A girl, a script and a pun
Ellie was supposed to be working on her project but instead, she was sketching whatever came to mind as she played her playlist on her speakers. She needed to find time every once in a while to just be in her room and forget the real world. Her pencil effortlessly grazed along her paper, she didn’t plan out what she was going to draw but something about it felt right. She took a second to stop and scan the sketch, this kind of looks like…. Dina? Why the fuck did I just draw Dina? Her panic was interrupted by a loud banging on her door, “I’m coming!” She called out as she pulled a shirt over her white tank top. She stumbled to the door and quickly opened it.
”Hey Ellie.” Dina smiled.
Did thinking about her summon her or something?
She was wearing a long denim skirt and a large green sweater that hung off one shoulder. As usual, she was decorated with jewellery; gold hoop earrings and a gold necklace. Her hair was up again but this time it was held together by a large black claw clip. Ellie felt kind of embarrassed that she was seeing Dina whilst her own hair was still messy from just waking up.
”Hey Dina…what brings you here completely unannounced?”
"Is this a bad time? I would’ve texted but you rarely answer-"
"It’s fine, did you need something?"
”Well…" She started as she twisted the rings on her fingers.
Is she…nervous? No that’s impossible.
"I was wondering if I could take you up on your offer from a couple of nights ago, I really need a scene partner for this-“
"I almost forgot about that…” Ellie hesitated, realising that she was still holding Dina’s drawing behind her back.
”What’s that in your hand?” Dina tried to peek at what Ellie was hiding but Ellie was faster.
”Oh this? Nothing, just some trash I’ll just-“ Ellie scrunched the paper up and threw it behind her.
”That’s very suspicious…"
"It’s really nothing."
"If you insist…" She shrugged, slightly unconvinced, "So, what do you say…?”
Jesse would want me to say yes, right? This is what a good friend and a good neighbour would do. ”Uh sure just give me a sec to clean up-“
”Sounds great I’ll be waiting right here.”
”Cool…” Ellie slowly shut the door and let out a large sigh. Fuck when did this place get so messy?
She quickly darted across the room, picking up pieces of paper and stashing away all her art supplies. Then, she ran to the bathroom and examined herself in the mirror, she ran her brush through her hair and tamed the wild flyaways. As she hopped into her black cargos, she picked out a cleaner graphic shirt. Once she was completely ready, she took one last breath and opened the door once again. Dina was leaning against her own door, scrolling through something on her phone. Ellie cleared her throat to announce her presence, “Uh I’m ready?"
Dina looked Ellie up and down with a smug expression, “Did you just get all dressed up for me?”
”You wish, I was already getting changed-“
"Hmm…" She reached up and ran her hands through Ellie's hair, "The bed head looked pretty good-"
"Really…?" She replied without thinking. "I mean, stop doing that." She continued as she swatted Dina's hands away.
”Well, either way, the look suits you.”
”Thanks.”
”Aren’t you gonna compliment me too?” Dina spun around and showed off her outfit.
”Uh you look…" Ok don’t make her uncomfortable, how do girls usually compliment eachother? Hot? No that’s too weird she’ll feel grossed out. Ravishing? God no Ellie, we’re not in Victorian times. Ok shes looking at me weirdly now I’m taking too long, I should just say whatever- "You look…okay?" She decided.
Dina dropped her shoulders in disappointment, ”Wow, you’re unbelievably bad at this-“
“Do you want my help with this audition thing or not?”
”Alright no need to get defensive-“ Dina teased as she joined Ellie in her apartment.
Dina unfolded her script and threw herself onto the couch, “Ok so, let’s start from here,” She pointed at the highlighted part on the first page.
Ellie nodded, took the script and sat down on the sofa.
”Why do you always sit so far away?” Dina shuffled along and sat so close that their shoulders pressed together.
"So what am I supposed to do?" Ellie stuttered.
"Read for Romeo, this is a pretty important scene and I don’t wanna mess it up-"
"Ok, whenever you’re ready I guess."
"No you have to count me down-"
”Count you down?"
”You have to say action-“
”I’m not saying action-“
”You have to, it’ll help me get into character,”
”Are you trying to make fun of me?”
”I don’t joke when it comes to my craft.”
"Your craft?” Ellie retorted sarcastically.
”Ellie. Say. Action.” Dina asserted as she rested her hand on Ellie’s thigh.
Ellie jumped back and covered her face with the script to hide her pink cheeks, “Alright fine.”
Dina lowered the script and turned Ellie’s body so that they were facing each other, “I need to be able to see you.”
”O- ok 3 2 1 action.”
Dina’s face completely changed before she began to speak, “Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer…” She voiced, confidently.
Ellie read Romeo’s lines with uncertainty, “Uh then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair?”
“Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake,” Dina’s eyes suddenly darkened and her stare had a hint of unexplained determination.
