Disclaimer: why would i own anything?

The next week passed without much ado. Classes continued as usual, Allen walked to class and back with Lenalee, the four had lunch together as usual, and Lavi continued to flirt and banter with Allen without her realising anything. Allen had by this time pretty much grown into the group, though she didn't display her newfound emotions by stalking Kanda the way many of his fan girls did, though she did find herself staring at him more than usual. It's just a normal crush, she told herself. It's really nothing. It's something all girls go through; it's lust! She couldn't find the courage to talk to him much, especially when Lavi was around, but then again, he didn't say anything to her either.

Then Lavi asked Allen out again, weakening the already unbalanced emotional equilibrium in Allen's heart. She couldn't well refuse Lavi – after all, he was the one who had comforted her first. But she couldn't put away those beating feelings and pretend she had never daydreamt about Kanda. What was a girl to do?

"Yo, Allen! You free tomorrow? How about we go take a walk in the park? The weather's getting colder now, and I want to show you the lovely trees before everything becomes brown and murky."

"Oh. Okay." Allen had to agree. She had no reason to reject Lavi's offer, and anyway, she hated to lie.

The next day, Allen met Lavi after school and the two proceeded to walk out of the campus. As they were sauntering along the stone-hewn pathway, walking slowly to enjoy the trailing autumn mist, they saw a black-clad figure striding towards them, with another tall thin black figure by its side. Even with the light mist, there was no mistaking the male coming towards them, though they couldn't tell who the female was. But the male - long hair, check; tall and thin, check; a murderous aura, check. Lavi waved, and Allen followed suit, even though her heart gave a hard thump time and again as she watched those shiny shoes come ever closer. Lust again, she told herself, don't respond to it. Don't blush! Lavi can see you!

"Hey, Yuu-chan!" Lavi shouted, bouncing over to his friend, pulling Allen along in his wake.

A sword shone, its bitter blade exposed to Lavi's skin.

"Say that again?" the cold hoarse voice asked. Allen shivered; that voice was really quite awesome. Why hadn't she noticed before? Kanda noticed the movement and shot a fleeting glance at the Moyashi. Why was she with Lavi again? He felt a sudden urge to hit Lavi with Mugen.

"Sorry, Kanda." Lavi stood up straight and brushed off his jeans as he pushed the sword gingerly away, having noticed Kanda's sudden murderous aura. He looked at girl to Kanda's left and wolf-whistled. "So Kanda, you got yourself a girlfriend?"

Kanda's companion lifted an eyebrow. Allen stared at her, suddenly self-conscious. The young woman was extremely self-possessed. She stood with a confident air, her attractive features made all the more striking with the help of cosmetics. She had well-dressed blond hair… Allen's right hand went unconsciously up to feel her own untidy white hair. She was tall and slim, and chic. Allen quivered within; would Kanda even look at her, when he had such a goddess by his side?

"Che, baka usagi, she's not my girlfriend. She's Lulubell, my senior." The slim woman gave them a condescending smile, her yellow hair flying in the gentle wind. She placed a manicured hand on Kanda's arm. Allen stared.

"Oh, okay. Allen and I are heading to the park. See you later!" Lavi grinned.

"Che."

Allen turned to follow Lavi, but not before her eyes saw Lulubell hook her arm with Kanda's. With a sigh, Allen hurried after Lavi, unknowing of the fact that Kanda's dark eyes were fixated on her retreating figure. He was sorry to see her go, he didn't know why, but all the same he was rather glad, though, that Allen was merely wearing her scruffy jeans and an old tee. He didn't particularly fancy the idea of her going with Lavi to the park in a slinky dress that barely covered anything. Then he realised what he was thinking about. He blushed and shook his head, before shrugging Lulubell's arm off.

......

Lavi led Allen down the middle of a pathway, with gnarled trees flanking each side of the walkway. Leaves of all colours hung from the stems and from the branches, throwing a myriad of colours on the two youngsters as they walked beneath the falling leaves. Allen reached her hands out and caught a handful of dying leaves.

"This place is really pretty!"

"Yeah, I know. That's why I brought you here to see the wonders of the world. You know, the world really isn't so bad."

"Mmm." Allen nodded absently, her eyes glassy. There was once a time when Mana had brought her to a park and danced with her amidst the swirling leaves. That happened so long ago…

Lavi stared at her curiously. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just that it's been a really long time since I last had the time and energy to enjoy myself. It was so long ago when I last had the opportunity to walk to a nearby park and watch the autumn leaves drift down, and feel the wind in my hair. And I was remembering my childhood."

"You poor girl." Lavi patted her shoulder sympathetically. "You must have had a hard life so far."

"Yeah." Allen nodded.

"Care to tell me about it?" Lavi did really want to know more about Allen's life. He was concerned for her wellbeing, both as a friend and as a potential boyfriend.

