IT WAS THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER, AUGUST FIFTH, WHEN ELLI, SHIRLEY, AND DEBBIE WERE LAYING ON THE GRASS IN ELLI'S BACKYARD.

They all watched as clouds passed over them, pointing out different shapes and objects any of them could think of.

"Ooh, that one looks like a pig!" pointed Shirley receiving laughter from Deb and Elli as they looked at the cloud.

"It does though, doesn't it?" questioned Elli and they both nodded in agreement.

"Yep," They both spoke.

Shirley was laying on a blanket, popping grapes into her mouth time to time while Elli was laying on Debbie's chest. Debbie would move her hand sometimes and pet her head which caused Elli to slightly smile.

"I can't believe we have to start school tomorrow," Deb sat up and Elli sat next to her as Shirley averted her gaze to her. "I don't even want to go since you're not going, Elli."

"Same here. I don't even know how I survived those last weeks of school without you," Shirley spoke up in agreement.

"Tempy, you faked being sick for over a week then claimed that your teacher got into a car accident so your parents wouldn't let you go to school."

Shirley sighed. "Still. I don't know what I'm gonna do without you," she nudged her side.

Elli laughed. "You'll be fine."

"Who am I supposed to do bagels runs with now?"

"Debbie, obviously. Well, unless you want to face Gilbert all by yourself," Elli raised her eyebrows up and down.

"Wait, Gilbert? You mean that guy that came over one day while we were having a sleepover?" Debbie asked as she gave Shirley a look.

They were all having a sleepover one day when suddenly Gilbert came over with some baked treats for Shirley. They weren't expecting him at all so when Shirley went to open the door, she flushed red.

All over her face. Even her ears got the memo.

It was magnificent.

And if Elli had a camera, she would've kept that photo with her all the time.

"Yep. Him," Elli smiled at Shirley who blushed once again.

"S-Shush. I-I don't have feelings for him. I mean, who would? He. . . Well, he's not my type. And, the hair. Oh, the hair. I could never. It's just. . . Okay, I like him," she admitted as she covered her face with her hands.

"Really?" Elli and Deb spoke at the same time. "Had no idea."

"Hush," she spoke through her hands which made it come out muffled but still a little clear.

"Come on," Elli stood up and put a hand out towards Debbie to grab onto to help her up. "let's go inside and watch a movie or something since it's getting late. And you guys have school tomorrow so you have to head home soon."

Debbie grabbed onto Elli's hand and pulled herself up, brushing of the invisible dirt and then dragging Elli inside as Shirley followed.

•••••

School started out great for the girls. No problems or troubles and they were all doing very well with their classes. One month had passed and it was now the closing of September and it was nearing Elli's birthday. Her birthday landed on a Monday and the Halloween Fair was coming to Texas that following weekend.

So, as a surprise, they were going to take her, Shirley, and Debbie to the fair that Saturday then let her have a sleepover with them after. They already told the two girls about it and begged them to keep it a secret.

So, as October the first rolled around that Monday, Elli woke up to Bonnie and Marilyn holding a surprise in her room. They walked in with pancakes and bacon in hand with three candles atop the pancakes.

"Happy thirteenth Birthday, Elli!" Mary blew a noise maker and threw confetti of multiple colors into the air.

"Here," Bonnie handed Elli her breakfast as she rubbed her eyes. "blow out your candles and make a wish. But, don't tell us or it won't come true."

Elli thought for a moment before blowing out her candles and the two women cheered. "Thank you, guys! This is amazing," she smiled as she stretched.

"Also, we have another surprise!" Mary cheered as she watched Elli dive into her breakfast.

"What?"

"We're going to the fair this Saturday and we've invited Shirley and Debbie to go with. You're having a sleepover after too as well. You'll have an amazing time, let me tell you," Bonnie spoke as she sat down on Elli's bed.

"Really? Thank you so much!" Elli hugged Bonnie tightly then moved to Marilyn who hugged her as well.

"Eat up," Mary spoke. "We have to start school in a little bit."

•••••

Hours passed by and it was now three-fifty and Elli was all finished with school. She had been watching Peter Pan for the past ten minutes with a bowl of kettle corn popcorn on her lap. Mary and Bon had left the house to go to the flower shop since they were getting a lot new loads today.

Elli would work in the flower shop sometimes over the week if needed and get an allowance for that, but they didn't want her to work on her birthday, so they let her stay home.

She loved delivering flowers time to time. She would bring them over to the nearby dress shop, hair salon, and Morty's Tv and Radio that was a couple blocks away.

The man who lived there, Elliot, had been dumped a few weeks before. So, Elli brought him over some White Lily's in a blue vase. She even wrote a note:

'Sorry to hear what happened to you. You don't deserve that at all. I hope you like the flowers. I picked them out because I see you looking at them all the time when you pass the shop.

Have a delightful and blessed day. You're welcome over at the shop anytime you'd like. Also, thanks for the new radio. It works like a charm :) '

— Elliana from Bonnie's Flower Shop

The next day, Elliot went over and personally thanked the kind girl and gave her a friendly hug. Then bought more flowers the next few weeks after that.

As Elli watched the tv screen, someone knocked on the front door. She placed down her popcorn bowl and waited for another knock. Once she heard two more knocks in a rhythmic pattern, she got up and sighed of relief.

She opened the door to see Shirley with a gift in her hands as well as balloons that read Happy Birthday in a cool font. "Happy Birthday, Liana!" Shirley hugged her friend.

"Thank you! Can't believe you bought a balloon," Elli gave a shocked look.

"I know. Cool right? They wouldn't let me on the bus with it so I had to walk home. It was horrible," she sat down on the couch, pulling the popcorn bowl to her lap, letting go of the balloon and it floated to the top of the ceiling. Good thing the ceiling wasn't that high or nobody would be able to get it down.

"A bird trip to pop it. Twice!"

Elli laughed as she joined her friends side. "That must've been interesting."

"It was. Now," she handed Elli her gift. "Open the gift from your bestie."

Elli thanked her and took the gift into hand. It was a medium sized box wrapped with balloon decorative wrapping paper. Elli unwrapped it to see a cardboard box. The box was filled with Polaroids of her, Shirley, Debbie, her favorite candies, and even some money.

"Shirley, how could you afford all of this?" Elli looked at the gifts.

"My allowance."

"Must've been a lot. Thank you so much! I can finally buy those pants I've always wanted. The cargo ones."

"Really? Why do you still want those?" Shirley asked with a weird look.

"Okay, well it has a lot of pockets! And I can make some of my own modifications if I want," she gave a proud smile as Shirley rolled her eyes playfully.

"Oh, please. Anyways, let's watch the movie," she about pressed play when Elli grabbed the remote from her.

"Don't you have homework? It's near four o'clock. You just got home from school."

"Stop being such a mom. I already finished it while on the bus to get your present. I'm fine, don't worry," she grabbed the remote back and pressed play. "Has Debbie brought you over anything yet?"

Elli got comfortable and shook her head. "No. Maybe she's busy or something."

"Oh, look at you. Making excuses for your girlfriend. You must be falling hard," Shirley chuckled and Elli smacked her arm.

"Shush. She's not my girlfriend. And I'm not falling hard."

"Oh, please. "I'm not falling that hard." You smile every time she looks at you or anything, and you guys hold hands and act like a couple."

"Yeah, well what about you and Gilbert? I saw him come over to your house yesterday." Shirley chocked on the popcorn. "Yep, don't act like I didn't see that."

"Gilbert and I being together is strictly confidential. Oh, whoops," she covered her mouth as Elli gave wide eyes. 

"You're dating Gilbert?!" Elli shrieked as Shirley quickly covered her mouth. "I can't believe you didn't tell me. For how long anyway?" she spoke as it was muffled.

"About a week and a half," Shirley brought her hand down.

"I feel like such a horrible friend. How did I not notice? Ugh," she plopped back in the couch.

"It's okay, I was going to tell you anyways."

"When?"

Shirley looked off to the side. "Maybe few weeks or a month tops."

