8th Excerpt to ELLORY, a fiction novel
Ellen Effy Su. August 16, 2025.
“I’m meeting an old friend today at Central Park, near the Alice in Wonderland statue. I haven’t seen her in a few years. We’re reconnecting now,” Ellory let her eyes wander at the quartz countertop before looking into Elliot’s brilliant crystalline eyes.
“Is it someone from high school?” Elliot invited.
“Yes, something like that. I’m leaving now. I’ll eat brunch later. Let me know where to meet you for dinner tonight. Bye, love you,” Ellory seemed to be in a rush.
“Yeah, I’ll call you before five PM. Have fun!” Elliot sounded surprised.
Ellory’s friends moved away from Manhattan for college. She was the only one who desired to stay. Ellory was afraid of letting go, moving on, and she always came home, no matter how far she ran away. Ellory traveled to 40 countries within twenty-one years. The lights of her hometown called out her name. She could not leave it unresolved. It was lonely, starting over. Better now than never, she comforted her fears by stroking her hair, the way Sfera used to.
Instead of bumblebee buzzing to make new friends, Ellory preferred to keep to herself. She kept an esoteric face on, but felt a pang of regret each time she saw little girls walk by, holding their fathers’ hands.
Ask anyone, and they would describe Ellory as a bubbly girl. Ask her close friends, and they would say Ellory is the best actress their school has had the privilege of semi-knowing. Ellory was unhappy, yet constantly smiling. She researched it before and discovered she was a high-functioning depressed person.
She never rushed, but this time was different. It was one of those instances where nothing could wait. She needed to do this, anything to see her again.
Ellory took a glance at the floor-to-ceiling mirror in the entryway before stepping out of the condo. She was wearing blue Adidas Gazelles, a light blue-striped cotton poplin dress, a solid gold bracelet with her initials inscribed, and a gold pendant necklace featuring a monkey emblem for good fortune, with her mother’s surname, carved in Chinese on the back. 2004 was the year of the monkey in the Chinese zodiac system.
There are twelve consecutive zodiacs for twelve years, and the cycle repeats: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. 2025 is the year of the snake, so the horse is next year’s animal emblem.
Ellory’s door locked automatically. She hurriedly walked into the elevator, and her Furla blue leather shoulder bag slipped off her shoulder.
She held the strap of her bag in place as she stood in the lift, waiting for the number 16 to change into a 1 for the lobby level. Sixteen was a special number to Ellory. It was the year she grew the most as a person. She insisted on the sixteenth-floor condo because it felt lucky to her.
She was running on an empty stomach as she almost skipped toward Central Park from East 75th Street. Six streets until she reached the Alice in Wonderland statue, near East 74th Street. Alice in Wonderland was Ellory’s favorite book as a child. She loved hearing Sfera read to her. Sfera read with passion, emotion, and ferocity. Ellory’s mother read like a robot, frustrated and annoyed at spending pointless time. Ellory never met Sfera’s mother, but she loved having a sister. Their bond was inseparable, despite one being in the grave.
Eight minutes before seeing her former best friend, Nicole.
Time stopped for no one else except Ellory. She hoped Nicole hadn’t changed too much. She knew ultimately that was a vain wish. All people change. Time is not an apology. The pain some thought would kill eventually fades into a joke to laugh about in momentary reminiscing. This was Nicole, the girl who walked to Pinkberry nearly every day after school with Ellory. It was Ellory’s treat. They were obsessed with Pinkberry for ten years. They tried every flavor and most toppings. Ellory hadn’t had froyo in a few months, once she realized.
“Hi Ellory! How have you been?” Nicole waved her right hand. She was standing to the left of the statue, from Ellory’s viewpoint. Her smile was still the same. Her curly brown hair was neatly adorned with a blue velvet headband. There was nothing unruly about Nicole’s hair now. Nicole tried and tested over a hundred bottles of frizz serum and deep conditioners before devising the perfect regimen.
“Hey Nicole, I’m good. How are you?” Ellory noticed her voice sounded unsure and nervous.
“I’m good. You look amazing! You look like a woman now. I like your shoes! You’re still in love with Adidas,” Nicole giggled as she said it.
“Yeah, I still pair dresses with sneakers. I’m a real rebel. I hope Boston has been good to you. How was it? Moving away from here?” Ellory kept her smile balanced on her face, scared to drop any hint that she didn’t want Nicole to leave New York City.
“Boston is not New York, but I did make a few friends. There were cockroaches in the shared apartment, and my roommates were slobs. I tried to stay out of there most of the time. I only slept there. There wasn’t you in Boston. I thought Boston would be fun, a brand new start. It wasn’t as fun as I dreamed. I liked two professors out of the many I met there. I’m transferring back to New York University. I think you’ll be happy. I’m back, Ellory,” Nicole broke out into a big smile. She hugged Ellory like Big Bird would.
Ellory let out a gasp and jumped for joy.
“You’re serious? You’re staying? Oh my Gosh, I missed you so much. You have no idea how it sucked not having anyone to talk to. Well, not one who gets me like you do. It’s amazing to have you home. Senior year isn’t senior year without you. I’m glad we get to have one more year together,” Ellory added.