Why is she looking at me like that? “Um… then move not, while my prayer's effect I take,”
”Then have my lips, by yours, my sin is purged…”
”Have… your lips?" What was Shakespeare on when he wrote this?
”Just keep reading.”
At this point, Ellie knew better than to argue. “ Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged… Give me my sin again?”
Ellie looked at the script, slightly confused, “Um you don’t have any other lines…”
”That’s because we’re supposed to kiss.”
Ellie dropped the script and met eyes with Dina in shock, “Wh- what?”
”It says have my lips, you’re supposed to kiss me right after your line.” Dina pointed at the line and looked at Ellie with an unreadable expression.
”Do you expect me to actually kiss you?”
”Do you want to actually kiss me?”
”I asked first.”
Dina grinned and rolled her eyes, “Do you always have to be so stubborn?”
"Don’t tell me you only came over here because you wanted to practice kissing-"
”Just read it again.” She demanded.
Ellie was unsure of what to do, she cleared her throat and tried her best to get rid of the weird feeling in her stomach, “Uhh- sin- from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged… Give me my…" Her eyes wondered to Dina's lips and her imagination started to run wild. What am I thinking? This is Dina, Jesse wouldn’t want this. "Wait, no I can’t do this." She blurted.
Dina looked somewhat disappointment but Ellie assumed it was because she was genuinely worried about her scene, "It’s just a peck Ellie-"
"I know but I just don’t get why we have to do this-“
"It’s called acting, I’d rather practice with you before I kiss some stranger on stage-"
"Practice what? You just have to kiss for two seconds-"
"I need to make it tragic, but also romantic and soft and-"
"Listing adjectives isn’t going to make me agree to this-"
"Is the idea of kissing me that terrible to you?"
"I'd rather die." Fuck why did I say that?
"Wow, harsh…"
"That’s not what I meant- I would definitely rather kiss you than die…Like if we were in a zombie apocalypse and the only way I could survive was by kissing you then I would but-" She began to ramble for an embarrassingly long time.
Dina placed her index finger on Ellie's lips to stop her, "Ok ok I have a better idea."
"What are you-"
"Let me just try something-"
"But-"
"Just shush." Dina started to move closer to Ellie. Ellie automatically closed her eyes and held her breath, how the fuck did I get in this situation? She waited for the eventual impact of a kiss but was instead met with something heavier being placed on her lips. She opened her eyes, puzzled, and watched as Dina planted a light kiss on her own knuckle, the only barrier between their lips touching was Dina’s hand.
"How was I?” Dina asked, as she slowly moved back.
Ellie was at a loss for words.
”Ellie?”
”What the fuck is wrong with you?“
"What? It was an alternative-"
"Yeah, but I thought- why are you so confusing?"
"Just tell me if my acting was good or not!"
"It was… great."
”Your complimenting skills are improving.” Dina smiled.
What was I expecting? We're just friends. “Uh… Any idea who’s going to be playing Romeo?”
"Jealous already?"
"Dont flatter yourself, I’m just curious-"
”Well you could always audition…"
"That’s a terrible joke,"
"I’m dead serious."
"Are you trying to say I look like a guy?"
"I’m just saying it would be really fun."
"I’m more of a backstage kind of girl."
”Understandable, but kind of a shame.”
”What’s a shame?”
”Well, I was kind of curious about what it would be like to actually kiss you…”
——
Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Ellie repeated to herself.
"I think we’re about ready to close up now-" Joel declared as he emerged from his office. He stared at Ellie, who seemed to be focused on something else. ”You okay Ellie, you look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” He waved his hand in front of her to check if she wasn’t just pulling another prank on him.
Ellie didn’t respond. She continued to mindlessly sweep the floor of the bakery and cursed at herself in her head.
Joel used the newspaper he was holding to tap the top of Ellie's head, which was an effective method in snapping her out of her daydream.
”Ow what the fuck was that for?” She scowled.
"I thought you got possessed or something-"
"What are you talking about? I’m perfectly fine."
”Damn it Ellie you’re not even sweeping anything up!”
”What?” Ellie looked down and saw that Joel was right, in fact she didn’t even remember picking the broomstick up in the first place.
”Alright-“ He took the broomstick and sat Ellie down on a stool opposite him, “Tell Old Joel what’s up.”
”Nothings up!” She yelled, way too defensively to be convincing.
”You know I know you better than that-“
Ellie gave in almost immediately; she threw her head onto the counter and shook her head, “I really fucked up.”
”What’d you do this time-“ He sighed, already expecting the worst.
"Relax, I didn’t get into trouble or anything-"
"Ok so what could possibly make you this out of sorts?"
”It's really embarrassing…”
”Embarrassing? That’s what all this fuss is about?”
"Is there a place I can be locked up for life and never have to come out?"
