Chapter 508: The Met
Friday, February 17th, Afternoon
The two women stood looking over the Antonio Canova sculpture called Perseus with the Head of Medusa. The taller blonde looked over at the classically styled statue and nodded. The shorter brunette nodded and looked it over. They both sighed.
The blonde looked at the brunette and nodded. The brunette looked up and tilted her head.
"Imagine being the man who had to carve some of the features of these statues," Trin said.
"They probably had many firsthand experiences with the real deal," Ellie said.
"What are you saying?" Trin asked.
"It was a different time," Ellie said.
"In some ways, better and others worse," Trin said.
"Yeah," Ellie said.
Trin nodded, "So, are you ready to go back?" she asked.
Ellie shrugged, "In some ways, yes, others no," she said.
"You want to be here, don't you?" Trin asked.
Ellie nodded, "I do; at first, I didn't, but over the years, being here with you, Wyatt, and even Fallon, I do like it here," she said.
"Ainsley?" Trin asked.
"I don't…." Ellie started to say.
"Did I hear my name," a dusky-skinned dark-haired woman said as she walked over to them.
Ellie just nodded and clamped her mouth shut.
Trin rolled her eyes, "Just great," she said.
"Libby, what a surprise to see you here," Ainsley Wilcox said, pushing her way between the two women, and then turned to look at Trin, "Oh, you're here too, Trin."
"Of course, I'm here," Trin said.
Ainsley looked up at the sculpture. She made a face and looked at Ellie. "That's rather big," she said.
Ellie shrugged, "It's a larger-than-life statue," she said.
"Libby, could you imagine something like that angry?" Ainsley asked.
"Not something I want to talk about," Ellie said.
"Oh come on, Libby, how does it compare to Dawson, or is it Bietio?" Ainsley asked.
"What?" Ellie asked.
"Come on; you don't think I didn't know or would have found out?" Ainsley asked.
"I wasn't, or should I say that it's none of your business," Ellie said.
"I went to high school with Bietio," Ainsley said, taking a hard edge.
"So?" Ellie asked.
"Also, you went to see the friends at our hang out?" Ainsley asked accusingly.
"They're my friends," Ellie said.
"They were my friends first," Ainsley said, "I introduced you to them."
"Yeah, and I built a relationship with them," Ellie said.
"What about our relationship, Libby?" Ainsley said, turning to Ellie; they were now face-to-face.
"We're friends," Ellie said.
"We're more than friends," Ainsley said.
Trin stopped over to Ainsley and turned her around. The shorter brunette looked at the taller woman. "Why don't you leave her alone?" Trin asked.
"Why are you butting in, Trin?" Ainsley asked.
"That's what friends do," Trin said.
"Even butting into a friends' romantic relationship," Ainsley said.
"Romantic relationship?" Ellie asked.
Ainsley turned and looked at Ellie. "Yes, we have a romantic relationship," she said.
"When did this happen?" Ellie asked.
"When we slept together," Ainsley said.
"When did we sleep together?" Ellie asked.
"Every time I stayed over your house," Ainsley said.
Ellie nodded and laughed, "You mean when you would sneak into my bed after I went to sleep?" she asked.
"Yes," Ainsley said.
"We never had sex," Ellie said.
"Not yet," Ainsley said.
"Never," Ellie said.
Trin grabbed Ainsley and placed herself physically between Ainsley and Ellie. They looked at each other, and Ainsley looked around.
"I would leave if I were you," Trin said.
"Why?" Ainsley said.
"Because you're not welcome in our company," Trin said.
"Libby didn't say that, only you, Trin," Ainsley said.
Ellie shook her head, "No, Ainsley, I didn't say that," she said.
"See, Trin, you don't have to stay here," Ainsley said.
"That's true as well," Ellie said.
Trin turned and looked at Ellie. "What?" Trin asked.
"So, Libby, let's go and talk about us," Ainsley said.
Ellie shook her head, "No," she said.
"Sure, we can…what? What did you say, Libby?" Ainsley asked.
"I said no," Ellie said. Trin was standing there smiling proudly…
Ainsley looked at Ellie. "Where does this spine come from, Libby?" Ainsley asked, her voice taking a malicious coloring. "No, no, I don't like this at all."
"I've always had a spine," Ellie said.
Ainsley shook her head. "No, you haven't," she said.
"You don't know anything about me, Ainsley," Ellie said.
"What do you mean?" Ainsley asked.
"You don't know who I am, where I am from, what I've done, what I've been through, and never tried to get to know me," Ellie said.
"I know plenty about you," Ainsley said.
Ellie shook her head, "You know what I chose to share," she said.
"I know you're a good writer; how else could you afford that townhouse," Ainsley said.
Ellie smiled, "It's my dad's; it's the house I was born in," she said.
Ainsley looked sideways at her. "Who's your dad?" she asked.
"Lucas Scott," Ellie said.
"Who?" Ainsley asked.
"The author," Trin said.
"Yeah? What did he write?" Ainsley asked.
"The Ravens series," Trin said.
"Oh!" Ainsley said.
"Now you know why I've been taking my time with publishing my second book," Ellie said.
"Second Book?" Ainsley said.
"Don't worry about it," Ellie said.
"I, I, I…." Ainsley said.
"I'll finish the sentence for you, Ainsley; I'm just leaving," Ellie said.
"I, I, I…." Ainsley said.
"Bye, Ainsley," Ellie said.
Ainsley walked away, drifting towards the door.
"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Trin said.
Ellie and Trin shook their heads and turned back to the sculpture. They shook their heads and looked at each other.
"Ainsley does have one point," Ellie said.
Trin canted her head, "That would be?" she asked.
"That it is rather impressive," Ellie said.
Trin laughed and shook her head. Ellie smiled and shook her head.
"Trin," Ellie said.
"Yes," Trin said.
"I may never say this enough, but I really appreciate your friendship," Ellie said.
Trin nodded, "Thanks, and I do too," she said.
Ellie smiled and looked up at the sculpture and smiled.
