Saviour in a Misfit's Disguise

"Hey Ellie what are you doing?" Joe asked as she stood in the doorway of my apartment with a takeout bag in her hand.

"Looking for your son.” I replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I kinda figured that smartass. I meant why are you wearing a blanket as a cape?" she asked as she walked in to the kitchen and placed the bag on the counter.

"Cause I'm the evil villain 'Lord Hornville' who's trying to take Prince Sam's lovely wife Princess Emma away so I can rule the Enchanted Kingdom instead of the Prince." I explained as I opened a few bottom cupboards looking for Sam.

"You say that with way to much enthusiasm. Are you sure your 21?" Joe teased as she began unpacking the food.

"Yes Joe I am 21. But I am still a kid at heart. I never had siblings to play with so this is quite awesome." I said just as I tripped over Sam's backpack and fell in a heap in the hallway, my cape tangled in my arms and covering my head.

"Graceful Elliott." Joe said sarcastically as she walked past me and picked up Sam's backpack setting it on the bench by the door.

"You're just jealous you couldn't do that as champ as I can." I said as I stood up and straightened out my cape.

"Yes that's exactly it." She replied sarcastically as she rolled her hazel eyes at me.

"Your sarcasm is cutting Jolene." I huffed walking into the living room.

"You better not have lost my son." Joe scolded as I looked under the couch for him.

"Have you seen the size of this apartment? He's here somewhere. The little sucker is just really good at hiding." I mumbled checking the hall closet.

"You just suck at seeking." She laughed.

I mumbled under my breath as I walked into my bedroom and looked under my bed. Not finding him there I opened my closet door and found him curled up on the top shelf smiling at me, his wooden spoon sword pointed at me and hit (clean) garbage can helmet slightly skewed.

"How in the hell did you get up there?!" I asked shocked as I stared up at him.

" I climbed Lord Hornville and you will never have my Princess." he yelled as he jumped out of the closet at me.

"I will have her you silly Prince. You are no match for my tickle skills." I threatened as I caught him and started tickling him.

We were laughing and play wrestling on my bedroom floor when Joe walked in. "Hey you two, your dinner is getting cold. " she said leaning against the doorframe.

"Food!" Sam I yelled at the same time and ran for my small kitchen table with the three mismatched chairs. We sat at the table and immediately dug into our Chinese food.

"Ya your just a big kid alright." Joe muttered as she came and sat with us the table.

"So mommy. Aunt Ellie is the best ever. She plays all these amazing games with me and teaches me to bake and shows me amazing music and she lets me draw tattoos on her!" Sam defended my honor.

"Hear that Joe. I'm awesome." I said smugly.

"Yes my five year old thinks you're awesome." Joe deadpanned.

"You know, that sour attitude is not becoming of you Joe. You need to smile more." I shot back with a smile.

"You’re such a twat.”

"What's a twat?" Sam asked as he bit into a chicken ball, causing to to snort and almost choke on my food.

"It’s a bad word and you should never say it. Understood." Joe said in her stern mom voice as I giggled.

"Yes mommy." Sam smiled as he continued to eat his food happily.

"Thanks a lot Elliot." Joe shot me a playful glare.

"Hey I'm not the one who said it. You are." I said in my defense as I chowed down on the yummy food.

She glared at me before smiling and turning to Sam and asking him how his day was. This caused Sam to launch in to a long story about his day and his numerous adventures. Sitting at my little kitchen table with Joe and Sam as they laughed and we all shared a meal together was one of the happiest times I’ve had here in Huntington. It may not seem like much but I valued the small moments with family that most people take for granted. I know I used to. The fact that I can no longer have that with my own family makes these moments all the more special to me. Joe really is like a sister to me. She welcomed me into hers and her son’s life a few days after meeting me. I spent Christmas with them and yes it was hard not being able to spend it with my family but I couldn’t have chosen better people to spend it with.

When I left home three months ago it wasn’t because I wanted to, it was because I had to. My step dad kicked me out and told me I was the one that should have died not my mother. He said he never wanted to see me again. That hurt coming from the only family I had left, not that he was much of a father figure to begin with. My mother and I were out Christmas shopping with my boyfriend. We were on our way home when we got hit by a truck. The driver fell asleep at the wheel and hit the driver’s side of the car full on. My boyfriend was driving and my mother was sitting behind him. The three of them died on impact and I was in a coma for a week. The doctors said I was lucky. I didn’t feel very lucky. My way of dealing was to run from it, and I’m still running. I cry myself to sleep every night but I haven’t told Joe or Anna and John what happened. I’m just not ready to tell anyone. I guess that makes me a hypocrite since I did tell Misfit at the diner that he needs to talk to someone. But it’ always easier to give advice than to follow it.

That night Joe and Sam left after dinner and I wandered around my apartment mindlessly trying to keep busy so I wouldn’t start to cry. It’s hard to get out of bed every morning but if I want to stay in my apartment I have to get up and go to work. I cleaned up what mess there was and did the dished before sitting on the couch and mindlessly flipping through channels on the TV. Finally at 9:30 I changed into an oversized band shirt and some boxers and crawled into my bed. I clutched a pillow to my chest as I laid in the fetal position and let the tears come.

My mom was more than just a mother she was my best friend, and my boyfriend Ethan was also my Fiancé. We had been friends since we were in diapers and we always knew we would be together. We started dating at 13 and got engaged at 18. We were going to get married this summer and live happily ever after. It all sounds so silly now. I miss them with all my heart and it hurts every day that their not with me. I can’t imagine my life without them but I have no choice but to try. I feel like I’m stumbling along and I don’t know how to be me again. I’m lost without them. That night, just like every night since the accident I cried myself to sleep.

My alarm when off at 7:30 in the morning waking me from a dead sleep. I groggily got up, shutting off my alarm and made my way into the bathroom. Turning the shower on hot I stripped out of my clothes and stepped under the water. I let the water soothe my sore muscles and wash away the tear stains from my cheeks. I scrubbed myself clean with shampoo and soap before stepping out of the shower and turning off the taps. I wrapped a towel around my body and went to my room to find some clothes. I put on some underwear before finding a pair of old worm jeans and a Misfits t-shirt that hung off one shoulder. I let my hair dry into its natural waves and stuck a hair tie on my wrist for later. I slipped on some socks and my worn red chucks. I made my way into the kitchen where I downed a glass of milk and a piece of toast before going back to the bathroom and brushing my teeth. Staring into the mirror, my violet eyes were dull and haunted. Today would be harder than most to smile and act like everything was fine. Once I finished I grabbed my sweater and back and locked my apartment before heading to work.

I didn’t have to be there till 9 and I had some time to walk at a slow pace. Walking helped clear my head a little and gave me time to start building up my walls again. The walls I hid behind every day. It was Saturday and the diner would be busy early morning and afternoon. It just meant that it was more people I had to flash the fake smiles and have polite conversations with. I made my way into the diner through the back entrance and went straight to the office to drop off my stuff and pick up my name tag and apron. Once both were on I moved into the kitchen to help with the set up.

“Morning my dear Ellie. Did you have a good night?” Anna asked the moment I entered the kitchen.

“Morning Anna. Ya it was good. I played some games with Sam till Joe showed up and we had dinner, Then we just hung out for a bit till they went home. I just cleaned and watched TV before heading to bed.” I said as I grabbed empty sugar containers and the jug of sugar to start on the fills.

“You’re a young beautiful girl Ellie, you need to get out and meet people your own age, have some fun and make some friends.” John urged warmed up the grills.

“I’m not much for going out John and I like the friends I have in you, Anna, Joe and Sam.” I smiled.

“Bah you need people your own age. And you need to go out and see what Huntington has to offer. Since you’ve been here you haven’t been out to explore.” John argued.

“I…well I will, I’ve just been busy with work and watching Sammy. Both things I enjoy doing.” I shrugged.

“Leave the poor girl alone dear. She’ll go out when she’s ready to.” Anna said with a knowing glance directed at me.

I ducked my head and went on with my fills. Anna was an intuitive women and I sometimes suspected that she knew what had happened to me or at least had string suspicions of what it could be.

The doors of the diner opened at 9 sharp and soon it was full of people. In a way I was glad for this because it left me know time to dwell on what happened. It wasn’t until a little after noon that I finally had time to breath. I went to the front counter where a waitress by the name of Beth was working.

“I’m taking my break now Beth. Can you let Anna and John know that I’ll be back in about 15 minutes?” I asked.

“Ya sure thing.” She replied as she rung up a customer.

I thanked her before grabbing my sweater from the back and heading out the front door. I walked down the street with my hands in my pockets with no particular destination in mind. I’d just go where ever my feet would take me. This would have worked had I been looking up instead of my feet. I bumped into someone’s chest casing us both to stumble. My upper arms were grabbed and I was steadied on my feet before being released.

“Sorry about that. I should have watched where I was going?” I heard a male voice apologize. I looked up to be met with a pair of soft hazel eyes and a small sad smile with dimples. The man was tall, built and from what I could see of the bit of his arms peeking out of his coat, tattooed.

“It’s ok. I shouldn’t have been looking at my feet as I walked down the side walk.” I said with a shrug as I gave him a small smile. “I guess were both at fault on this one.”

“I guess so.” The man nodded before he frowned as he noticed my sweater. I blushed a little before shuffling my feet awkwardly.

“Ah oh um…ya I’ll just be on my way then. Sorry to bump into you.” I apologized as I stepped aside to move around him.

“Hey wait.” He called before I could step away from him. “I’m sorry I’m just confused. You obviously know who I am and what happened but yet you never said anything.”

“I don’t want to be a bother. It’s not my place. I’m sure you’ve had to deal with a thousand fans and a million and one condolences but I don’t want to burden you. I know what it’s like. You have to be polite and talk to them all but all you really want to do is yell at them and tell them to go away. I don’t want to add to that. So it’s better if I don’t say anything. Beside nothing I can say will change it or make it better.” I said with a shrug and a sad smile.

He stared at me speechless before nodding and giving me a sad smile in return. “I’m Matt.” He said as he stuck out a hand for me to shake.

“I’m Ellie...Elliot.” I said as I shook his out stretched hand.

“Wh-Who did you lose?” he asked as let go off my hand.

“My mother… and my fiancé. 3 months ago.” I said sadly as I ran a hand through my dark wavy hair.

“I’m…I’m sorry.” He said as he frowned at me.

“I’m sorry to Matt.” I replied. “The only words I have to offer are words an amazing 5 year old told me. If you love them and remember them they will always be with you.”

“Smart kid.” Matt said as he put his hands in his pockets.

“He really is.” I nodded in agreement.

It was quiet for a while as we were both lost in our thoughts. Matt broke the silence with a small cough to gain my attention. I looked up at him to see him frowning at me.

“Does it get easier?”

“I hope so. I’m sorry I don’t have anything better to offer but I’m still trying to come to terms with what happened. If you’re surrounded by those you love I’m sure it helps, it’ll hurt but it’ll heal. Eventually” I shrugged.

“You don’t have anyone?” he asked as he stepped closer to let a person pass us on the side walk.

“Not anyone that knows. I left home after the accident and I came here. I only know a total of four people in Huntington and I never told them what happened. I’m just not ready to talk about it”

“You told me.” He stated.

“It’s somehow always easier to spill your heart to a total stranger than to a person that already knows you.” I said with a humorless chuckle.

“I guess that’s true. But you’re wrong about one thing.”

“What’s that?” I asked confused.

“You now know a total of five people in Huntington.” He said with a small smile and a shrug.

“I guess I do. Thanks for lending me your ear stranger.” I smiled as I stuck out my hnd for him to shake.

“Like wise Ellie.” He said a he shook my hand.

“Bye Matt.” I said as I took a step away from him.

“Bye Elliot.” He said as he flashed me a small dimpled smile before turning and walking away.

I smiled and stuck my hands in my pockets before continuing my walk down the side walk. For some reason a small part of me felt better, lighter. I guess it does help to talk about it. It’s funny how things work out isn’t it.