Worth It

Tuesday, September 3

Drawers slammed and bedsheets flew as Ellie searched through every corner of her room. She peaked under her bed and crawled below her desk in the hopes that at least a dollar could be found. Today was the first day of the school year, and there was no way she wanted to start it empty-handed.

Ellie began pulling open her desk drawers, starting from the top. Although she was certain she had looked through them already, she felt the need to check again. Inside were loose pencils that rolled about, small, collectible figurines, and music CDs. One by one, she removed them, contributing to the mess on her floor, until the drawer was emptied. Aside from the CDs, nothing of value was found. This happened for the two top drawers before Ellie reached the last one, which was the largest.

Atop the binders inside was a jar. Coins clinked against the glass when Ellie picked it up and read the label that had “SAVINGS” written on it. It was a container she meant to use for the allowance her mom gave her over the summer. She wanted to reflect on why it was never used since then, but there was a more pressing matter at hand.

“Ten, twenty,” Ellie murmured at the two dimes inside then vented a low groan. “Tore apart my room for twenty cents. Good job.” She returned the jar in the drawer and made a mental note to start putting it to use sometime.

She put her hands to her hips and looked down at the floor. It was like a bomb had gone off, which was partially true; a bomb of stress and desperation. Loose clothing was scattered everywhere. Pencils, pens, and books cluttered her desk that it practically covered its top.

Ellie crouched and picked up a sock to start cleaning up. From there, she gathered other pieces of fallen clothing in her arms and dropped them on her bed to fold. It was not until she noticed the time on the alarm clock that she immediately stopped. Its LED display read 8:20 AM in bright, red numbers. “Crap,” she said under her breath.

“Ellie, you ready?” called her mom from downstairs, as if on cue, further emphasizing the need to hurry up.

“Coming!” She threw on her uniform’s blazer that was draped over her chair and grabbed her backpack. There would be plenty of time to sort it out once school was over for today.

Before Ellie reached for the door to head out, she glanced at the poster that hung on it. It was a photo of Ayumu Yurishima, a famous pop musician from Japan. She stood tall on a platform and held a microphone up like a magic wand. The lights above the singer that spelled her stage name “YuYu” made her flowing, sky-blue ponytail glimmer like the trail of a passing comet.

As Ellie gazed at YuYu’s beaming smile, she felt the nerves from her troublesome morning wither. Like a breeze blowing away storm clouds to reveal the stars above, her cluttered head cleared up enough that she remembered why she was in this predicament in the first place.

It was the Labor Day weekend, and a poster for YuYu’s latest album, “Still, Stellar Nights,” had gone on sale. Naturally, Ellie had to do anything to buy it.

With adrenaline pumping, she hurried to a shop that sold all kinds of accessories and stationery; much of it being merchandise of famous pop stars like YuYu, so chances of finding the poster were in her favor. She searched high and low through shelves of pastel colored pens, plush toys, and notebooks until she was lucky enough to score the last poster in stock.

If time travel was real, Ellie’s memory of the moments after purchasing the poster would be proof of it. As soon as she dropped the remainder of her allowance on the cash desk, she rushed home, barely missing the bus along the way.

The next thing she knew, she was admiring the poster on her door while blasting YuYu’s album on her laptop.

“Worth it,” she said upon finishing her recollection of that day. But what was not “worth it” was the fact that she was absolutely broke. Apart from a couple of mere dimes, Ellie had to find a way to scrounge enough cash to survive the day, let alone the week. Lucky for her, she knew someone who can probably help out with her situation.

She hopped off the last step and found her mom in the kitchen packing a small lunch container. After they exchanged a warm morning greeting, her mom picked up her purse and walked past Ellie.

“Just in time.” her mom said, “Dad and I will wait outside, so pack whatever you need quickly.”

