They decided on that first day to keep their real names out of the picture. There wasn’t any particular reason to do so. Both parties knew with certainty that the name offered at their first meeting was false; it was just that neither felt inclined to remedy it, and that they both not-so-secretly felt that it made things much more interesting to play spies. So they remained known to each other as Nate and Ella.
Ella decreed that their first mission was to make a pineapple right-side-up cake. She was quite disappointed when she realized that the internet had reached that point without her and that there were already recipes available for it. The citizens of the world had also already made pineapple inside-out cake, and pineapple outside-in cake was the same thing, so she altered the mission to making a pineapple right-side-left cake.
“Why are we doing this again?”
“Because it’s fun!”
“You’re sure you want to let me into your house?”
“Yes.”
“You’re parents are okay with you bringing a stranger home?”
“Mom does it often enough, I’m sure she won’t object to my following in her footsteps.”
“I could be an axe murderer.”
Ella rolled her eyes. “You look more lost than dangerous, buddy. Besides, with those scrawny limbs, I’m sure I could take you.”
“I wouldn’t bet on that.”
“But you wouldn’t bet against it either.”
He didn’t reply. Ella smirked.
YOU ARE READING
The Speed of Dark
Humor'When Penn first met Ella, her presence caused him to within seconds divest of all traces of dignity he possessed. He held out his hand like they were potential business partners instead of strangers in the freezer aisle of Aldi and told her that hi...
