Rum and Coke

“So, Ren,” Ryan said as he reclined in the booth at a fast food chain. “I know it’s only been less than a day, but what do you think Ellie?” He asked, taking a sip of his Mountain Dew.

Mark tensed beside him and shot him a look.

“What? I was just curious! Did you not see the big goo-goo eyes that he had every time Ellie was around? I just want to know so that we can warn him what he’s getting into.”

“That was a very complicated sentence. I’m proud of you,” Mark said teasingly.

“Shut the hell up, man.” Ryan scoffed before turning to Ren. “Well?”

“Guys, be nice, he’s shy,” Kay quipped.

“Um, I don’t know yet?” Ren more questioned than anything. “I mean, aside from Kay, I’ve only known you guys for barely a day.”

“Well, just a heads up, don’t fall in love with her. She’ll just rip your heart out and leave it on the side of the road,” Mark said angrily as he stood up and left.

“You willingly walked into that one! I told you she’d end up like her mother!” Ryan called after the bassist’s retreating back. “Sorry about him. He still thinks he has a chance of winning her back. Pretty funny if- ow!” Ryan exclaimed after Kay elbowed him harshly in the ribs. “Stop abusing me, woman!”

“I wouldn’t have to if you didn’t talk like that!” Kay whispered harshly. “Sorry, Ren, they’re a group that you just have to learn to get along with.”

“No, it’s fine. And, yes, I do like her,” Ren answered. “But what was that all about?” he asked, motioning to where Mark had just left.

“Ellie’s mom didn’t believe in monogamy. And that belief passed down to Ellie after Matthieu, her boyfriend of two years, died over in Iraq just a few months ago. Ellie is now convinced that there is no such thing as love. If you’re willing to accept that, and the fact that she will go out and fuck other guys, then you two will be fine together…and even then, you two will not be together, per say.”

Ren reclined back in the booth, a smile on his face. “I think I’ll be okay with that.”

~*~

“Where’s Ellie?” Matt asked Brian as soon as the other man sat down.

“She’s showing Monty around, I think,” Brian said with a wave of his hand.

“Monty?”

“Yea, it’s her step-brother-thing….the guy we sent the tickets for.”

“Oh, ok. So, how was your day?”

“Did you know that she could act? Like, really act?” Brian asked.

“Um, it was kind of implied, really. Where is this going?”

“Danni couldn’t really act. Well, she could lie without a second thought- but she could never act like, with a script and stuff. She couldn’t sing, either, now that I think about it,” Brian rambled on.

“Um, excuse you,” Ellie said while barging through the door. “But you cannot tell me that most original casts are not the best.” Ellie told Monty.

“Um, yes, I am. Look at Idina: for both RENT and Wicked, the actors who took her place did a much better job than she did.”

“But if you look at Bernadette Peters, Angela Lansbury, and our father, plus countless others, you will she that the originals are far better. That’s because they had to lay all the groundwork down!”

“Ellie, do you not realize that you can out act and out sing all of them? Even when you are cross-gender cast?”

“Urgh! You’re so infuriating!” Ellie yelled as she stomped over to the fridge and snatched out a water bottle. “Oh, Matt, meet my brother, Monty. Monty, you know who Matt is,” she said, realizing that there were people in the room.

“Hi, big fan,” Monty said, stepping over to the couch, his arm extended.

“Hi, nice to meet you.” Matt smiled. “Come, sit, I want to know all of Ellie’s embarrassing moments.”

Ellie scoffed as she crossed to an overstuffed armchair. “You’re going to have to go to someone else for that information.”

“Yea, all of my stories aren’t embarrassing to her, just highly entertaining.”

Ellie beamed as the door opened.

“H’ok, so we finally have an Ellie and a Monty,” Ryan said, imitating the voice from The End of the World. “Hoo-rah.”

“Geez, thanks for the hello, Little Brother.” Monty said with a straight face.

Ryan cracked a smile. “You know you love me. How can you not?” He asked as he wrapped his arm around Kay.

Monty shook his head. “Just as cocky as I remember. Tell me, did you ever fix your problem? Or do you still have to pretend to be madly in love with your twin sister?”

“Hey, be nice, Monty,” Ellie spoke up. “It’s not our fault that everyone is into incest,” she said with a small smile as Jimmy and the rest walked in .

