Elektra Pov
For the next few days, Liam and I were... well... normal. He didn't come into my bedroom during the night like he used to, but we sorta kept our enemy reputations up to check. We still had a go at each other day and night and we still showed the others who was boss.
But for some reason, I felt really sad. I felt fed up really.
There wasn't much adventure, same story everyday: you get a problem it gets solved. Nothing big or effective really happened. I didn't really lie awake all night about stuff anymore it sorta felt like something was missing.
That it was my problem.
I knew Liam was hardly ever gonna forgive himself, it was so obvious. But I still needed some kind of adventure or story, it kept me going. As the summer drew to a close, I found myself actually looking forward to joining their school.
School was what everybody was talking about. Every now and then I'd hear Carmen squealing with delight and Johnny groaning. I was secretly looking forward to it all, since nothing big was going on in this dump anyhow.
The night before school we had to iron and wash our clothes. Everyone was talking and packing their bags for tomorrow. Since I didn't have much to pack, I spent the evening flipping through different channels trying to block out the chaos around me. Liam came and sat next to me. I glanced at him and saw how uncomfortable he was. I sighed and got up to go up to my bedroom.
I was trying to make out that things were fine but they weren't. I realized I might as well be his enemy anyway.
I chucked myself on my bed and tried to rest my mind when Lily happened to come through the door. She realized I was inside and quickly retreated but I got up and asked her to come in.
"What did you want?" I asked her politely.
"Oh err... nothing.. really.." she told me.
"Right, so you just happened to walk into my room?"
After hesitating Lily gave up, "Well you see everyone's really excited to go back to school..."
"I can see that!" I interrupted and when receiving a glare from Lily I quickly apologized.
She continued, "The thing is, I'm not that excited as anybody else here... because well Carmen's going to go off with her friends and Tee well has her own friends but I sorta just linger between them. I'm not saying that I'm a loner it's just that, well I'm not really that popular and most people don't even know my name..."
"Then now's your time to shine" I told her simply.
"Elektra it's not that simple! I'm not good at much stuff and people will think I'm weird if I do something out of the ordinary! I just want a decent set of mates who I can rely on, that's all!" she commented back.
"Lily, I'm not gonna lie but you're gonna have a tough time with that! Look you're going to high school, changes are OK. Just as long as you don't copy some one else or change completely it's fine. It's not good to try and change completely I can tell you that!" I advised her.
(I know it sounds strange- me giving help to Lily- but I had nothing better to do)
"OK thanks, but err... how?" she asked confused.
Soon we were in her room. I asked Lily a few questions on how she usually dresses to school. She said she usually wears a ponytail, dresses normally, not neat or tidy and wears decent shoes.
I got out her make-up set.
"Right.. teachers won't notice if you wear a bit so I reckon this should do the trick.." I said applying some foundation and blusher and giving her some lip balm and mascara. I combed her hair and tied it to the side in a ponytail and made small plaits from the remaining hair so that it would be wavy in the morning. I also clipped back her fringe. I picked out a few matching bracelets and small studs and soon she was done. She looked in the mirror.
"Thanks, I look... different.." she commented weakly.
"Of course you can do other stuff like roll up your sleeves and wear small shirts and hitch up your skirt, it's up to you! But Lily don't change who you are because I'm sure when people get to know you better you'll have found some proper friends.."
"Thanks Elektra! I guess you can be nice when you want to, Carmen was right.." Lily gave me a quick hug "I'm sorry for being such a meanie.."
"It's OK! I'm sure your new look might catch some of the boys eyes tomorrow.." I trailed and she blushed at the thought. I exited her room after giving her a few more tips and went down to check on dinner.
Tracy was in the kitchen.
"Oh no" I told her knowing that I'd go to sleep with one hungry tummy.
"C'mon my cooking's not that bad, is it?" she asked and I nodded. As soon as dinner was ready Tracy called the others and Lily came down wiping off the make-up but her hair still in plaits. She came and sat right next to me and smiled cheekily. Carmen was the first to notice her hairdo and commented loudly about it. The others looked up and rolled their eyes at Carmen.
Lily seemed to ignore Carmen and everyone throughout dinner and looked up from her dinner to speak to me now and then. I didn't like Lily, but it felt good to have some one talk to me about other stuff rather than the latest gossip and make-up stuff.
That night Liam watched me go into my bedroom, but this time he didn't hold me back.
Liam Pov
Elektra.
I wish I could get over her but I can't. That incident's there just blocking me from talking to her and from acting normal. We can try and laugh it off but we both know that'll never work.
Why did she have to be raped? Why her out of all people?
And why did I have to be so dumb?
The night before school everyone was running around, even me. After I had done everything I was expecting to get some TV time, and found Elektra sitting there. I gingerly sat next to her worried if I could keep my act together for the rest of the evening. After about a few seconds Elektra got up sighing and walked out presumably to her bedroom. I realized how obvious I'd been.
No wonder she didn't want to spend the evening with some loser who was going to spoil her evening anyway!
I didn't see her after until dinner where she came down looking pretty proud and happy. I noticed how Elektra didn't seem to mind when Lily came and sat down next to her and they even had little mini conversations midst all the others. I think I was the only one who realized this since everyone else was buzzing about school. I had a feeling Elektra was behind Lily's new hairstyle, having quite bizarre hair herself.
I watched her enter her room that night, time time not bothering to call out to her. I was angry with myself and her. Why did she have to go and get raped? Why did I keep pestering her about it all?
