golden girl (b.t.c.)

chapter fifty-seven

     "tell him i'm going to be out for the next few shows." ben said into his phone as he ran down the hallway.
"what are you-"
"sky, just-i have to go. i really have to go."
"ben, what's going on-"
"ellie's gone." he stopped in the elevator and sucked in a breath.
"what do you mean she's-"
"she's gone, sky, i..." ben's voice broke. "i did something really stupid, and all her stuff is gone from her room, and she's just gone."
by this point, the tears were falling freely down his face. he wiped them away with the sleeve of his jacket.
"do you want me to call her?"
"it won't matter. her phone's just going to voicemail."
"tell me what i can do, ben."
"i don't know, sky, just-just cover for me."
before sky could say anything else, ben hung up, and the elevator doors slid open. he immediately took off down the street towards the airport. he didn't exactly know where he was going, or if his debit card had enough money for a plane ticket, but, he didn't really care at all.
he was going to find her and make things right.

     eliana put the phone up to her ear as it dialed.
"el! what's up?"
"hey, lola." she wiped her nose.
"have you been crying? are you okay?"
"yeah, no, i'm-i'm actually not."
"oh, el, what happened?"
"i don't really wanna talk about it, i-" she sighed, and stepped out of the airport into the chicago streets. "what's your address?"
"are you here?"
"what's the address, lola?"
she scribbled it down onto her palm.
"what's wrong, el, i-"
"i'll tell you when i get there."
she tucked her phone back into her pocket and turned a corner.

     ben sprinted past the line of people to the help desk and pushed someone out of the way. the lady at the desk blinked at him, obviously confused. "sir, there's a line, you-"
"i need a flight to chicago."
"sir-"
"now, please, i need a flight." ben pleaded.
she tapped on her computer, then shook her head. "our last flight to chicago left two hours ago."
"when's the next one?"
"sir, there are people waiting, can you wait?"
ben ran his hands through his hair, then sighed, trying to hold himself back. "yeah, that's-that's fine, i guess."
"okay. give me a few moments."

eliana knocked at the apartment door.
"coming!" lola's high pitched voice called, and seconds later, she appeared at the door. lola immediately threw her arms around eliana's neck.
"i missed you!"
"i missed you, too." she said quietly.
"come in, come in." she pulled eliana into the tiny apartment. "i have a spare room, if you're staying."
"yeah, i-i think i am."
lola stopped, looking at her teammate. "el."
eliana was staring at the floor, her eyes watering.
"eliana. talk to me."
her phone dropped from her hand, and she sank down onto the floor as the tears flowed from her eyes.
"he-he..."
"he what? ben what?"
"phoebe...he-" she choked out.
"phoebe, phoebe sinclair?" lola asked. "what about her?"
eliana pulled her knees into her chest, then looked up to lola. she gasped. "oh. oh, i-el, i'm so sorry."