Ellie was always a very reclusive person, despite the best attempts of her family and friends like her parents Joel and Tess, uncle and aunt Tommy and Maria, friends like Dina, Jesse, and yourself. She was always the one in the back or off to the side to hide from the center of attention, quietly texted you her opinions, her jokes, little comments she had on things going on, or even photos on better days when she felt a little boost of confidence to show off her talents in music or herself when she didn’t mind letting you see her.

However, she’d gotten really invested in starting her own life without any help.

One day, she stood up, walked out, then came back with a license for her own business that she asked you to work with her at, and of course you said yes, anything for Ellie. She immediately brought you on and gave you everything you’d need, and it wasn’t half bad being with her every day, along with seeing your friends stop by to check in while you were working.

Now, it had been a few months since she brought you in, and, during a lull in the day, she came over to check on you.

She smiled awkwardly, dressed in her usual canvas sneakers, worn in jeans, one of the many over-worn t-shirts she loved, a plaid button up shirt to add to the style, and her auburn hair up in that unique style of her half up half down messy bun. She put her arms on the counter, her tattoo of a moth resting on fern branches on full display.

“Hey,” she says gently, before molding into her usual awkward tone “you uh, doing good? I mean, like, you’re doing good, but like, you feel good, right?”