"Gimme the popcorn," she swiped it away from her leading Shirley to reach towards it, trying to grab it. "You don't deserve it anymore."

•••••

Elli sat at her kitchen table eating left over pasta Alfredo while she waited for Mary and Bon to get home. It was nearing nine and it was getting late. The crickets started to rub their legs together, making a noise and the cicadas started to tick loudly.

This reminded her of when she was with Mace at night. She missed Mace. Horribly. And she would sometimes have trouble sleeping without him being there. This was the first birthday she had alone.

Usually she would wake up to Mace singing happy birthday then they would go downstairs and Ellie would eat then they would find fun things to do around the house to keep them occupied for the rest of the day.

Elli couldn't keep Mace off her mind at all.

Mace missed her too.

Mace was struggling. Badly. He wanted to die. Fully. He talked to Ben a lot, but it wasn't the same. Ben was there for Mace the whole time since they got to Dallas. He wished for any sign of Elli. Any papers, mentions, but there was nothing.

As Klaus traveled the world with his cult Destiny's Children, Ben and Mace were practically forced to come along. Mace did always wonder where Elli was. What she's doing, who she's with, if she's made any friends of some sort—or even got a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Elli thought about where Mace was. Was he in Texas or New York? Maybe with one of the Hargreeves or something. She had no clue. But, she just wanted him back. She wanted to hug him, talk to him, tell him about everything that has happened over the months.

After Elli finished her dinner and put away her dish, she walked from the kitchen to the stairs and up to her room. She walked over to her lamp and clicked it on. As soon as she did that, she heard small, consistent taps from her window.

She moved over and looked down to see Debbie throwing mini pebbles. She opened the window and popped her head out. "Shouldn't you be inside?"

Debbie chuckled. "Come outside. I have to give you something."

"One sec," she closed her window and grabbed her jacket, pulling it on. As she neared the door she slipped on her shoes and went outside to the side of the house. "Now, what in the world are you doing out here at this time of night, young lady?" she joked in a whisper.

"I'm here to give you your gift, your majesty," she bowed forward with the gift in hand, presenting it to her.

Elli took the present gently from her hands. "Why thank you, kind lady," she began to unwrap the present to see a watch with a brown leather strap.

It was one she wouldn't stop talking about since the watch she got from Mary and Bon broke one day and stopped working. Elli looked at it with an extremely shocked look.

"H-How. . . How'd you. . . How'd you get this?"

Deb chuckled. "I went back to the shop and sold something in exchange for it. It was something I wasn't using anymore, so I was fine with giving it up."

"Deb, it's beautiful," she took the watch out of the box and looked at it.

"Would you like me to help you put it on?"

Elli nodded and Deb took the box, setting it on the ground and helped Elli put it on. The watch looked amazing on her wrist. She set the time right then watched as it glistened in the moonlight.

"I love it," Elli smiled.

Debbie gave one back in return. "Glad you do," she held her hands. They both met eyes with each other. "I need to tell you something. And, I don't care if you don't agree with what I'm going to say, but I need to say it."

"What?"

"I—"

"Deborah Morris, what are you doing outside at this time of night?" her father walked outside.

Elli quickly let go of her hands and placed the hand with the watch in her pocket so he wouldn't see. "Hello, Mr—"

"Shut your trap! What're you doing out at this time? Talking to. . . her," he gave Elli a look and she looked down.

"I can talk to whoever I want whenever I want. You don't get to decide that decision for me," Debbie said with confidence.

Nick clicked his tongue and grabbed her arm tightly. "Don't speak to me like that. Ever again," he brought her close to his face. "You're going back inside and you are never going to talk to this negro again." Elli could see the tears in Debs eyes as she began to look at him with disgust.

"You can forget about the fair on Saturday. You're not going," he let go of her arm and went to the porch.

"I'm so—" Elli pulled the almost crying girl into a hug and she started to burst into tears.

"It's okay. It's okay. No worries. Thanks for the present. I should get inside anyways too," Elli spoke and separated from the hug, placing her hand on where her father just held her arm.

