Slater | Nick Goode

2.4

"Listen up, everyone," Kurt stood on his podium at breakfast the next day. Everyone had made it to breakfast, even Ellie and Nick, who had both had a long night. Ellie sat with Ziggy and Gary. Last night, after sneakily making her way into the cabin after two in the morning, Ellie was met with Ziggy, who insisted on all of the details.
"Ugh, now he's going to cry about kids sneaking out for the next hour. Can you say something to shut him up?" Ziggy mumbled.
"What do you want me to say?"
"Tell him it was you and Nick so we don't have to suffer," Ziggy responded, causing Gary to turn his head.
"You and Nick? You're the ones sneaking out?" Gary questioned.
"Gary, if you tell anyone, it's you're head on a fucking stick." Ellie warned, Gary quickly turned away again.
Kurt continued his lecture, "last night, someone gave us insights about people sneaking out. Counselor Tommy and I did some investigating and found two of you in science and nature. But whoever it was, you can't hide forever. You dropped something."
Ellie's head snapped up from her reading position, looking at the object in Kurt's hand.
"Knives aren't allowed at camp, we put it in the rule book. You're definitely not getting it back," Ellie's mouth dropped, she knew she was missing something this morning, "but someone here knows who it's for."
Ellie thought for a moment, anyone who got a good look at the knife would know it's for her. Why hadn't anyone said anything?
"Okay, fine. I'll just throw it away, and the owner can dig it out of the trash-"
"I know who it's for," Ellie stood up, causing the whole camp to look at her. She marched up to the front and turned off the microphone attached to Kurt's podium. She snatched the knife out of his hand and tried to walk away without saying anything. Kurt grabbed her wrist.
         "Who's it for, Slater?"
         "It's mine, jackass," Ellie answered and tried to pull away from him, Kurt kept his grip.
          "Who were you with?"
          "I was alone."
          "Bullshit. You better fucking tell who it is you're hooking up with, or you're gonna be on every duty in the camp."
          "I'll take the punishment, it's none of your fucking business," Ellie successfully broke free from his grasp, walking away and out of the mess hall. She locked eyes with Nick, who had been watching her like a hawk. Nobody had known what she said, as her back was turned to the rest of camp and she spoke in a low whisper.
Tommy wasn't exactly "okay" with Ellie's secrecy, he followed her out until they both reached cabin 5.
"I know that it was you and Nick," he said, leaning on the wall as Ellie unlocked the door.
          "Tommy, I don't want to hear what you have to say. I am not-"
          "I'm happy for you," he cut her off, catching Ellie by surprise, "I don't understand it, but I'm happy for you."
          Ellie made a skeptical face, eyeing the boy, "why didn't you tell Kurt that you knew it was us?"
          "You're still my little sister, I'm going to protect you at all costs. But you're not a baby, which is why I can't tell you who to date."
          "Nick and I aren't dating."
          "I saw what I saw. Let me just say, I hated what I saw, but you're seventeen," Ellie successfully unlocked the door, stepping out of the way to let Tommy inside before her, "I can't control you."
           "You can't tell anyone. Seriously. This stays between you and me," she scolded, pointing a harsh finger at him.
           "Why didn't you tell me sooner? We used to tell each other everything."
           "There's nothing going on. At dinner yesterday, he gave me a note saying he wanted to meet up. That's all. If there were something going on, you'd be the first to know, you know that. But I swear, it's nothing."
           "Was that the first time you met up with him?" Tommy was now fully interrogating Ellie, but she understood his concern.
           "The first day at camp we met up. That's why we were late to breakfast. We fell asleep while reading in science and nature," she confessed.
           "That explains a lot," he nodded, then silence filled the air before he spoke up again, "can I ask you something?"
          "Maybe."
          "Are you doing this because of what you told me? About wanting to be sheriff?"
          Ellie was visibly surprised, "no."
         "So... this is about Joan and Kurt?"
         "I don't know, Tommy."
          "If you ever need help finding it out, my door is always open. Well not literally, because I have to lock it when no ones in it, but you get my point," Tommy joked, letting out a nerdy laugh.
           "That was a stupid joke," Ellie whispered as she hugged him, having to stand on her tippy toes to reach his height.
She had successfully found her knife holder, looping it around her belt and sliding her knife in to where it fit snuggly.
"I'm going back to the mess hall now. I'll see you there?" He asks, turning around and heading for the door.
          "No, but you'll see me around," she called to him, still seated on her bed. He nodded and exited the cabin, leaving Ellie alone.