That's what friends are for! (tag Ella)

[christophe]

Christophe was ready and almost twenty minutes too soon. He paced the sitting room of the Broussard house, glancing from time to time towards the clock. The car had been sorted and would arrive soon enough and Ella’s flowers were on the low table near to the front door. Nothing else needed doing expect for his mother to tweak his tie and try to smooth down that errant lock of hair that kept wanting to curl outwards.

“You look adorable,” she crooned and he smiled down at her a little self-consciously.

“You have a biased opinion, maman,” he pointed out.

“So what if I do? Its still my opinion to have!”

“Car’s here!” called out his father and Christophe dropped a kiss onto his mother’s forehead before heading out... He darted back in again to grab the corsage before vanishing once more...

* * *

He tapped on Ella’s front door and stepped back slightly, tugging his jacket straighter. Yes, this was a date between friends but he still wanted to make a good impression. Friends or more... he didn’t want her to feel embarrassed!

He threw her a grin when she opened the door. “Wow,” he stated. “You brush up pretty damned well!” Christophe dropped a kiss onto her cheek and then handed her the boxed flower. “It has little crystals in amongst the petals. I thought they looked like tears... but I also thought of you when I saw them.” Ella was, after all, in a sad period of her life, unable to tell the world about her orientation. Maybe soon she would change that situation...

[Ella D'Agustino]

Stepping into the dress her mother had given her, Ella was grateful she didn't have to go through the hassle of shopping for herself. Her mother and her were the same size and Ella was used to using hand me downs despite being financially secure and able to get any designer clothes without even putting a dent in their joint bank accounts. She was particularly glad that the dress her mother let her wear for her prom was a simple pale yellow dress with a crystal belt and a short train. It complimented her figure and skin tone greatly and didn't show off too much.

All Ella had to do was comb her hair a hundred times and let it flow neatly down one shoulder and she was done. Her mother also gave her a simple yet elegantly embroidered cream colored hair clip she slipped up the side of Ella's head. Everything about Ella screamed simple but elegant. Even the shoes hidden under her long skirt was simple; an open toed white satin sandal that showed her perfectly manicured toenails.

She was actually quite excited to go to prom, even if it was just as friends with Christophe. He was great company and she was sure by the time the prom ended, they would go home happy. But her excitement was nothing compared to her mother's as she saw how pretty she looked in her dress. "Ella, you look even prettier than I envisioned!" She said, tearing up as she yelled for Ella's father to get the camera.

As she and her twin were prepped up for a million pictures just the two of them, their youngest sibling sat by the sidelines, sniggering at his two older siblings being all dolled up. "You watch it, Alex. Your time will come." Ella warned him jokingly. He only paused for a minute. "I'm not going to prom." He stuck his tongue out petulantly. "We'll see about that." Casey chuckled before kissing his mother and Ella on their cheeks. "I'm picking my date up and we're going from there. I'll see you there, El."

Ella smiled at her twin and nodded. "Yeah."

Just as Casey was leaving, the door was knocked and Ella held a hand up to stop Casey from opening it. "That will be my date." She grinned slyly at Casey who stepped aside and let her open. Christophe looked so handsome in his suit that Ella even blushed when he kissed her cheek and handed her the corsage he had gotten. "You clean up pretty good yourself, Frenchie." She grinned before accepting the corsage. It was so beautiful that she had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop from grinning too widely. "Christophe, it's so pretty." Delighted, Ella pressed on his shoulder before pushing herself up to her toes and gave Christophe a kiss on his cheek.

"Come on in and meet my parents."

Introductions were made and a million other pictures were taken and by the time Ella slid into the limo, Ella was actually blinking away the stars from her eyes. She grinned at Christophe and leaned in slightly into him before thanking him. "You just saved me from my mom's being upset. She was set on having me go to prom. I could tell she loved you straight away."

"But not your father," Ella grinned at Christophe's grimace at how Ella's dad had pumped him for information earlier in the house. She squeezed his arm as she chuckled. "You have to trust me, my dad is a lamb." She assured him. She needed Christophe and her father to get along. Ella wanted Christophe in her life even if their relationship was just platonic. it was easier that way for sure, wasn't it?

