Chasing Ellie

47. A Favor

Ellie Hope

I'm waiting for Darren outside the boys locker room, curled over a notebook as I draft edition six of my letter to AJ.

They all just seem weird. Do I call him Alexander? Mr. Hopkins? AJ? Dad?

I've never called someone dad, the word alone feels weird on my tongue and foreign to my ears.

But I think I'm making progress. A little biography of sorts, I slipped my birthday in there just incase he forgot. I mean I'm not really sure if that's something a biological dad would remember readily especially if he wasn't there for all 17 soon to be 18. I told him a few of my favorite musicians, maybe we have that in common, or maybe he likes unraveling secrets as much as I do.

Though I'm mostly certain that I got that from Mama but I just can't be too sure.

But after my little biography, I started listing things I wanted to know. Important things like medical history, just to be safe, but also less trivial things like his hobbies, if he has a partner, if he likes animals. Standard let's get to know each other questions.

I hope it's not too much but it's not like they give a handbook out on what you should and shouldn't write. I'm using my best judgement but also giving my curiosity enough wiggle room.

At least until a body slides down the wall landing beside me. I snap my notebook shut, glaring at Sawyer.

"What do you want?" I snap.

"Oh she finally notices me." He muses, laughter in his voice. "I called you're name at least twice. Whatever you're working on there.." he flicks the corner of my notebook with his hand, "had you pretty entranced".

"What do you want?" I repeat again.

"Always so hostile." His brown eyes twinkled mischievously in the lighting, something that does not sit well with me. "But I need you're help."

"No." Shaking my head I stuff my notebook back in my bag for safe keeping.

"Come on Eleanor, it'll just take a minute. No time at all." He carries on, his head lolled to the side, that stupid charming grin on his face that shows off the gap in his teeth.

I shuffle to my feet, tossing my bag over my shoulder as I say "find someone else" and then I start down the hallway, only making it a step or two before I feel Sawyer tugging on the end of the flannel I have tied around my waist.

"Wait, wait, wait." He sputters, looking up at me. "Please Ellie."

"And why should I help you?"

Tugging my flannel from his hands, I place my hands on my hip, staring down at him. This position we're in is helpful, god knows if Sawyer were to stand up he'd tower over me. But now, as he sits on the floor, I get to be the one standing over him and I gotta admit, it feels good.

He juts his hand out, I stare at it, confused as to what he's doing before he shakes it at me and tells me to help him up. Like he needs help.

"Don't leave me hanging Eleanor."

Rolling my eyes at his theatrics, I slap my hand into his and pull. I don't know why I actually put effort into it, like my tiny little self could actually move Sawyer.

Once he stumbles to his feet, he throws his arm around my shoulders and says "Now that wasn't what I needed help with but.." his finger flies up to silence my protests that are lingering at the tip of my tongue. "I appreciate it and I think if you'll just trust me for a minute, you'll be glad you decided to keep helping me."

With his arm around my shoulders he scoops me along with him as he navigates away from the boys locker room and toward the arts hallway. He talks my ear off about nothing important, nothing important to me at least. Baseball lingo that's over my head and some person he knows from a rival school and something they did.

"Shouldn't you be at practice or something?" I interrupt him. "Why are you taking me to the art room?"

"Strained shoulder, remember? Gotta rest it so I'm ready for the season." Theres a playful tone to his words as he adds "I know the welfare of my shoulder is at the top of your priority list."

But before I can rebuttal, he swings me into the open doorway of the art room and there standing in the middle of it is Savannah.

She wrings her hands in front of her, giving me the smallest smile. "I miss you Ellie."

Her voice is so nervous, so timid, so unsure. Like there could be anyway that we aren't still friends. I want to throw my hands in the air, kick my head back and shout "about time!" but I also know that right now, Savannah needs me just as much as I need her. And I don't want to ruin this. Besides I miss her like crazy too.

I let my bag hit the ground, the letter to AJ tumbling down my list of concerns for the time being as I bound toward Savannah arms open wide.

Losing a friend, feels like a terribly long heartbreak that tears pieces of your soul away from you.

But finding that friend again is like the summer sun, warm and inviting and familiar.

I crash into Savannah, her familiarity, the cool, earthy smell of old paint that lingers from her clothes, the way I have to reach up to even be close to her shoulder, the apple shampoo she loves.

"I'm sorry." We both splutter at the same time, our bodies rocking back and forth together.

"Well looks like my job here is done." Sawyer chimes from behind us. "I'll leave you ladies alone."

I listen to his shoes squeak against the tile floor, growing quieter with every step. Sawyer is still not my favorite person. But he brought me back one of my favorite people and for that, I guess he's not the worst.

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Clue 2: