just talk

Ellie didn't know why she did some of the things she did. Really, was she on autopilot?

It was after Nick's fan fair had walked on that she stayed behind and decided to have a chat with Nick. Just because she could, she guessed. Maybe she couldn't stop herself. It wasn't like she was going to ask him on a date. She wouldn't.

She took a deep breath and wished she could forget what she wanted to ask.

"So do you talk to Roger much?"

"Roger?" Nick just gave her a look that that was the strangest question he'd gotten all day. There he was standing in the hallway at school hanging on to his backpack straps like he just might get a ride up in the clouds.

"Yeah, I haven't seen him at all, lately? Is he still even around? Did he transfer?"

"I don't think so?" Nick shrugged.

"I guess he and Cory had a falling out? Have you talked to him, lately?"

"Not really?"

"You're still friends, aren't you?"

"I guess," Nick pulled his blond hair back with his fingers.

"Maybe you should really talk to Cory, sometime?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, he's kind of down right now. This whole thing with Roger is depressing him?"

"What are you talking about?" Nick winced.

"Nothing." Ellie caught herself from saying another word about either of them. "Who are you taking to homecoming?"

"I dunno." He scratched the back of his head then with a shrug. "Maybe I won't go."

"Oh, you have too. You always do. You know some Freshman girl just can't wait for you to ask her." Ellie smiled.

"Well, if you didn't have to go with Eric, you could go with me," he sort of smiled, but not too much. "Really, I have to work all day Saturday. I'm not gonna feel like going."

"Think about it, you should surprise someone, ask them out. And don't work that day. Work just the morning or something," Ellie told him.

"I wish it was that easy," Nick sighed.

"You'll find someone. You will. And it'll be a great time, you'll see."

"Yeah, right."

"Forget whatever I said about Cory and Roger." Ellie then said before she could stop herself.

"What?"

"What would you think if you saw two guys go together as dates to Homecoming?" Ellie bit her bottom lip. She just could not shut up.

"Uh, I guess it would be all right. Are you saying I should ask Roger or Cory to homecoming?"

"Uh, well, if you can't find a date, maybe." Ellie felt this awkward moment getting even more awkward.

"You're crazy." Nick grinned.

Ellie lost her smile as he walked away. He might be right.