Jimmy looked around peculiarly. “I just heard that last word and I don’t think I want to be in this room anymore.”

“She can act!” Brian said suddenly as he pointed to Ellie, breaking the light mood.

“I thought I’m supposed to be the insane one in the group. Who gave him my crazy pills?” Jimmy joked. “Seriously man, have you become deaf in your old age?”

“She fucking made me and the class cry!” Brian said in raised voice.

“I wouldn’t have admitted that, Man,” Zacky snickered.

“You brought Agavé back, didn’t you?” Ryan asked.

“Um, duh,” Monty countered. “It has to be my absolute favorite role that she’s done. And, well, my class sucked at showing emotion. Now, they’re cured.”

Ryan took a millisecond to ponder that thought before he turned to Ellie. “Ok, enough chit-chat, sing, woman!”

Ellie stuck out her tongue before she began her warm-ups.

“I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you”

“Pratter,” Ryan said, tired of his twin being so depressing.

“Um, no. I won’t be able to breathe.” Ellie rebelled.

“Fine then, rap or hip-hop. Something fun.”

“You already know
Tonight is the night to let it go
Put on a show
I wanna see how you lose control
So leave it behind, cause we have a night to get away
So come on and fly with me
As we make our great escape

So baby don't worry
You are my only
You won't be lonely
Even if the sky is falling down
You'll be my only
No need to worry
Baby are you down (X5)
Down, down
Baby are you down (X5)
Down, down
Even if the sky is falling down

“Click.”

“No One Is Alone!” Monty yelled.

“Monty, I’m trying to get her out of the realm of depressing.”

“Ryan, let her sing it through, and the next one can easily be an insanely ironic one, or her infamous pratter.”

Ellie flipped them both off before she launched into her song“Mother cannot guide you.
Now you're on your own.
Only me beside you.
Still, you're not alone.
No one is alone. Truly.
No one is alone.

Sometimes people leave you.
Halfway through the wood.
Others may deceive you.
You decide what’s good.
You decide alone.
But no one is alone.

People make mistakes.
Fathers,
Mothers,
People make mistakes,
Holding to their own,
Thinking their alone.

Honor their mistakes
Everybody makes
One another's terrible mistakes.
Witches can be right, Giants can be good.
You decide what's right you decide what's good

Just remember:
Someone is on your side
Someone else is not
While you're seeing your side

Maybe we forgot: they are not alone.
No one is alone.
Hard to see the light now.
Just don't let it go
Things will come out right now.
We can make it so.
Someone is on your side
No one is alone

“Company.” Ryan said smugly.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Listen, everybody, look, I don't know what you're waiting for,
a wedding, what's a wedding, it's a prehistoric ritual
where everybody promises fidelity forever, which is
maybe the most horrifying word I ever heard of, which is
followed by a honeymoon, where suddenly he'll realize he's
saddled with a nut, and wanna kill me, which he should--
Thanks a bunch,
But I'm not getting married--
Go have lunch,
'Cause I'm not getting married--
You've been grand,
But I'm not getting married--
Don't just stand there,
I'm not getting married--
And don't tell Paul,
But I'm not getting married today.

Go, can't you go?
Why is no-
Body listening?
Goodbye,
Go and cry
At another person's wake.
If you're quick,
For a kick,
You could pick
Up a christening,
But please,
On my knees,
There's a human life at stake!

Listen everybody, I'm afraid you didn't hear, or do you want to
see a crazy lady fall apart in front of you, it isn't only Paul
who may be ruining his life, you know we'll both of us be losing
our identities, I telephoned my analyst about it and he said to
see him Monday, but by Monday I'll be floating in the Hudson with
the other garbage--
I'm not well,
So I'm not getting married--
You've been swell,
But I'm not getting married--
Clear the hall,
'Cause I'm not getting married--
Thank you all,
But I'm not getting married--
And don't tell Paul,
But I'm not getting married today.”

“Yea, hit it, girl!” Jimmy and Johnny cheered.
“Breathe, Woman!” Ryan exclaimed at the same time.

Ellie flipped her twin off as she laughed her way through Astonishing. “I’m sorry. I think I’m good,” she said, still laughing.

“Fine, I guess we can be done.” Ryan said, the worry in his face being quickly replaced by happiness as he saw her interact with their older brother. Now, if only she’ll realize how truly not alone she is, he thought to himself as he joined the raucous group.