“Yeah, I’ll get to it.” As Ellie watched her leave, she locked her eyes onto the purse. It was only brief, but thoughts of it raced in her head; particularly ones of the contents jostling inside. She imagined cards, old receipts, scrap paper, and whatever people keep in their purses. But she quickly dismissed them as junk when she imagined the real treasure in the middle of it all - the wallet, which was most likely filled to the brim with wads of cash.

Eventually, those thoughts banded together to form a spontaneous plan that would solve her penniless condition. With it still fresh in her head, she quickly slipped into her shoes and rushed out the door.

The bits of sun that shined through thick clouds made Ellie squint. She caught up to her mom who stepped into the car’s front seat. Once she climbed into the back and put on her seatbelt, the car pulled out the driveway and drove off.

She gazed out the window at passing vehicles and houses while thinking of a way to execute her plan. It was impromptu, but simple; ask her parents for spare change, nothing more. But she wanted to ease into it, as asking right off the bat can either lead to questioning or refusal.

Ellie took a breath, ready for the inevitable, and started, “So, nice weather, huh?”

“Not bad for Vancouver,” her mom said. “You want to ask me something?”

Ellie flinched. She did not expect to arrive at the climax of this conversation so soon in the ride. “I just wanted to know if you have spare change.”

“What happened to the twenty I gave you on Saturday?”

She clenched the handles of her backpack. A million answers scrambled in her like raffle tickets in those rolling, cylindrical drums she saw at a fair once. Ellie shuffled through them until she abruptly pulled one out and said, “Nothing! But I think it’s not enough for the week. Plus, I need to buy school supplies.”

There was a short pause between them, one that would terrorize Ellie if it lasted any longer. The brief silence was soon broken by her mom reaching into her purse. “If you say so.”

The tension Ellie felt only seconds ago was replaced by eagerness. She leaned forward and rubbed her hands together in anticipation for the cash. But when her mom handed over a measly five dollar bill, the smile she wore disappeared.

“What’s wrong?” her mom asked. “You said ‘spare change,’ right?”

Ellie’s jaw dropped slightly. She immediately wanted to point out how small of an amount it was and to ask for more, but leaned back on the seat when she realized there was no use in arguing. If she had been a tad specific, she might have received something higher than a five.

Whatever, Ellie thought, and thanked her. She slipped the bill into her wallet then leaned on the door to watch the scenery pass. This part of the plan may have taken an unwanted turn, but there was plenty of time in the ride; just enough to think of a second attempt.

***

“Are you sure you don’t need a ride home?” Ellie’s dad said as he pulled over into a gap between a long row of vehicles.

“I’m only here for half the day. No point wasting gas driving home and back.”

Her dad laughed, “You have a point. Still, give me a call if you need to.”

They said their goodbyes and Ellie reached for the door handle. Before pulling, she turned back to her dad, “Actually, there might be one thing I need.”

“If it’s something you forgot, you’ll have to remember to bring it tomorrow.”

Ellie waved a hand, “No, no, it’s not that. I was wondering if you have a spare twenty.”

“Didn’t your mom already-”

“It’s not enough,” she interrupted. “I need it for school supplies. Pens, paper, and all that. You know, the stuff mom wants me to use it for.”

He glanced at the clock on the dashboard and let out a silent huff. Without any time to argue, he removed a twenty dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to Ellie. “Just make sure you have enough for next time.”

“You’re the best!” She swiped the cash from his hand and exited the car. Ellie waved as he drove away then turned to walk up a short flight of stairs.

“Five, twenty-five,” Ellie whispered at the bills she counted and shook her fist at the small victory she claimed. While it would have been nice to have a little more, it was better than having nothing at all.

Ellie reached the top and looked up at a banner that hung above the entrance. In bold, burgundy font, it read, “WELCOME BACK, NORTH RIDGE ELKS.” In other words, welcome back to another ten months of tedium.

She opened the doors to a hallway filled with kids talking and laughing amongst themselves. The kind of energy she expected after coming back from a long summer break of beach trips, flights, or whatever Ellie wished she did. At least with school starting again, she was relieved to be anywhere but home almost twenty-four-seven.

