protested. “I can’t believe Stephanie Abbott wants to listen to MY songs…”

“Call it an early birthday present,” Stephanie shrugged. “If I like what I hear, I’ll have a word with my producer Stuart, see if we can’t get a few recorded professionally?”

“Go on…” Ellie teased, making her flatmate roll her eyes as she fetched her guitar.

“Well- fine…” Sade sighed as she tuned her guitar. “This is still surreal…”

Ellie and Stephanie sat back and relaxed as they were treated to their impromptu gig, Ellie in particular feeling her stress melt away a little more with every song Sade sang. However, it all came rushing back when Janet returned to the flat a few minutes later with a very ashamed-looking Lindsay trailing behind her.

“H- hello,” Ellie said nervously as Lindsay stepped forward, her cheeks flushed and her head hung low.

“Hi,” Lindsay mumbled. “Ellie- I- I’m sorry…”

“Louder,” Janet said stoically.

“I’m sorry, I- I wasn’t thinking,” Lindsay said more clearly as tears started to trickle from her eyes. “I just thought- I thought if, you know, after all this time-“ Lindsay flinched as Ellie suddenly stood up and approached her. However, rather than another slap, the blonde girl gave Lindsay a long, tight hug, which Lindsay happily reciprocated.

“Apology accepted,” Ellie whispered. “And I- I’m sorry I slapped you.”

“Meh,” Lindsay shrugged. “Not the first time that’s happened, heh. Though usually my brother’s NOT the boy that caused it, heh.”

“Yeah- umm…” Ellie said, tensing up at the mere mention of Ethan. “I- I can’t forgive your brother, Lindsay. Not ever.”

“Meh, I figured as much,” Lindsay sighed as she Ellie sat back down together. “I- I don’t want to break off contact with him, though.”

“Meh, okay,” Ellie mumbled with a shrug. “He’s your brother, I guess. But I- I don’t want anything to do with him, ever. Even if he is genuinely sorry.”

“He is,” Lindsay whispered, before sighing. “And okay, I won’t push it. I really like being your friend, you know? Even if we don’t live together anymore, heh.”

“Well, you’re welcome around here anytime,” Sade said softly. “Only you, though.”

“Well- that’s absolutely fair,” Lindsay sighed. “As long as we’re still friends?”

“…Friends,” Ellie said, leaning in to go Lindsay a gentle hug. “You can never have too many of them, heh!”

“Too right,” Janet said with a proud, motherly smile.

“You still owe me the second half of a party, though,” Ellie teased, earning a giggle from Lindsay.

“…Sleepover at my place next Friday?” Lindsay suggested.

“You’re gonna have problems throwing that party when you’re coming to my birthday party next Friday,” Sade said, earning another giggle from Lindsay, this time one of excitement. “And that’s not an invitation, that’s a demand.”

“Well- demand accepted, heh!” Lindsay giggled.

“That goes for you too, Steph,” Sade said, before grimacing. “Umm, I- I mean the invitation, not the demand, unless- in case, umm, you-“

“I’ll try to drop round,” Stephanie said with a grin. “Though I do think you three could use a quieter party just to yourselves, like a sleepover.”

“Well- and Jade too,” Ellie said to unanimous agreement. “And Jodie and Keira too, Monique and Kacey if they’re available…”

“How about the Saturday after?” Janet suggested. “I can clear off somewhere, let you have the house to yourselves.”

“Where would you go, though?” Ellie asked.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll work something out,” Janet reassured the young woman. “Hell, if this place will be empty, I can always sleep here. I can give this place a good clean while I’m at it too!”

“That sounds like it’s decided, then,” Stephanie said with a grin. “I should probably leave you four to get on with it, I’ve still got a long day ahead, heh!”

“Thank you for all your help,” Ellie said, standing up and giving the famous singer a gentle hug. “And I don’t just mean today, I mean, like, forever.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Stephanie chuckled. “And you three take care of Janet, okay?”

“Yes, very funny,” Janet chuckled as she stood up and gave her friend a gentle hug as well. “And thank you as well, from me, for everything you’ve done. Not only do I feel like I now have three daughters, now I- I’m not estranged from my son either.” Janet grimaced as Ellie flinched at the mention of Ethan, but breathed a sigh of relief when she simply shrugged and mouthed ‘it’s okay’ at the older woman.