I promised myself I'd never hurt a girl. And scaring Elektra was about as close as you could ever get.
The next morning I woke up early for school. I ran downstairs in my PJ's and found Elektra sitting alone at the table staring at the half-eaten toast in front of her. She didn't look up when I came. I sat next to her with a bowl of cereal.
Still, Elektra didn't seem interested. Strange.
"Not feeling hungry?" I asked her "You can have my cereal". I don't know why I offered since I was meant to be trying not to scare her. Elektra shook her head not looking up. I stared at her for a while then started on my cereal. Elektra wringed her hands together and I saw that she was nervous.
"Are you nervous.. about school?" I asked without realizing what I was doing. Elektra nodded and blushed still not meeting my gaze.
"Why?" I asked casually trying not to seem annoying.
"I'm gonna get beaten up" she said simply. I didn't reply allowing her to carry on.
"Happens every time; the blue-haired freak who can't defend herself ends up a loner, same story every time" she continued blankly.
"Well that's where you're wrong" I told her not expecting her to finally stare at me disbelievingly.
"You will make some friends, I'll make sure of it. If anyone dares try to.. you know.. they'll wish they'd never been born" I told her.
"Thanks Liam, but I don't need saving, remember?" she said getting up.
"Then why do you tell me these stuff and expect me not to care so much?" I asked her getting up making sure she didn't have the last word. Elektra turned around surprised.
"I.. I just thought... you wouldn't bother getting mixed up in this stuff... I never knew you.."
"Cared so much? Yeah Elektra, since when did Liam O'Donovan not look bothered after finding out his arch-enemy was actually pretty hurt!" Elektra looked solemn.
"I didn't know..." she whispered.
"Why can't you accept the fact that there are people who do care? People that care a lot to be honest.." I trailed off blushing slightly.
Elektra looked up at me. Her eyes ran up and down my body and then she stepped forward so that we were closer. There was a brief pause and when I was least expecting it, Elektra gently tugged on my t-shirt and pulled me closer to her.
"Elektra?" I asked bewildered. Her eyes still looked down but soon her hand found her way up to the back of my neck. She bit her lip and eventually looked into my eyes searching them for something, a sign. I realized how pretty her eyes were up close and I tried to look away but Elektra stopped me by holding me by the chin. I could feel her holding her breath. I realized what she was doing. She wanted to check whether I was being honest.
"Do you seriously care?" she asked.
"Yes" I told her and when I did Elektra stepped back. I thought I had upset Elektra again.
"Nobody's ever told me that. Not even Felix" she whispered a single tear escaping from her eyes. I stood there confused. Now what? Elektra smiled and looked up at me wiping away the tear.
"What now?" I asked clearly confused. I didn't know where this was going and how I was meant to react.
Elektra looked up at me and I thought I was in trouble. She raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms. I could see a small smile playing on her lips.
"Never mind Liam" she said eventually turning on her heel to walk out the door. I hesitated before running into the kitchen doorway to stop her. When Elektra saw that her exit was blocked she tried slipping past me from the right but I followed her exact movement blocking her.
"Tell me!" I demanded but she just smiled and shook her head. I thought hard for a moment.
Elektra took this as an opportunity to try and get through but I quickly reacted trying to grab hold of her. I realized my hands were now around her waist and I quickly dropped my hands.
"Elektra I..I.. never meant to!" I told her refusing to meet her gaze but was stopped. Elektra put her finger against my lips and stepped closer to me.
"You talk too much" she whispered into my ear and before I could react she put my hands around her waist and we ended up hugging each other, bodies brushing against each other. I took in her smell, she smelt of cold morning air and wet leaves.
"You been out this morning?" I asked her not braking the embrace and she nodded pulling away from me. I noticed the glint in her eye as she looked me up and down.
"Unlike some people" she said casually looking at my body "I keep healthy". And with that she walked off.
"Oi! You saying I ain't fit?" I asked after her.
"No, but you haven't exactly got abs have you" she commented.
I didn't reply.
Yes I did have abs but I wasn't about to tell her that now, was I? She'd ask for proof and believe me, I did not want to be standing in the kitchen half-naked as someone walks in. Instead I smiled.
I wasn't about to rush things with Elektra and I. I had time for all that. I went back to my breakfast and got changed into a blue school short-sleeved shirt, black trousers, and a loosely-tied tie. I combed my hair quickly and put on my black school shoes. I grabbed my blazer and put a bit of cologne and brushed my teeth just as the others were waking up.
"Oh Liam you're up early" Mike commented when I was downstairs and realized I had changed into my school uniform.
"Yup, don't wanna be late for school!" I told him grinning. A few minutes later everyone else had finished breakfast and gone up to change. I still didn't see Elektra coming out of her bedroom, and assumed she was busy trying to look alright. I was pretty surprised when she came jogging through the garden door panting.
I almost had to blink to check it was her. Elektra was in her school uniform: same shirt and trousers as mine, a neat tie black boots, and a blazer. I was shocked at how neat she looked.
Elektra's blue tipped hair was tied up in a messy high ponytail and she wore a small pair of blue studs. Her face had no make-up on apart from some black kohl and mascara lining her eyes. Her face seemed so fresh and white like she was a doll straight out of the box but you could see mud freckling her cheeks; the only sign that she'd been running around. Her face seemed so small and pointed all of a sudden and she looked tall and slim in her school clothes which hung on her.