A short vibration pulsated from her phone. She turned it on and saw a notification from Kate sliding in from the top. In a heartbeat, she tapped it and it opened to a message that read, “You here yet? Meet at lockers.”

Ahead of Ellie were rows and rows of lockers on both sides, each with over dozens of kids packed together. If Kate were among them, then she had to do some digging to find her. She shot a quick reply for an answer then began her search.

The center of the hallway was fairly clear, apart from bystanders scattered along the path, who Ellie had to weave around to get by. She looked left and right at the groups by the lockers, hoping to find Kate. But in a sea of burgundy blazers, she could not make out the familiar tall, blond figure anywhere.

Ellie soon reached an area with trophy cabinets in the middle of the row of lockers. It was not as crowded, so she took an opportunity to stop and check her phone without worrying about blocking the way. To her dismay, there was no reply from Kate, not even a message that showed it was read.

Just as Ellie put her phone away to continue looking, a hand from behind grasped her shoulder. Shock ran through her spine and she spun around to encounter her assailant. That instance of confusion disappeared when she looked up and met eyes with Kate.

“Come on, would it kill you to just say ‘hi’?” said Ellie.

“Not my fault you left yourself wide open.”

Suddenly, with open arms, Ellie leapt and gave Kate a tight embrace. “Right back at you. God, feels like it’s been forever.”

The unexpected hug made Kate step back. If Ellie was slightly taller than her, she would have fallen over. Still, she could not help but return it with one of her own. “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s only been a month.”

“Like I said, forever.”

The two let go and checked their phones to see where their homerooms were. Upon finding out they were together, they exchanged a high-five and made their way there.

“By the way, look what I got.” Ellie showed a photo of her door. “A brand new, limited edition poster for YuYu’s latest album.”

Kate gave the image a brief glance then commented, “That’s nice. Also, you already sent me that.”

“Right, I did. Still, another fine addition to the YuYu haul.”

“The haul that grows, like, everyday,” sighed Kate.

They entered a classroom with only a couple desks taken. With so many free seats still available, Ellie and Kate took a pair at the back by the windows.

“So, forget about me. How was Germany?” asked Ellie.

“Not bad. Sights were nice, food was decent,” Kate yawned, dropped her backpack on the desk, and rested on top of it. “Not worth staying a whole month, though. Do me a favor and don’t wake me up if I doze off during morning assembly.”

Ellie lifted one of the flaps of Kate’s backpack and peaked inside, “Any souvenirs?”

Kate shoved Ellie’s hand away and took out a bottle cap keychain with a painting. “I was waiting for you to ask.”

The painting on the bottle cap was of a cathedral roofed with three turquoise domes. A low “ooh” left Ellie as she admired the amount of detail on such a small trinket. “Did you go inside? It must’ve looked so cool.”

“I wasn’t lying when I said the sights were nice.”

Just as Kate was about to shut her eyes, the morning bell tolled, and she shot up from her desk. The high pitch sound she emitted made Ellie snort at the laugh she stifled. This was soon interrupted by the noticeable increase in activity around them.

A number of students walked in and began filling the seats of the once empty space. Behind them was their homeroom teacher, Mrs. McCarthy, who approached the front desk and picked up a clipboard. Underneath the warm smile she wore, she spoke in a soft but commanding voice, “Let’s get homeroom started. The quicker we can take attendance, the better.” It was enough for the chatter around the room to fade to silence, leaving only the footsteps of those just entering.

Once everyone was seated, a few minutes were spent calling names and waiting for them to say they were present. With the time Ellie had before it was her turn, she held her phone under the desk, away from the sight of Mrs. McCarthy, and browsed her Instagram.

She scrolled past numerous posts from influencers going about their day or snippets of their latest Twitch streams. The corners of her mouth raised at the occasional images that humored her, but she held her breath to prevent any snickers from escaping.

