Queens

4.1: Ashley and Ella

Trigger warning: drinking, drugs, sexual endeavors

4.1: Ashley and Ella

It's 11:30 pm when Princess Ella is awoken by a light touch on her arm. When she feels breathing just inches from her face, she almost screams, but one finger is placed over her lips. "El, it's me." Ashley. "Stay quiet. You're terrible at whispering so just don't say anything, alright?"

Ella, now fully awake, looks up at Ash's features and feels like there's something off with her. Something really different that she just can't put her finger on.

"I have a favor to ask of you, Ella," Ashley whispers, keeping her finger over Ella's lips. "It's not a big deal, but it might seem like one to you. Just remember how much you love me and how great I am, okay?"

Ella pushes Ash's finger off her lips. "Is this you asking me for a favor?" she whispers, and quickly realizes that Ashley's right; she's a terrible whisperer. All at once, Ella realizes what's different with the girl's face looming over her. "Why are you wearing black eye makeup? And purple lipstick? And Jesus, Ash, that is the shortest, reddest dress I've ever seen!"

"Oh my god, El, you're so loud, shut up." She looks around, making sure everyone is still asleep. "I need you to come with me to an underground party. I apparently need a chaperone who won't get 'blackout drunk' and 'have their picture posted all over the Internet,'" she grunts, lowering her air quotations.

Ella furrows her eyebrows in disapproval. "No, no," Ash says sternly, "don't you dare give me your judgemental badger face." She takes a deep breath. "C'mon, I really need you to come with me." Ella seems unrelenting for a moment before Ashley begins to beg. "Please, please, please?" She puts on her sweetest look, and Ella's judgement dissolves at the sight. Ella looks past Ash for a second, trying to decide. She could go back to sleep and feel rested in the morning, or she could experience a real party, not just a formal gathering in a ballroom.

Ashley stares at Ella's blank face, getting restless waiting for an answer. Ella can't help but think about what Abie said, about Ash and her balancing each other out. Maybe this could be not terrible.

Finally, Ella's eyes focus back on Ashley. "Okay. Let's go."

**********

The car ride is silent except for the sound of Ella tapping her stilettoed foot on the carpeted floors of the car. She is nervous. This isn't something she's done before, and she's never really pictured it to be something she would do. Yet, somehow, here she is, sitting in a car past midnight, squished into a black dress that belonged to Ash two years ago but is now far too small and lives in the back of her closet. Ella doesn't have any clothes like that. She donates any clothes that are too small or don't fit her quite right, which happens more than you'd think, mainly because her body has changed so much since those magic pills came into her life, and she still has relatives buying her the, uh, wrong types of clothes.

Ashley pops open a bottle of champagne just as the car drives away from the city. "Where are we going?" Ella mumbles, more wondering to herself than inviting conversation.

Ashley, not picking up on this, answers, "This abandoned warehouse like ten miles out of the city. The government technically owns it, but once in awhile, this crazy, mysterious, rich guy rents it and throws a rager."

"Is that even legal?" Ella asks, not trying to hide the judgement creeping onto her face.

"Who cares?" Ash laughs. "So many high profile people show up to these things that no one would dare mess with it, no matter how illegal it gets."

Ella scoffs. "I see. So, Ash, how many of these illegal acts do you take part in?" Ella can't even remember the last time she was so negative about something. Maybe she needs to open her mind a bit.