A loud bell once again rang in the distance. Breakfast. Ellie heard the bell and slowly got herself out of bed and walked over to Joel.
"Hey." she shook his arm. "Hey. It's time for breakfast," she whispered. Joel stirred and eventually opened his tired eyes.
"Dammit, girl. Don't you think we could've waited a little bit?" he said in a groggy state.
"Yeah, well if we waited any longer, I never would've gotten your ass up. Besides, I'm starving."
Ellie and Joel walked quietly on their way to the dining hall. Joel became a bit more relaxed around the other townspeople, but Ellie was still distant towards them. She didn't really know them that well and was pretty timid around them.
The two walked into the dining room and sat down in their usual spot near the door.
"I'll get the food," Joel offered unsteadily.
Her eyes scanned the room anxiously. "You sure?"
"Ellie…" he replied, slightly annoyed by her questions this early in the morning.
She sighed. "Fine. But don't take too long." He got up and slowly walked towards the mass of people serving food.
Ellie kept her eyes towards the front of room, her eyes drifting from one area to the next, hoping that she wouldn't spot that one specific person she had in mind.
"Oh, hi Ellie!" a very recognizable and bothersome voice perked up for right.
God fucking dammit.
"Oh hi, Tanya."
Tanya was wearing a rather skimpy sleep-type outfit for Ellie's taste that made her crinkle her nose at.
"Hey, you haven't happened to see Joel anywhere have you?" she said with a visual false smile that made Ellie's skin crawl.
"Uhh, nope. Sorry. I haven't seen him anywhere," she fabricated.
Tanya frowned. "Hmm, that's odd. You guys are always together."
She shrugged back in response. "Well I don't know what else to tell you."
Tanya squinted her eyes and scowled. She lifted her gaze towards the serving area and seemed to have recognized someone that caught her attention. She left quickly without saying a word to Ellie.
"Bitch," Ellie mutters under her breath.
Joel was serving himself from hash browns and oatmeal when he heard a person approach him from behind and tap him on the shoulder.
"You're Joel, right?" a woman with dark hair and blue eyes. She seemed familiar…
"Uh, yeah."
"I'm Tanya." She smiled brightly and reached her hand out, asking for a handshake.
Joel raised an eyebrow and looked at her hand. She got the hint and awkwardly retracted her hand back down to her side.
"I, uh, think we've met before. A couple weeks back? It was at breakfast."
"Yeah, yeah I remember," Joel replied quietly. Goddamnit. He's terrible with women. How do you think his last relationship went?
"Oh! Well actually I meant to ask you something-"
"There you are, Joel!" a small voice called from behind. Ellie trotted to Joel's side immediately. "Man, I've been lookin' everywhere for you!" Ellie said with a big bright smile.
Joel's expression turned very confused. Tanya's face went slightly irritated. She looked straight at Ellie for a long time, then back at Joel.
"Come on, Joel! I'm fucking starving!" Ellie said in a somewhat proud fashion, keeping the smug smile on her face that she flashed briefly towards the woman.
Ellie pulled Joel harshly in the other direction until she was far away from Tanya.
"Joel?! What the hell?"
"What?" he whispered back.
She pouted. "You're not…you're not gonna be talkin' to her a lot, will you?"
He smirked. "Relax, Ellie. I don't have any intention's on talkin' to her, okay?"
She took in a deep breath. "Good. I don't like her."
Joel laughed. "Come on, Ellie. Let's get somethin' to eat."
"Joel? You gotta sec?" Tommy said. Joel turned around from the machine he was working on. He was sweating from working in the engine room for the generators at the power plant all afternoon. He took one of the small towels hanging on the wall and wiped his forehead.
"Um, I guess so. Make it quick. I ain't got all day."
Tommy pulled him to the side. "So, have you got any idea who this girl named Tanya is?"
Joel slightly rolled his tired eyes and nodded.
Tommy shook his head in understanding. "She's been takin' quite an interest in you. I think you should go for it. It would be good for you-"
"Tommy, please. I have work to do and I have to get back to Ellie in about an hour or two, I do not have time for your datin' advice-"
"Joel," Tommy cut him off sternly. "All I am sayin' is just give it a chance, okay? That's all I'm askin'. Talk to her. You might find out you like her."
"Tommy, what about Ellie? How do you think that will make her feel?"
"Joel, Tanya seems to love Ellie. She can't stop talking about her."
Joel sighed and knew that it was completely pointless to argue with his younger brother. "Fine. But, I ain't promising anything."
Ellie nervously fiddled with her thumbs, sat on the bed, got up, sat down, and then started pacing the floor.
Where the hell was that asshole? I swear if he's talking to that Tanya girl…
She kept walking around and around, checking the window in her small bedroom every once in a while. She wasn't really used to being away from Joel for this long. She heard the front door open from downstairs and instantaneously skipped down the steps; eager to meet the one person she's been anticipating to see all day.
"What took you so damn long?!" Ellie exclaimed loudly. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck in a short but sweet hug.
"Ellie, I was only gone for a few hours."
She smiled cowardly and looked down at her feet. "I know, but, I was just worried that something was gonna happen-"
"Ellie. I'm fine. Look? See? I'm here."
Ellie breathed out slowly and nodded. Joel dropped his bag at the foot of the door and walked to the kitchen to start on some dinner.
"Oh Ellie. Tommy kept talkin' to me about that girl, Tanya. She's still sayin' she wants to meet with you sometime. Tommy thinks we could have her over for dinner tomorrow night."
Ellie's stomach dropped. "Oh. Uh, yeah. That sounds fine. I guess." Goddamnit. Ellie turned slowly and walked up the steps.
"Hey, Ellie wait. You okay? I'm fixing supper that'll be ready in a minute."
She turned and faced him, trying to hold back tears in her eyes. It wasn't jealousy. Just disappointment. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be down in a little bit."
She ran to her bedroom and sat down on her bed, nervously twisting her thumbs around again. Submersing her head in her pillow, tears of frustration and regret slowly fall down her cheek. She was going to make sure that woman didn't ruin their peaceful life that they've just now established. No one got in their way before, and it wasn't going to start now.
Ahh yes! The chapter that was supposed to be up literally 3 weeks ago is up now :3
I am super excited for the next couple of chapters. It's gonna get pretty intense. Thank you so much for ready and I hope you enjoy! :D