After a couple more flicks from her thumb, a post scrolled up that sent Ellie into a shock. It was a photo of a shelf from Artstash, the shop from where she bought the YuYu poster. Beside a trio of small plush animals was a row of keychains of a cartoon character hanging on a hook. The character in particular had sky-blue hair and a long, flowing ponytail that spiraled around its body. These details alone were enough for Ellie to immediately recognize who that was.

It was a keychain that was exclusive to shops in Japan over the summer. Unless dedicated YuYu fans lived there, the only option to buy it anywhere else in the world was from second-hand sellers, and prices for them were through the roof. Ellie needed at least five weeks worth of allowances to afford one, and she doubted her mom would let her buy it in the first place. But the fact they were available locally meant she had to do whatever it takes to-

“Ellie Coleson.” called Mrs. McCarthy.

“Yes!” she yelled and leapt from her desk. Upon looking up from her phone, she was met with dozens of stares. There was an uncomfortable silence that filled the air. When she realized what she had done, a warmth enveloped her face, and sweat started forming in her palms.

Mrs. McCarthy let out a breath and ticked a checkbox on her clipboard. “Someone’s awake today.”

***

A hoard of kids flooded out the auditorium doors. Plowing her way through them was Ellie who endured the hour of speeches and presentations. If she had to sit through one more droning monologue from the student council, she would have bolted out of it without warning.

She said a barrage of apologies at the numerous jeers and cries from kids she bumped into. After finally breaking free from the crowd, she stopped to take a few breaths and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Not far behind Ellie was Kate who also broke free from the pack, but with little effort. “Looks like you ran a marathon.”

“No kidding. I gotta get outta here,” Ellie said in between breaths.

“Gonna buy more of that girl’s toys?”

“They aren’t toys,” Ellie snapped. “They’re collector’s items that every YuYu fan needs. And there’s some available here. If I leave now, I can catch a bus that takes me straight to the station. From there, it’s smooth sailing. Wanna come?”

“I’d join you, but the tennis club’s got a meeting in a bit.” Kate patted Ellie’s head and ruffled her hair, “You enjoy buying your thing, whatever it is. Just don’t trip on the way there.”

The two said their goodbyes and split off to opposite ends of the hall. Ellie tidied her hair then dashed to the exit. She knew the trip would last at least thirty agonizing minutes, from taking a bus to the Expo Line station and riding a train to Burnaby. Since every second mattered, she weaved around everyone in her way and took as many shortcuts she could in hopes to catch the bus in time.

***

“Next stop: Metrotown Skytrain Station,” chimed the robotic voice of the train speakers.

Ellie stood by the doors and tapped her toes at her growing impatience. She watched the mall roll into view through the windows before it vanished behind another train going the opposite direction. Once it slowed to a stop and opened its doors, she dashed along the passenger walkway and down the escalators.

Upon exiting the station, she waited at an intersection where a crossing signal took an eternity to blink. Many cars and trucks passed, one of them startling Ellie from their sudden horns, until they eventually halted behind the white lines. She saw this as a sign that it was almost time to cross and prepared herself for the fastest run of her life. When the high pitch beeping of the signal came, she jogged across the intersection and flew through the mall entrance.

After what felt like hours of speed walking, Ellie arrived at Artstash. Above her, its neon red logo shined like a beacon of hope.

The moment she walked in, she was given a cheerful greeting by the cashier behind the desk, and was bombarded by the catchy rhythm of the music that blared throughout the store. She could not help but bob her shoulders side-to-side the further she went in.

At the far end of the store were shelves of animal plush toys that lined along the walls. In the center of it all was a display that held a variety of small accessories. One side had shelves of pastel colored pens and books, while the other carried rows of hooks with keychains and sticker sheets.