As I looked at her, I realized how more beautiful she looked with less make-up. How innocent she looked by ditching the foundation and eye shadow and only lining her eyes with black black kohl which stood out on her pure white, flawless face. She didn't look sickly just plain pretty I guess. She reminded me of a little pixie with big eyes.
Elektra hid a smile when I realized how long I'd been staring at her. She walked over smelling strongly of the outdoors. I realized how much I liked this smell.
"I was bored" Elektra told me explaining why she had gone out again. She looked at me and grinned. Soon the boys came down and then few minutes after the girls came down.
Lily today instead of her usual straight hair, she had curly hair and looked quite sweet wearing a rose clip on one side of her hair. She had put on a little blusher and wore flower earrings going for the pastel look.
Tee and Carmen also looked different. Very different. Carmen had her hair in a bun same as Tee and they both wore back strappy heels. Tee wore black lipstick and Carmen wore pink. Tee wore hoops and Carmen wore feathers. They had both hitched up their skirts so much you could hardly see them and whereas Carmen went for tights Tee went for tiny ankle socks. They both wore foundation, eyeliner and all sorts of other make-up and came downstairs smelling of Coco Chanel.
I kind of expected this from Carmen but not from Tee! Tee was the simple girl but today she'd turned into some diva. I could see Johnny's astonishment plastered all over his face.
"Tee, what on earth are you wearing?" Johnny asked bewildered.
"What does it look like?" she replied back coldly.
"You'll get in trouble Tee!" he told her softly.
"I. Don't. Care!" she replied back rolling her eyes.
"I'm serious, you're only gonna embarrass yourself! Stop being stupid and take off all that make-up!" Johnny insisted.
"Since when did you become the boss of me?! I'm growing up, and there's nothing you can do about it!" Tee told him angrily. Johnny looked offended and stepped back slightly. Frank rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. Johnny looked at the floor and sighed.
"Fine go and humiliate yourself, it's not like I care anyway.." he mumbled. Tyler let out a slight giggle and quickly held it in when Tee looked at him. I could see Rick also trying hard not to laugh. It seemed like Tyler had lost his crush now.
Carmen looked towards Lily who was standing in between Johnny and Elektra, trying to comfort Johnny. I noticed how she narrowed her eyes at her before looking to Tee and mumbling something to her. Tee seemed slightly guilty but was trying hard not to show it.
Mike came in rushing holding his phone in one hand and the keys to the van in the other.
"Right we better get going!" he said and ran towards the door. He frowned at Tee and Carmen's outfits.
"Tee. Carmen. I want all that make-up gone by the time we reach school. You don't want to get in trouble on your first day!" he warned them. Tee and Carmen nodded quickly and made their way to the van. The journey wasn't too long. Elektra listened to music on her iPod while I had little conversations with Frank about football.
We arrived at the tube station and everyone apart from Harry, Frank and Gus got off. Harry because he was still in primary and was starting Year 3. Gus because he was starting Year 6 and had a special teacher and Frank because he too went to a special school.
We went into the station together. Tee and Carmen asked if they could go to the toilets.
"Didn't you go before we left?" I asked them angrily. They shook their heads and went inside. Lily followed. The rest of us stood outside waiting for them. At this rate we were bound to be late.
"You might as well join them Elektra" I told her but she shook her head and waited patiently. Lily soon came out of the toilets.
"What are they doing in there?" Elektra asked her.
"Topping up on their make-up" Lily replied.
Elektra looked at me and went inside to fetch them. She came out soon after with Carmen who looked way too weird and Tee who was practically unrecognizable.
"Right, now let's get to school!" Tyler huffed leading the way. Rick followed him and soon we boarded the train and were on our way to school.
We got off the train and made our way to the exit. I counted everyone and we all went to school together. Johnny still couldn't get over Tee trying to be grown-up.
"She's only in Year 7 for God's sake!" Johnny muttered to me "And she's going around with Carmen acting like a brat!"
"I have a feeling you're going to have to get used to it Johnny boy!" I told him and he sighed. Once we reached school, I reminded everyone of their forms.
Lily was in 7C. Carmen and Tyler were in 7B. Tee was in 7D. Johnny was in 8A. Rick was in 9C and Elektra and I were in 9B.
I took the Year 7's to their classrooms and then showed Elektra and Rick to the office. The headteacher Mr. Jones was waiting for them.
"Hello, and welcome to Ash Hill High. I'm sure you'll make lots of friends here and I hope I won't be seeing you in here often.." The head continued like that for about five minutes, telling them the school rules, timetables etc. Finally he finished and told me to send them off to their classrooms. I dropped off a nervous Rick who went into the classrooms and the few girls who saw him come in suddenly starting touching up on their make-up. I had a feeling he'd be at home here.
Then I went with Elektra to my own classroom. "You'll be fine" I told her as we entered but Elektra suddenly seemed to far away. She looked nervous, vulnerable and scared stiff. I held her hand and squeezed it comfortingly and she looked up at me and managed a weak smile. She sat down at one of the desks and looked around.
I guess this was it then. Time for everyone to meet Elektra...
Elektra Pov
I was scared. No kidding. I was just plain scared. I knew every time I moved school, I would always get beaten up or bullied. And end up a loner. When Kali was with me she showed them who was boss and I wasn't scared anymore. But now she's gone, I can't expect her to come and rescue me. I have to just act normal. And let them hurt me.
Liam looked at me for a minute before going across to a group of boys huddled in the corner.
"Is she your girlfriend?" some dude with a cap asked Liam.
