They entered Mario’s Pizza and took a booth in the back. As the
waitress was taking their order Mario saw John and walked over to him. “Johnny!
So nice to see you and who do we have here?” Mario asked as he winked at him.
Smiling and trying not to blush and have Ellie see him John said,
“Mario may I introduce you to my friend Ellie Anderson, Ellie this is Mario Lopez
the owner of this prestigious restaurant.” John said. Ellie was able to squeak
out a “Hi” as Mario went on stating how pretty she was to John as she was
blushing and wanting to hide under the table.
“Well Dina you make sure you get Johnny and Ellie everything they
need.” Mario told his waitress.
“Yes sir.” She said and took their order. “So
what would you two like?” she asked.
“Well Ellie what would you like? It’s on me.” John told her.
“Oh um well I guess we could split a pizza?” she said nervously. “Oh
and could I have a root beer?” she asked.
“Sure and John what would you like?” Dina asked him.
“Yeah Root beer for me too and on the pizza what would you like?
Pepperoni?” John asked her. Ellie shooked her head yes. “That will be fine Dina
Thanks.” Looking back over to Ellie, “So you feeling a little bit better being
in a cool place?” he asked her hoping he could start some kind of conversation.
Smiling at him because she knew what he was doing, “Yeah I’m feeling a
lot better thanks. Um Mario is it, I think he thinks we’re on a date.” She told
him chuckling.
“Yeah I think he does. Sorry about that. So um how long are you staying
with your cousins?” John asked her while playing with the utensils on the
table.
“I really don’t know it depends on what the doctors say and how this
research goes. Actually I don’t know what you call it. They hate it if I say experiment.”
She told him as she started giggle about it.
“Well at least you can laugh about it.” Jon said not knowing how he
should respond.
“It’s ok John if I don’t laugh then all I’d do all day is cry. Hey I’ve
been like this since I’ve been eight. So I’m used to it. Pain I mean, my
headaches. Just do me one favor ok?” she asked of him.
He looked at her with everything he had in him, “Sure ok what?”
“Just don’t ever pity me ok. I don’t think I could take that not from
you.” She told him with a look that melted his heart.
“You got a deal. As long as you’re always honest with me.” He asked
her. She smiled and shooked her head yes.
The waitress brought over their food and they talked in between bites.
John told her about his band Atlantic City Expressway and how he got into
music. He also told her that he wrote a lot of his own music and how he dreamt
of having his own band someday and making it big. She listened intently and he
noticed this. Especially the way she asked him questions. A lot of the girls
that he had met recently only pretended to listen just so they could either get
back stage, why he really didn’t understand because they were nobody or they
just wanted to be close to the band because they were in a band and that they
were popular on the circuit. But not Ellie she was genuinely interested in what
he had to say. Plus they liked a lot of the same music which was a real plus.
Ellie caught him staring at one point at her and finally she had to ask
him, “Ok why are you staring at me?”
Smiling, “Because.”
“Because why? It’s uncomfortable.” She told him sneering back.
“I’m sorry but it’s just nice to see a girl actually eat. The last few
date’s I’ve been out on the girls have eaten like rabbit’s. That drives me
nuts.” He told her still smiling.
“Oh God now I am uncomfortable. I know you meant it as a compliment but
I think I’ll start my diet tomorrow.” She told him weirded out.
“Oh don’t do that please I didn’t say that for you to…” John started to
say before she cut in.
“I’m kidding. I’m kidding. Sorry, It’s my warped sense of humor when it
comes to my weight. When you have brothers you just put up walls. That’s one of
the reasons I didn’t bring a suit with me. My sister is the same way. My Dad
could kill them as soon as I got in my teens it was hell getting me in the
pool.” She explained to him.
“You have a pool?” he asked her.
“Yup inground. We’ve had pools all my life. Dad’s a truck driver so he
doesn’t like going away anywhere during the summer so he put our summer in the
back yard. He said he did it for Mom but we all know it shuts us up. Um do you
mind I just need to go to the Ladies room.” She told him.