Ellie began her search on the side with hooks. From the top, she shuffled through keychains of Korean boy band members. There were some she recognized instantly, and was tempted to buy a few of her favorites, but she quickly fought that temptation in favor of prioritizing YuYu over anything else.

At least that was what she tried to do before her impulses kicked in and made her grab a sticker sheet of Jun Yoo. He was a member of Unreal, a group she fell in love with recently. The stickers were of him doing a number of poses in a black suit. Somehow, him in that attire gave her butterflies in her stomach.

When she reached the bottom row, she huffed in disappointment at not seeing the YuYu keychain anywhere, then moved to the other side to try her luck in finding it there.

After about three cycles of searching the display of accessories, the hope she carried began to dwindle. This was the only section that would have carried it, and it was clear that other dedicated fans swiped them all while she was at the school’s morning assembly.

She remembered a point during the presentation where the lights dimmed to show a video from the student council. Ellie gave it some thought and realized the chance she had to escape. With everyone’s focus on the large screen, there was no way she would have been caught if she crawled her way out. A perfect getaway plan reduced to a wasted opportunity.

Ellie approached the front desk and was given a warm smile from the attendant behind it.

“Found everything okay?” she said.

“Yeah, I guess,” Ellie replied dully and gave the sticker sheet and five dollars. It was not what she was looking for, but it served as a decent alternative.

While the cashier scanned the purchase, a glimmer at the corner of Ellie’s vision made her eyes dart at the direction it came from. Sitting on the desk was a cylindrical display with a sign that said “NEW.” On its side were a number of hooks protruding from it. They were all empty except for one at the very top that hung a single keychain.

Ellie’s mood suddenly rose from the depressed state it was in when she examined its details: a long, sky-blue ponytail that circled a cartoon drawing of a girl wearing a gray and black plaid jacket. There was no doubt about it. The new YuYu keychain was here all this time, and there was one left.

She swiped the keychain from its hook, handed the cashier a twenty dollar bill, and cheered, “This one too, please!”

When the transaction finished, she took her change and skipped out of the shop. She held the tiny cartoon version of YuYu in both hands and admired its smooth, glossy finish. Afterwards, she attached it to one of the zippers in her bag.

Without anything else to do at the mall, Ellie hurried to the train.

Wednesday, September 4

Where is she? Kate took small bites of her sandwich while occasionally glancing at her phone. Across from her were Jessica and Michael, members from the tennis team, who joined her for lunch. While the three chatted, Kate kept an ear out for a sound and vibration that could indicate a message from Ellie.

Morning was the only time Kate had seen her before the first period bell had the two split off to their individual classes. Their encounter was brief, but there was something about Ellie that seemed off. Her eyes were sunken like she barely had any sleep, and she was out of breath.

The last thing Kate remembered hearing between Ellie’s staggered breathing was, “Rough morning. Stupid alarm clock.”

After the lunch bell rang, Kate texted Ellie to meet at the cafeteria, but has not received a reply since.

“You still with us?” asked Jessica, captain of the tennis team.

Kate awoke from the slight trance she was in upon hearing her name. “Uh, yeah, what’s up?”

“Just checking in. You were staring into space for a bit. Kinda creepy.”

“Not as creepy as you without makeup,” Kate remarked.

Michael snickered, and his reaction was shortly met with an elbow to the rib.

“Jokes aside, if you got something on your mind, now’s a good time to talk,” said Jessica.

Kate shook her head, “It’s nothing. Just wondering where Ellie was.”

“She was gonna join us, right?” said Michael. “I hear the student council’s selling burgers and hot dogs outside. She could be there.”

“It could explain where she’s been this whole time. But it’s been twenty minutes since the bell, and I haven’t heard anything from her. Something’s up.” Kate was about to take another bite until a ding from her phone interrupted her. Following the sound was a notification sliding in from the top of the screen that showed a new message.

Relieved at finally getting an answer, Kate quickly read the text. But the moment she read it, that relief turned to confusion.

“Help me,” read Ellie’s reply.