VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴28

Ellie played the piano for a few minutes. She never looked up from the keys, though she could feel dozens of eyes on hers. She could sense Noah's smile beside her.

It was when she heard Deanna's voice that her playing paused and she looked up to the leader.

"Well, aren't you just full of surprises?" Deanna smiles. "It's about time we find somebody to play this old thing. It's been here for ages."

"It sure is a nice change up from Aiden's run mixes," Reg commentz with a laugh.

Ellie darts her eyes to Maggie. Maggie steps forward, Glenn following with a smile.

"She's played since she was six," Maggie informs. "Guitar, too."

Ellie makes a pained noise, eyes wide in betrayal. Piano was one thing. Guitar was another. These people didn't need to know everything.

"Guitar, you say?" Deanna's eyes light up.

Ellie wants to throw up.

"My, we've had a few guitars just thrown in storage because no one played."

How hard should Ellie hit her head on the piano to knock herself out?

"She plays multiple strings," Maggie adds.

"Mom!" Ellie complains.

Maggie was about to tell them how Ellie had been playing the guitar even longer than piano.

But, the word Ellie said stuck out and lingered in the air.

No one but Ellie, Maggie, and Glenn paid attention to it.

Deanna starts to say something to Reg about having to find the guitars. Ellie couldn't think straight.

She'd called Maggie 'mom' for the first time.

Ellie stands from the bench and excuses herself in a hurry, speed walking out the back door.

She ends up in the concrete siding of the Monroe house. It was like a rich person's patio- decorated nicely and clean. Ellie didn't care what it looked like, though. It was free of people and quiet. That's a she needes right now.

She breathes in the night air, puffing a cloud of amoke after. It had gotten dark while they were inside. Cold, too, as Ellie wraps her arms around heraelf to keep warm.

She doesn't pace, per say. She slowly wanders around the patio in circles as her mind raced.

She called Maggie mom. She did it without even thinking. It was natural. It was easy.

Was that good? Were they getting on the correct route they were supposed to? Is this how mothers and daughters were supposed to act? Were they doing it right.

Was that bad? Had it been too soon? Was she forgetting Annette and Hershel and disrespecting them? Did she overstep a boundary that Maggie had? Did she embarrass Maggie again?

Her hands go to her hair, pulling at the perfectly placed locks with stress.

Did she disrespect Maggie again? Did she make things awkward?

"Hey, Ellie!"

Ellie thought it was Maggie who had chased her outside. She turns, seeing Anna there, instead.

Ellie's mouth goes dry as Anna makes her way down the stairs to stand in front of her. Ellie takes a cautionary step backwards.

"That was really pretty in there.. Why'd you bolt?"

Ellie's panicked eyes dart around the patio area. "Oh, uhm.. Thanks.. I just.. I haven't played for awhile so I.. I don't know.. I.."

Anna smiles kindly. "Was it the people? I had a hard time dealing woth that many people at first, too."