"That's gonna leave a bruise," Deb snuffled.

Elli gave a bracing look before placing a hand on Debs right cheek and kissing her left one. "Thank you for the gift. Have a good night," she slowly let go of her cheek and walked back inside.

Debbie stood there flabbergasted as she started to blush. "Yes," she fist pumped as she placed her palm on her cheek.

"Inside. Let's go!" Nick shouted.

"Okay!" she gave an attitude and headed inside.

She didn't say anything but went straight up to her room. Her father didn't follow, but went to the living room and sat down on his recliner.

"Why do you treat her like that? Debbie? She doesn't do anything wrong?" Elizabeth asked from the kitchen sink as she was washing the dishes from the following dinner session.

"She doesn't understand how horrible those people are. She never will. Her screws are loose as hell and she knows nothing. Nothing!" he clicked on the tv.

Elizabeth gave a horrible look and shook her head, mumbling under her breath, "She knows more than you."

•••••

Saturday rolled around and Elli was getting ready to go to the fair with Mary and Bonnie. The two women were devastated when they heard that Debbie couldn't go anymore. Elli didn't tell them about her dad coming around and saying horrible things to her but had told a lie.

They believed it, shockingly. Elli was also getting quite good at lying so that's good.

She looked at her watch and saw the time was five-thirty. The fair was from four to eleven and there were many rides and attractions to fill the threes day.

Another thing is that Shirley couldn't go anymore either. Somehow, the girl got sick. And Elli had a good suspicion on how she got sick.

You see, Gilbert had a cold a little while back, and Elli was convinced that when/or if they kissed, they swapped germs and now Shirley had Gilby germs. That's what she called them. Funny, but she was so fixed on it.

"Elli, you ready to go?" Mary called up the stairs.

"Yep," she grabbed her jacket and started to head down the stairs. Entering the kitchen she watched as Bonnie was looking at her hair, moving it from one side to another.

"Bon, it looks fine. You've been doing that for the past five minutes, honey," Mary walked over and put her arms around her shoulders.

"I know, but still. My mother always said, "Hair is the most important item". And I gotta do it right," she gave the Jersey mother statement as she teased her hair.

Four soft taps were heard from the kitchen slide door and the three turned to see Debbie's back facing them. Elli walked over and opened the door, allowing her in.

"Good. You're all still here," she breathed heavily. "I can go to the fair. And sleepover after if you still want me to."

Elli started to get excited. "Really?" Debbie nodded and Elli brought her into a hug. "Yay! I didn't want to be stuck with the two of them the whole day."

"Okay, sweet cakes, why not?" Bonnie turned around as Mary gave a pout.

"You guys would do boring couple stuff and I would feel like a third wheel. Now, I have someone to go on all the rides with."

"She has a point there. Bon-Bon gets sick sick on big, scawy wides," Mary spoke in a baby voice as Bonnie rolled her eyes and tickled her sides.

"Okay, kids. Let's get this show on the road, shall we?" Bonnie clapped her hands and headed to the front door, Mary following along behind.

Elli offered to take Debbie's bag upstairs to put in her room and Debbie followed as she did so. "So, did your dad let you go?"

"Nope. I snuck out," she admitted as she sat on her bed.

"What? Really? Why?"

"Well, technically it wasn't really sneaking out. My dad left to go to Odessa for a business trip until Tuesday. My mom let me come but promised not to tell my dad if I did her laundry as repayment."

"That's awesome. It's great you can come. Shirley had to cancel since she got sick with Gilby germs." Deb gave a weird expression.

"What the hell are "Gilby germs"? Are those even a real thing?"

They headed down the stairs and to the front door. "I'll tell you about it in the car," Elli opened the front door and Debbie followed her out, walking down the stairs and to the driveway where Mary and Bonnie sat situated in the car.

Bonnie in the driver, like always, and Mary sitting in the passenger moving along to the music that played. The drive to the fair wasn't long, only about twenty minutes. Once they got there, they all got out and headed to the ticket booth stand.

"How many, ma'am?"

"Four, please."