Chapter 192: Time Square
Tuesday, January 17th, Evening
The crowds moved about in their organized, but a disorganized way. People were moving in one direction of travel or another. Standing there in the middle of Time Square, she looked around and was picking out people. As she looked around the area, she leaned against the Recruiting Station that was just north of 43rd Street.
Ellie looked around the southern part of Time Square. She counted the people and noticed there were several different types. She slowly classified them on the basis if they were local or not. She quickly bored of people watching and pulled out her smartphone.
It's time to start heading to where she was meeting someone. Ellie put her smartphone away and pushed off the building. She crossed Seventh Avenue and headed north.
Once she crossed 45th Street, she was technically on Broadway, which is, for the next two blocks, a pedestrian plaza. Being part of the crowd was one of the reasons she liked living in NYC. Ellie liked being the small fish in the ocean, rather than being a large fish in a small pond.
Once she crossed 46th Street, she was officially in Duffy Square, the north part of Time Square. Walking along 46th Street, she came to a statue of George M. Cohen. Ellie could see one of several desnudas models walking around for tips. There was one time she considered doing that to pay the bills when she moved to New York.
Ellie turned to look at the statue and pretended to read it, to avoid the NYPD from hassling her. After a minute, she looked up to see Dawson walking over to the statue. Ellie smiled and walked over to him.
"Hey," Ellie said.
"Hey," Dawson said, looking around the mass of people that moves through Time Square, uncomfortably.
"Let's get out of her," Ellie said.
Dawson nodded, and they headed off. They found a place nearby and got a table. A waiter came over, and they ordered some drinks and something to pick on. Ellie nodded and looked at Dawson.
"Why did you pick Time Square to meet?" Dawson asked.
"It's close to where we usually meet, but also close to the friend's house I'm staying at," Ellie said.
"Couch surfing?" Dawson asked.
"You can say that," Ellie said.
"Why are you?" Dawson asked.
"As you know, I'm heading home for a few weeks," Ellie said.
"Lease was up?" Dawson asked.
"You can say that," Ellie said.
"So, when do you leave again?" Dawson asked.
"Tomorrow night," Ellie said.
"So, this is goodbye?" Dawson asked.
Ellie shrugged, "More an intermission, I'm planning to return," she said.
The waiter delivered their drinks and food. Once he left, Ellie looked at Dawson and sipped her drink. Dawson nodded, with a neutral expression.
"How long do you think you'll be gone?" Dawson asked, and picked at the food on the table.
"Maybe a few weeks, at the most," Ellie said.
"Is there a lot going on down there?" Dawson asked.
"Yeah, and get to see some of my family," Ellie said.
"Is this drama in your life the reason you're heading home?" Dawson asked.
"You know about that?" Ellie asked.
Dawson shrugged, "I've heard things, people talk," he said.
"As I've said earlier, it's because my dad is getting an honor," Ellie said.
Dawson nodded, "So, why have this get together?" he asked.
"Because you're a friend," Ellie said, "And you deserve the time to ask why I'm leaving."
"I see," Dawson said, dismissively.
"It's all true," Ellie said.
Ellie nodded and took a sip of her drink. She reached for some of the food they ordered to pick on. Dawson looked across the table at her. Ellie smiled.
"What?" Dawson asked.
"I was wondering if you were going to miss me," Ellie said.
Dawson nodded, "Of course I will," he said.
"Well, you could text, call, and facetime me," Ellie said.
"Yeah?" Dawson asked.
"Sure, I'd like to hear from you," Ellie said.
"Okay," Dawson said.
"Don't sound so excited," Ellie said.
"Well, how should I sound, you're going away for an undisclosed amount of time, and all you could say is call me," Dawson said.
"What else would like you like me to do?" Ellie asked.
"I don't know," Dawson said, "Maybe more."
Ellie nodded, "I see," she said.
"See what?" Dawson asked.
"Nothing," Ellie said.
"It's not nothing," Dawson said.
"It's just me overreacting," Ellie said, "My recent drama has made me a bit touchy." Ellie nodded and smiled at Dawson. It was genuine, but one put on to put Dawson at ease. Ellie is many things, but she's not a fool. Dawson wants more from her, which she on principle, but she's not ready. Ellie studied Dawson, she liked getting physical, but she needs more, she needs an emotional connection, and if they had one she wasn't sure.
"What happened?" Dawson asked.
"I don't want to go too deep, but someone took advantage," Ellie said.
Dawson nodded, "Oh my," he said.
Ellie nodded, "Yeah, that's my drama, and part of the reason, I'm going away," she said.
"Were the police involved?" Dawson asked.
Ellie shook her head, "No, it didn't get that far," she said.
Dawson nodded, "That's good to know," he said, Ellie noted he was either a) not sure how to respond, or b) indifferent.
"Still messed up," Ellie said.
"Without a doubt," Dawson said.
"Yeah, without a doubt," Ellie said.
"So Ellie, what things are there to do, where are you going?" Dawson asked.
Ellie shrugged, "What is there to do in a small town," she said.
Dawson shrugged, "I don't know, never been, doesn't sound like much," he said.
Ellie shook her head and took a sip of her drink. After she swallowed the liquid, she reached over to the food and picked at it.
"You're close," Ellie said, quietly, and Dawson just nodded.