Inferno

~89~ Crazy Weekend

Ellie's POV

"Ellie, do you have a minute?" Lance asks, poking his head in.

"What's up, boss?" I ask with a smile.

He comes in and sits down on the cot. "Want me to beat around the bush or cut to the chase?" He chuckles.

"Beat around the bush. I enjoy wasting both of our time" I tease.

"Not only is the dance team's competition this weekend, but the basketball team has a game in the same complex " he says simply.

"Yes I know. I've got kids in both" I say, looking at him like he's a nut.

He sighs. "I need chaperones. I'm not asking you to chaperone, because I know you will have to be in a million places at once this trip, but I am asking you to allow Mason to chaperone." He says, looking like he's going to start begging.

"Which one is he chaperoning? Basketball or dance?" I ask

"He's switching off. The schedule is completely crazy. He's going to be in a million different places too. It's more than likely that they will run into each other at some point. I'm going to have to have you sign a permission slip for this" He says, frustrated.

"There's nothing you can do?" I ask, annoyed.

"Yeah. I can make him stay home. I'm short on chaperones, though. I only have a couple teachers signed up and no parents. Parents don't want to be bothered" he says, rolling his eyes.

"Ouch. Hit me on both sides there, boss" I say.

"I'm sorry. I'm just stressed. I've got Missy and Mason. Nick is the basketball coach, so he will be there, but he's not technically a chaperone." He says.

"The basketball team doesn't have anymore room for Mason on the bus. They're full. He would have to be on the dance bus with the other chaperones" Lance says.

"This really is a cluster, isn't it?" I ask.

Lance just nods.

I sigh. "If I become a chaperone will that help?" I ask.

"Of course it would. I can't ask you to do that. You're literally going to be going from one thing to the next this weekend. Isn't Liam and Savannah coming?" He asks.

"Yeah, but so are Trace's parents. Megan can help with Savannah. He's a good guy, I know that. But I still see him staring at her. All of the time. I cannot allow my daughter to be around him without constant supervision. It sounds like it's going to be insane. That's the only way I will allow this" I say sternly.

Lance nods. "I could use the help" he says.

I nod back. "Ok. I'm in"

That weekend I meet at the school and find Lance. Taylor isn't happy about this at all, but since I'm going to be there, he's allowing it. He's bummed though, we always make a big deal out of competition weekends. Savannah was upset too. Hopefully they can get her through this without a panic attack. I'm not going to hardly see any of them this weekend.

When I get there, Missy and Mason are already here. "Am I late?" I ask, surprised that everyone is here so early.

"No. We're just trying to get things figured out" Lance says, stressed.

He hands me an itinerary, and we start going over who is doing what.

"Uh, Lance. This is a problem" Mason says quietly.

Missy looks over their shoulder. "What's the problem? You're going to be in with the girls while they're getting hair and makeup done" she says, confused.