“Have you still given up on talking to your wife again?” Stephanie asked quietly.

“Ex-wife,” Janet corrected her friend. “And- ugh, I dunno. The ‘ex’ part is pretty much set in stone now. Though I doubt she’ll ignore me forever, she doesn’t know that Ethan’s contacted me or Lindsay again, so- well, I dunno. That’s a story for another time, heh. You get yourself home to that girlfriend of yours, okay?”

“Okay,” Stephanie replied, smiling as she straightened her knee-high boots and grabbed her designer handbag.

“Actually,” Sade sad hesitantly. “Before you go, can- can I just ask one favour, please? You won’t have to do much, just-“

“Sure, what is it?” Stephanie asked, sitting back down again.

“I- ugh,” Sade sighed, her cheeks starting to flush with embarrassment. “All this talk of families reuniting, I- I-“

“Ah, I’m so sorry, Sade,” Janet sighed. “I should’ve known not to rub it in your face like that.”

“No- no, I’m not upset that you guys are sorting things out,” Sade said. “I just- I just want to try with my family, you know?”

“I get it,” Stephanie said softly. “And you want some back-up?”

“Yeah,” Sade said with a quiet nod. “And I know, I shouldn’t get my hopes up, but-“

“You’d regret it if you didn’t at least try?” Stephanie asked, smiling as the younger woman nodded. “That’s a field I have a lot of experience in too, heh. And had my fair share of ups and downs too, but I do still believe that you only regret the things you don’t do.”

“Do- do you want us to stay too?” Janet asked, smiling as Sade nodded.

“The more the merrier,” Sade shrugged as she picked her phone off the coffee table and paused. “I- I’m going to try calling my sister first, before my parents.”

“I thought you said you hated your sister?” Ellie asked. “That she was a bully to you growing up?”

“Oh- totally, she was,” Sade replied. “But also, she’s, like, 22, and-“

“And more likely to care that I’m on the call?” Stephanie asked, smiling as Sade nodded.

“And if you don’t reconcile, you can at least gloat?” Lindsay asked, smirking as Sade nodded again.

“Well- here goes,” Sade sighed, dialling the number on her phone before placing it down on the coffee table. The phone only rang twice before being answered, causing Sade to take a deep, nervous breath.

“Hello?” A soft East Anglia accent called from the phone’s speaker. “Who is this?”

“Hi Alicia,” Sade said in a confident-sounding voice that nonetheless betrayed her nerves. “This is your sister, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Ugh, what do you want?” Alicia snorted. “Calling to apologise maybe? To admit that I was right and you were wrong?”

“Wow,” Ellie whispered, before grimacing as she realised how sensitive the microphone on Sade’s phone actually was.

“Who was that?” Alicia asked.

“Oh, just a friend,” Sade replied.

“Don’t be stupid,” Alicia spat. “You don’t have any friends!”

“Well, you were definitely right about her,” Stephanie said out loud, sharing a smirk with Sade as the latter’s sister suddenly fell silent.

“…Who was that?” Alicia asked. “I- I recognise that voice from somewhere…”

“Hi, I don’t think we’ve been introduced,” Stephanie said smugly. “My name’s Stephanie Abbott, I’m one quarter of Out of Heaven, maybe you know me from there?”

“…Yeah, right,” Alicia snorted. “As if YOU know anyone from Out of Heaven!” Stephanie rolled her eyes and got her phone out of her bag while Sade sighed with frustration.

“You know, I did call because I wanted to try to patch things up between us,” Sade said. “I thought that maybe, you know, things might have changed, that we could be friends- heh, well maybe not friends ‘again’, but maybe for a first time? How are mum and dad, anyway?”

“Happier now that you’re not around,” Alicia spat, before a beep came from her phone. “And this is a total waste of my time. Call me again when you’re in a mood to apologise, okay?” Sade rolled her eyes as the call ended, before letting out a long moan as she slumped back in her chair.

“Don’t- don’t take it too hard,” Janet said softly.

“Yeah,” Lindsay whispered. “Sounds like you’re better off without her, heh.”

“And that was her on a good day, believe it or not,” Sade sighed. “Just- just completely unable to accept that I- ugh, I dunno.” Sade let out another sigh, but then jumped with chock as her phone suddenly started ringing- and it was her sister’s number that was displayed on the screen. “Umm… What?”