Allen lifted her eyes to Lavi's, her expression questioning. How Lavi loved the way her white eyebrows curled so delicately around her large eyes, and the way her pupils always looked so full and empty at the same time. She looked tired too, he noticed. He steered her towards a bench. 'Come on, let's sit down before we here your story."

"You wouldn't want to hear my life story. It's depressing."

"Go on." Lavi smiled encouragingly.

Allen hesitated, before taking a deep breath and starting. "I can't remember who my birth parents are. They have never appeared in my memory before. In fact, I think they abandoned me at birth because of my deformed arm. So I grew up in an orphanage, with hundreds of other similarly abandoned children. It was a hard life, that. No one in the orphanage really cared. The adults didn't even try to stop the bullying and the teasing."

"You got teased a lot?"

"What do you think? Kids can hardly be expected to be polite and all. The other children laughed at my arm and my white hair. Some even tried to pull my hair off to see if the hair that regrew would be white too. So I was glad when Mana came along." The orphanage was awful. It was hell, even.

"Who's Mana?"

"Mana was my adoptive father. He was an awesome man. He cared for me like I was his own child. We went around and travelled because he performed in a circus. So for a while I had some respite from the bad luck that has always followed me."

"Uh huh?"

"Then everything changed when Mana died. An accident at the circus where he worked killed him. I was left all alone." And I was so frightened that I would have to go back to that damned orphanage. More than that, I was afraid that I would never be loved ever again. it was awful, being in the caravan they laid his body in… there were noises I'd never imagined before, creakings and murmurings, and then I heard a voice telling me that I should fly with the wind, for the circus folk wouldn't care for me. Throughout the cold, cold, night I realised that my beloved parent was gone, for ever. No one would care for me now…

"Oh."

"Yeah. Then this friend of Mana's – he called himself Marian Cross – came up to me and offered me a place to stay. Life with him has been hell, too."

"Why? Did he sexually abuse you or hit you or something?" Lavi looked very worried now.

"Nah. Cross only goes for mature, sophisticated, rich women with pretty faces and voluptuous bodies. I'm not his cup of tea, luckily. But he's dumped all his financial matters to me. He racks up huge debts as he goes about drinking and womanizing, and then he expects ME to pay for it! So I've had to take up an odd job or two to pay off his silly debts. And they amount to millions!" Allen seemed to shrink at the very thought. Lavi noticed it, and put his arm around her to lend some comfort.

"But at least he's gone away for now. When he was still around I always felt like slapping him for making me do all the menial work."

Lavi squeezed her shoulder.

"But at least it's made a stronger person. Thanks for listening Lavi."

"It's okay. So that was why you were sitting on the ledge that day!"

"I wasn't planning to jump, you know." Allen fixed Lavi with a puzzled stare. "I was there for some peace and quiet."

"Poor Allen." Lavi smiled again. "Shall we run down this path and see who can run faster?"

"Sure!" Allen grinned. Her sad thoughts had disappeared in an instant.

For some minutes, the two dropped their various burdens and ran down the path like the children they really were.

......

"Yu!" Lavi poked his head around the door. "I'm back!"

"YOU. Stop calling me that!" Kanda glared at him from the desk, fingering Mugen.

"Guess what!" Lavi slung his arms around Kanda's shoulders. "Allen told me her life story!"

"Che. And is that any reason why you should jump around like that?" Kanda asked, trying to shove Lavi's arm away from his body.

"She has had a hard life, poor girl. You know, her parents abandoned her because of her deformed arm –"

"Shut up about the moyashi already." Kanda's mouth and brain didn't quite agree on what he had said though, and a voice in his head told him that it really did want to know more about Allen.

"As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, Yu, Allen's parents abandoned her. She lived in an orphanage before her foster father whisked her away. Then he died and this man named Cross became her guardian and then he ran away a month or so ago and left Allen to clear up his debts!" Lavi pretended not to hear Kanda's last statement.

"…"

"She's so pitiful, the poor dear. Ehh, Yu, don't you have any pity at all?"

"Che."

But deep down, Kanda couldn't help but shiver at the horrors that had manifested in the girl's life. Poor moyashi.

For the tenth time that week, Lavi wondered why Kanda kept shaking his head so violently.

A/N: I feel bad for inserting Lulubell into the fic like that. She won't play a big role here... I just needed someone to act as a foil against Allen, oops D: She deserves more characterisation, but still. Well yeahh, as usual, reviews are much appreciated, and if you have any constructive comments, i'd be glad to hear them (: Thanks for reading!

And, christmas is nearly over where i live, but anyway, here's wishing everyone a merry christmas, anyway!

Last thing. Here's a thank you to Winter, plasticfries, Kichou, SeikaDragon, TheDreamingDreamer, Astaline Nihtingale, hawktakesflight, RedLining, , skepsis66 and AnimeCrazed121 for reviewing! (: