Flawed Creatures

Déjà Vu -22-

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Backpack slung over one shoulder, Ellie examined the tall, blond teen busy rifling through his locker. His brow was etched in a slight frown until he found whatever he sought, a triumphant smile immediately replacing it. The notebook tossed in his bag, he shut the locker and was about to leave when she hurriedly approached while calling out to him.

Turned in her direction, though appearing inquisitive he still offered a polite smile. Sure, as of the Roundtree Halloween party he could barely stand the sight of Cara, but that didn't mean he would take it out on Ellie regardless of them being....were they girlfriends now? It had spread around school that big bad Mack was now spoken for thanks to the school's "biggest sweetie". He might have considered that sweet--and extremely hot--if he didn't despise his ex-pot dealer.

"Morning, Ellie. What's happening?" Bag dropped on the floor he pressed his back against the locker and folded his arms, watching her lean against the locker separated from his by two others.

"Nothing much." She glanced around. Although various students walked by them no one seemed to be paying the pair any attention. However, Ellie chose to keep her voice low. "Scott, could we talk?" It being their largest break except for lunch she figured this conversation could be accomplished before the bell rang.

Talk? And she looked so serious. What could Ellie possibly have to talk with him about? And then it occurred to Scott that Joanne had been inducted to their little group. Perhaps she might have asked Ellie to speak with him. "Listen, if this is about Jo, tell her I'm not interested. Just because she can't have Mack doesn't mean she's gonna come back to me. I've moved on." He had moved on eight times between three girls and though each occasion had been righteous, those three girls combined hadn't affected him half as much as his ex-girlfriend. Quite weird to hate, love, want them to disappear and miss someone simultaneously.

"What I wanted to talk about doesn't have anything to do with Jo."

"Oh." Scott could kick his own backside for feeling somewhat disappointed. "Really?"

Ellie nodded. "Really. It's...um, about...Cara." She wasn't surprised when his chiseled face flushed with anger and she didn't blame him for it. She just hoped that anger wouldn't prevent Scott from helping though she also wouldn't blame him if it did.

"Car--what about her?"

"You have every right to say no. I'll understand if you--"

"Ellie," Scott shifted so they were facing one another, "out with it. What do you want?"

She started from the beginning when she thought up her idea to locate a photograph of Cara's mother to give to her on her birthday. She shared how she and Robyn went through Dennis' belongings until they located the box filled with memories of his late wife. She also shared her confrontation with him over the film reel and how she was able to purchase it from him. During the entire explanation Scott paid rapt attention yet Ellie couldn't decipher what he might have been thinking.

"So, I have this film reel Pauline made with the help of her friend who I discovered was my mother, but that's neither here nor there right now. They went to Hollywood in order for the film to have sound appropriately added. In the 50s they had color film and sound could be played during with the right equipment, but not in sync. Therefore, they found someone in Hollywood willing to help.

"Pauline made the film because she had a feeling something could go wrong and unfortunately she was correct. She didn't even get to hold her baby before she died. Scott," removing the backpack strap from her shoulder, Ellie unzipped and showed him the precious reel, "this is the closest Cara will ever come to communicating with her mother unless you count them meeting up in Heaven someday.