{SF} The Auction of Ellen Banks

[Ellen Banks]

Most people, got an introduction. Maybe from Elsa Bellefonte. Maybe from someone else announcing the next “Lot” in the date auction. Who the person was, what they have to offer and maybe even a starting bid.

But for this particular “lot”? Dead silence.

All that could be heard was the *Click* *Click* *Click* of measured footsteps echoing on the stage as Ellen Banks makes her way onto the centre of the stage. There was no need for an introduction her reputation proceeded her after all and it was quite clear that Ellen didn’t want to be up here nor did she want to take part…and that she was being forced to take part.

So Ellen simply folded her eyes over her chest and stared out into the crowd with a typical death glare. Almost daring anyone to bid on her…

[Roxana Strix]

It should have been expected that Roxana was going to show up to bid for Ellen Banks; the other girl was her friend after all. No, Rox did not fully plan on winning the bid; unless Ellen seemed okay with it or the others around were slacking with the bidding. At any rate, she was here to support her friend. A friend that she did still have some feelings towards, but those were secondary and honestly not relevant to why she was here. True she was still having issues dealing with her feelings towards the girl up on stage and the other that would not be up for grabs it seemed, but she was still working on not letting it get in her way too much.

The talk with Vera had helped...in ways. Roxana Strix was still not certain of a lot of things, but she was still certain that she wanted to keep looking after Ellen Banks, and making sure that she was okay. They were friends, and friends supported one another in this sort of thing, did they not? Roxana assumed they did and if she assumed wrong well in the case that she did win, well she would allow Ellen to choose if she wanted to do any of the events with Roxana or not. In the end the money was going to a good cause so there was nothing really lost here.

Plus her brother was still lurking around and had been the one to actually tell Rox that Ellen was up for bid; since Rox didn't really plan on hanging around the fair unless someone asked or wanted her there. The look that Ellen was giving the crowd didn't affect Roxana; but not much did, not in the slightest. "Two K." Roxana said as she rose up her hand. Was that too much? It felt like a good starting price for a Banks. Would be an insult to start any lower, right? Then again people were not exactly rolling around in the money. No, two thousand dollars had to be a decent start, that was a low amount. You could not even get a car with that kind of money.

[Benjamin Banks]

Ben was pretty sure that he shouldn't be trying to auction off his sister, but he figured he could put her out of her misery. He heard someone bid on her and made a decision, he did have the money from the lottery stored away and he could use that to help her out. At the same time she had said the lottery thing was a stupid idea. He was left with a very tough decision, he calculated the odds of him actually having to give up the money. If that white haired chick really wanted to go on a date with his sister than he was saved from spending money.

"two point seven k" He said laughing and stuffing his hand in his pockets. "Not for like a date, and not because I like charity, Just because I feel like bothering her." He said shrugging his shoulders.

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana was not worried about winning or losing Ellen, she would mainly just go off what Ellen seemed to want in the situation. She had made her bid and then someone else put up a high bid as well, that someone being Ellen Bank's younger brother. Well, if he won that would be fine so long as that was what Ellen wanted. Her blue eyes looked to Ellen, practically silently asking if Ellen wanted her younger sibling to win the bidding so they could go out on their inset date. Wait, no he was pointing out that was not he wanted, he just wanted to hang out with her.

Could he not do that anytime he wanted? Well, the same could be said for Roxana but she really could not just hang out with Ellen whenever she wanted. They were not roommates and Roxana was still pretty busy so it was not easy to be able to hang out with her friend and the girl she still had...feelings for. "Three thousand then, unless you would like your brother to win. Then I will easily call back my bid." Roxana said as she raised her hand and up to bid to the next thousand just to make it simple since she didn't like to do things out of anything but fives unless she didn't have a choice.

Still, she was leaving it to Ellen's call since she was the one up for bid and Roxana just didn’t want Ellen to have to deal with being with someone she didn't want to be with. They didn’t even have to do what was offered for the winner, this was all Ellen's choice.

[Ellen Banks]

Ellen just stood impassively as she waited for the bids to come, of course her ego being what it was, she expected a clamoring of people just dying to take her on a date…but she supposed, her rep proceeded her.

She smiled somewhat as the two main bidders fought it out clearly trying to attempt to get Ellen out of this situation, her brother of course being one of them. Naturally he claimed it was just to annoy her, but they both knew the truth. Their family stuck together and they had each other’s back no matter the situation.

Besides, he owned her.

And then there was Rox which Ellen really should have seen coming, she was always there when Ellen needed her. Of course given Rox’s recent confession she couldn’t help but wonder about her motives

“No that’s fine” Ellen muttered getting off the stage not wanting to waste a moment barely listening to the auction being officially closed as she walked towards Rox but not towards nodding towards Ben “Congratulations are in order”

[Ashley Benson]

Large crowds weren't among Ashley's favorite things. Neither, for that matter, were moderately sized crowds, small crowds, or crowds featuring more than one or two people. Regardless, the date auction was an event she was encouraged to attend if for no other reason than to have an excuse to leave the dorm and the Academy campus as a whole. Ashley didn't have many friends to speak of, and the only one she really counted was busy doing her own thing on stage, leaving the dark haired girl to wander aimlessly about the fairgrounds. It wasn't all bad. Ashley, for all her aversion to being near them, was hopelessly drawn to people watching. She was content to sit on a bench and simply survey those moving along around her. There was a beautiful simplicity to it all. Everyone was going in their own direction for their own reasons. It was a strange, almost cathartic experience to shift the focus of her attention to strangers. She pieced together their stories and took a break from wallowing in her own for a while.

So enraptured by her thoughts, Ashley had lost track of time and was late to the only event going on at the auction she wished to see. She didn't know if her presence during Ellen's time on stage would matter or even be noticed, but she wanted to be there anyway. The auction was already well under way before Ashley realized her mistake and had hurried toward the stage. She frowned as she arrived too late to offer any sort of moral support for her friends. It wasn't as though Ellen would need it, of course, though Ashley hoped the effort was worth something, at least.

There was a slight pang of envy that struck Ashley as she caught sight of Ellen striding toward an unfamiliar blonde girl. Ashley hadn't thought for a second that she could possibly have bid at the auction and, up until the realization of what it all meant sunk in at that very moment, she hadn't particularly cared. Even now, as she watched Ellen speaking with the unknown girl, Ashley wasn't sure exactly why she cared or why she suddenly felt like running home so she could hide in her room for the rest of the day.

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana smiled just a little for a small moment when Ellen assured her that it was fine, even if she muttered it out. Rox did still wonder if she should call back her bid so Ellen could spend time with her younger brother but Ellen seemed fine with it. Fine to the point that she didn't even care to wait for the auction to fully do the countdown and come to an end; already getting off the stage. Roxana remained where she was, watching Ellen as she came closer, and did have a moment of debating if this was right for her to do.

After all, she did tell Ellen how she felt and none of that had changed, and it made her wonder if there was more to making a bid on Ellen. However; she was pretty certain that she was just there to support Ellen and that winning was just a nice bonus. Yes, there was a part of her that was a little excited that she was going on a 'date' with Ellen but she didn't fully understand it. That and well she were not even certain that she and Ellen would be going on any 'date'.

After all, she fully planned to let this be up to Ellen and didn't want to bother the girl too much; especially because she still wondered if things were at all awkward for the other girl. "Thank you, but I was just here to give you my support. I leave it to your decision if you would like to go on any of the date option that they have for the winner of the auction." Roxana responded, giving a slight bow of her head. She really was going to leave it up to Ellen's choice and would still of course pay the bid no matter what Ellen decided to do.