Chapter 2: Getting Ready

Ellie left the Dot and started for home. She was actually excited to be going out and doing something. Alex was a pretty exciting person to hang out with. They had had fun playing Euchre with the gang last year. Ellie approached her house and opened the door with her key. Her mother wasn't home yet, so she'd probably just leave a note for her mom to read when she got home. Ellie walked up the stairs and approached her room, She dropped her coat and bag on the bed and decided to take a shower. Not that any one at these parties is particularly clean, Ellie thought. Fifteen minutes later, she was in her robe searching for something to wear. She decided on a black tank top, black mesh long-sleeved cover-up, and dark wash jeans. For shoes, she would wear her flats, because the boots honestly weren't that comfortable. Ellie dressed in her chosen outfit and quickly blew dry her hair. She was gonna wear, it up, but decided to let the loose curls naturally fall around her face. Instead of bringing a big bag, Ellie rummaged through her closet until she found what she was looking for: a small wristlet. It was black and the zipper buckle was a silver and rhinestoned skull & crossbones. Sean had given it to her for Christmas one year; that and a key chain with a black heart and her initials monogrammed on it. Ellie really loved it when he gave it to her and she still did to this very day. The gift held a special memory for her. The night Sean had given it to her was the night he had told her he loved her.

Rrring. Jolted out of her memories by the ringing of her cell phone, Ellie ran to her nightstand to answer it. It was Alex: "Hey Ellie, I know we agreed to meet at 8:00, but maybe you could meet me at 7:30 instead. Ok good it's settled. 7:30 outside the Dot. Bye." Click. She hung up without giving Ellie a chance to interject, but she had no problem meeting a half hour earlier. She looked at the time. It was 7:00. Ellie grabbed her black eyeliner, keys, cell phone, and a small tube of lip gloss. All the essentials, she thought to herself. She proceeded to shut off the light in her room and went down the stairs. She glanced at the wall clock in the kitchen. 7:04. Well, Ellie thought to herself, I might as well leave now. So she headed toward the door, locked the door, and went out the door. Ellie, in a suddenly chipper mood because she was actually going out with a friend to an actual party, headed back to the Dot, where she had only been hours ago, sulking because of her loneliness.

Ellie arrived at the Dot at exactly 7:16. It had taken her 12 minutes to get there. She decided to go inside and wait at her usual table, except this time, she wouldn't order anything. "Well, if it isn't the magnificent Ellie Nash." Ellie heard a familiar voice behind her: "Craig! When did you get back? Why are you back?" Ellie asked excitedly. "I got back this morning because. . . well, Manny missed me and begged me to come back." "What?' Ellie blurted out in disbelief, "you gave up the record deal of a lifetime for her?" "Well,yea." Craig responded sheepishly. "But Craig, this was your dream!" Ellie responded. "They'll be other deals, hopefully, but I really have to go. I'm meeting Manny, so I'll talk to you later. Bye Ellie." "Bye" Ellie said quietly as Craig left the Dot. Just as Craig was leaving, Alex pulled up in a car. If you could even call it that. It was rusting in every place imaginable and the front bumper was, umm, falling off. Or it may have fallen off and somebody did a not-so-good job fixing it. Anyways, Ellie got up from her table and ran over to the car were Alex was sitting. Alex rolled down the passenger side window and yelled to Ellie, "C'mon Nash! Get in so we can get movin! The party will be over by the time we get there!" Ellie quickly got in and buckled up. Well, she thought to herself, this should be an adventure! Alex revved up the engine and off the pair went to the Ravine.