"Nah!" Liam told them and they huddled together talking about their holidays, laughing and grinning. Liam looked so at ease with them that I started to feel a little hopeful about making friends. I looked away and stared at my hands waiting for lessons to start.
"Hi" said a voice. I looked up. Before me stood a girl around my age, with cropped dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, and a welcoming smile. A smile that I'd seen before. Jasmine.
I almost fell off my chair. "What you fuck are you doing up here?!" I asked loudly getting a few looks from Liam's mates. "Well this couple fostered me and well they moved up here and fostered this little one called Toby and.." I stopped her right there.
"You mean Toby? Scottish and comic-mad?"
"Yup that's the one! Did he go to your care home?" she replied.
"Yup! Since when did you cut your hair?" I asked her. I had to be honest though it really suited her. She looked tougher somehow.
"Oh when I came up here! I thought it'd look nice y'know.." she trailed looking down.
"Yeah it suits ya! Might catch a few of the boys looking.." I told her cheekily and she blushed furiously slapping me on the arm.
"You look different too! Less make-up suits you.." she said and we spent some time talking about how nerve-wrecking school was going to be and how we had to start again and make friends... but I knew I was one step closer to making friends since I had Jasmine.
"I... I err heard about you quitting the Cobras.." Jasmine said looking away.
"Hey. it's nothing to worry about! Kali and me are still mates!" I told her and she smiled.
"Yeah but.. Kali keeps saying that it isn't the same without you. She says she can't really boss the group by herself, and I don't blame her; the number of Cobra's is well over 100..." Jasmine said.
"Wait! What do you mean, over 100?" I interrupted.
"Didn't you know? Kali has Cobra bases all over England! Now she is a proper gang leader known to all the other gangs there ever is in England!" Jasmine told me.
"Explain" I told her. Jasmine explained that to have a proper gang they need to be fierce which the Cobras definitely had. And to become an official gang they had to join the whole network of gangs who all looked up to the same leader. The Master of all Gangs. Apparently nobody knew who he was but he was a very powerful person and he ordered the gang leaders about. If any gang leader failed to listen, they would be kidnapped and taken off somewhere that nobody knows about since none of the kidnapped have ever returned. Spooky huh?
I realized where this was going. Kali had some jobs to do for this 'Master' and if she refused, she'd be taken away from us. I realized she probably had quite a lot of jobs by the sound of it.
Jasmine finished explaining and looked at me expectantly.
"Well... hard luck for Kali!" I grinned at Jasmine who looked surprised.
"Don't you care about her?" she asked.
"Course I do! But she got herself into this mess so what can I do about it?" I told Jasmine. Jasmine hesitated, "I guess you're right" she admitted.
Just then the classroom door swung open and a group of girls entered the room causing everyone to look up. They walked in heads held high make-up on their faces, tiny tight shirts that were unbuttoned at the top, mini skirts, bracelets, huge earrings, massive necklaces, fancy-hairdo's, heels. rings, bright nail varnish, manicured fingers and a whole lot more. I realized these were the diva's of the class. They winked at Liam and his gang flirtatiously and sat down behind them shooing off the couple of kids who were sitting there. They were more made-up than Carmen and Tee, and I secretly hoped Carmen and Tee wouldn't turn into these diva's. They certainly knew how to make an entrance. Some of the girls in the gang noticed us and wrinkled their noses up to our normal clothes. I noticed the leader of the group, a blondie with attitude walked up to Liam's gang and grinned straight at him.
Jasmine looked at me and we both tried our hardest not to laugh. It was like High School Musical in England! And the thought of these diva's standing walking proudly across the muddy streets of England made me let out a small giggle. I realized that Jasmine and I were getting quite a few looks from the others so I coughed loudly and went back to staring at my hands.
An old man came in looking around at us all and everyone immediately sat down. This was probably our form tutor then.
The man started talking, and I found out his name was Mr. White and that he was the head of English. He told us that now was the time we got our act together and started learning because of our GCSE's coming up and rambled on about a load of other stuff at which I switched off. I only perked up when he mentioned four new students and then soon he called out our names and we made our way to the front of the classroom. As well as Jasmine and me there was a guy with red hair and freckles and these massive dreamy hazel eyes and a girl with jet black hair and looked Japanese.
The Japanese girl was up first to introduce herself. She was called Kako and she liked origami and making cards. Then the redhead introduced himself as Max and he liked football and some of the boys perked up in agreement, including Liam who was looking pretty miserable. Then Jasmine introduced herself and said she liked netball and gymnastics. Then it was my turn and it was only me standing in front of the class now.
"Hi I'm Elektra and I like swimming and athletics" I said as practised as the teacher nodded me off and I went to my seat, hastily avoiding a high-heeled foot that had tried to trip me up. When I entered my seat I realized it was the girl who was flirting with Liam. She looked at me before whispering "Look where you're going commoner!" in this sickly sweet American accent before rolling her eyes.
I hid a smile. It was just unlucky that her plan went wrong. Like I said, I'm used to all the new kid tricks. And trying to trip me up was only the first of many to come...
Liam Pov
Elektra was settling in quite good for a first day. I think she knows that Jasmine kid from one of her old care homes. And Elektra seemed quite happy when realizing Jasmine was here so I'm pretty happy for her.
But I felt pretty miserable.
Because of a certain Stella Thomas.
