A Matter of Time

by Ducibus

Meet me, fifteen years old and living in a cordyceps-raged era in a hydroelectric plant. Meet this auburn-haired chick with a unknown history who just arrived. Meet her guardian and mentor, the brother of one of the leaders of the dam. I'd say come and join us on this adventure...but you're already doing it.

7. The Search for the Guitar

Seeing the support this has gotten since it's been re-published is awesome. Thank you all for your kind words!
I'll be leaving for a few days, so enjoy this next chapter in my absence. More fluffiness/emotional drama rather than physical.
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

Joel glances at me as I tighten my drawstring to my back. It's early, too early for my liking, but I did make a promise that I'd help to look for a guitar.

My mind flashes to Ellie. That lucky duck. At least she gets to sleep in this morning.

Nothing much had happened since the confession and the nightmares. We became...closer. And not just in the physical sense with the whole "sharing-a-bed" deal that night. We started telling each other more stories about our lives, our journeys, the people and friends we made and met only to lose them prematurely.

Yet Riley remained a touchy subject. I had to respect the fact that there were obvious aspects we were hiding from each other. There was, perhaps, a reason I did not like a gun. There was, perhaps, a reason Ellie kept her arm wrapped. In time, perhaps, we'd let the other know.

And there was the whole David thing. The way she squirmed that night and hot tears streamed down her face.

"You ready?" Joel asks in his thick Texan drawl. I nod, falling in step behind him, "Yup."

We make a trek across the town, Joel giving a wave to the border patrol to let us exit through the large gates. As they snap shut behind us, I can't help an odd combination of fear and excitement from coursing through my veins. It's the first time in a long time that I've been let out, back into the world forgotten. The reality I'd pushed back that was drowned in clickers and bloaters and death and gore and cracks of bullets sent forth from a trigger-pulled gun.

Joel and I don't talk much. I know there's an obvious father side to him, the way he carefully wrapped Ellie's arm, the way he protected her. But his demeanor now suggests...a little less of that for me.

I guess I'm saying I feel as if we're caught in a nasty gang of clickers Joel would trip me and then run himself.

Should I attempt small talk? Or just stay in silence? As I debate this, a question breaks my train of thought, "Ellie said that, er, the school would be starting soon?"

"Yup." I give a nod. Although I don't know much of the school, I did attend it when we arrived back in April. That's where I met the majority of the kids I know now.

Joel nods and we continue on, going a good distance before coming upon a stately ranch house. He kicks the door open, then motions for me to follow.

Inside, it's beautiful. I take the upstairs and glance inside of the bedrooms. A boy's room, jerseys and sports paraphernalia covering the walls. A school picture lies carefully on his nightstand, and I pick it up. The year? 2012-2013. The year before the outbreak. He's got sandy hair, wide green eyes, and a stretched smile from ear to ear.

Is he alive? That's the only thought I can manage. Or did he die? The picture-perfect schoolboy the night of the outbreak, crumpled on the dark pavement, nursing a wound as he bleeds profusely on the asphalt of his driveway, crying out for help.

"Maria?" I put the picture down with a jolt, grateful for Joel to break my boundless train of thought, my gruesome daydream. Turning to face him, "Yeah?"

"Nah, you were just...quiet. Made me think something happened." He doesn't go past the doorway and instead turns around, heading back down the hallway.

I flop back on the bed, taking in the room, the world and how it was and how it is now. Then I roll back onto my feet and scour for video games and DVD's, with the thought of the guitar kept in mind.
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

Joel calls for a break a few hours after searching the first home and countless others. I've found numerous games and videos, and even some clothes which don't even look used.

My ankle still gives a twinge of pain if I roll it in the wrong direction, and I'm glad for the break. As we sit in the living room, sipping water from our bottles and eating apples, "Y'know, I always liked this time of year."

I turn to face Joel, his eyes gazing out the window, the weariness lost as the wrinkles are covered by sunlight, "There was always this...excitement, to get back to school."

I swallow the bite of apple I've thoroughly chewed, wiping my mouth on my back of my hand, "Really? I've never liked school."

"Well," Joel pauses to chuckle, turning to face me, "not so much for the academics, but...more so for the times you had with your friends."

"What were some of the things you did with your friends?"

"Now that is a question." He laughs again, and then sighs, a hand brought to his chin in thought. "Sometimes, after practice, we'd take the biggest pickup we could find, load it up with as much of the team as we could, and take off down the street to the nearest deli at break neck speeds."

