The Mates Pull

5

Elise had told us that her uncle would be buried on Sunday.

So it was no surprise when she missed a few days of school the following week.

What was a surprise was that there were a LOT of students and teachers missing from school as well...and even more, some of the local stores were closed.

This guy must have been really well known in the community.

"The service was beautiful, my Aunt Priscilla really went all out and my cousin Braxton gave a really moving eulogy of his father." Elise told us when she came back on Thursday.

"Well we sure did miss ya girly." Mariah said softly with her usual bubbly smile as she pulled Elise into a big hug.

Elise smiled, "I missed you both too."

"We should do something this weekend, try and help you take tour mind off of this if even for a little while." I suggested.

"What should we do?" Mariah asked.

Just then the goons approached us, "I'm sorry for your loss." Mariah offered.

They simply stared at Mariah, as if they couldn't believe she was talking to them.

"Thank you." One of them said, his voice was masculine, but not like the mystery guy's at the party.

I looked down as I suddenly brought the memory of last Friday night forward. I replayed every detail I could remember and blushed.

"Are you okay H?" Elise asked.

I looked up, "y-yeah just a bit flustered today." Then I noticed Val's car, "I gotta go, you guys text with ideas for this weekend."

"Ellie will not be attending, she has a prior engagement with my brother." Tommy Cage said.

Elise ignored his comment and looked at me with a soft smile and a shake of her head, "don't mind him H, I'll text you later."

I nodded before going toward Val's car.

"I need a shopping partner." She said as I buckled up.

"That's cool, I've been needing to get a few new things."

We pulled up to the mall and Valerie went crazy going store to store.

"last store I promise." She said as we walked into some store I had never heard of, it wasn't too big and there were only three changing rooms for both genders.

Something about the store gave me that same vibe I had the night I was blindfolded.

I felt giddy.

Then I felt guilty, while the giddiness was still there in full effect I also felt guilty because the last time I had this feeling my friend suffered a tragic loss.

"Hey what's going on, you seem a bit down?" Valerie asked as she approached the bikinis near the back of the store.

"I'm alright, I'm just worried about Ellie." I replied as I followed her.

"Elise...what's wrong with her?" Val asked with concern.

"Her uncle passed away the night of the party." I admitted, "I really want to do something this weekend to help cheer her up but no one really has any ideas."

"How about a slumber party, you girls love your slumber parties."

"I was thinking more along the lines of going to the lake or something, ya know since it's still pretty warm out." I smiled then playfully picked up a bikini, "maybe I could wear a little something like this." I played as I held up the bright orange bikini...we both knew it wasn't something I would actually ever wear.