[christophe]

Christophe settled back in the car, content at hos the evening was starting. "Your father was actually quite charming and your mother... Well... I can see where you obtained the genes for your looks. She is adorable and you look... fantastique!" he told her. He even could forget that this wasn't a true date - or that Ella would far prefer to be with someone of the opposite sex. To him, that is! There was absolutely nothing wrong with them going out on their faux date in his eyes. Friends went out together often and if it pleased her family then so much the better. His own parents knew this wasn't a romantic interlude and they were simply glad their son had a friend close enough to agree to go with him.

"That dress suits you to perfection," he added and he reached over to help her fasten the corsage around her wrist. The tiny crystals sparkled each tinme she moved her hand. Tears... maybe of sadness but he hoped they would be ones of joy by the end of the evening.

They reached the hotel soon after and by the looks of it they were possibly amongst the last to arrive. It didn't matter though, as making their entrance would be that much more noticeable... and Christophe intended for Ella to be noticed! She deserved to have the best night ever... and he was going to make sure that happened. A night to remember... but if only she was with someone she truly loved. How he yearned to see that happiness in her eyes. Yes, she looked happy now but there was still something missing...

Love.

He slipped an arm around her shoulders as they wandered inside the hotel. "Ready?" he asked, throwing her his brightest smile. Friends... If only things were different...

[Ella D'Agustino]

Ella grinned at Christophe's compliment. Frenchmen and their charm, really...

"Thank you, Christophe. You clean up well yourself. Didn't know a guy could look so good in a tux." She smiled when he slipped the corsage around her wrist. "It looks really good, Chris. Thank you." She squeezed Christophe's hand and wondered if this were actually a real date, would she have felt this comfortable being so close to a guy...?

She settled into the limo seat and they chatted a bit as the drive to the hotel commenced. Ella didn't know how but somewhere in between the corsage and the hotel, she found herself wrapped around Christophe's arm. He felt so wonderfully warm. She couldn't understand why he had to go with a friend to prom. Were the other girls insane? She wasn't attracted to boys yet he had managed to make her blush. It was ridiculous.

Once they reached the hotel, Ella waved at people who recognised her as they made their way to the photo booth. "Let's take one picture for us and maybe one other when you find someone else." Ella smiled up at Christophe before smiling at the camera.

A song she liked started playing and she lit up. "Come on, Chris...we're dancing." She insisted, pulling him to the dance floor, careful of her dress. "Oh well look...I'm getting death glares already." Ella laughed quietly at the few girls by the wall who were staring at the two pretty good friends dancing with each other. "I'm telling you...by the end of the night, you're going to be fighting girls off."

[christophe]

The pair were chatting animatedly and laughing at something or other Christophe had said as they walked into the hotel. Photos were taken and with no small amount of laughter involved there as well. It seemed that was going to be the trend for their evening and was just what Christophe needed. Ella, too, he suspected.

She grabbed his arm and hauled the French boy towards the centre of the room. Christophe was only too happy to go with her and while he was definitely no Fred Astair he could hold his own on the dance floor. "Death glares?" He frowned and tried to catch a glimpse of the apparent glares but had a feeling Ella had simply been joking. "But I don't want to be with another girl," he protested. Already she'd mentioned something about having his photo taken again when he found someone else. "Ella... mon ami... mon belle ami... I am nopt going to go off with anyone else. Not unless you also have found someone you prefer to be with. Right now and looking around the room I can only contemplate being with one and as I am already with her why should I stray?"

His point hopefully made he grabbed Ella around her waist and started to dance. So what if it wasn't a particularly slow rhythm? It was prom night... They could do whatever the hell they wanted!

[Ella D'Agustino]

Ella laughed, pointing the girls out subtly to Christophe. He might not see them because of the lights glaring into him but they were certainly there and Ella found it amusing that none of them knew the nature of their being there together. His words made her smile and she pulled him down so she could press her lips on her friend's forehead. "You are going to make some girl really lucky one day Chris. I can assure you of that." She smiled softly, patting his shoulder as he pulled her close to him.