"Was anyone hurt?"

"Oh, of course. They flew off the bed of the truck."

I bring my eyebrows together, "That doesn't sound so safe."

Joel laughs again, his eyes lit with the memories of his past. "Nobody was too hurt, though. It was all just...boys being boys, I guess."

The memory is gone and the weariness returns as he rises, "We should keep looking."

"Okay."
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

"Joel, what are these?"

He comes to my side and inspects the box, "Oh, those are sparklers."

"What are they?" I push on, examining the contents of the faded blue box.

"It's hard to explain. Tell you what. As soon as we get back, I'll let you and Ellie light them up."

"Are they like fireworks?" I ask, and he shakes his head, "Not quite."

I tuck them in my pack for later. I lost track of the houses we've visited a while back, but I didn't mind getting all this stuff. Plus I found a ton of batteries. Which are good for anything, really.

Joel leaves me to the middle floor as he takes the bedrooms. I do a quick loop around the house, opening up the doors, occasionally kicking them open. But there's not much else.

"Maria!" His voice pierces the once silent air, and I dash up the steps, "Yeah?"

"I think I found something." As I push back the door to a bedroom, I catch sight of a faithful six-string resting in the corner. It's a mess, but it's all cosmetic wear and damage.

Joel turns to face me with a grin, "You think it works?"

"Sure! It's just...hm." I cross the room and pick it up gingerly, examining the body and neck. Faded and worn and scratched up pretty bad.

"I know someone who might be able to fix it." I remark, and his grin grows wider, "Really? Well, that certainly makes things easier."

I let Joel carry, as he's obviously had more experience with these sorts of things, and we begin to head back. The sun is low in the sky. Closer to sunset than I thought.

He's still in a good mood, and I think, What the hell, let me butcher it.

"Joel, who's...David?"

Stops him dead in his tracks, and I continue walking forward, turning backwards when I realize he hasn't stayed in step beside me.

When I catch sight of the previously cheery face...all colored has drained. He looks like I've kicked his puppy. Or punted it in a game of pick up soccer. Or ran it over gruesomely with a truck. Multiple times.

"Joel...?" My tone doesn't hide how uneasy this makes me, and suddenly emotion pours back into his face, quick and heavy as he narrows his eyes at me, "Who told you about David?"

He approaches me fast, and I scoot backwards so quickly I wind up on my ass. Then I look up at him, trying not to grimace at the bright sunlight behind him, "E-Ellie did. She...she was having a nightmare and mentioned him."

Joel keeps his eyes on me, and I feel myself being dissected under his strong gaze. Thoughts run rapid fire through my mind, mostly along the lines of ohshitohshitohshit...!

"And Ellie didn't tell you?" His tone reminds me of the lightning before the crack of thunder. Just a glimpse at what's to come.

"N-no sir." I shake my head for emphasis. Then Joel does something that surprises me. He motions for me to scooch over, and then plops down beside me, heaving a sigh. The guitar is laid on the ground behind him.

"Maria..." He begins, leaning back on his hands, and turning to face me, "There are no shortage of bad things in this broken world."

I give a nod, wondering if he's going to strangle me after reciting poetry.

"And Ellie...Ellie was caught up in it."

No.

"David was the name of the man who captured her...and what happened to her after that...she doesn't like to tell the tale."

"So...I guess you're gonna tell it for her." I supply, hoping to be helpful, then failing.

"Maria." He gives me a stern look, and I drop my gaze down to my faded shoes. The right one's untied. "Right. I'll be serious."

"Ellie was almost raped by David."

Not her. Not my best friend. My stomach feels as if it's practically dropped down to my shoes. Not the girl with the big grin and green eyes. Please, no.

"I-I don't know what to say." I manage after a few moments of suffocating silence, and Joel shrugs, "I wasn't sure whether she was gonna tell you on her own or let it go."

I keep my focus on my shoes, and Joel nudges me, "You okay? You're quiet again."

"Yeah. I-I just...um..." Even I can hear how thick my voice is, and I try swallow past an unbearable lump in my throat. Then he rolls onto his feet, standing in front of me, offering a hand, "C'mon. Let's go."

I take his calloused hand and let him haul me to my feet, wiping my eyes when he's turned his back to pick up the guitar.

