craziness

Cory could see Ellie wasn't really herself. She was so quiet. Not a smile in sight. She looked full of gloom at lunch.

"Hey, you OK?" He gave her a hug before she had a chance to answer.

"I got a car." She faked a smile. "I got my job."

"Go you!" The least he could do was be her cheerleader. He guessed. "But?"

He thought she might fall apart on the floor with that make-shift laugh of hers. "I've had better days." She sat down with her salad then and chewed on a carrot.

"Yeah, it was really hard, after that fiasco with Eric and his sister," Cory sat down next to her. "But Roger and me, we can deal."

"Good." She rolled her eyes and took a bite of radish this time. "Of course, Eric wouldn't be here today."

"He's just scared. You should scare him." Cory said about Eric.

"Most definitely." Ellie sighed. "He deserves as much. Just don't know how I'm going to do it. You know."

"You're not going to break up with him, are you?" Cory looked at her then.

"I should."

"You wouldn't."

"I dunno, maybe he should break up with me," Ellie pushed her salad away then and nursed her carton of milk.

"Really?" Cory's eyes lit. "What happened?"

She just shook her head.

"You can tell me."

"I kissed Elliot." Ellie winced.

"I see."

"A lot." She didn't smile about it. "It could have been a lot more even." She bit her lip bottom lip. "It was stupid. I was so stupid." Her face swelled in a frown then. "I dunno what to do."

"You two just have to talk it out. At least do that."

"He won't forgive me." She seemed so certain.

"Well, just forget you kissed Elliot."

"I can't." Ellie looked at him strangely. "I can't do that."

"So you'd go out with him then. Like you know, a couple?" Cory nodded.

"No." She went back to her milk. "He's gonna try to work it out with Dora."

"Dora? Now that boy, loves pain, evidently," Cory smirked. "Are you serious?"

"Maybe that's the way he likes them." Ellie nodded.

"Seriously, he likes you." Cory's eyes were wide open then with an open smile. "He likes you, girl. Don't deny that."

"Stop it." She cringed. "He does not. I doubt he remembers a thing." She closed her eyes as if she was remembering something.

"What is it?" He looked at Ellie then.

"I think I left my bra at his place," Ellie remained even lipped. Cory held in a laugh.