“Do you want to walk around the park for funsies? It’s like old times,” Nicole briefly stared at Ellory’s gold necklace.
She looked away, up to Ellory’s warm amber eyes, and felt guilty for being jealous of her childhood best friend’s monetary wealth. She knew how much Ellory’s family suffered from the death of Sfera and some of Ellory’s hidden struggles.
Nicole’s parents were immigrants, too, but not the well-off kind like Ellory’s family. Nicole studied at college in Massachusetts on a full-ride scholarship, which she gave up to come home to New York. Nicole’s parents gave her grief over her unwise decision. They screamed how she was tossing away her potential, and they viewed her as weak for not seeing it through.
“Just stay until you get that degree. Why can’t you stay there? It is only one more year. They gave you a scholarship,” Nicole’s mum’s voice was infuriated.
Nicole’s mother would never understand. Nicole’s dreams were different from her parents’. Her parents immigrated from Cuba to Miami, and then her dad found a job in Manhattan. She was one of the lucky ones who were born in America, so she secured birthright citizenship.
Ella was the only one who would understand Nicole. Ellory covered their food, sweet treats, random cafe stops, and holiday excursions for as long as she knew Nicole. She never wanted Nicole to feel like she couldn’t afford to partake in fun events. Ellory was the first friend Nicole made at Dalton. Nicole worried she wouldn’t have friends. She attended public schools her entire life until third grade and believed private school kids would be uptight, reserved, and catty. Ellory’s bright smile and joyful presence welcomed Nicole.
“I went to public school, too. I recently transferred into Dalton. It’s nice to meet you, Nicole. My name is Ellory. What do you like to do for fun?” Ellory’s first conversation with Nicole reverberated in Nicole’s memory.
“I like roller skating, reading Harry Potter, and biking in Central Park,” Nicole smiled genuinely after shaking Ellory’s right hand.
“Me too! We should go ice skating later today. Oh, my bad. I mean, would you like to come ice skate with me?” Ellory fumbled her sentence.
“Yeah, sure. My mom can pick me up later,” Nicole replied.
It was December of 2012: Nicole’s fourth month at the school, and Ellory’s first day.
Ellory didn’t need to get caught up after transitioning into Dalton in the third grade. She was unusually ahead in academic terms. However, her social skills required fine-tuning. Some kids called her autistic. She was not autistic, certified ‘normal enough’ by her doctors, and tried her best to adapt.
Nicole felt insecure about her parents’ financial situation, so she hid all personal details of her private life. Nobody at school needed to know how she lived. No one needed to see her shabby bedroom in a government-assisted apartment on the higher-numbered streets of the Upper East Side. For the ten years she knew Ellory, Ellory never went to Nicole’s home.
Ellory liked taking care of Nicole because it healed the little girl inside her who hoped someone would provide her emotional needs. Ellory did not ask questions Nicole did not want to answer. She gave Nicole distance to protect her secrets. Everyone has secrets. Secrets are the most luxurious novelty on the Upper East Side.
“Did you meet a boy you like in Boston? I have a boyfriend now. He is sweet and kind. He’s good to me, good for me, and maybe it’s too early to tell, but I feel like we’re going to get married. I know I’m delusional for thinking this before the one-year mark. If you’re looking to date, we can help you find someone,” Ellory suggested.
“Ellory, you’re still meddling with other people’s love lives? You’re back to your old ways. I am happily single, not ready to mingle. When I am ready for someone new, I want to meet him organically, not through my friend’s schemes,” Nicole rolled her eyes as she looked at the trees.
Green with soul is better than green with envy.
“Well, Nicole, you know what they say. As women, we have a biological clock for when we can start a family, have children, and we only have so many years until we forfeit our chance to become mothers,” Ellory caught herself sounding oddly reminiscent of her mother.
She stopped herself from saying more.
“Ella, we’re twenty-one. Relax. We have time. You don’t have to marry your first serious boyfriend. You know that, right? I dated casually in Boston. I hooked up with five guys. It’s chill. I feel liberated,” Nicole responded.
“Five guys? That’s funny. I love their fries. Oh, you meant that literally? You’ve changed,” Ellory shifted her cat-eye sunglasses up to hold her hair at the crown of her head. She enjoyed wearing her sunglasses as a headband.
Ellory realized her friend’s perspectives toward love and romance fizzled in Boston. Something happened. Something sinister. She was afraid to push Nicole for answers. Instead, she nudged in the right direction.
“I’m not a believer in quantity over quality. There is more to a relationship than lust. I never believed having fun was about sex. Intimacy should be reserved for those we love and who love us. Otherwise, what is the point?” Ellory maintained her traditional stance on fornication.
“I was a sad girl, Ella. I did some things I’m not proud of. I wanted to feel better. I know it’s not what you want to hear, nor what you expect from me. I had casual sex with five men whom I did not bother asking their names. It happened in two weeks. I can’t take it back. Please don’t judge me,” Nicole’s dark brown eyes reverted to the ground.