I'm so sorry, Ellie.
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

"You chickenshit!" Ellie practically tackles me with a hug as I enter the compound again, and it's all I can do to hug her back, "You loser."

Then, as she pulls away, I give a cocky grin, "Was someone missing me today?"

"Pfft. Get off your high horse, because I got to spend the WHOLE day at the stables!"

"Yeah. I'm glad I was gone."

Joel walks by me, the guitar skillfully hidden at his side, and gives a wave to her, "Hey Ellie."

Casual as he can. Ellie gives a wave back, then turns to me, one eyebrow poised, "You went out of the compound with Joel?"

"Oh yeah. Big group of raiders. He wanted my help to shoot them all down because I'm aces with a gun."

To this Ellie laughs, then shoves me, "Not cool. I still want in on this shooting action."

"Don't hold your breath." I tease, and she settles for slugging me on the shoulder, hard. She grins as I wince, "That's what I thought."

We head back into town, and she glances at my pack, "Someone's been looting! Show me what shit you got!"

"Hey!" I manage, as she playfully wrestles me out of my drawstring. As soon as she's got it untangled from my back she heads off down the street, holding it over her head, "Come and get me!"

I put on a burst of speed and take off after her. She wasn't expecting a serious challenge, but turning and catching a glimpse of me running full force at her, "Oh shit."

Her short legs and height difference have no effect on me, and I manage to tackle her on the grass lining the roads, still cautious with my cry of, "Watch the bag!"

Ellie laughs, tossing it ahead of her as she takes the brunt of the fall. I suddenly realize my arms are around her waist in my tackling efforts, and quickly unhinge from her, rolling onto my feet and grabbing my bag.

"You would've smashed all the cool games I found. Also these sparkler thingamajigs."

"Oooh, gimme." Ellie reaches for the faded blue box, and I hold them above my head, just out of reach, "Better luck next time, squirt."

"Assclown." She mutters, giving me a glare. It would've been intimidating had I not started laughing, "Assclown?"

"Yeah. Assclown. Like dickhead, but I like it just that much more."
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

The grill at Tommy's house is put to good use. My mouth practically waters at the delicious aromas rising from the ribs. He turns them quickly, enjoying his audience of one (a.k.a me), "You hungry?"

"Starved." Granola bars and apples just don't fill you up after you've gotten the taste of pizza and barbecue. Joel and blonde Maria laze on the back deck, talking defensive strategies for the plant, and Ellie attempts to sunbathe in the hammock.

"Ellie!" Joel calls, and she shields his eyes, turning to look at him, "Hm?"

"Go get your board. Have Maria teach you a few tricks." I give him an incredulous look to this suggestion, and he winks at me. Ellie groans, hand above her eyes, "Can't Maria get it? I'm too tired."

"She did muck out half the stables." Maria remarks, and Joel waves off Ellie dismissively, "Alright, fine."

So I cross the green grass of the yard and fall sideways on top of Ellie, "Hi!"

She makes her wounded animal noise, followed with, "Assclown."

"You're certainly charming." I remark, and she moves over, leaving just enough room for me to squeeze into the hammock.

"I'd be nice to me. I have the sparklers." I remind her, and she groans, "Okay, okay, I get it."

A half hour later and the food is done. Ellie and I just about trample over each other to try and reach it first, attempting to trip each other and push the other one down.

We sit on the picnic table on the back deck, and Maria gives me a smile, "It's great to see you and Ellie so close after the ice cream incident."

"Yeah." Ellie swallows her bite of food before elbowing my ribs, "Who would've thought strawberry ice cream could've brought us so close."

"You never know." Tommy adds, and Ellie faces Joel and Tommy, her eyebrow poised once more, "How are you both managing to not get barbecue sauce all over your beards?"

Maria and I snort trying to hold back our laughter. Tommy chuckles, and Joel sighs, "Would you just eat, Ellie?"

"I'm deathly curious." But she shuts up and goes back to each, matching me rib for rib. The fresh meat is delicious, and I start feeling full early on. Perhaps Ellie does too, since her pace is slowing down.

However, being the competitive souls we are, we won't let the other one win the silent rib eating contest going on between us. Tommy faces me, "Taking a breather?"

"Yeah." I sip from my glass of water, then reach for another rib. Ellie's game again, and she attempts to match me as we gear up for round two. Finally, nearing the end, she heaves a sigh, remarking with stuffed cheeks, "I can't take another bite."