“Oh sure do you want dessert?” He asked before she left.
“Only if you do.” She said as she left.
As John was looking over the menu and he didn’t see the person who was
watching them from the other corner on the pizzeria. She walked over to their
booth and sat down next to him. As she sat she had startled John and he looked
up and was stunned at who had the gall to sit down next to him.
“Dorothea what the hell do you want?” John asked his ex.
“Well hello to you too. I see you didn’t waste anytime getting some
little hot to trottie. How long has it been a month and you’re already whoring
it up Johnny.” She spewed at him.
“Shut the hell up Dottie you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking
about.” He spit back out at her.
“Don't I? Who is she then? Me and my girls were walking down the
boardwalk when we saw the two of you. None of us have ever seen her before.
Going to the other side of Jersey to find the girlies Johnny?” Dottie asked him
trying to get a reaction out of him.
“Where’s Bobby Dot? Did he drop you already?” he threw in her face.
“No he has National Guard today. At least he’s doing something with his
life that’s more I can say for you.” She threw at him.
This was going back and forth as Ellie was in the Ladies room. When she
got out of the stall there were two what you could say rather scantily dress
girls at the sinks putting on more make-up to their already made-up faces. She
walked over and washed her hands and dried them and started to leave but was
stopped by one of them.
“Where do you think you’re going?” the first girl asked.
Ellie looked around and then said, “Well I thought I was leaving.”
“Not yet.” The second girl answered.
Ellie took a deep breath and asked “Why?”
“Well because we say so.” First girl said as she started to move closer
to Ellie.
“Well I don’t take that as an answer I have someone waiting for me and
I think he’ll notice if I don’t come back.” She told the two of them.
“Well you see that’s the problem. Our friend is with him and she told
us to keep you busy while she talks to him. So I hope you have another way
home.” first girl told her while laughing.
Ellie was now thinking that this could go a couple of ways. She was
really hoping for the in her favor. “Look if you two bimbo’s don’t get out of
my way you’re so going to regret it. I’m so not in the damn mood for this.” she
told them unhappily.
“You’re going to take us? I don’t think so honey we’re Jersey girls.
You don’t mess with us.” The second girl said getting even closer.
“Big freaking deal. My Dad taught me how to take care of myself to. I
used to care of the bullies who used to pick on my siblings so taking care of
you two should be nothing. I’m the oldest of five so back off bitches I’m
really not in the mood for this.” She told them.
Just then a woman in her early forties entered the Ladies room and saw
the tension. “Is there something going on in here?” she asked dead on.
“No Ma’am we were just asking our friend here if she needed anything
right friend?” the second one said giving Ellie a look.
Ellie just sighed, “I think the two of you should leave now.” Giving Ellie
evils looks back they just exited the bathroom.
The woman looked at Ellie and asked her if she was alright. Ellie told
her that she was and thanked her for her concern.
“Dot I swear you need to leave right now.” He told her as he was
getting angrier and angrier by the minute.
“You just want me gone before she comes back don’t you?” she asked him
grinning.
As they were arguing Dot saw her two pals come out of the Ladies room
and they weren’t smiling the way she had hoped. All they did was shrug their
shoulders as if what they were supposed to do didn’t work. She wasn’t a happy
camper. John took notice of this and he turned around and saw her two best
friends Denise and Cheryl coming out of the Ladies room. All of a sudden a cold
chill ran down his spine and he grabbed Dot’s arm.
“What the hell did they do to Ellie Dot! I swear to God if they hurt
her there isn’t anything on this earth that will protect you, you got that!” he
growled thru his teeth.
But just as he said that to her Ellie came walking out and saw John
talking with someone at their booth. Now she understood what those two bimbos
were doing in the bathroom. She walked over to them and just smiled as she slid
in on the other side where she was sitting. John was ready to jump out of his
skin thou.
“Are you ok?” John asked her concerned.
“Yeah I’m fine why?” she said as innocently as possible.
