"Elvis, wake up!"
Elvis opened his eyes to see Ellie standing over him.
"What is it, Ell?" Elvis asked groggily as he sat up, "how long was I asleep?"
"Well, you've missed all of dinner," Ellie said, "but luckily there haven't been any emergencies since you dozed off."
"So Norman Price hasn't burned himself alive?" Elvis inquired, chuckling bitterly, "who knows what he's going to get himself into now that he's 10 years old..."
"Yeah," Ellie replied, "but I actually wanted to ask you something important."
"Well, what is it?" Elvis replied as he rubbed his eyes, "I'm hungry, so don't take too long."
"Arnold and Sam say that you have a crush on Penny."
"Oh, not you too!!"
"OMG!!!" Ellie said, jumping up and down, "you really do have a crush on Penny? Ohmygod I have to tell her NOW!"
"No!" Elvis grabbed her arm, "she can't find out. It would ruin our friendship."
"Oh, I'm sure she feels the same way!!"
"No, I'm sure she doesn't."
"I've seen the way she smiles around you!"
"Why one earth would Penny ever want someone like me??" Elvis said sadly as Ellie sat down on the bed beside him, "I'm just a clumsy fool, always messing up and getting into awkward scrapes. And plus, I'm not handsome like Sam or Ben or Tom or Arnold! I'm so ugly, Ellie!"
"Elvis," Ellie said as she put a hand on his shoulder, "you are not ugly. I think that you're just fine."
"Well, that's easy for you to say," Elvis huffed as he crossed his arms, "you're just my friend, and nothing else. With Penny, it's different."
"So what if you're taller than everyone else in Pontypandy???" Ellie said, "that's what makes you unique!"
"Well, I'm not sure if Penny would think the same," Elvis replied, "and plus, I look like Pinocchio with my nose!"
"Oh hush," Ellie playfully shoved him, "it's not THAT long, Vis."
"No, but it sticks out," Elvis lamented, "it's not short like Sam's."
"Sam has a freaking lightbulb-shaped nose," Ellie replied, "and Dilys has a long nose too, and Trevor doesn't mind!"
"Well, Trevor can't decide between Dilys and Bella, and he never really seems to pay as much attention to her as he does younger lasses. Oh, speaking of Trevor-"
"Elvis, you're getting off topic," Ellie told her friend, "all I'm saying is that you're fine just the way you are, so don't take your chances and waste your life without telling Penny how you feel."
"Yeah, I guess," Elvis said, "but I get so nervous around her! What am I supposed to do???"
"Relax, I am an EXPERT at romance!!" Ellie said proudly, "I know EVERYTHING there is to know!!!"
"Are you sure about that?" Elvis said, "because you sure don't seem to be this confident and 'all-knowing' around Arnold-"
"WE DO NOT SPEAK OF THAT!!" Ellie said frantically, "that is forbidden!"
"Look, are you going to help me or not?" Elvis asked, clearly desperate.
"Okay, why don't you tell her-uh-somewhere romantic?" Ellie brainstormed, "like Bella's cafe or something!!" (in this story bella never left pontypandy and still works in her cafe)
"You mean, like a date??"
"Well, I'll ask Sam and Arnold to help get you two alone," Ellie continued, "perhaps Trevor could help as well..."
"And just how on earth are you going to do that???"
"I have to figure it out," Ellie mumbled, "yes, Bella's cafe, at, say, 6 PM tomorrow... you can wait until then, right...? Sam will make up an excuse, we can get Ben, Tom, Moose, maybe Lizzie... it's gonna be great!!"
"I-I-you know you're not supposed to tell me about this," Elvis replied, "usually in movies the friends plan it out WITHOUT the victims hearing the entire thing."
"Oh!" Ellie said, then quickly got up and left the room as she continued, "I-I'm not sure if it will work out! Y'know what, just rest! Bye!"
Elvis sat in silence for a moment before flopping back down back first on his bed. He sighed to himself as he thought about what happened: not one, not two, but THREE people knew his secret. He wouldn't be surprised at this point if the whole town knew! And soon they would, Ellie's plan was going to go into action soon... but had she really meant it when she implied that she may not do it?
Elvis, being a bit gullible, decided to believe that Ellie had given up, but the thought of the other Rescue Team members finding out his shocking secret sent shivers down his spine.
The only person who seemed oblivious to all of this was Penny herself.
But did she really not know? Maybe she had figured out a while ago, perhaps after he looked at her one time when they were practicing 'Men of Harlech,' back in the old days when they were in the old fire station and it was just the three of them: Sam, him, and Penny. She had smiled at him. Was that the moment that she had figured out that he was in love with her?? Did she only smile to not break his heart full of love???
Elvis's head was swarming with all of these possibilities, and it was far too much. He got out his phone and scrolled through YouTube, where his problems faded away.
But he knew soon they would come back.
Meanwhile...
Penny was sitting at the fire station dining table, thinking about life. (sorry lol did not know wot to say🤣) She was going over her day, wondering if anything had happened that was out of the ordinary. Perhaps Sam had a crush on someone, like he always seemed to be experiencing, or Elvis asked Ellie out or something...
Elvis.
She was sure that he liked Ellie, they were both energetic and goofballs, they had so much in common. Sigh, Elvis really was very cute...
"Hey Penny!"
The blonde turned around to see Ellie.
"Oh, hey Ellie," Penny waved, "how are you? What are you up to?"
"Oh, not much," Ellie lied, clasping her hands together, "what are you doing??"
"Um, nothin'..." Penny muttered, her face turning a bit pink, "nothin' at all..."
"Um, well doing nothing is technically doing something," Ellie commented, "or, at least that's what Arnold says..."
"Did Elvis ask you out or what?" Penny suddenly blurted out. For a moment there was a heavy silence.
"Um, no," Ellie replied, now confused, "why would he do that?"
"Because I think he has a crush on you."
"Oh, psh!" Ellie waved away her friend's thought, "he does NOT have a crush on me!"
"He looked pretty lovestruck when we first met you and Arnold."
"He was just really excited to meet someone cool like me!!" Ellie grinned.
Penny sighed, "I kind of want to be left alone now."
"Okay, but Elvis did NOT ask me out," Ellie says, "what, did YOU ask Sam out?"
"What???" Penny said, "no!! I have NEVER thought of Sam like that!!"
"Well, do you have a crush on anyone?" Ellie asked. She NEEDED to know for SURE that Penny felt the same way about Elvis. She HAD to know, for Elvis's sake. For HER sake.
"Uh, no," Penny blushed even harder to the point where her face was as red as Jupiter, "I-I don't like anyone at the moment."
"Ooooh do you like ELVIS???"
"NONONONONO I DON'T!!!!" Penny screamed, "I-I-" She stopped. Ellie sat down beside her. "Do you have a crush on Elvis?" she asked again.
"No," Penny said, "I'm in love with him."