Elena and Rosie, a story told in reverse chronological order

It was dark out. Rosie ran out the screen door that led to her backyard and through the trees lining her neighbor's yard. Elena was scared. What would happen if the adults found out? She knew of course Rosie’s parents wouldn’t give a damn, but if Elena’s parents knew… she didn't even want to think of what they would do. And maybe the neighbors…

“Rosie, wait!” Elena yelled, barely stepping onto the porch.

“Don’t you think -- ”

“Stop asking me questions like that. You know I never think.”

This certainly wasn’t true. Rosie was the smartest person Elena knew. She told her things Elena never even imagined of before. Rosie was her freedom. The escape, from her house, where her parents had too many rules. Rules didn’t even exist in this new world with Rosie. They were much too busy exploring to have silly rules. 

Halloween 2015

The Ropps still lived at their house on Broadway when the girls were in 6th grade. Elena was obsessed with Pokémon and Minecraft, and Rosie with every other anime with implied male homosexual relationships in them. Elena had shown up to Rosie’s house on the evening of October 31st dressed in black gown, with a black cardboard box over her head that had rectangular purple eyes on them, and of course a tote bag with the words Trick or Treat! On it. 

“What are you?” Elena asked politely(her mother was still standing behind her, talking to Holly, Rosie’s mom). 

“I’m Saturn! From Sailor Moon!” Rosie spun around in a skirt that looked like it was sewed herself. 

30 minutes later they had walked halfway through Broadway, their bags almost full. It wasn’t just Rosie and Elena, her family was babysitting Samantha, an autistic girl who went to their school. Holly was there too, to make sure they didn’t “run off together”. The enderman box was hard to breathe in, so Elena took it off periodically after saying their Trick or Treats in between houses. A boy Elena and Samantha knew from middle school lived on Broadway too, and Elena gushed over him. He played baseball on the 8th grade team, and was a redhead. Elena had a thing for gingers. Samantha and her started fighting over him after leaving his house, Elena claiming her brother knew him because they were in the same grade, Samantha saying they went to summer camp together. 

On the way back down the street, towards the Ropps' house Rosie and Elena hung back behind the rest of the group. 

“Wanna hold hands?” Rosie asked. Elena was scared, she thought that was only something grown up guys and girls did. 

“C’mon, it’s normal. Girls do it all the time.” Rosie must have read her mind, and gently wrapped her hand around Elena’s. It was very soft. Her skin. And warm. Rosie made it seem like not a big deal, but for Elena it was new. She stared at her, while Rosie looked forward as they were walking down the street. Hand in hand.

Autumn 2014

Elena and her brother Diego would go to the local comic shop constantly. Of course, they didn’t usually get comics. Mostly action figures and the nerf guns they had on the tall shelves that the employees at TNT Comics would have reach for them. Maybe the second trip they ever took there, Elena spotted a tiny figurine of Pichu, a Pokémon. She bought it. And she never let go of it. Another thing that was inseparable from Elena was a stuffed Charizard keyring, and a Batman POP! action figure, which she sewed her own cape for. She carried them around in a little purse she got as a souvenir from her grandmother when she got back from Mexico. It had San Luis Potosi embroidered on it. She would also have her yellow discman she got from her Cousin Lilly in 2nd grade. Inside her Walkman, would usually be Queen greatest hits volume 1 or 2, or a classic rock mixtape(but cd) she made herself(with adult supervision)that usually included at least one Billy Joel song. 

One day at gym class, Mrs. Moss, the gym teacher, had Elena and Rosie’s 5th grade class run the fencerow. In the backyard of the school, where recess and gym was held when it was warm enough, was the playground, consisting of the usual rock wall, swing set, and monkey bars on the left side, and on the right, a blacktop, where there were basketball hoops and painted bases for kickball. Surrounding all this, was the fence, but to Mrs. Moss, it was the track. 

Even running, Elena kept her Pichu with her, because it was the smallest, about the size of her palm. If she had her way, she would carry all her friends with her, everywhere, all the time. 

During recess, this particular day, Elena found her Pichu to be missing. She looked in her cubby, her backpack, her desk, her bra(she saw her mother store things in there sometimes) but to no avail. She confided in Rosie and Jenna, her best friends, with tears in her eyes. 

“I’m on Safety monitor duty today, I’ll check when I’m with the kids.” Rosie said.

“I’ll look outside tomorrow.” Jenna said. 

Rosie ended up getting in trouble for looking with the younger kids that day, apparently they weren’t allowed near the fencerow unless it was gym class. 

The first day of school, 2013

All Elena could think about was Calvin, her best friend, who used to be her "enemy"(they fought over Noah Johnson, both claiming him as their best friend in 2nd grade). She couldn’t wait to see him, even though he was in the other classroom of 4th graders. Elena Was in Ms. Hathaway's class, Calvin in Mrs. Oak’s.

When Elena walked in the room, she thought she saw a ghost. 

She was her height, but her hair isn’t a normal color… like a green…and curly… and short...like a guy...

She’s pale as milk! Elena thought to herself. She was a big milk drinker.

When class took attendance and did the usual elementary school introduction games, like 2 truths and a lie, Elena found out the ghost girl’s name. 

Rosie.