After cheer practice ended Ellie was sitting by herself at the bleachers waiting for David to finish up with football practice. She couldn’t do much so she just glared off in the general direction he should be in, she couldn’t tell if he was actually there since she took her contacts out after cheer practice.  

 All she could really see was a bunch of blurry figures dressed in the school colors of blue and silver. Ellie absent-mindledly fiddled with the rosary she was wearing when she heard someone come up behind her. 

“Ellie, you’re still here?” 

“AH!” Ellie yelped in surprise. “Oh, hello Julia. You scared me.” 

“Sorry,” She smiled at Ellie. “But why are you still here? Didn't cheer practice end a while ago.”
“I’m waiting for David.” She replied. 

“Ohh~ really now.” 

“Yeah, he’s my ride.” Ellie said, not picking up on what Julia was inferring.  

Julia sat down on the bleachers next to Ellie, “I heard that you’re a shoe in for homecoming queen.” 

“I am?” 

“Yeah, thought you would have known that.” Julia said, confused by Ellie’s response. “Are you going with David?” 

“Maybe, if he doesn’t have another date.” Ellie honestly responded, getting a little confused by the questions. Why wouldn’t she go with her best friend if he got rejected by Victoria, the girl he liked. 

“You need to take some initiative, ask him out.” 

“Why would I do that?” 

“He’s the most popular guy, you’re the most popular girl. You two are meant to be aren’t you?” 

“I don’t think that’s how life works, Julia.” Ellie chuckled, “Also I’m sure I’m not the most popular girl. There’s so many girls with more friends than I have.” 

Julia’s brow tensed, “...sure. Well I’ll leave you to your waiting. It was nice to talk with you Ellie.” She got up and left as Ellie watched her confused about what Julia meant. 

Once David was all finished with practice and had taken a quick shower in the locker room the two were on the road heading back to Ellie’s house. Sitting in the passenger seat, Ellie was reading something on her phone while David just drove with the classic rock station playing in the background. 

“Have you asked Victoria out yet?” Ellie asked her friend. 

“N-not yet, I need to get the right mood for that.” 

“You mean you need to get her alone, since you’re too scared to do it around people.” 

“...yes.” 

“Most girls don’t like that,” Ellie said. “If you want I can help you.” 

“No, I can do it myself.” David quickly replied, keeping his eyes glued to the road. 

“If you say so.” She adjusted her glasses and continued reading the novel she was going through. 

 Pulling into the parking lot of a family apartment complex, David checked his bag to make sure he had remembered his housekeys. 

“You remembered them this time?” Ellie asked with a small laugh. 

“I did not.” 

“You can just wait at my place then,” Ellie pulled her keys out of her bag. “My brother is at work so we can steal his playstation." 

“Let’s fucking go!” David opened the car door and got out. 

 The Pastor family lived in a unit on the second floor, checking the letter box she took out the mail before unlocking the door. The apartment unit itself was quite big for a unit with the rent price it had but it was also small for the family of 7 that lived there. 

 The two friends walked into the apartment, with Ellie going towards the kitchen and David heading to the living room so he could get the PS4 set up and looked through the games that were on it. 

“Do you think Julia dislikes me?” Ellie asked from across the room. 

“Why?”
“She talked to me earlier about homecoming and how I was a shoe-in for being the queen.” 

“I think she’s just jealous of you.” 

“Why would someone be jealous of me?” Ellie asked sincerely. 

David just looked at her laughing, “You are very oblivious, you’re pretty and people like you. So of course people will be jealous.” 

“I can’t control whether people like me or not.” Ellie pouted as she brought over a plate of snacks for the two of them. 

“I know, I know.” David smiled at his childhood friend. “Well, did anything else happen today.” 

“Uhhh, oh I passed out papers with the new girl, the one with black hair that always wears headphones around her neck.”
“...huh,” 

“Something Song.” Ellie said, trying to remember the name. 

“Oh the asian girl, I think her name is Daisy.” David said, “The girl with the freckles right.” 

“Yes, her.” Ellie smiled, “She’s quite pretty, although she did look a bit like a deer in headlights.” Ellie trailed off in thought remembering the look Daisy had given her, “Am I scary, David.” 

“Fuck no, you’re the least scary person I know.” 

“It’s just that she looked at me like she was afraid. I don’t think I did anything to her.” 

David thought for a minute before saying, “It might be your habit of not looking people in the eyes when you talk with them.” 

“Why would I do that? It seems too personal. Makes me uncomfortable.” Ellie picked up a grape, “I hope I can make amends with her, if she’s scared of me.”
“Go talk to her tomorrow then.” 

“But that means I have to go talk to someone I don’t know.”

“What am I going to do with you, Ellie?”