She was the head of her girl group, and I always knew she had a crush on me but she was just pushing it today. I didn't like her attitude at all but I wasn't exactly brave enough to say it. She wore way too much make-up and accessories and it was getting on my nerves. I was not letting her flirt with me!
I saw how she tried to trip up Elektra, and how she looked at her like she was dirt. Elektra, for some reason, seemed to enjoy this kind of attention. Throughout the lesson, there was a small smile playing about on her lips and I wondered what she was up to.
After a couple more lessons it was break, and everyone rushed out to see the other classes. We went into the playground and almost immediately I saw Carmen and Tee looking very upset. They were still wearing their make-up from earlier on, despite Mike telling them to take it off but I noticed something was wrong immediately.
"What's up you two? You look as if someone died!" I joked and they glared at me not saying anything.
"Well?" I asked expecting an answer. Tee gave in.
"All our mates have gone to Lily" Tee said.
"And Lily hasn't even bothered to invite us to hang out with her either!" Carmen exclaimed.
"Well duh!" someone exclaimed behind me. I turned around to find it was Elektra.
We looked at her confused.
"Isn't it obvious? From this morning you two weren't exactly as close as you usually are!"
"I'm not close to Lily anyway!" Carmen spat back.
"Come on Carms! You two are best mates!" Elektra told her.
"Not anymore! She's stolen all my mates!" Carmen exclaimed angrily.
"She hasn't stolen your mates! Look at yourselves, no one here is dressed up like you!...well maybe a few people but I don't think your mates like you like this!" Elektra said looking at them.
"Are we really that bad?" Tee asked sheepishly after a while.
"Yup! Look I'm sure if you take off all that make-up and drop the attitude Lily might let you play" I told them both. They hesitated and looked at each other before running to the girl's toilets.
I looked at Elektra and grinned and gave her a high five. What I didn't know was that my mates and Stella were watching the whole thing.
As soon as Elektra went off to find Jasmine, my mates ran up to me.
"Liar Liam! She is your girlfriend!" my mate Adam told me.
I shook my head, "No way!"
"Come on we all saw how she went up to you and helped you tell them kids to piss off!" Marcus told me.
"Look she's just a girl in my care home that I hate anyway, and she was telling them to take their make-up off!" I told them all "She doesn't like me anyway!"
"Then why did you high five 'er?!" Ed asked.
"Because we managed to get them to do it! I'm sorry but when a pair of girls waste fifteen minutes at the tube station just to touch up on their make-up, I get well annoyed!" I told them and they seemed convinced.
"How come you don't like her then?" Adam asked me softly.
"She pushed me off a pool table" I replied and when I got disbelieving looks all round I continued "And she pranks me day and night, and tries to steal my reputation and.."
"OK! Too much info!" Khalid told me.
"She is pretty though..." Ed mumbled quietly but we all heard it anyway.
I wolf-whistled at Ed and grinned slapping him on the back.
"He's got a point" Adam said and the others agreed.
"Come on guys, you don't think.." I replied watching their faces cautiously as they nodded.
"No!" I told them "Not a chance!"
"She's looks kind enough!" Khalid exclaimed.
"Yeah, maybe she might be nicer to ya if you said you like her!" Adam said.
"Or she might rip my head off! She's got a boyfriend" I told them and they seemed convinced.
"OK then" Marcus replied "But do try and be nice to her, it might pay off!"
And with that we went back into class. I saw Elektra out of the corner of my eye with Jasmine and I saw how when Elektra glanced at Ed he blushed quickly.
I realized then, that Ed really liked Elektra. Crap.
Elektra Pov
The rest of school was pretty cool. I felt some sort of happiness inside that I'd never felt before. Before, when Kali was around I'd always been forced to not try well in school.
I mean I wasn't a dork but I purposely failed to hand in homework or complete projects. You see when the Cobras were up and running, we all knew who we wanted to be and that was a gang leader or a famous well-known scammer. So school wasn't necessary.
But secretly all this time, while Kali told us of the power there is to a famous gang leader I wanted to be something else. An engineer.
I know that seemed like a boring job but my dad was an engineer. And from a young age I was seriously interested in everything about his job. Of course Melissa and Mum would tell me to look towards other stuff like ballet dancing or being a doctor or a lawyer. Engineering, simply wasn't a women's job.
But now they're gone so I can do what I like without nobody, including Kali, telling me what to be. So I decided that what I really wanted to be was an engineer, and to become successful at that, I was gonna have to concentrate in class. In physics especially.
It explained why I might have been a bit happy about going to school. I wanted to excel. After years of pretending I didn't know anything, I wanted to show the teachers and everyone how talented I could be. I wanted to get into a Cambridge or Oxford and study real hard and reach my ultimate goal.
That's why for once, Elektra Perkins was happy.
Well she was until after school...
If you're thinking that I love school so much I hate going home, then no way hose! I meant the fact that Miss. America had decided to corner me up as soon as school was over.
I found out her name was Stella. Suited her attitude perfectly. Her girl group was called The Beauty Queen's unsurprisingly and basically they were a group of northern wannabe Americans.
Anyway I was cornered and since Jasmine had to run and catch the bus I was alone with these lot.
"SO!" Miss America announced loudly in her sickly sweet American accent that I was beginning to hate.
"Why were you flirting with my boyfriend?" she asked looking at me narrowing her eyes.
"Don't know who you're talking about" I replied simply.
"Don't be such a bitch, I meant Liam!" she replied.
"What about him?" I asked clearly confused and hungry since I didn't have any lunch.
"You" she said pointing at me "were flirting with him!"
"Oh yeah?" I scoffed "Catch me doing that to that loser!"
"We've got evidence, if you're willing enough to see it" she replied and one of the girl's held up a Blackberry with footage of Liam and I looking pleased with ourselves and high-fiving each other.
She put the phone back and looked at me like I was meant to add to that.
I looked at their faces and tried to hide a smile. What kind of idiots don't know what flirting is?
"What's so funny, commoner?" Stella asked me like she was the Queen.
"I'm pretty sure high-fiving someone isn't flirting" I told them raising my eyebrows.
Miss America seemed put back, "Yeah.. but you still went up to him to flirt with him!" Stella replied.
"How do you know that? I'm not even that close to Liam, no scratch that.. I hate him!" I answered back.
"Oh yeah? Then why were you smiling with him? And high-fiving him!" Stella shouted at me angrily.
"We were trying to get the Year 7's to take off all their ridiculous make-up since this morning and well we succeeded so I guess in the spur of the moment we were just happy...look get off my case because I am not trying to flirt with him, Alright?!" I explained quickly.
"Fine then, as long as you don't do any flirting with him, you're fine. But I could do with a little help, right girls?" she grinned looking towards her girlfriends.
"Go on" I sighed.
"Get Liam to like me properly. I've been trying but he isn't admitting it! I know he likes me, obviously, but like he's way too shy to say it. Think of it, as a little favour for me" she grinned at herself.
"And tell me what he likes in a girl, I mean I know I'm really hot already but like..."
"Sorry!" I interrupted "I'm just asking, what do you see in him?" I asked. I guess when I did think about it Liam was hot but I didn't see why girls like Stella made such an effort to flirt with him or get his attention.
"What do you mean? He's the hottest guy in school, he's my age, he is NOT a nerd" Stella droned on and then I managed to perk up when she said he had abs. Maybe I was wrong about him after all. I never exactly saw Liam as fit; more of video game dude.
"So will you do it?" she asked after she had finished describing Liam.
And I realized that even though this girl was seriously annoying and vain it seemed a good idea to be on her good side.
"Yeah" I told her walking away to where all the others were waiting for me all including Liam. I looked back at Stella who seemed to be trying to get Liam's attention.
I realized what a joke, it'd be if all the others knew that this Diva had one massive crush on Liam.
Liam Pov
Elektra seemed to be smiling more than ever now and I was getting suspicious. I was itching to ask the question on my mind.
"What did she want?" I blurted out to her.
Elektra looked surprised at my question but muttered a 'nothing' hiding her smile.
"Was it about me?" I asked.
"Yeah.. she thinks I was flirting with you" she mumbled casually.
"Didn't take it too well, then?"
"Yeah something like that.." she mumbled "I still can't believe she thinks giving someone a high-five is flirting!"
"So what's she told you? To stay away from me?"
"Yeah and to try and get you to admit you like her.." she mumbled under her breath loud enough so I could hear.
"Never. Gonna. Happen" I said annoyed.
"Come on, you know you wanna snog her lipstick face off!" Elektra teased "Ooh her lips taste so nice.."
"Shut up Elektra! I can think for myself you know!"
"What so you do like her?!" Elektra asked amazed.
"I'd rather be gay..." I told her and she whistled loudly.
"What was all that about being gay?" Rick asked nosily.
Elektra and I exchanged glances.
"Uh well... you know Stella Thomas... the girly one.."
"Oh her!"
"Yes her.. well thing is...she has a crush on me.."
"Seriously! Dude you're in a whole load of shit then.."
"Yes I know Rick! I was just saying I'd rather be gay than be her boyfriend!"
"Oh right.." Rick said coughing and shuffling away from me.
"I wasn't being serious!" I told him going deep red. Elektra finally let out a snort of laughter alerting the others of our conversation and everyone started laughing at my face. I don't usually blush that easily in front of the others, only in front of Elektra...
I pulled myself away from that thought. What was I doing? I knew that Elektra wasn't ready for any kind of relationship so why was I acting like this. I looked at Elektra who was chatting away to Rick grinning. I felt my jealousy rise.
Elektra looked so at ease with Rick, anyone would think that they were an item...
I wondered why I couldn't be like that with Elektra. Every single conversation of ours always had some kind of argument. And when I thought about it, the reason was because of me. Because of me being nosy and finding out Elektra's most precious secrets. I wished now that I wasn't so nosy before.
I mean it wasn't like Elektra needed me to help her with them, right?
Harry Pov
My name is Harry. I'm in Year 4 and my favourite animal is a giraffe...
I looked at my work. I know, it was pretty lame.
I looked all around me at the kids scribbling away. I didn't have as much to say for myself as they did. I mean, I was a care kid after all. Despite all Mike and Gina told me about being unique etc. I still knew the truth.
The fact that I was a kid in care still made its way to my brain. But I never told Mike or Gina about that otherwise they'd look pretty depressed. I knew how my mum left me here as a newborn with my name scribbled across the blanket I was wrapped up in. I still have it today put somewhere really private. Nobody knows about where it is apart from me.
I snapped back to class where the teacher was tapping on her laptop sipping on tea. I felt my bag for Jeff. Jeff was my toy giraffe that I still haven't grown out of. Mike used to tell me that Jeff was some one I could talk to and would listen to me when I was sad. Jeff never talked back though, and I understood that it was just a toy.
But for some reason, it feels good to let out all my problems to Jeff. So that's why I still have him around. I've gotten used to all the looks the kids at the dumping ground give me for having such a babyish toy.