It felt good being in the boy's warm embrace but Ella would have felt even better in a girl's arms, she knew that. She felt like she was betraying her best friend. "You're a good guy, Chris...unlike me, you actually have a shot at going for the girl you want." Ella whispered as she placed her head on his shoulder. She was resigned in not meeting anyone at prom and she was actually fine with it. Christophe was more than she could hope for in a guy. It was really too bad she wasn't inclined.

The song changed into an upbeat rhythm. "I am in love with this song. Okay so here's how you dance," Ella pulled away from Christophe and showed him how to dance to the song and soon, with both of them laughing hysterically despite the stares they were being given, Christophe learned the steps and they were dancing happily.

[christophe]

Christophe concentrated hard, his lower lip caught lightly between his teeth, when Ella showed him the dance steps. “It is most complicated,” he protested on a laugh and that seemed to set Ella off once more. Before more than a handful of seconds had elapsed the pair had dissolved into fits of laughter... and were earning themselves some curious glances.

“It is unlikely I will ever grasp this dance,” he finally said and he held his side where it was aching from too much laughing. “Coming here with you was the best idea ever,” he said. To be honest he couldn’t even recall which of them had come up with the concept - or even if they’d been serious at first... But now? No... now he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I so wish you to be happy, though,” he added. “Yeaaah I know... Now isn’t the time to talk about that but...” Christophe tapped the tip of Ella’s nose and smiled fondly down at her. ‘... Just... be happy... Be yourself.”

Perhaps he ought to heed his own advice!

[Ella D'Agustino]

Ella felt like she wasn't doing Christophe any favours by being his date for the prom. It was supposed to be shared with someone you were digging at the moment and there they were, just friends; albeit having a brilliant time, it just wasn't what prom should be like for them. Well, at least for Christophe anyway. Ella knew what would happen once her sexual preference got out that she was not going to have a peachy keen time.

She laughed when he tapped her nose, which she scrunched up lightly. "You do realise it applies to you too right?" Raising an eyebrow, she pinched his cheeks affectionately. "So why not go up to any number of those girls. I bet you anything they would spend the whole night adoring you." Ella chuckled but wrapped her arms around his waist, getting completely comfortable with being in the French boy's arms.

"But I wouldn't hold it against you if you want to stay here. I like it here." She laid her head on his shoulder and looked behind him. No one was looking at her, no girls anyway. Well, they were but it was for a completely different reason. No one was cutting in and Ella preferred it to be that way.

"Where are you going after graduation?"

[christophe]

"Ella... stop it," Christophe replied on a laugh. "You are stuck with me for the evening so no more trying to push me towards those girls. I like being where I am," he told her. The feel of her arms wrapped snugly around his waist was more comforting than she knew. Yes, he knew they were the arms of a friend but Ella's love - while different to that of a girlfriend as such, was unconditional. He needed that right now.

He drew her closer, not wanting anyone to try and break them apart and steal a dance. For all intents and purposes they looked like a couple... together... and very much in love.

"After graduation? Not sure. I mean I know I have a place at university... not far from here so I can still stay living where I am... and working at the aquarium... But for the summer months...? Really I haven't thought about it. Hang out on the beach... go out on the water. Maybe I will take up a new hobby. I've always wanted to try para-gliding. You know, where people leap off mountain tops with a wing system on their backs. It looks like it would be fun. What about you?" he asked back. "Have you got a full social diary already or are you as footloose as I am?"

[Ella D'Agustino]

"I can live with that," Ella grinned swaying with him. It was very much like dancing with a brother. She wished they could have more potential than just being friends but Ella couldn't deny the strong feelings she had for her own gender. It wasn't like she didn't like boys but she was just not attracted to them the way she was attracted to girls. She didn't know why that was but it was just the way it was.

As she listened to his plans, Ella figured her own plans right then and there. One year off college just to get her bearings, find a job or travel or do both at the same time. Who knows?

"Sounds like fun." She agreed with him about the para-gliding. Maybe she should do that too. There was always time to further her education and her parents were pretty laid back when it came to her studies so she wasn't too pressured for it. Even though she had gotten accepted to all the colleges she had applied for, she was sure they could wait a little longer.

"I think I'm going to just hang." She mumbled as she moved away a little from Christophe. She looked up at him with a smile. "Maybe we could do something together. I still think I should find you a girlfriend for the summer. Who knows you'd probably stay with her longer than that." She winked.