Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
05. FIVE : panic! panic!
As soon as she got home, Ella could feel shock setting in. It felt like a wave of discomfort and paralysis that dug deep into her bones. She tightly gripped the folder, her hand shaking from the reality of the whole situation. She had almost died. If it wasn't for Spider-Man, she would probably be flattened from the semi that was heading her way. Ella didn't even remember the walk home; it was all just one big blur. She couldn't remember the way her feet scuffled across the ground, or the way her face was void of any emotion as she made her way home.
It was like Ella was missing a portion of her memory between meeting the city's vigilante and getting home.
She slammed the door as soon as she made her way inside. Her breath came in little gasps, and her head felt like it was filled with cotton. The shock spread through her body and she just couldn't find it in herself to stand. Ella turned and pressed harshly against the wall, her back sliding against it as she slowly made her way to the floor. The picture that was once crushed in her panic induced grip now laid crumpled on the floor next to her. All Ella could hear was the blood rushing through her head as she gripped her hair tightly, it was as if there just wasn't enough air. It could've been seconds, minutes, she didn't know, but it felt like a lifetime for her to calm down. She was glad her little delayed shock episode passed in the comfort of her home, away from prying eyes.
Her eyes burned and she could feel the salty tears running down her face. Ella didn't even know she was crying until they started dropping onto her hand one-by-one. The walls that once seemed to be caving in on her, seemed to expand, and the once non-existent air was making itself known again. She sucked in deep until her lungs couldn't take in any more air, she repeated the action over and over, hoping to hold onto some form of reality. Ella reached shakily for any form of purchase on the table that seemed just too high to reach. Her hand almost slipped when she grabbed the table and started to pull herself up onto shaky legs.
As she gasped, Ella leaned all her weight on the table, her hand running through her already messy hair. Ella let out a deep sigh, letting her grip go, as she leaned all her weight on the wall. Sliding against the wall, she slowly made her way to the kitchen. The house was eerily quiet, which was weird considering her mother was usually home by then making dinner. Her heels clicked against the wooden floor, creaking ever so slightly with each step. Ella peered into the kitchen only to find it empty. Ella sighed again, her mother just didn't disappear.
"Mom?" she called out, her heels clicked with each step. Each room was exactly the same, her mom was no where to be found. "Mom?"
Ella made her way back to the kitchen. She silently cursed her mother for leaving her home alone at a time like this. Being home alone probably wasn't the best thing for her mental state, she needed to vent to someone. On the counter, a little slip of paper caught her eye and Ella rushed forward to snatch it off the counter. Her eyes skimmed every word as she mumbled the words,
"Ella, I have a dinner with co-workers tonight, be good. I'll be home around 12 and you better be asleep by then."
Ella screwed her eyes shut, her head tilted back as she let out a long sigh. Ella was going to be home alone for hours. Sure, she was used to the random night when she'd be left alone but right then, Ella wanted someone to be with her.
Ella kicked off her heels, not caring that they basically flew across the room. Exhaustion swept over Ella, her eyes drooping as she padded to the couch. She didn't care that her makeup was still covering her face, tear tracks staining through it; she didn't care that her clothes that she'd been wearing all day were still on; and she didn't care that her hair stood up in every way possible. All she wanted to do was sleep and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was out like a light.
___
Ella woke up with a gasp, her lungs trying to take in as much air at they could. She scrambled into a sitting position as she lightly touched her stinging cheek. It felt like the left side of her face was burning, and tears pricked her eyes.
"Good god, Ella. You weren't waking up, I'm sorry I slapped you," a voice spoke up from the opposite end of the couch. Tears flooded her vision, blurring her sight so all that she could see was a blonde blur sitting in front of her.
"Gwen, what the hell?" Ella said, her voice coming out breathy, and her heart jack-hammering in her chest. Her palm laid flat across her face trying to cool the stinging that Gwen's hand left behind.
"Sorry." she replied sheepishly, her features becoming sharper so Ella could see the look of guilt that was written all over her face. Gwen was playing with a little packet in her hand, her fingers running across the surface of it over and over again.
Ella rubbed a tired hand through her hair, messing it up even more, "what is that?"
Gwen glanced up at Ella, "I don't know, I found it on the ground by your door, figured you'd probably want it." She held the packet out in front of her far enough so Ella could reach it. She quickly snatched it from Gwen's hand,
"Thanks," Ella cleared her throat awkwardly, "what are you doing here, Gwen?"
"Remember yesterday? I told you I was coming over, you said yes, and here I am!" She threw her hands out and waved then around for emphasis.
Ella nodded her head, "yeah, sure." The thought had completely slipped her mind after the events that happened after. Gwen knitted her brows together, dropping her arms, as she stared at Ella with a calculating look.
"You okay, Ella? You look like crap. Not saying you normally look like crap, it's just your face and your hair, and did you sleep in the same clo-?" Ella leaned over towards Gwen and clamped a hand over her mouth.
"I'm fine. I just had a rough day after you sent that text. You don't have to be so rude about my look, Gwen. This is how I'm going to look from now on, I'm done trying so you get a messed up Ella to hang out with. Screw first impressions, right?" She let out a little laugh, letting go of Gwen's face.
Gwen chuckled a bit under her breath, "yeah, screw them. But anyways, are you gonna open the packet or not?"
Ella raised her brows, "you're switching the subject. Besides, I already know what's in it." Her hand gripped the little packet a bit tighter, not caring that the picture inside was getting even more ruined.
Gwen perked up, "You do? Let me see it." She reached out and snatched the packet from Ella's grip, not even flinching when the girl started to hit her.
"Gwen. Gwen c'mon give it back," Ella whined.
Gwen ripped open the packet, the note Peter wrote falling onto her lap. Her eyes stayed fixed on the picture, noting every little detail about it. Ella quickly reached over and took the note from Gwen's lap before the girl could see it.
"Who gave you this?" She asked, her voice laced with amazement.
"Well technically Peter, but he didn't give it to me personally, it was someone else-" Ella played with the note, folding it crease after crease, leaving nothing but a tiny piece of paper about the size of her nail.
"Okay, so Peter took the picture. Awe, that's cute, he really likes you, you know? But if Peter took the picture but didn't give it to you, then who did?" She asked, her eyebrows crunched together again as her eyes were still trained on the photo.
Ella could feel a lump in her throat forming, but she quickly swallowed it down before answering, "The guy who's in it. Spider-Man himself gave it to me."