"Don't make yourself sick. I already see your face turning green." Maria adds, and Ellie leans forward, letting the unchewed contents of her mouth drop onto her plate.

"You are so classy." I say, and she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, eyeing me, "What?"

I eat another rib just to safely secure my position, feeling myself pushing against my own limits, then place the bone on my plate.

"That was great. Thank you, Tommy." See? I'm courteous as a guest.

He chuckles, and tips his glass to me, "Glad to hear it."

"I'm going to be sick." Ellie manages, holding her stomach. Joel laughs, pausing to add, "Then don't take on an eating competition with Maria."

"How did you know about that?" I ask, and he grins, "When I look over and see Ellie stuffing her face just as much and as fast as you."

"Well then." I guess you can't really argue with that evidence. Maria takes pity on Ellie, "Go on upstairs and take a shower. Me and the other Maria will clean up."

Ellie doesn't argue as she leaves the table.
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

I help wash dishes with Maria in the kitchen, drying the utensils and plates and cups and placing them back into the worn cupboards. It's a nice work setup, with my height just being an added benefit.

Finally, as we're nearing finishing, "I want to say thanks, Maria."

I use my rag and scrub the inside of a cup dry, "Why?"

"For being friends with Ellie. I know she's hard to get through...but she thinks you're pretty cool. She won't stop talking about playing video games with you or all the jokes you make." Maria's smiling at me, a true smile of gratitude. "You're a really good friend to her."

"Aw, shucks." I chuckle, and then let a grin grow on my face, "I'm...lucky to hear that. She's pretty awesome too. Don't forget to tell her that."

"I won't." And we go back to cleaning.
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

"Unless you're turned on by boobs, I suggest turning around." Ellie remarks, her auburn hair dark with water as it hangs by her shoulders. She's wrapped in a faded towel, held tight by her clenched hand, and she gives a small shake, cold and dripping wet.

"Like I said, you're classy." But I adjust myself on the bed, facing the wall. I hear shuffling behind me as she gets dressed, and then ask, "Ellie?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Why'd you tell me about Riley?"

"Thought you should know. Shit...zippers." Never really knew anyone to have a struggle with zippers, to be honest. But there's a first for everything, I suppose.

A few minutes of silence pass, and then, "Why is putting a bra on after taking a shower so difficult?"

I chuckle at this, "Yeah, it sucks."

"Give me a clicker any day." I hear more shuffling and a strained groan, and offer, "You alright?"

"You just wanna see my boobs."

My face goes red and I hold my head in my hands, hearing her laugh behind me at getting under my skin.

"You're a butt."

"Assclown." She giggles at her new word, and then I finally ask, "Can I turn around now?"

"Yeah, yeah. The strip tease is over, anyway."

And that's when I see it. The puss-filled, scabbed covered mess that is the underside of her arm. My eyes practically pop out of my head, "Ellie-?!"

"Oh, shit." She attempts to cover it with her hand, but it's no use. I hop off the bed and hold her arm up to the light, swatting her hand away.

It's a bite mark. A bite mark. It doesn't look fresh, but I can't help ice cold water suddenly running through my veins.

Then I meet her eyes. She's biting her lip waiting for my reaction. So I pose a simple question, "When?"

"Almost a year ago." Her tone is barely above a whisper. "Riley and I were bit together."

"You're immune." I piece together, our expressions numb as we watch each other and try to take hints from the other's emotions.

"Yeah." She breathes.

I give a shrug, sitting back on my borrowed bed, letting her arm drop from my grasp, "Okay then."

"Please don't faint or anything." Ellie manages, walking towards me, and I shake my head, leaning back at the prospect of her coming closer, "No, I'm...I'm alright."

My tone threatens otherwise, and Ellie looks hurt, drawing back with green eyes wide. She turns to face her bed, her back turned to me...are her shoulders shaking?

"Let's just go to bed." Her voice is thick.

She's crying again.

Shit.
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

I wake up in the middle of the night, looking at the ceiling, wondering where exactly I am. Then I turn my head, and there's a blanket mound, sleeping peacefully. Her mouth is slightly open, taking in the steady intake of air before letting it go.

"Ellie." I murmur, and no response. I feel like such an assclown for the way I behaved early. When she tried to say it was alright and I moved back. Like she was a f—king clicker.

"Ellie." A little stronger this time, but still, silence. Finally I toss back my cozy blankets, cringing in the open air, and I wrap my arms around myself in a vain attempt to maintain the warmth.

