The Notorious R(uth) B(arakat) G(rimaldi)

Chapter 44: The Big Apple

AN: Okay, guys, five, maybe six chapters left, okay? This wraps up at the end of their school year, one way or another, so no flipping out when it ends 😉

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Somehow, word had gotten out about Elliott's family's apartment in the city, and rumors were rampant that Elliott was going to try to somehow get away from the chaperones so he could "party" there. He tried telling various people that it was tiny, a studio apartment his uncle or someone had bought so he'd have a place to sleep when he was doing research at NYU.

"I'm not even sure we still have it, to be honest," he told Charlene, best friend of Joanne. "I'm not even sure I remember where it is. I have no plans to have a party, please spread the word."

"But if you could somehow shake the chaperones and lame stuff we have to do, you would, right? Maybe with just a few people?" she prodded, smiling. "It would be way more amazing to party in an apartment than go to the Statue of Liberty or the Tenement Museum."

They were in their midtown hotel, and Charlene had come to the room he was sharing with Gordon to do a little reconnaissance.

"No, I wouldn't. I'm looking forward to seeing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and that," he insisted from where he was putting his socks away. "I'm English, all of this is new to me."

Gordon heard his words and smiled as he hung up his coat. He turned and added his words to Elliott's. "Besides, I don't think it will be possible to ditch Ms. Pomerantz, Mr. Brody, or any of the parents. I mean, the more people who tried to do it, the more obvious it would be that people were missing, right? There are only about forty of us on this trip, you know?"

Elliott looked gratefully at the other boy, who grinned back at him.

Even though they'd arrived at night, it was a night filled with activities. They were supposed to walk around Times Square and the theatre district, and walk to Rockefeller Center. Elliott was hoping he'd get to walk with Ruthie, though he'd die before he'd admit that to anyone else. He was determined to be friends with her, to show that they could just talk and be civil.

They assembled in the lobby twenty minutes later, doing a quick head count before heading out. Ruthie's face was alight with excitement, even before they were anywhere near the lights of Times Square.

"Look! Pepsi, look, the billboard for Hamilton! Oh my god!" Ruthie grabbed her friend's arm in her excitement. "It's, like, two stories tall!"

Everyone loved Hamilton, but it was an obsession for Pepsi, who wanted to meet Lin Manuel Miranda more than anything.

Elliott was quiet, just enjoying her pleasure, her animated face reflecting the colors of the crazy lights of 42nd St and Broadway. Some of the kids were almost nonchalant, seemingly too cool to be excited, but not Ruthie. She jumped up and down every time she recognized another billboard.

"Calm down," Gordon laughed. "You're going to fall if you keep spinning around like that, you can barely keep your balance when you're just walking."

Ruthie slapped at his arm. "No, that's not true! I'm perfectly balanced, look." She nearly walked into a lamppost while showing everyone how good her balance was, and Linda laughed and took a picture.

"Elliott, isn't it amazing? Look, the M & M Store! Oh my god, I wonder if we have time to go?" All of the weirdness between the two of them had evaporated, at least for the moment, in the heady giddiness that was New York City at night.

"You can buy M & Ms in Warren," Elliott admonished. "Why would you want to spend more for the same candy here?"

"It's not for the candy, it's for the photo op, for the cute plushies, come on, get with the program!" Pepsi, too, seemed to have set her misgivings about Elliott aside for the moment. "Ooh, look a huge Pepsi sign, quick, take my picture before it changes!"