The teacher looked up from her laptop and told us to finish our sentence and hand it in. She put took our papers looking at mine confused before putting all of them away. She droned on a bit afterwards before everybody headed out for break. I got up to go as well but the teacher stopped me telling me she wanted to talk to me. I had a feeling it was about my work.
"What is this?" the teacher asked looking at the couple of sentences I'd written.
"My work, miss" I told her.
"Well it is not acceptable, I expected more of you Harry" she gave me a look "You've done nothing but sit around all day, and this is the best you can come up with?" she waved the sheet around.
"I have to tell your mum, Harry, because this is very disa.."
"I don't have a mum" I told her coldly.
She looked surprised for a second before saying, "Oh I'm sorry your dad then!" she replied a little shakily.
"I don't have a dad either" I replied blankly. She looked even more surprised and I could see her thinking hard.
"No, that's not right!" she mumbled to herself.
"Oh yes it is! I live in a care home full of care kids. My parents don't give a shit about me! How about that?" and with that I stormed right out of school into the streets trying my best not to cry. I didn't know where to go.
So I just sat there. That was the first swear word I'd ever said to a teacher. To anyone. And I'm not even 9 yet.
I knew if I went back to school it would be hopeless. If I went back home Mike and Gina wouldn't be happy. If I went to her flat, Sapphire would be mad with me. I thought about the others. They were all at school. High School.
I realized that maybe if I ran fast enough I could catch them at the tube station.
Lily Pov
Today was fab! I made some friends (well they used to be Carmen and Tee's best mates but they prefer me now!) and a guy's asked me out! Never thought this would happen in a million years.
His name was George. He's a ginger but he's real sweet! I wanted to tell Carmen and Tee but they gave me dirty looks and walked off together. I looked towards Johnny.
"What's up with them?" I asked
"Well you've stolen their mates so.." Johnny trailed looking awkward.
"Hey.. it's not your fault! I mean I'm sure now they're back to normal everything will go back to how it was before! They'll get their friends back" I said trying not to sound choked up about it all. Today I had the most fun I've had in ages and well now it was all going to go away, it was just... sad.
"What about you then?" he spoke up.
"What about me?" I asked equally confused.
"Well, who'll be your friend?" he asked.
"I.." I thought hard "Well someone asked me out today so it shouldn't be too bad.."
"Well what if that goes wrong?" Johnny asked.
"Then I'm stuck" I replied.
"Look Lil's.." he said, a nickname he hadn't used on me before "You can hang out with me and my mates, we won't mind"
"Thanks Johnny!" I smiled at him "Are you sure though?"
"Course! I'll stick up for you" he said looking at me grinning. I smiled back awkwardly.
Why was he telling me this? I looked back at Carmen and Tee who seemed to be smiling for the first time today about something they were talking about. Tee caught my gaze and I smiled at her but she just gave me this frown and Carmen seemed to be looking quite confused at me too. They exchanged glances and Carmen rolled her eyes and carried on talking to Tee.
I had a feeling Carmen was never gonna forgive me.
Just as we came out of the tube I saw a little boy holding a toy giraffe looking quite upset.. Harry! What was he doing here?
Elektra Pov
Just as we came out of the tube I saw a little boy holding a toy giraffe looking quite upset.. Harry! What was he doing here?
Rick and I exchanged glances before Lily went up to him.
"Didn't Mike and Gina pick you up?" she asked the boy but he shook his head.
"Then why are you here?" I asked him.
"You won't believe me if I tell you" Harry replied blankly.
"Try me" I told him. I bent as Harry whispered into my ear.
"I swore at a teacher. I told her how shit my parents were.."he whispered.
"Really?!" I said sounding excited all of a sudden but my smile fell as Harry glared at me.
"What is it?" everyone asked.
Harry shook his head and looked at me pleadingly.
"Nothing you lot.. come on we're going home!" I said picking Harry up.
"Look Harry, I bet you Mike and Gina will understand. It's not your fault, OK?" I told him.
Harry nodded sadly.
"Don't be scared to tell me anything! I can keep secrets and trust me; I've got a lot of them!" I told him.
"Like Liam and you?" Harry asked.
"What?"
"You know; the secret that you fancy Liam" Harry told me.
"I do not!"
"Liam likes you Elektra. A lot" Harry continued "You should ask him out"
"In a million years"
"You two will make a good couple" Harry told me.
"How do you know?" I asked him annoyed.
"It's obvious" he said.
"What really?"
"Everyone will realize your secret soon so ask him out before it's too late" Harry told me "You'll feel better with Liam.."
I gasped. "How do you know?"
"Heard you and Liam. Nobody else knows. My mum got raped as well.. that's why I'm here"
I put Harry down and looked at him. Everybody looked at me for stopping so suddenly.
"What's the matter Elektra?" Liam asked me "What did Harry do?"
I shook my head and walked on holding Harry's hand. The blonde haired kid looked up at me and winked. "See" he mouthed talking about what Liam said.
I blushed and smiled to myself. I couldn't help it. Harry was right. Liam liked me a lot. But I couldn't afford to like him back. It would mean risking myself getting hurt all over again.
Liam Pov
Elektra walked with Harry all the way home. I saw Rick staring at her dreamily and nudged him.
"..What?" he asked looking at me.
"You like her don't you?" I told him.
"Like who?"
"You know who I mean.. Elektra!"
