A Dangerous Game •Jon Moxley•

38; Like Mother Like Daughter & Wedding Bells

"Promise me in about an hour Jacob will call you with an emergency," Ellie sighed as we walked up the front steps of The Burbank's.

"I already told him, but who knows? You could actually have a good time!" I exclaimed, and she gives me a look that disagrees.

I knock on the door and it opens a few seconds later, revealing both Danielle and Ron. Instantly smiles both plastered their faces.

"We're so glad you could make it!" Danielle said, motioning for us to come in. Ellie looked around the living room, trying to maintain a strong face.

"Sydney is very excited to meet you!" Ron added, taking the gift from my hands, because Ellie refused to carry it.

"We're excited to meet her as well.." I replied, just as Ellie excused herself to the bathroom.

Danielle watched her with sad eyes before turning to me, "I know she doesn't want to be here, but I'm glad you somehow convinced her to come. I can tell you and her are great friends,"

"I think all it took was a little support to bring her here," I shrugged, following her into the kitchen. "This is all new for her."

"We've briefly explained it to Syd, but she doesn't really understand," Ron explained. "Speaking of which, I'm going to go wrangle the birthday girl so she can meet you two!"

He walks off and Danielle pours me a glass of lemonade. "So how'd you and Ellie become friends?"

I laughed, thinking about our first introductions. "We didn't like each other at first, mostly because we let boys interfere with us..but once I got to know her I could tell she's someone I could trust."

"That's good, I know your a good influence on her. God knows she's had to deal with a hard upbringing." She frowned.

"The good thing about Ellie is she's strong, and that's one of the things I admire about her. She won't let shit affect her." I say, truly meaning every word. If only I could be more like her.

As more guests arrived, Danielle went to go greet them, and I figured I'd go check on Ellie, her bathroom break was going onto twenty minutes.

I knocked on the bathroom door, hearing the sink running. "Ellie? Are you alright?" I asked, jiggling the doorknob. It was locked.

"Y-Yeah..I'll be out in a minute.." She muttered, and I swore I heard her wincing. I pounded on the door, "El let me in!"

The door unlocked and I swung it open, gasping at the sight. Ellie had punched the bathroom mirror and was cradling her bloody fist which had shards of glass sticking out of it.

I shut the door behind me and searched the drawers for tweezers. "Why the hell would you punch the mirror?"

"I-I got mad.." She whispered, looking away from me. "I passed by Sarah's room and saw everything was pink and sparkly. That's all I ever wanted as a kid, a place to call my own. Decorate it how I wanted, and feel safe.."

"El, I understand your upset, but you can't go punching things, you could've gotten seriously hurt," I scolded, starting to pluck the glass out of her hand.

"Fuck, I know! I know! I just can't stop thinking about how my life would be if they didn't give me up." She admitted.

"Instead think about how your life is now. You got a job, got people who care about you, your going to graduate high school in a few weeks, and open your own bar one day!" I reminded, "Don't think about what could've been, think about what's going to happen."

I rinse off her hand and pour peroxide on the cuts.

"Fuck fuck fuck!" She hissed, retracting her hand away.