When Arlo met Ellie.

chapter 10

Chapter 10: dinner.

As much it pisses Ellie off to see Jackson join them for dinner, she can't do anything about it since her dad and him are close.

It was just a complete silence while they were eating. No one dared to talk or ask any questions about Arlo or Ellie, "This pasta is really good." Jaime said, getting everyone's attention.

"It is, Mr. Haywards." Jackson added. He slid his fork onto his plate and caught everyone's attention to the screeching sound it made, "Sorry." He said when he noticed everyone's reaction.

"Okay let's shake this awkwardness and silence off. Arlo, how did you meet my daughter?" Mr. Haywards asked. Arlo swallowed the food he was chewing and took a sip of water to clear his throat.

"The forest." Arlo answered timidly. Everyone's eyes were on him except Ellie's.

"The forest? What, you happened to just bumped into each other?" Jackson interrupted. Arlo kept his temper down and decided to not return a word.

"Jackson, can you not." Jaime said annoyingly, shaking her head to Jackson.

"What? I'm just asking. I didn't say anything bad." Jackson said, aggressively. Jaime rolled her eyes at him and Arlo or Ellie still hasn't said a word.

"Jackson," said Mr. Haywards calmly.

"Mr. Haywards, Don't you want to get into the bottom of this story as well?. You don't go missing for weeks and come back thriving." Jackson answered. His voice was louder than anyone.

"It's my daughter you're talking to." drawled Mr. Haywards.

"Apologies." He shortly answered.

"Why are you born like that, Jackson?." asked Jaime, teasing Jackson. Jaime had always been straightforward to everyone and she was never scared about what  other people  might think about her.

"Like what?" Jackson returned the question.

"Like how can you be really annoying?" Jaime answered as quickly after Jackson returned the question.

"Jaime, enough." said Mr. Haywards, "He's a guest." He added.

"A guest? He used to live here!" Jaime answered aggressively, "He used to live in this place with us." 

"Used to. not anymore, therefore he's a guest." Mr. Haywards added. Jaime was left in silence and Jackson smirked at her.

"I'll talk." said Arlo. All heads turned to him including Ellie's.

"Arlo you don't have to--" Ellie replied, finally saying a word.

"I'm ready to talk." Arlo added, interrupting Ellie.

Arlo told them the summary of what happened, starting from when Ellie knocked on the door. Arlo mentioned the Arthurs and about who they are. Ellie also explained how she ended up being in the basement. Continued on to how they stayed at an abandoned shed, waiting for any signs of rescue. Ending it with how they found people after weeks of being stuck in the forest.

"That's totally barbaric." Jaime said after Arlo finished telling them what happened, "Ellie, you would've been dead by now if it weren't for Arlo." She added.

"I couldn't tell you that truth because I wasn't ready to talk about Mr. Arthur." Arlo nervously said, "Now you know, I need your help. Help me, help the Arthurs get better." Arlo said, shaken.

"Give me one second," Mr. Haywards stood up, grabbed his phone and started making calls. Ellie placed her hand on Arlo's shoulder as a way of comfort.

"What lies are you telling now, Kanes?" said Jackson, staring straight at Arlo.

"My god! Jackson, will you give everyone a break. you're just mad that Ellie doesn't love you anymore." Jaime responded, re lighting that argument again.

"You don't have to believe anything I say, Jackson." said Arlo.

"I'm not here to declare a war with you, keep that in mind." Jackson said.

Mr. Haywards came back after a couple phone calls, "I cleared up my schedule for next week. We can check out Mr. Arthur and get them help as you wish." said Mr. Haywards. Arlo's heart filled with joy since he had been wishing for this day to come but he was also terrified to what they might find out more about the Arthurs.

"Thank you." Arlo said.

"No, Thank you. You were there for my daughter when I couldn't." Mr. Haywards responded.  Jackson let out a quiet sigh, looking at Arlo then quickly looking away in embarrassment. It used to be Jackson who Mr. Haywards would praise or thank when it comes to Ellie's safety.

After the dinner, Arlo stayed in his room to rest while Jaime's hanging out at Ellie's room as usual.

"Jackson really levelled up his attitude didn't he." said Jaime, flipping through the pages of the novel she took from Ellie's book shelf, "He actually used to be nice when you were with him."

"He's just trying to understand." Ellie said, laying flat on her bed like a dead fish, "If he's being like that it means he's trying to protect someone."

"How did you know that?" asked Jaime.

"I dated that dude." Ellie answered. She got up and changed into a sitting position. "He's always been like that but now is even worse." She added.

"So you spent weeks with Arlo then you started liking him?" said Jaime, bemused, "That's weird. You never catch feelings that quick, it took you months to actually start liking Jackson." Jaime added.

"I was a stranger to Arlo but he still helped me. It felt like we were the last two people on earth, we talked a lot about our lives. We spent so much time together and the next day I just realized that I don't just see him as a friend" Ellie explained.

"Young love." said Jaime, placing the book back on the shelf.

"What happened to you and that Jones guy?" Ellie chuckled.

"ew like Dean Jones?" said Jaime and Ellie nodded, "Gross! I don't associate myself with a dude that has the hair of a broccoli" Jaime added. They both started laughing.

'it feels good to be talking to Jaime again' Ellie thought. She felt happy coming back home, laying down on her bed and to use her bath tub again.

Meanwhile in the other room, Arlo was having trouble sleeping since he was used to talking to Ellie until they both passed out. He had been thinking a lot about the Arthurs after telling Mr. Haywards. What if they find out more than what he knows. The terror grows in him whenever he closes his eyes. He could see flashes and pictures of the basement, the faces of people that knocked on the door. "Where does the body go?" he thought. What if he only knows half of the story.

He cleared his mind and shook all the bad thoughts he had. He forced himself to sleep until he slowly felt his mind fading into a dream.

-abbyc