Thorn [Farkle Minkus]

[04] Burgers

Ellie never thought she'd feel so alone. No matter where she is, she feels alone. No matter who she's around, she's alone. She's been dealing with her father not being around anymore alone. She's been transitioning into high school without the help of her brother or mother. They've already adjusted into high school before. Why not help her? Warn her about somethings?

They haven't. She has plenty of friends that are in high school already. As much as she wanted them to help her adjust into high school, something always holds her back. She's always saying that she's fine. She'd say she's adjusted into high school. But she hasn't really.

Ellie got to school early one morning and sat down on one of the benches and went through her bag, looking for a notebook.

"Hey," she heard a familiar voice say.

Ellie looked up to see Noah. He sat next to her.

"Hey," she said.

"I saw you alone, thought I'd join you," he said.

"You didn't have to," Ellie said.

"Why not?"

"I don't know," she said.

"How is your mom?" Noah asked. "My grandmother has been asking about her. She told me... she told me that your mom told her what happened between your parents."

"I didn't.... I didn't know my mom told her," Ellie said.

"She did," Noah said. "Grandma wants to invite you guys for dinner tonight."

"Oh, um, my mom left for work, again," Ellie said. "It's just me and my brothers."

"Oh," Noah said. "Come around to dinner at our apartment."

"Thank you," she smiled, weakly. "I'll let my brothers."

Noah nodded, giving her a reassuring smile.

The bell rang, signaling the classes will start soon.

"I'll, uh, I'll see you in class," Noah said.

"Yeah," she said, "I'll see you in class."

***

When school ended, Ellie and Justin met up outside of school. They waited for Tyler to join them.

"Do you see the car?" Tyler asked.

Ellie bit her lip, scanning the streets.

"There, I found it," Ellie said, pointing at the car.

"C'mon," Justin said. "Let's go."

Justin began to walk and Ellie and Tyler followed.

"How is school?" Ellie asked Tyler.

"Alright," he shrugged. "I wish I had Mr. Matthews this year. He seemed to be a really good teacher."

"Oh, he's the best," Ellie said. "He's one of the best teachers I ever had."

"Yeah," Tyler said.

"He told me he was looking forward to teaching you if he didn't start teaching the high school," Ellie told her little brother.

"Really?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah," she said. 

"I really wish he did," Tyler said.

They got into the car and their maid, Anna Williams, was waiting in the car for them.

"Hey, kids," she smiled.

"Hey," the Turner siblings responded.

"I got you guys your favorite," Anna said, lifting a large bag, "Sam's Burgers!"

"Thank you!" Ellie said, immediately.

"You're the best, Anna," Justin said, happily.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Tyler said.

"Did you get something for yourself?" Ellie asked as she put her hand into the bag and took out a burger.

"Yeah, I did," she said. "I'll it eat later."

"Are you sure?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah," Justin said, "you can eat with us."

"It's fine," she said. "I had breakfast quite late and I'm not that hungry."

"This is for you, Justin," Ellie said, handing the burger to her older brother.

"Oh, thanks," Justin said, accepting the burger. 

"Here are your friends," she said, pulling out his fries

"Here let me help," Anna said, leaning forward to Ellie to help.

"Anna, it's fine," Ellie said. 

"Let me help," Anna insisted, taking the bag from Ellie.

"Anna -"

"Ellie, don't worry," Anna said. 

Anna took out the burgers and friends and gave them to Ellie and Tyler. They thanked her and began to eat.

"Noah Taylor invited us to his apartment for dinner," Ellie said.

"Noah Taylor? I haven't seen him in so long," Justin said.

"We saw him the other day while we were going to the subway," Tyler said taking a bite from his burger.

"We did?" 

"Yeah, at the subway," Ellie said.

Justin thought back to the other day when they were at the subway. 

"Oh! That was him?" Justin asked, surprised. "He's changed so much since I last saw him."

"Yeah, he did," she said.

"Um, Tyler has baseball tryouts tonight," Anna reminded them. "And Justin, don't you have -"

"Right, right right," Justin remembering he had an SAT Prep course tonight.

"So, we can't go," Tyler said.

"Yeah," Anna said.

"I'll text Noah," she said. "I'll tell him we can't go."

They got home and Ellie went to her bedroom. She dropped her backpack next to her desk and left her bedroom with her water bottle in hand. She refilled her water bottle.

Behind her, Anna was trying to get the boys to hurry up. She needed to get to the tryouts and SAT prep course. 

"Anna, have you seen my baseball bat?" Tyler asked, entering the kitchen.

Tyler was mostly ready. He held his shoes in one hand and a baseball ball in the other hand.

"Have you checked under your bed?"

"Yes, I have, and it's not there," Tyler whined. 

"Tyler, I saw it in the living room," Ellie said, looking back.

"Really?" Tyler said.

"It's laying next to the TV," she said.

"Thanks," Tyler said, rushing out of the kitchen to get his baseball bat.

"Justin! Do you have your SAT books?" Anna called to Justin.

"Yeah, I'm putting it in my backpack!" Justin called.

"Good!" Anna said. "Hurry up! We need to leave!"

"Alright! I'm almost ready!"

Ellie put the cap on her water bottle and went back up to her room to work on her homework.

"You'll be okay?" Anna asked as Ellie walked out of the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'll be okay," Ellie assured Anna. 

"Text me if anything happens."

Ellie nodded as she walked out of the kitchen and went to her bedroom to finish the homework she had left. She did some of her homework during free period and she didn't have much left.