"No!" he exclaimed but I stared at him not blinking "Well maybe a little bit.."
"See! You do like her!" I said not looking at him.
"Look it doesn't mean anything, it's not like she likes me back! It's just a stupid crush" Rick said upset.
"Um yeah I guess so" I muttered realizing that Elektra already had a boyfriend and that was 'Ethan'.
"So what you gonna do about it?" Rick asked me.
"What me?"
"Yes you!"
"Why do I care? I hate Elektra!" I told him.
"No that's not what I meant! Aren't you gonna tell the world I like her?"
"Why should I?"
"Because I like your enemy!"
"Yeah but you're a mate! I won't grass on you!"
"What really?" Rick asked shocked.
"Yeah, we are mates right?"
"Yeah" he said grinning at me. I smiled back. But inside I felt like vomiting. I had a crush on Elektra. And so did Rick. Crap!
When we went inside Harry was sent straight to the office and we silently huddled around the office door waiting to hear what he had done.
"Harry.. why?" Mike asked upset.
"I swore at a teacher that's why!" he said. Everyone gasped apart from Elektra who seemed to be grinning.
"But why run out of school for it?"
"I felt bad. I knew you wouldn't understand. So I went to the others instead"
"Harry we'll understand if only you'll tell us why" Tracy advised him.
"Fine. We were writing about ourselves and I couldn't think of anything to write apart from a couple of sentences. There wasn't much I could write, after all I'm a care kid. So the teacher got angry and asked me why then I just lost it" Harry explained.
"Harry. Just because you're a care kid doesn't mean you haven't got an interesting life!" Gina told him.
"Don't lie. I haven't got a interesting life. I spend most of it talking to my stupid pretend giraffe!" he yelled and ran out the office up to his bedroom. Mike got up to talk to him.
"I'll go" I told him running up to his bedroom.
"Harry, let me in"
"Only you?"
"Yeah"
The young boy opened the door to let me in and closed it soon after.
"Harry it's not your fault.." I began
"My mum got raped" he told me.
"Wha.."
"My mum got raped. That's why I'm here" he said after a while "I know about Elektra, I heard you two talking.."
"Harry!" I exclaimed.
"I won't tell anyone. Honest. Look I know a lot of things that I haven't told anyone about"
"Like what?"
"Like the fact that you like Elektra. Like the fact that even though Mike and Gina keep telling me, I'm always gonna be the kid whose mum was a slut.."
"Harry, that's not true"
"It is!"
"OK it is but just because you're one of us doesn't mean your not special! We don't need no person to label us and call us a care kid! We're only here because our parents couldn't look after us. Only because of them. It's not your fault"
"You're beginning to sound like Mike" Harry whined.
"Look Carmen's a pink diva. Tee's a baking maniac. And Frank's a football fanatic. You see neither of them have let their being a care kid stop them from being themselves. So what we're all care kids? Should we let that stop us from being ourselves? Well?"
Harry shook his head defeated.
"Nobody here is judging you apart from yourselves. Don't let that ruin you" I pleaded.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry Liam" he whispered.
"Hey..nothing's your fault.. trust me!" I soothed him putting my arm around him.
Harry looked up at me suddenly.
"You really like Elektra though, don't you?" he asked me his blue eyes twinkling.
"Look I don't know what you are thinking but that's never gonna happen!" I sighed getting up.
I felt a tug at my heel as I tried to walk out.
"Harry. Stop! Get off my leg!" I told him.
"Not until you admit it" he told me.
"Harry! I'm warning you!"
"Kiss her" he said.
I looked at him confused. I stopped trying to shove him off my leg.
"Kiss her" he repeated.
"Harry.. wha.."
"Kiss her"
"No! She needs time, I'm not doing it"
"It's now or never" he told me sadly getting off my leg and walking out the room. I stayed put seriously bewildered. What did he mean by that? Did he know something that I didn't?
Elektra Pov
Harry came down soon after without Liam.
"Harry!" Mike said getting up from the sofa "It's okay Mike. It won't happen again" Harry said holding his hands up to Mike in surrender from one of his hugs.
"Well" Mike said after a while "I guess I'll have to get used to you growing up.." And with that he quickly went out the room.
Awh bless! Seems like Mike was a little shocked at Harry's behaviour.
"So did Liam cheer you up then?" Carmen asked and Harry nodded "He's up in his room" the kid said.
"That's real kind of Liam" Lily said smiling with Tee for the first time that day. The 3 girls had made up even though Carmen was still pissed.
I got up informing the room that I was about to get a snack but really actually deciding to go and see Liam. I had to say something about managing to turn the stubborn little kid around.
"Oh hey Elektra!" Rick said from behind me.
I turned around. "What?" I asked grumpily.
"Could I have a word?"
Well I guess I had to wait later to talk to Liam.
I smiled and we went up to his room.
"You were saying?" I asked as we entered.
"Err.. well.."
"Get on with it!" I snapped annoyed.
"Well I have a crush on some one.." he mumbled.
"And you want my advice?" I asked him.
"Yeah!" he said brightening up.
"Well ask her out you loser!" I told him walking out. Idiot! I saw Liam coming out his room. I was about to go and talk to him when he glared at me and walked past shoving me in the shoulder.
I stood frozen to the spot. What the fuck did Harry tell Liam?!
Liam Pov
When I saw Elektra I was gonna smile but when I saw her heading out of Rick's room I lost it.
There was only one reason she could have gone in there.
Rick had asked her out.
He'd won.