"What is love? They neither one knew, but would soon find out..."
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Chapter 5
July 23, 2015
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Friday finally rolled around, on which school was dismissed early.
Ella decided to go to lunch with her sister today, since she would be out in time.
She wrapped her scarf around her neck, and put her fuzzy white ear muffs over her ears before making her way to the elementary school.
She had decided to walk to school this morning, since it was 40* degrees.
Which really wasn't too cold, to her at least.
She walked down to the crosswalk, and waited for the light to turn red, and the cars to stop.
A thin lady walked to the middle of the road, and waved her across.
Ella smiled at her, and followed the lady across the street, and to the front of the school building.
"Thank you" Ella said, at her.
"You're very welcome." she replied, her voice shaky.
Ella took notice that she was shivering, and looked ice cold.
So she decided to do something about it.
She walked into the school, and smiled at a "Shelley Bradley", whom was sitting at the front desk.
"May I help you, dearie?" she asked, opening the glass that separated them, and smiling.
"Yes. Upon walking over here, I noticed that your crosswalk lady is exceptionally cold. She's shivering, and honestly, looked as though she might freeze at any point. Do you have maybe a coffee, or some hot chocolate that I could take to her?" Ella said.
The lady wrinkled her nose. "We don't really do that. It's against policy."
Her eyebrows now knitted together, Ella stared at Mrs. Bradley.
"Would it also be against your policy if you were the one standing out there? Would it be against policy if you were freezing as she is? Or are you stereotyping her, simply over the fact that she is out there, whilst you are in here? Do you have some type of sick feeling of power because you hold a higher ranking in jobs, than she?" Ella went on.
"No. But we just don't do things like that."
"Fine. But karma is a pain. Remember that. And maybe you should start doing things like that." Ella said, walking back out of the school, and running to the 'subway' restaurant that was a straight shot from the school.
"What can I get you?" a man, with a sturdy build asked her.
"I just need a coffee, please. Two creamers, and two sugars on the side." she handed the man a five dollar bill.
As soon as she had the coffee in her hands, she walked as quickly as she could over to the shivering woman.
"Lovey, drink this. Maybe it will help. And get back inside as soon as you possibly can." Ella handed the frail woman the coffee.
"Thank you so much" the woman took Ella's hand in her own shaky one, with a look of astonishment on her face.
"You're most welcome. Have a wonderful day."
Ella walked back into the school, and towards the cafeteria.
"Hey sis!" Rebecca called out, waving her sister over.
Ella noticed the huddle of girls and boys, crowded around the window, and made her way over to them.
"What are we looking at?" she asked, looking out of the window.
"I think that they're admiring what you've just done." a mans voice called out, making her turn to see crosswalk guy.
She smiled nervously at him, then brushed the nerves away.
"What is there to admire?"
"You just did an amazing deed. Nobody does that anymore." he said, his shoulders relaxing a bit.
"That's the thing, though. Nobody does that. What happened to the times when everyone would have done that?"
"Those days are long gone, love. And it's quite unfortunate. But I must say, the way you handled Mrs. Bradley was slightly humorous, with a bit of attitude."
"You're mocking my ways, and yet you don't even know my name. How ironic is that."
"I'm not at all mocking you, darling. I'm admiring you. Because a girl like you should be admired." he said.
They stayed silent for a few moments, simply looking into one another's eyes, before she broke the silence.
"What am I supposed to call you? I've been calling you 'crosswalk guy' for the past month, and that is getting annoying."
He smiled. "So you talk about me often then, yeah?"