"Thats called jail, I’m pretty sure you don’t wanna go there-"
"That actually doesn’t sound too bad-"
"Quit being so dramatic,"
"You don’t understand,"
”Ok let me see if I can help-“
Ellie cringed slightly as she thought back to her incident with Dina, “Ok… say, someone that you’re friends with says they want to kiss you-“
”My friends don’t usually say that-“
”Ok but imagine they did-"
"Is this about Jesse? I knew there was something going on-" Joel smiled triumphantly.
"No Joel it’s not about Jesse for Christs sake, we’re just friends."
"You can’t fool me, I have a pretty good eye for this stuff."
"Yeah well not with this one."
"If it’s not Jesse who else could it be? You have no other friends."
"Wow, way to kick a girl when she’s down."
"You know that’s not how I meant it- just continue with your story,"
"Ok, if your friend kind of implied they want to kiss you, how would you react?"
”Uh I don’t know I’d probably just act natural?”
”Maaaan why didn’t I think of that!”
”What did you do Ellie.”
”I panicked Joel-“
”It couldn’t have been that bad….”
Ellie buried her head in her hands and sighed, ”I told them a pun.”
"A pun?”
”Yes as in a joke, a play on words-”
Joel held back a laugh, “Yes I know what a pun is but why in God’s name would you do that?”
”I- I don’t know I’ve never- I just got nervous-“
”Ellie Williams, nervous?”
“I think I’m screwed in the head or something…”
“Well… what was the pun?”
”I can’t even say it.”
”Come on I need to know to judge the situation.”
Ellie mumbled something under her breath.
”I can’t hear you.”
”Don’t make me-“
”Damn it Ellie just spit it out already!”
”What do you get when you kiss a diseased bird…”
”You didn’t…”
”Cherpies.” She exhaled, “I said the word cherpies.”
Joel almost shook the counter with his loud chuckle, he slammed his hand down on the table, unable to control himself.
”I’m sorry Ellie, that’s just too good-“
”The joke or my humiliation?”
”Both-“ He wheezed.
”This isn’t helping at all.”
”Sorry, sorry-“ He collected himself and tried to keep a straight expression, “Well how did this person react?”
”It was too awkward, they just looked confused and I shoved them out the door before they had a chance to speak.”
”Oh Ellie, I have to say I haven’t laughed like that in a while,” He exclaimed, wiping a tear from his eye.
“Glad my cursed life is bringing you so much joy-“
”Well it’s only cursed if you actually wanted to kiss this person.”
”Huh?”
"If you’re just friends then none of this would matter-"
"We are just friends. That’s all we'll ever be."
”And you’re okay with that?”
Ellie thought for a moment, she quickly shook her head to snap herself out of her imagination. Don’t be delusional Ellie.
"Ugh I’m not discussing this with you-“
”You already told me half the story might as well finish it-“
”Nevermind…” Ellie stood up and started to pack up her things.
”Oh come on Ellie, I’m just curious you never tell me about these things-“
”Yeah and I’m starting to remember why-“ She huffed as she left the store.
——-
Ellie was on her way home, the awkwardness from earlier wouldn’t leave her mind. There’s no way I can face Dina after that, why did she have to be my neighbour? Determined to avoid Dina, she decided to text Jesse for confirmation.
Ellie: hey jess
Jesse: hey smellie what’s up?
Ellie: not much i’m on my way home i was just wondering if you knew where dina is rn
Jesse: why?
Ellie: just tell me if you know
Ellie: please
Jesse: last i heard she went to a party but idk if she’s home yet
Ellie: isn’t it too early to be home from a party rn
Jesse: i guess, why don’t you just text her
Ellie: i have my reasons
Jesse: wait can we meet up tomorrow to talk about operation get dina back
Ellie: oh yeah
Ellie: i’ll see if im not busy
Jesse: sounds good see you tomorrow
Ellie sighed as she walked towards her building, she scanned the dark parking lot for any signs of Dina’s car but it didn’t seem like it was there. She continued to sneak through the gates, just in case Dina was lurking somewhere but she tripped on something as she tried to reach the stairs. “What the-"
”Heyyyy Ellieeeee!” Dina flashed a lopsided smile. “It must be fate that we keep bumping into each other like this-“
Well, mission avoid Dina was a bust.
Ellie dragged herself up and tilted her head at Dina who was leaning against the handrail. “Are you okay?”
”Never better, heads just spinning so I needed a break.”
”Are you… drunk?”
”Only a teeny bit, like the teensiest bit-“ She giggled.
”Uhhh, do you need help?"
”Noo way I’m fine,” She hiccuped, “Just need a nap and I’ll be up in a sec,”
”How did you get here? Your cars not in the parking lot-“
”My car? Oh yeahh I left that at Maria’s place-“
“Then how did you get here?”
