Chapter Seven: Shakespeare Couldn't Hold A Candle to This Moment
No one spoke about what had happened the next day, or for a while, for that matter. Everyone remembered it, especially Jack, but no one seemed to want to ask questions that would bring up unwanted tension between people as close as Jack and Ellie.
Jack's birthday was quickly approaching; December 14th. Everyone was slightly, because they weren't quite sure what to do for his eighteenth birthday. Throwing a surprise party had been suggested, but, for some reason, they decided they needed something a little more creative.
And so they settled on ice skating.
The plan was this: get everyone over to the ice skating rink while Jack was gone, then Ellie would have to find some way to coax him there, without him realizing what they were doing. It seemed like a simple plan in theory, but, when one knows Jack, one knows that nothing involving him is simple.
"I can't believe he was born so close to Christmas!" Ellie grumbled, staring into one of the shop windows. She was shopping for gifts with Camden. "Now I have to get the perfect birthday and Christmas present at the same time!"
"The fact that you love him probably doesn't help very much, does it?" Camden asked, not even slightly cringing under Ellie's Death Glare.
"No, not really, but thank you for reminding me!" The brunette shook her head. "I don't to get him something that says 'I have feelings for you' right off the bat, but I want to get him something that subtly tells him I care really deeply about him…"
"And you're shopping for a guy? Good luck, dear." Camden bit her lip and glanced into another shop window. "Well, obviously, clothes are out of the question…"
"Yeah."
"How about a watch? A really pretty one on a chain?" The redhead stopped at the window of a watch maker. She eyed the gold watch displayed on a piece of black velvet. "Race might like a watch…"
Ellie smirked. "Oh, who's the one with the feelings now?" she teased. "I don't understand how you can see Racetrack in that light. I mean, c'mon, the guy's half an inch taller than you, and he always teases you about the way you walk!"
"For one thing, he's three-fourths of an inch taller than me-" Camden glared at her friend. "-And he only made fun of me that one time when I sprained my ankle! Even I joked about how I walked!"
"Okay…" Ellie rolled her eyes. "How about I make him something… nah, arts and crafts aren't really my thing, and my sewing looks like some housewife had too much gin…" Camden laughed at the joke, and Ellie sighed dramatically. "What am I going to do, Cam?"
"How about a book?" Ellie stopped so suddenly, that at first Camden didn't realize it.
"That's a great idea!" Ellie, who didn't seem entirely on Earth, stated. "I'll… I'll get him Shakespeare! He always looks lost when I talk about A Midsummer Night's Dream, anyway. And then, maybe, he'll realize how I feel about him!" She hugged her friend. "Cam, you're a genius!" Her face fell. "Wait… what if he does feel the same way?"
Camden stared at the girl in front of her. Ellie had never looked so scared or venerable since the redhead had known her. All she wanted to do was tell her that, yes, Jack felt the same way, but, unfortunately, no one really knew. The signs were all there, and he'd practically told Racetrack that day before he got sick… but it wasn't set in stone.
Camden, being a girl, and therefore much more experienced in these matters, pretty much had him figured out, though. It was just a matter of time before they found out about the other one. Camden thought it would be fun to see how this all panned out, and if her friend's heart got broken, then she would just have to deal with the guilt…
And beat the living daylights out of Cowboy.
-x-x-
"Hey Cowboy!" Ellie exclaimed, running to catch up with Jack. She grabbed a paper out of his hands and began intently reading the stories. "What's new, newsie?" she giggled. The doubtful glance Jack sent in her direction made her smirk. "Medda taught me that one."
"Yeah, I kinda guessed dat," Jack rolled his eyes and continued walking down the street, barely looking at her.
"Hey, what's up with you?" Ellie asked, looking concerned. "You're being all quiet, and pensive, and… un-Jack-like. Are you actually thinking for once? Gasp!" She gave him a look of mock surprise.
"Shut up, Mouth," Jack muttered, handing a paper to a tall, elderly gentleman. Ellie knew he was serious, and it only confused her more. Jack never said "Shut up, Mouth," and actually meant it.
"Okay, now I know something's wrong," Ellie stated. There was no reply from Jack; he just continued walking down the sidewalk and selling papers. He didn't even look at her, and his expression was an unhappy one. "What's wrong, Jack?" When he didn't answer, she grabbed his arm and dragged him into a nearby alley.
"Hey! What's ya problem?" Jack shouted, acting as if he hadn't heard a single word she'd said.
"What's your problem, moron? You've barely said two words to me this morning! Actually, you've said three; shut, up, and Mouth. Now, maybe it's me, you're normally much more talkative. Jack, I can tell when something's wrong. Tell me."
"Nutin's wrong! Leave me alone!" Jack exclaimed, brushing angrily past the short brunette. Ellie was stunned. He had never yelled at her like that. At least, not without good reason. And, until he spoke to her, he didn't have a good reason.
She ran up to him and grabbed his arm, but he didn't stop walking. "Jack, maybe something's wrong with you, and maybe you don't want to talk to me about it. I can accept that. Just don't go all freaky on me and get mad at me for no reason, okay?"
He stopped and turned to her, his brow a thunderhead of emotions. Finally, he calmed down, and his expression softened. "Sorry, Ells. I didn' mean ta get mad at ya like dat."
Ellie nodded understandingly. "It's okay. I know what it feels like to become a different person for three or four days." He looked confused. "Womanly body functions," she explained in a low voice. Jack still didn't understand, but he didn't press any further. Some things were better left unexplained.
"It's jus'… it's me birthday an' all comin' up, an'… I jus' kinda wish my Ma was heah."
Ellie realized that, for all the time she spent not talking about her family, Jack spoke about his even less. In fact, she had never known anything about his family, aside from the fact that they were Irish.
"Is she…?" Ellie didn't want to say the word out loud.
"She died, Ellie. She died when I'se was seven." He frowned, and she felt very sorry for him.
Ellie had the overwhelming urge to throw her arms around Jack and shout "It's okay, Jack, I'm here for you!" but she wanted to let him finish his story, and, besides, that would attract too much unwanted attention.
"She died da day befoah my birthday. I nevah really liked birthdays aftah dat." Jack finished with a sigh. He felt a sympathetic arm wrap around his waist, and looked down to see Ellie hugging him gently.
"It's okay, Jack," she whispered, looking up at him with bright eyes. It took him a moment to realize that her eyes were bright with tears. "I'm here for you."
Jack thought this seemed like a very poetic moment in the relationship of the two of them, but then he reformed his thought: Shakespeare couldn't hold a candle to this moment.
Author's Note of the Chapter: Since my last author's note got deleted last time, I'll make this quick: blah, blah, not much to say, blah, blah, they deleted LegallyRed's story, blah, blah, go on strike! Blah, blah, blah, soak 'em, fer Kathy!
