"How the hell did you just do that?" Ben chuckles as Ellie sits back down while everyone was cheering.
"What?"
"Uh, wake up from a fat nap and then pull a speech out of thin air like you were Captain America" Josh said.
She just smirked and shrugged "it's a gift"
"Can you PLEASE tell us what show your in?!" Some one asked as the cheering died down, and others seconded the question.
"Well, your in Newsies, right? Cause why else would Josh, Ben, and Sky be here?" Someone else questioned.
Conversation began to rise and Ellie looked over to Marley. Her friend shrugged and Ellie could feel the little squeeze of Sky's pinkie in hers.
Ellie nodded and stood back up "Alright, alright" she said to the students. "I will tell you, but, remember that I may not be in it. I still have the final call before I know" she informed them as they waited intently "and please do not go online and attack if I do or don't make it" she chuckled.
Ellie looked down for a moment at Sky, and he gave her a little nod of reassurance "But yes, I am up for a role in the tour of Newsies"
"WAIT, WHATT??!?! OH MY GOD ELLIE!!!!!!" Everyone cheered, but Josh and Ben jumped up and practically body slammed her.
"Wait, they didn't know?!" somebody questioned their response.
"Nope" Ellie smiled and laughed, the two lifted her up, and she some how ended up of Josh's shoulders. She ruffled his and Ben's hair as the two celebrated with the others. "Like I said, I met these kids at Circle K one night, then they made an appearance at the school, and well" she looks at Sky who smiles up at her "like someone once told me, a lot can happen in a short amount of time"
"cheers, I'll drink to that bro" somebody said which made everyone laugh.
"To Newsies!" Zoe cheered and raised her cup.
"To Newsies!" the crowd repeated. Ellie looked over to Zoe and smiled, she smiled back and nodded.
As Ellie was up on Josh's shoulders, she looked over at a server who looked like they were ready to quit on the spot.
"Sky, can you pass me that cup and a fork please?" Ellie pointed. He nodded and gave them to her, and she began clanking them together to gather everyone's attention.
"Hey guys, I have one more announcement! So let's be real, we are theatre kids. Which means we're also every late night Denny's employee's nightmare" a few people laughed, and the servers looked over at her to see what she was going to say.
"So, because they put up with our, uh, crap. And let's be honest, they probably don't get paid enough to put up with us, I want to see every single person tipping as they should tonight. If you need more, please let me know and I will try and cover you. If you can give more than a 20% tip, please do so. And, that's about it, thank you!" she announced as everyone then clapped and began getting their money out.
"Alright, Im ready to go down now" Ellie said, Josh nodded and Sky got behind them. She slipped off and into Sky's arms as he caught her "Thank youuu" she looked up at Sky who held her from behind. He smirked and then the two let go as everyone was reclaiming their seats.
Marley got up and hugged her best friend "How'd it feel to get that off your chest?"
"Good. But now I'm kinda scared" Ellie admits, and Marley walks around the chair while rolling her eyes.
"We only got a week left of school, and it's our senior year. Don't let this worry you, alright bubs?"
Ellie nodded her head and sighed with satisfactory. "That's so gross"
"What?"
"We're getting old" Ellie admits and her friend starts laughing
"Can you at least wait 'til like, 45 to have your mid life crisis?"
Ellie smiles and puts her hands out to her friend. Marley tilts her head, but then gets it and sits on her.
She hugs her from behind "you taking a nap?" Marley asks as Ellie leans on her.
"mhmm."
"Ok" Marley says, and continued to talk to Ben from across the table.
"And, how did you guys meet at Circle K?" Ellie heard someone ask Josh.
"Ellie and Zoe were getting a lot of polar pops" He told them.
As the night went on, Marley returned to her seat and it began to bleed into the early morning hours. A few people had left, but there was still a pretty good crowd at the Denny's and Ellie had reached her socializing limit for the day. She began to shut down, with pain starting to grow in her head and lower abdomen.
"you alright?" Sky looks over to her. She nods with her eyes barley open.
He grabs the side of her chair, and slides her right next to him. She puts the hood back on, tightening it over her eyes, and leans into him. He puts his arm around her and lets Ellie fall asleep on him again.
———
"good night!" Ellie sleepily made her way around, hugging everyone as the students had managed to gather up a hefty tip for their servers, and began leaving.
"Does anyone need a ride?" Marley offers, but everyone seemed to be set.
The five walk out to the parking lot, tired from the long day, and a bit sad due to Josh, Ben, and Sky having to catch a plane in just a couple hours.
"Well, this has been an eventful past couple of days" Ben says as they make their way to Marley's car.
"Yea" Ellie smiles as Sky squeezes her hand "I'm gonna miss you guys"
"We'll see you guys soon though. Just a bit more than a week!" Josh says.
"True. This isn't really a goodbye, more like a, see you later" Marley says. They then go around, giving each other hugs and saying good night to each other.
As Ellie reaches Sky, she just sighs and gets one last good look of his face. She smiled lightly and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He picked her up, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"what if we just kidnap you guys and go back with us" Sky said. Ellie chuckled a little and holds him tighter.
"hold, hold on, hold onto me. cause i'm a little unsteady" she sings little.
He smiles and signs back "a little unsteady"
She then draws away and he lets her back down. Ellie shifts her hands from lying on his shoulders, to the back of his neck. He leans his forehand against hers.
"I'll see you later" she tells him quietly, and draws her hand to offer her pinkie. He smiles and wraps his pinkie around hers before Ellie draws away.
"bye guys" Ellie waves as the guys walk to their rental car. They wave back, and the girls climb into Harley's Jeep.
As the two hop into the car, Ellie begins playing Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac lowly on the aux.
"Do you have a headache?" Marley asked her quietly.
Ellie nodded her head "How'd you know?"
"You hum Fleetwood Mac whenever you do"
"Oops" Ellie rubbed her head "I already took something back at the restaurant. Do you have any Midol in here? I think I'm also getting cramps or something"
"Yea, check the glove box"
Ellie finds some and takes them dry, then sways in her seat to the music.
"I'm gonna miss them" Marley admits as they drive in the dark "They're all really nice"
"yea" Ellie sighs "you alright?"
"Yea, But I didn't end things with Ben" Ellie looks up and smiles a little at her friend "Although I'm not sure if you could say end if technically we never started dating, but I don't know. I couldn't, and, I don't think I should end whatever is happening, anymore. I think we're just gonna see where this takes us"
"Good. Because he's a really great guy, and I see how you look at each other" Marley sheepishly smiles "I'm being honest Marls, I really this to work out for you two"
"Thank you. I'm gonna miss you the most though"
"Well, we don't know that I'm gonna get casted"
"ellie, It's a final call, and they want you in New York"
Ellie goes quiet "I'm sorry"
"hey, it's alright. this isn't anything to apologize about, okay?" She reassures her friend "This is an amazing opportunity for you. To be honest, I may be more excited about this than you are" she chuckles lightly "You've worked so hard for this. I just want you to realize how much of a reality it is before it, y'know, it hits you in the face"
"I'm gonna miss you. Your the only thing that keeps me sane some days"
Marley chuckled "I know you can handle yourself"
Ellie smiles as they make their way to Ellie's house "Night Marls. Love you" They hug tightly
"Night El, love you too"