”Uber, duh!”
Dina's makeup was half smudged and wild strands of hair were stuck to her forehead, Ellie had never seen her look so messed up. Geez what kind of party was this?
”Come sit,” Dina waved her over and patted the space next to her.
Ellie contemplated leaving for a split second but something told her that Dina would need her. Fuck it.
“Sure…” Ellie sat down and kept looking at Dina.
Dina instantly rested her head on Ellie’s shoulder. “This is way more comfortable.”
Ellie was extremely conscious of the warmth of Dina's body weight on her shoulder. She stiffened up and her heart started to race as she tried to -act natural- as Joel had advised.
”How many drinks did you have?”
”That's none of your business.” Dina pouted.
"Who else were you with?"
"Friends- It doesn’t matter-"
"What kind of friends let their friend go home drunk and alone in an Uber?"
"You’re asking me too many questions and it’s making my head hurt."
"Why didn’t you call Jesse?"
"I don’t need Jesse to save me anymore, I’m an independent woman!" She yelled as she threw her arms up.
"Ok ok let’s calm down, you can be an independent woman and stay safe you know?"
"You're doing a pretty good job at keeping me safe right now."
"Well yeah I couldn’t just leave you here-" Ellie was distracted by the way that Dina was staring at her, listening so attentively despite being drunk.
Dina was never the type to be scared of eye contact and it was apparent that whatever alcohol she had consumed that night had given her a boost of bravery. "I don’t know if it’s the tequila talking but you look really pretty Ellie-"
Ellie looked everywhere but directly into Dina's eyes, "It’s probably the tequila."
"I just remembered something-"
"What is it now?"
"We didn’t finish our scene earlier…"
"What?"
"We need to finish the scene, we should kiss!"
"Dina, you’re not thinking clearly-"
"I’ve never thought clearly-er" She stammered.
"Ok, I’m not going to kiss you Dina-"
Dina sulked and crossed her arms, "Because you’d rather die?"
"No. I didn’t mean that, let’s pretend that didn’t happen."
"Then why not?"
"Because you’re drunk-"
"So what I’m hearing is you'd kiss me if I sobered up?"
"You know what? That’s enough of that-" Ellie pulled herself up and held her hand out to Dina. "You coming or what?"
”Huh?"
”Come on princess, let’s get you home.” Ellie took hold of Dina’s hand and helped her to her feet, “Are you gonna be okay to walk?”
”I don’t think so-“
”Ok hold on to me-“ Ellie wrapped Dina’s arm around her neck and heaved her up the stairs. Why the fuck am I doing this?
They made their way outside Dina’s door, “Do you have your keys?” Ellie asked.
”Yeah in here… somewhere.” She scrambled through her purse and shakily handed Ellie the key.
Ellie inserted it into the door and twisted it open, “Alright here you go-“
”Wait-“ Dina gripped Ellie’s shoulder, “Can you help me get to bed?” She looked up at Ellie, whose heart started to race.
”Um sure…”
Ellie helped Dina in and took a look at her apartment, it was pretty plain which was normal considering Dina had just moved in. As she kept hold of Dina, Ellie made her way into her bedroom and gently placed her on the bed.
“Are you gonna be okay?”
”Yep thanks to you…”
”You know you shouldn’t be drinking that much if you don’t have somebody to help you home-“
”I have you now, don’t I?”
”Well- you should be safe anyway, something bad could’ve happened-“
”Are you worried about me Ellie?”
"Just don’t do that again okay.”
”Okay, if you say so…”
”Alright, I’m gonna go home uh call me if you need anything.”
"Wait… Ellie?"
"Yeah?"
"You wanna know the real reason that I drank so much tonight?"
"I guess?"
"I wanted to see if I still had feelings for Jesse."
"What?"
"I thought, if I still loved him I would go to his place after the party but like you said the other day, it felt like a chore and it didn’t feel right."
"Is that why you came home so early?"
"It’s funny because part of me felt like something better would be waiting for me if I came straight home-"
"That’s… interesting?"
"I think I’m officially over him-" She voiced, slurring her words, "No, I know I am."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I just think I’m ready to move on to other things… other people."
This doesn’t mean anything. This doesn’t mean anything. This- "Did- did you have someone in mind…?" Ellie was met with no response. "Dina?"
Of course, she had already fallen asleep.
Ellie sighed and grabbed a warm blanket from the bedside. She pulled it over Dina, whose soft snores filled the quiet room. "The things I do for you." Ellie muttered as she finished tucking in the corners of the bedsheet.
Just as she was about to leave, she was halted by something tugging on her shirt, Dina was half awake and raised her head slightly. "Thank you." She whispered, before immediately falling asleep again.
She wasn’t sure why, but in that moment, Ellie's heart felt warm and she couldn’t help but smile.