Thorn [Farkle Minkus]

[08] New Years Eve

It was quite cold on New Years Eve. She agreed to go to the New Years Eve party that Farkle and his friends were throwing only if her friends can come with her. Farkle didn't mind Ellie bringing Anthony and Aaron with her.

"The more the better," Farkle had told her when she called him about it. 

Anthony and Aaron picked Ellie up from her apartment before heading to Riley Matthews' apartment for the party. Noah Taylor was going to be at the party. Ellie knew this.

"Hey, look, new people," Maya Hart said unenthusiastically when Ellie, Aaron and Anthony arrived.

"Maya, be nice," Riley said. "They're Noah's and Farkle's friends, remember?"

"Doesn't mean I should be happy that there are new people," Maya said.

"Come in," Riley said, letting the trio in.

"Thank you," Ellie said.

"Thanks," Aaron said, cheerfully. 

Riley hung their coats on the coat rack for her and they joined the party. Ellie watched everyone having fun in the distance. Aaron and Anthony were easily able to make conversations with their peers. 

"Having fun at the party, Ellie?" Mr. Matthews said, sitting next to her by the window.

"I guess," she shrugged.

"Why aren't you mingling?" he asked. "They're all your classmates and friends."

"I know," she said, "but I guess I just like observing more than mingle."

"Just have on conversation with one person who isn't Anthony, Aaron or Noah," Mr. Matthews encouraged. "You'll be surprised on what you can learn."

"Mr. Matthews, I don't want to come off as rude, but I really don't want a lesson on New Years Eve," Ellie said.

Mr. Matthews smiled. "Just talk to someone, alright?"

"Alright," she sighed. 

"Go ahead," he encouraged.

"Now?" Ellie asked, not expecting him to want her to do it now.

"Yeah," he said. "Go ahead. Go on."

Ellie hesitated, but got up and walked down to the living room.

Someone came up to her. It was a girl named Peyton. 

"Hi, Ellie," Peyton greeted her.

"Hi," Ellie said, forcing a smile on her face.

"I didn't think you were coming to the party," Peyton said.

"Yeah, well, I thought why not come to the party," she said. "It's high school and I thought I would do something that's out of my comfort zone."

"Well, it's great that you're here," Peyton said.

Ellie nodded. 

"Are you doing anything for the rest of the break?"

"Other than hanging out with my friends and brothers, I don't," she said.

"Do you want to go out for lunch before we start school again?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," she said. "When?"

"On Tuesday?" Peyton said.

"Alright," she said. "You have my number, right?"

"Uh, I don't know," Peyton said, trying to remember. "I don't think I do."

"Oh, okay, here's my number," Ellie said.

Ellie and Peyton exchanged numbers.

Ellie walked back to Mr. Matthews and sat next to him.

"How did it go?" Mr. Matthews asked.

"Good," she said. "We're going to hang out on Tuesday."

"That's great," Mr. Matthews said, smiling.

Ellie sat in her spot for a while, watching everyone having a good time. She felt like she was an outsider, looking in. She doesn't know why, she feels like she's out of place, like she doesn't belong there. Occasionally, someone would look over at her with a confused expression but look away. 

"Why aren't you playing the board games with us?" Farkle asked, cheerfully.

He came over and sat next to her.

"I don't know," she said. "I just want to watch."

"Come on," Farkle said. "Play with us. It's fun."

"Oh, no, it's fine," Ellie said. "I'm good."

"Ellie, come on," Farkle insisted. "You really should play with us."

"Farkle, I'm good," Ellie said. "I just want to watch."

"Ellie," he begged.

"Farkle," she imitated.

"I'm going to go get Anthony and Aaron," Farkle said, getting up. 

"You can try and get them to convince me to play, but trust me, I won't," she said.

"It'll be worth a shot," Farkle said before he walked over to Anthony and Aaron.

She watched Farkle talk to them. Anthony and Aaron never came. She knew that Farkle failed to get them to come over to her and get her to play board games with them. 

When it got closer to midnight, everyone went up to the roof to watch the ball drop at Times Square. Ellie sat at the bench. Everyone was crowding at the ledge and Ellie knew she wouldn't get a good to see the ball drop.

"Five... four... three..." they heard people at Times Square begin to count down, "two.. one! Happy New Years!" they all cheered. 

Everyone wished each other a happy New Years and no one seemed to notice Ellie to be sitting there on her own. She got up and walked over to the door. She looked at the group of teenagers standing there, talking and laughing, before walking back inside the building.