Page 18 of Fighting Conviction
“Fascinating,” Ellie muttered.
Virginia brightened with the meager encouragement. “Right? Blizzards this far down south are crazy and a couple of times every year way back then. Insane. That’s what I was talkin’ about with the cellars underneath the houses. Did your friend have one of those?”
Ellie swallowed past the metallic tang of regret and icy air on her tongue. “Oh, um, yeah.” She had to start saying her name aloud. It’d be good, right? Like ripping off a Band-Aid. Maybe.
No. Losing Sasha was nothing short of an amputation.
“My friend… Sasha… her family had one of those. We used to hide there and in our treehouse in the park when we played manhunt with the neighborhood kids.”
The cramp Ellie thought had gone away came back as a steady throb. Okay, she was officially overdoing it. She slowed her pace and staggered off the track again to put her hands over her head and breathe through the pain.
“Manhunt?” Virginia slowed to stop with her, and her voice hit a funny pitch as she stretched her arms over her head.
“It’s where one person goes to hide and everyone else tries to find her. When they find her, they hide with her until there’s one person left. Like reverse hide-and-seek.”
“Oh my God! How fun! I woulda loved playin’ that as a kid!” Virginia clapped her hands rapidly.
Ellie blinked at Virginia’s enthusiasm, trying not to see Sasha in her place. When she opened her eyes again she only saw her roommate.
Right after she’d been rescued, Ellie could’ve sworn she saw Sasha everywhere. It was unnerving. Now Sasha’s voice was the only thing that stuck around. But seeing her friend was a natural association for her mind when Virginia was around. She was so like Sasha it was painful.
The two looked nothing alike, but their mannerisms were identical and it was hard not to compare them. The southern belle had big bottle-blonde hair Sasha would’ve totally sneered at growing up. That hair was a mean girl trademark at their high school. Thankfully, Ellie’s experience with Virginia had been the opposite, although Ellie hadn’t allowed herself to get too close. The idea of opening up to someone else scratched her insides raw.
“I was thinkin’…”
Oh boy.
Virginia always took on the light, airy lilt in her voice whenever she tried to convince Ellie to participate in some semblance of friendship. Ellie hated to keep her roommate at arm’s length, but she couldn’t help it. She wasn’t ready to make new friends. Sometimes she wondered if she’d ever be.
“I’m gonna go shoppin’ this weekend. I’d love for you to come with me.” There was a note of vulnerability in Virginia’s voice as she slowly asked her question.
Ellie winced. “I’m sorry, Virginia. I can’t. I have to… work. And I should probably study.”
Virginia groaned. “You never come out with me! Girl, ya need to live your college life or it’s gonna blow right past ya. Please, please, please come with.” Virginia’s bright blue eyes stared Ellie down, and her hands were up in a prayer stance. “I’ll get on my knees if I have to.”
Ellie rolled her eyes and snorted. “Good Lord, please don’t do that. Why do you want me to come with you so bad anyway? We barely even know each other.”
Virginia’s smile wiped from her face, like one of those Greek theater masks. “Ouch.”
Ellie’s cheeks grew hot and she shifted on her feet. “I mean… I don’t know. It’s… I mean it’s true, ya know?”
Virginia bit her lip before muttering, “Not for lack of tryin’.” Ellie opened her mouth to explain, but Virginia continued. “I know you don’t have any friends, unless they’re all at that secret job you’re failin’ out of school for.” She gave Ellie a pointed look and Ellie toed the ground. “I know you’re from here and you went through somethin’ real bad. I don’t know the deets ‘cause I want you to share with me when you’re ready. But, I’ve… heard rumors. And I know you lost your best friend.”
Tears pricked behind Ellie’s eyes and she breathed through her nose slowly in and out to clear the pain.
Virginia sighed. “Look, Ellie. I’m not tryna do anything but be friends with my roommate. Go shoppin’ with me, or don’t. I don’t wanna force someone to hang out with me.” She straightened her posture and turned to leave the track.
Ellie took a deep breath, raised her face to the chilly wind and closed her eyes. Virginia was right. All Ellie’s roommate had ever done was try to be friends with her, but wasn’t it still too soon? She couldn’t open up like that again. Not yet. Besides, she had so much on her plate, what with the survivors at Sasha Saves, school, therapy, and defense lessons with Jason. She barely had enough time to herself as it was.
Ellie watched Virginia’s back as she walked away, her shoulders slumping with each step away. Sasha’s voice rang in her mind.
“Go after her, dummy. She’s good for you.”
“Virginia, wait up!” Ellie called and jogged to catch her. “I’m sorry. It’s… complicated. I- I’m having trouble lately—”
Ellie’s phone vibrated in her leggings and she mumbled for Virginia to hold on before pulling it from her pocket and opening
Dev: Where are you and why are you not at BlackStone Securities yet?