I give a gentle shake to her shoulders, and she gives a jolt, bringing herself awake, "Huh?"

Her eyes focus on me, and I see that same hurt look returning, "What do you want?"

A bitter tone, and I nudge her, "Can you scoot over?"

"You really want to share the same bed as me?" She props herself up on her elbows and glares at me. "A monster?"

"I didn't mean to retreat." I say quickly, and Ellie rolls her eyes, "Then what, huh? It was just instinct? You see someone with a bite mark on their arm and treat them like a goddamned clicker?"

"I'm sorry." I murmur, and she sighs, turning over and bringing the blankets up her shoulders. Cold. Dismissive. "Whatever."

"Please, Ellie." I manage. "Please. I'm sorry. I was being stupid. I was in surprise. I didn't...I didn't know."

"And you shouldn't have learned." Her voice emerges from the depths of her blanket cocoon, slightly smothered by a pillow. I turn and grab my own pillow, then lie on her bed, as we attempt for sleep back to back, with me shaking in the cold provided by the deprivation of blankets.

I keep my hands under my pillow, drawing my knees up to my chest, then I feel a tugging of blankets underneath me, "Geez, you're stubborn."

Ellie wrenches them free, leaving me on the soft sheets.

And then, she tosses them over me, "You're going to freeze your ass off shaking that much."

I try not to smile, and then turn to face her, seeing as she's turned as well. Her green eyes shine bright in the dim light, and I give a sheepish smile, "Sorry. That was an assclown move."

"As expected from an assclown."

I take her hand, the one with the infected arm, and give a squeeze, "You are not a monster."

"I've done some pretty shit things in my life, Maria." She blows a raspberry, and laughs before apologizing, "Whoopsies. That spit just kinda went everywhere."

"We all have, Ellie." I return, seeing her face finally approach an emotion of relief, and she nods.

"Goodnight, dude."

"Goodnight, buddy."

We fall asleep holding hands.
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

"Surprise, surprise! You found me. Hey..." Mitzi pauses, eyeing me with a mischievous expression, "Where's your girlfriend?"

"She isn't my girlfriend." I deadpan, and Mitzi rolls her eyes. "Pffft. Y'all are so cute together. It's like the whole town is holding their breath, waiting to see when you will confess your love to one another."

"For the last time, we're not dating."

"You don't like girls?" Mitzi pouts. "Darn. I was shipping you two hardcore."

"I don't even want to know that verb." I mutter in disgust, and she giggles. "You're cute. So bashful and still in denial. Now then." She claps her hands together, approaching me with a big grin, "What do you have for me?"

"This." I pull out the guitar Joel and I found the other day. It looks worse in the light.

"Ooh, instruments. Not quite my specialty." Mitzi takes the guitar from my hands, laying it down gently on a (dried, hopefully) paint-splattered table. Joel had taken off the strings, and now it's up to us to make this guitar pretty.

"First task is sanding and smoothing out this wood." Mitzi paces around her workshop, opening and closing drawers until, "Aha!"

She returns with two scraps of sand paper and leaves me to sand the body of the guitar. I guess it's just me making this guitar pretty, not so much 'us'. At least the neck is still doing pretty good.

"So," Mitzi leans against the wall, stirring questionable steaming contents in a mug before taking a sip, "what are your plans of attack for this...guitar?"

I pull out a rolled comic from my back pocket, "How good are you at painting galaxies?"

"Like nebulas and such?" Mitzi steps forward, flipping the comic open, placing the mug down for the time being. It's quiet as she takes in the pages from Ellie's favorite comic. I snuck it out of her room while she was still sleeping.

"This...won't be too bad. But we're going to need some acrylics...let me see if I have the right colors." She crosses her workshop to shoddy cabinets, flipping them open to bottles upon bottles of paint.

"I didn't know that much paint existed." I reply, in awe of her collection. She turns to give me a grin, "It doesn't. The majority of these bottles are empty."

She pulls out some blacks and blues and reds and whites, coming back to the table with an armful of supplies.

"I just have primary colors, so you're going to have to mix your own paints." Then Mitzi hands me something that looks like a butter knife, "This is a palette knife. This is what you use to mix colors thoroughly. Don't let me catch you using a brush."

"I don't have a—" She chucks one at me and I manage to grab it.

"Now." Mitzi gives me a smug grin, "Get to work on your girlfriend's present."

