MAGE ; benny weir [1]

thirty-five

"Of course! The one time we get free pizza is when your mom is treating us."
Benny slumped back onto Ethan's living room couch, complaining to his best friend about his timed pizza delivery.

"The guy still has... two minutes and fourty-nine seconds," Ethan informed, checking his watch.

"Oh, I forgot to ask," Benny brought up. "You're probably the last person to ask, but how should I ask Ellie to the 'Fly Off to the Moon' dance this weekend?"

"You were right. I am the last person to ask," Ethan chuckled.

"Come on, E. Help a bro out!"

"Okay, why don't you just ask her?" Ethan shrugged. "You're already dating; it's not a big deal. Just don't ask her through text. I'm sure no girl wants that."

"Shouldn't it be more complex, though?" Benny asked, kind of surprised. "Girls are extremely complex."

"But, it's Ellie," Ethan countered.
Benny shrugged from his best friend's statement. He thought that Ellie deserved a lot, but she was really simple for a girl. She doesn't expect or want much, but Benny thought that she deserved the world.

"I'll think of something," Benny finished. "You oughta think of a way to ask Sarah, too."

"Actually, B, I think I'm out." 

Benny turned his head around, confused by Ethan's words.

"What? How? We've gotta go! This could be your chance at finally getting Sarah and my chance to dance with Ellie!" he argued, smacking Ethan's shoulder. "Come on!"

"I don't know. Ever since we dug up the cubile animus and Ellie got possessed, I've kinda felt like laying low," Ethan explained.

Benny rolled his eyes and said, "We can lay low when we're dead. These are the best years of our lives!"

"Really?"

"I really hope not."

------------

Ellie could see Ethan and Benny complaining at the end of the hall. As she got closer, she tuned in and found only Benny complaining. Figures.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked, leaning her arm on Benny's shoulder.

"His pizza guy didn't show up last night," Ethan told her.

"Yeah, and I've got a gaping, pizza-shaped hole in my heart!" Benny whined.

"Hey, guys! Are you hooked up for the dance yet?" Rory smiled, butting in on the geeks' conversation. Hearing the mention of the dance, Ellie's face immediately went red as she leaned off of Benny.

"U-Uh, gotta go... study Hall is calling my name," she awkwardly chuckled as she quickly walked out of their circle. Benny stared at his girlfriend as she left, wondering why she was acting so weird.

"What was that?" he asked.

"She doesn't know if you're gonna ask her or not," Sarah suggested, joining Rory as she inserted herself into the group. 

"But we're dating!" Benny defended.

"So what?" Sarah shouted. "How are you gonna ask Ellie? Is it going to be cute? Little cheesy posterboard and whatnot?"

Hearing the suggestion of a cringey posterboard made Ethan, Benny, and Rory all gag simultaneously.

"Shouldn't it be obvious that I'd be taking her?" Benny groaned.

"Sometimes, girls get nervous with little things like that. It's this really cool thing called estrogen," Sarah told him. "Ask her!"

"And besides, Erica said that she's going with this guy from another school," Sarah continued. "Would you three have any clue who?"