Weeping Willows

This isn't Goodbye

Chapter 47

Lauren looked around in awe after her and Elizabeth entered the diner to join everyone for breakfast. Addison waved them over from her place at the tables that had been pushed together in the middle of the diner to accommodate their large group. There was no way the two of them could have missed their party, but it was cute that Addison seemed to think so. Making their way over Elizabeth noticed there were only two open seats left. One next to Mikey and the one next to Ryan. Elizabeth mentally rolled her eyes at the subtly of the move. She had no idea whose idea that had been, but she wasn't so sure Lauren would want to sit next to the lawyer extraordinaire and why were they so certain that Ryan wanted to sit next to her. After how distant he had been the day before Elizabeth wasn't sure where they stood in their relationship at the moment. Perhaps he had finally decided the baggage she came with was just too much to handle.

The choice was taken out of their hands as Ryan got up to pull out the chair for Elizabeth looking at her expectantly. Raising her eyebrow at his hot and cold behavior she skirted around the chair allowing him to push it in for her. She looked across the table to meet the anxious gaze of Mason. She almost asked him what was wrong until she noticed that on one side of him sat Mikey and on the other sat Courtney. Elizabeth looked around the table trying to figure out whose bright idea it had been to torment Mason this morning. She mouthed sorry to him giving him the best sympathetic look she could muster up. She did feel bad but at the same time was slightly amused at what the two could possibly do to him. She was so going to hell for that, she thought not even a little bit reticent that she found it a little funny. Mikey turned to Mason with a devilish gleam in his eyes. Elizabeth knew this wouldn't be good as he opened his mouth to say something clearly inappropriate. Without looking in his direction Lauren addressed Mikey making him snap his mouth closed before he uttered a word.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She warned before taking a sip of her coffee that had just been placed on the table. Mikey slunk down in his seat looking like a petulant toddler that just had his favorite toy taken away. Courtney saw this and decided to pitch in but was stopped dead in her tracks by Nell this time.

"There are ways to make you regret the next words out of your mouth Court. I would think really hard about it before you say anything." The small light of hope that had fallen over Mikey died as Courtney slumped in her seat as well. Mason released a heavy sigh of relief as he smiled his thanks at both women. Feeling better now that his tormentors had been shut down Mason dug into his breakfast with gusto. Elizabeth chuckled at the whole little show as she picked up her own utensils to begin eating. Just as she had taken her first bite Ryan leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"Can we talk privately after breakfast?" Elizabeth took in his serious demeanor nodding her head solemnly in response, she swallowed her bite down a little hard nearly making herself choke. She wondered if this was the 'we should just be friends/ break up talk' that he wanted to have or if it was something else altogether. Ryan turned his attention back to the table rejoining the conversations as if nothing had just happened. Elizabeth however, looked at her plate of food morosely as her appetite began to dwindle. Scenario after possible scenario swirled through her head making her poor company this morning for anyone who tried to talk to her.

After breakfast they stood on the sidewalk saying their goodbyes to each other and the girls gave tearful hugs. Even Courtney got a little misty eyed as her and Elizabeth hugged awkwardly promising to visit each other soon. Mikey, Elliot, Addison, and Elizabeth waved madly at the group as the monstrosity of a party bus pulled away from the curb and turned onto the street. Roy honked the weird melodic horn at the group as he steered the bus down the street. Elizabeth burst out laughing as she noticed the large page of white paper with the word 'HELP' written in big bold black strokes. She suspected a phone call in the near future from Courtney complaining about being pulled over by police who thought they were abducting people against their wills. Others joined in the laughter as they too caught sight of the sign barely visible through the tint of the pimp bus windows.