I spend the rest of the day sanding down the body. The "plan of attack" is to paint the body black, then paint around the saddle and rosette/sound hole space-like, with blues and pinks and purples and sprinkles of white for stars.

At least it's raining outside. Every time I get sick of sanding I take a few minutes outside, enjoying the coolness and the trickle of water down my face.

Mitzi leaves me to my own devices, sitting at an easel opposite of the workshop. She works on her flat boards of wood. I guess they're a good substitute to canvas.

I get bored of sanding halfway through, and approach her, "What're you painting?"

"Oh, nothing." She dabbles with her brush on a makeshift palette, then returns to the wood. That's when I recognize...myself.

"You're painting me?!" I ask in an incredulous tone, and Mitzi chuckles, "Now, now, don't feel so special. I've drawn almost everyone in this town but you and Ellie."

"Don't you dare draw us together."

"I wield the brush. I call the shots." She sticks her tongue out at me and laughs when I glare at her.

"Go back to sanding. I don't like painting when someone's looking over my shoulder."

I head back to my workshop, grabbing a fresh piece of sandpaper on my way back. Then I hold the guitar up by the neck and continue sanding down the back.

At least it'll be done by her birthday.
(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)

"You hungry, kiddo?"

Mitzi tosses me an apple. It's grown dark outside, and she voices my thoughts, "You should probably think about heading home soon."

"Yeah. Will do." I yawn and rub my eyes, laying the polished guitar on the table and placing the paper beside it. It's been reduced to a plain base, and Mitzi gives a whistle, "Yeesh. You did some work today."

I nod, and she lays a hand on my shoulder, steering me to the door, "Someone's tired."

"Just a little bit." I make a pinching motion in my defense, and Mitzi opens up the door. Outside, it's pouring, and I pull up the hood of my hoodie, stepping out into the rain and giving her a wave, "Thanks for the help today."

"Sure thing. See ya around, kiddo."

I turn and begin to make the trek home. Homes around me are lit up, making their reflections shine on the wet streets. I'm grateful to be alone. It gives me time to think. Mainly about the question Mitzi kept pulling up.

Do I really "like" Ellie in that sense?

I mean, Ellie's cool. We have a lot of fun together being stupid. Yeah, she had her first kiss with a girl. Yeah, I'm yet to be kissed.
Yeah, we're both girls.

But...I give a sigh and let out a noise that sounds frustrated. I don't want to ruin our friendship thinking we should date.

I'm still deep in thought when I register a distinct clicking behind me, and I turn around only to be pushed to the ground, hands gripping my shoulders, and I push back, my fingers wrapped around clothed shoulders, hearing the clicker give a screech, and my response, "Let go of me, you dickhead!" and I close my eyes on instinct, waiting to be bitten and be done.

Except...I'm not, and instead I hear laughter, opening my eyes.

Ellie straddles my chest, her hands brought to her mouth as she attempts to smother her laughter.

I groan, and try to push her off, "Assclown."

"Oh shit, you should've seen yourself. Your expression was priceless." She's still laughing pretty hard, and I feel my face growing hot under the rain.

"Are you going to get off of me?" I ask, unable to move as she sits on my stomach, knees dug into my side.

"Hmm...nah. Not feeling like it." The rain continues pouring around us, and I feel my clothes growing soaked and sodden. Great. Mom is going to give me a lecture about catching pneumonia when I get home.

"How about now?" I try a few minutes later, enjoying the game.

"Nope." She grins smugly at me, and I sigh, "What? What do I have to do?"

"Let's see..." Ellie brings a hand up to her chin in thought, and then turns back to me, "Say please."

"Oh, hell naw. I ain't pleading for my freedom." I can't help but laughing at my mockery of Joel's accent.

She chuckles as well before digging her knees into my ribs harder, "C'mon, what's the magic word?"

"Uh-uh." Then I hoist her by the hips and manage to elevate her enough so I can push her over.

Ellie falls to the asphalt beside me, and we lie there in the pouring rain, looking up at the dark clouds. I hear my heart pound in my chest, so loud I wonder if Ellie can hear it as well. My face still feels hot.

Then, Ellie gives me a sideways glance, "Maria?"

"Yeah?"

"Who do you want to have your first kiss with? A boy, or a girl?"

I put my hands behind my head, "Oh, I don't care. With whoever I love, regardless of gender."

"Good answer."