A Problem Like Maria

Chapter 26

The kids ran up to their rooms solemnly, while Georg met Max in the family room and plopped on the couch.

"So?" Max could read his friend's scowl but asked anyway

"She didn't want to talk, not even to them. Who turns their back on kids?" Georg sighed

"Georg-"

"No, this is ridiculous. She should have come to talk to us-them. She shouldn't have run away, she should talk to me at school-"

"You don't" Max turned the accusation. Georg wasn't realizing that both parties needed to put forth effort.

"She should come back, be with us, be with me." Georg stood up and began to pace the room as Max shook his head.

"Think about it from her perspective" Max tried to reason "you go on a trip, have a magical night and think you know how you feel, and then the next morning your girlfriend walks in and you don't say anything?" Max sat down in a chair "Maria was probably scared she got caught up or made you feel that way. And be careful with Ellie, please, she deserves respect. But you're hurting both of them if you keep dragging it on like this."

Georg sat down and sighed, Max continued, "you seem to have already made your choice, even if the ball is technically in her court, you have to take some initiative, unless she hates you."

"What?" Georg's eyes grew wide with fear

"Well, I don't know. Girls need time to process things, Ellie said so." Max rolled his eyes.

"So what? I just wait and hope for the best?"

"Not necessarily" Max advised "but you need to end things with Ellie before you do anything though."

Just then Liesl walked in and stood in front of the boys, arms crossed, wearing a scowl identical to the one her brother had worn earlier.

"What were you thinking! You should have gone to the door, You should have told her how you felt instead of making googly eyes!" Liesl spoke loudly.

"I've already given him the rundown." Max held up his hand and Liesl reluctantly relented.

"What's going on in here?" Aunt Helen came from the kitchen "you haven't fought in weeks." Helen took a seat in one of the arm chairs and smiled at Max.

"Nothing" Georg replied.

"Its all Georg's fault" Liesl pointed

"No, its hers" but Georg didn't specify who she was though.

Helen watched the exchange, and had previously noticed Maria hadn't been by in over a week. She wasn't stupid. She put two and two together, and Peg saw it too. "This is about Maria then?" Helen raised an eyebrow and leaned back.

Georg puffed in response.

"I told him he should have broken up with Ellie before the trip, then maybe none of this mess would've happened." Max relayed.

"I know Bri didn't mean to worry her, but maybe that is really why she left?" Georg flung his hand.

"Have you ever given thought to if Maria and Ellie talked to each other?" Helen asked. Girls dealt with issues differently than their counterparts. Words were weapons and Ellie and Maria both had quite the arsenal, and unafraid of attack.

"They were never alone together" Liesl shrugged

"How do you know?" Helen asked slowly. A beat passed until Georg admitted "I don't."
_______________________________________

The next day at school, Georg pulled Ellie aside during lunch. Max has given him a look to make it quick, which Georg didn't have to be told twice.

He started making small talk with Ellie as they walked the halls until he dared ask "Ellie, uhh, did you and Maria talk over Spring break?"

"Not outside of the few minutes I saw her at the cabin." She replied

"What did you say?" Georg felt the words slip out.

"Excuse me?" Ellie turned to him abruptly and stopped walking.

"Maria hasn't come back-"

"Ugh, I know that" Ellie was obviously irritated "its all about her. Maria this and Maria that, gosh Georg why can't you get over her?"

Georg felt panic surge through his body. "You knew?" He said

Ellie dropped her head in defeat "of course I knew, it was obvious early on. The truth is that I did talk to her, I called her bluff. She likes you too and I was blunt, but that was all I said. I don't know why she ran away though."

"How could you do that?" He asked

Ellie threw her arms out a bit "i was threatened. We've been friends for years and this girl who just happens to waltz into your life changed you completely. Ever since you met her you've chosen her over me, and I see the way you look at her. Its so different from how you ever looked at me. You love her, and as I said I knew she liked you and I got scared. I feared that if she broke us up we would have a difficult time reconnecting as friends."

"You know I couldn't-"

"But you see G you did. You brushed me aside. Why couldn't you have just been honest with me?"

"Because I was scared too and refused to be honest with myself. We were getting along better. I was in deeper than I realized and for that I'm truly sorry. You deserve a guy who will put you first the way he should, one who will see how good and talented you are." Georg said

They stood in a few moments of awkward silence until Ellie broke it again "look, I know we both know that I tried to make this last longer than it should have. You two have a different dynamic than we ever will. But I love being your friend and while I want space for a while, can we go back to being the three amigos?" Ellie held out her hand and Georg looked at it.

"Are you sure?" He wanted her complete honesty.

"You have to pick and choose your battles, and while I initially chose to fight, I shouldn't have. There were greater things at work when it came to this."  She shrugged

"You got it." Georg shook her hand "I'm sure Max will be thrilled to not be a third wheel anymore" Georg chuckled as the two parted ways mutually, but always continued to value their one of a kind friendship.

Hey y'all. Here's my reconciling chapter. Ellie isn't a bad person she's just different from Maria.

Thanks for reading!!! We're almost done!