“You’re kidding right?” he asked.
“No and John you’re being rude who do we have here?” she asked smiling
while biting her tongue.
“I’m Dorothea Hurley John’s ex or could be more if he wants.” She said
winking at John.
“Alright Dot you can go now.” John said sternly.
“Fine I will but call me when you get bored. It was nice meeting you.”
She said to Ellie as she turned and chuckled walking back to her friends.
John looking at Ellie, “Are you ok? Did those Bitches hurt you?” he
asked as he put his hand on hers.
Looking down her heart almost jumped into her mouth. Then looking back
up and seeing his deep blue eyes looking back at her she tried to think of complete
sentences. “Um no they um didn’t hurt me. I think they wanted to but um luckily
a woman came into the bathroom as they were stating something about Jersey girls
and don’t mess with them and crap like that which is kind of funny and that
their friend was out here talking to you so not to even think about leaving I
just told them to back off.” She told him as she rambled on.
“Well you kind of have to be careful of those girls their nuts. They’re
very possessive of they’re territory.” He told her.
“Are you part of their territory?” she asked him.
“No I used to be when I dated her but not anymore especially when she
cheated on me with one of my good friends.” He told her half smiling.
“Oh I’m sorry. So I take it you really like her then.” Ellie asked him.
“I did until she cheated on me but I have no feelings for her now.” He
told her looking at her wonder what she was thinking.
“Um when you mean cheated you mean sex?” she asked trying to look cool.
Trying not to laugh, “Um yeah how else would you cheat?” he asked her
confused.
“No it could mean lots of things I just didn’t want to assume you know just
because of the way they dress apparently. I mean just because I look and dress
like a hippie doesn’t mean I’m a hippie. You know.” She explained to him.
“Yeah ok. You want to get out of here maybe go for a walk?” he asked
her trying to change the subject seeing that she looked uncomfortable.
“Yeah I guess where do you want to go?” she asked feeling a little
foolish now.
“We can walk down to the beach there’s a little place where we can go
that’s quite so we can talk if that’s ok?” he asked her hoping.
“Yeah sure why not.” She said. ‘couldn’t put my foot into my mouth
anymore than I have.’ She said to herself.
Getting out of the booth and then paying for their meal he started
thinking to himself and going over their conversation when he realized
something. ‘oh my God I think she’s a virgin. Shit! That’s why she asked me…oh
good Bongiovi now you have to play this one real careful. She is definitely not
like those other girls. (laughing to himself) no wonder Ma likes her.’
Ellie turned around and smiled at him waiting for him to catch up to
her. “Sorry about that, Mario was talking my head off. So ready?” He asked her
as he tried as casually as he could to take her hand in his.
She hoped he couldn’t hear her heart pounding as he took her hand in
his. Was this the same boy that irritated her from the moment that she arrived
in Perth Amboy? She was having feelings for him but what was she going to do
when she left? Was he just being nice to
her because of his mother and Marsha? All this was going thru her head as they
were walking to the beach. But she did notice one thing he had a good grip on
her hand. Did he like her too? Nah boys didn’t like her like that. They only
liked her as a best friend. Why should this be any different she thought?
She didn’t pull her hand away from his so he was glad at that. It was a
very good sign in his book. Now all he had to do was get her talking and maybe
he could get a feel at how she feels about him. Hopefully she would like to go
out again maybe to a movie and a dinner next time. Maybe even try and take her
to one of his gigs. They walked for a while hand in hand not saying much when
they came upon the spot John was talking about. It was quiet and had some rock
formation and actual shade.
“Is this ok?” he asked her.
“This is great. It has shade so I don’t have to worry about the sun.”
she said happily.
He escorted her over to the rocks to sit and he said, “Ellie I would
really like to talk and get to know you a lot better and I hope you feel the
same way about me.” He said to her looking at her hopefully. Ellie sat there
and didn’t see this coming. She just gulped and smiled wearily and thought this
was going to be one long afternoon.