“Nikki, I don’t judge you. I get it. We all make mistakes. What’s important is how we learn from those mistakes. Body count doesn’t matter to real men. You’re fine. It was a choice you made once. Let it go. It’s not up to anyone else to judge,” Ellory saw her own words as hypocritical.
If Ellory found out Elliot had had casual sex with multiple people, she would never see him the same way. But Nicole was Ellory’s friend, not boyfriend, so Ellory had compassion for Nikki.
“I think I need to be on my own for a while. I can’t date other people while I’m in a rut. It would be unfair to the boys who are looking for a serious partner capable of loving and supporting them,” Nicole changed her tone to a more upbeat one.
“That’s cool. Whenever you’re ready to get back out there, I’ll support you. Sometimes, we have to burn to feel alive again. Someone who loves you would understand that. I know I’ve cut strings coldheartedly. I take cold showers to numb the pain. We all do something pain-inducing to feel something for the sake of it,” Ellory expressed.
“Whoa, I didn’t hurt myself, if that is what you’re insinuating. I’m fine physically. I feel nauseous when I think about it. I shouldn’t have given away intimacy to strangers. I wish I had waited until I was in love,” Nicole’s voice contained a twinge of regret.
“Everyone has a past. We are at an age where everyone has been touched. Let’s not dwell on this. Anything sad will pass. Are you hungry? Let’s go to THEP for Thai food,” Ellory switched the subject to cuisine.
Ellory used to cut superficially into her skin, beginning at age thirteen. She hid it by wearing jeans, trousers, stockings, and leggings. No one knew. It stopped when she was fifteen. Her letter to Sfera was pinned to her bulletin board on her bedroom wall. It served its purpose as an oath to her big sister to live the life Sfera would have wanted for her.
Nobody is perfect, not underneath glamorous makeup, silk dresses, or overly tight undergarments. When the lavish adornments come off at nighttime, people are vulnerable. Secrets are shared with the bed company. Some secrets must remain stagnant until the soil sprinkles over the wooden box. Everyone has skeletons in the closet.
“Thai food sounds delicious. I haven’t tried mango sticky rice yet,” Nicole nodded approvingly.
“I like rice noodles. Despite my half-white exterior, I crave East Asian food all the damn time,” Ellory led the way out of Central Park to the restaurant.
Nicole was terrible at geography and navigation. She grew accustomed to depending on Ellory for leading her in life, travel, romance, and gastronomy journeys.
Ellory and Nicole were different in many ways. Their friendship was based on trust, companionship, loyalty, passion, and similar interests. They came from opposite circles, retained Dalton's knowledge, and disliked large groups. Somehow, their friendship outlasted the teenage years of emotional outbursts and grew into a unique sisterhood as adults.
The pair arrived at the entrance of THEP. Nicole held the door open for Ellory to enter first. Nicole grew taller than Ellory in the eighth grade. Ellory stayed five foot five. Nicole liked being five foot eight.
They ordered stir-fry udon noodles, summer rolls, pad thai, green curry, and mango sticky rice. It was a magnificent spread. Ellory and Nicole liked to eat family-style at restaurants. They enjoyed trying a bit of each dish.
The waiter brought the tab over to their table, and Ellory always paid the bill on outings with Nicole.
Ellory pulled her card from the emerald leather cardholder in her blue Furla bag. She waited for the waiter to bring her card back to the table, and she asked Nicole which dish was her favorite.
“I loved the pad thai. The udon and mango sticky rice were my favorite. Everything was delicious. Do you come here often?” Nicole revised the question.
“Yes, I do. I come here once a week, sometimes more. It’s why the staff here knows my name. I like to eat,” Ellory unapologetically shared.
Nicole viewed Ellory’s Amex with minimal zeal. Ellory was Nicole’s best friend. Money did not change their friendship, not as children, not as college students.
Ellory’s black Amex card spelled out her name. Her father may have been a belligerent drunk at home, but he was a successful lawyer out of their home. Her dad constantly inquired about his ROI on her childhood.
Who asks their child for a return on investment? Some jokes are distasteful and not funny. Ellory grew up in a home that didn’t always appreciate her. They did provide monetary luxuries. Justified, Ellory took the financial benefits of being an Arnold and a Zhao.
Her mother may have been the farthest thing from maternal, but she was an ambitious woman who valued her career in curating art for millionaire clients. Ellory’s mum knew not of gentle love. She expected exceptional results from Ellory, her brilliant baby who never behaved like a child.
Every child deserves affection, comfort, and understanding from their parents. Some parents are incapable of parenting. They only wanted to fulfill their desire to have a child. The selfishness it takes to have a child out of spite, not love and trust to give that child support in all ways, is certainly harmful to the offspring.
At least, Ellory was blessed with a full head of hair. Her father may have passed on daddy issues, but he also passed on his intellect, wit, humor, and physical health. Ellory’s body was rarely sick. Her head was a tragic rerun of a horror film on a loop.
It takes two monsters to create an angel; the demon spawn is oftentimes wondrously angelic. They’re not technically demons. Demons have no heart. Ellory’s parents have stone hearts, a little better than demons who abandon their young to make a profit.
“Love is felt in the silence. Care is a fundamental block of building love.”