“Are you going to answer it?” Stephanie asked with a knowing smirk. Sade frowned with confusion as she gingerly pressed the ‘answer’ button.

“He- hello?” Sade nervously asked.

“H- hi Sade,” Alicia said in a much more subdued voice than before. “I, umm, I got your text.”

“What text?” Sade asked, her eyes widening as Stephanie showed her the screen of her own phone, on which was a selfie of the famous singer with Sade herself in the background. “…Oh. THAT text.”

“Y- yeah,” Alicia said, audibly straining to get her words out. “Are- are we still on speakerphone?” As if on cue, Sade reached for her phone and immediately switched off the speakerphone.

“Not anymore, we’re not,” Sade said as the three guests in the flat slowly stood up.

“We’ll leave you to it,” Stephanie whispered with a grin as she escorted Janet and Lindsay out of the flat. “Have fun on Friday if I don’t see you then!”

“Thanks,” Sade mouthed as she took her phone into the kitchen.

“I’ll jump in the shower, give you some privacy too,” Ellie said, smiling as her flatmate tearfully nodded.

As she showered, Ellie let out a long, contented sigh. She’d been so worked up about the situation with Lindsay, so determined that she would never forgive the girl that she hadn’t even considered thinking about it rationally, hadn’t considered that if she just listened to the girl and accepted her apology, all of her stress would melt away. Of course, Ellie was still a million miles away from ever forgiving Ethan, but after listening to Ellie and Janet, and witnessing the start of Sade’s reconciliation with her sister, Ellie was forced to concede that there might come a time in the distant future when she might be willing to forgive Ethan and let bygones be bygones. The VERY distant future…

The following Friday, the girls all gathered at the flat to celebrate Sade’s nineteenth birthday. Unlike Ellie’s housewarming, the party went off without a hitch, and plenty of fun (and alcohol) was had by all present. Despite their reconciliation, Alicia didn’t attend the party, but did at least send along a small gift- though Sade was more thrilled when Stephanie dropped round to the party, even if it was only for fifteen minutes. 24 hours later, Ellie, Lindsay, Sade and Jade, joined by Jodie, Keira, Monique and Kacey had their promised sleepover at Janet’s house, and despite it being a much quieter party, all eight girls had just as much fun, all of them able to appreciate just how blessed they were to have so many genuine, loving friends- and no one felt more grateful than Ellie. She’d gone through her whole life fighting everyone- her friends, her family, and even herself for the first sixteen years of her life. By finally accepting her friends for who they were, even when they made mistakes, Ellie had finally been able to let go of her anger.

While the girls partied at her house, Janet was happy to spend the night by herself in Sade and Ellie’s flat- though she wasn’t entirely alone.

“Okay, I don’t think mum can hear us,” Ethan said into his phone as Janet listened intently. “She is still properly on the warpath, it’s like if I even think about you, her head explodes.”

“Heh,” Janet chuckled. “Take it from me- and I’ve known her a lot longer than you- she can hold a grudge, but she won’t stay angry forever. At some point, she’ll forgive Lindsay and the two of you won’t have to sneak around anymore.”

“Yeah, well, I won’t cross my fingers,” Ethan sighed.

“How- how are your university applications coming along?” Janet asked. “Are you still looking at studying through the Open University?”

“Yep, think that’s my only option,” Ethan replied. “And yes, I know I only have myself to blame. If I could do it all again, I- well, I definitely wouldn’t do what I did. And, you know, I might- well, I wouldn’t be entirely against the idea of having a transgender girlfriend. Not that any transgender girl would ever have me when they found out what I did.”

“Shoe’s on the other foot, eh?” Janet asked.

“Yep, and it sucks,” Ethan said. “Though it’s, like, only in a very specific circumstance that it’d happen to me. It happens to you every day in everything you do, and that- that really does suck.”

“I’m glad to hear you realise that,” Janet said. “You made a huge mistake, bigger than anyone else that I know, but- but maybe you are learning from it.”

“Yeah,” Ethan said quietly.

“…So you’d really be happy with dating a transgender girl?” Janet teased her son, who groaned down the phone and made the older woman giggle.

“I don’t see why not,” Ethan eventually replied. “I mean, a woman is a woman, regardless of what’s between her legs, right?”

“Right,” Janet replied with a proud grin, even as she fiddled with the letter in her hands, the letter informing her that her gender confirmation surgery would be taking place at the end of July…