OMG IT WAS SNOWING YESTERDAY!!!!!

"Hey Gab," I heard Chad greet from behind me.

I turned to face him smiling as he said, "Parents decided to let you come back then?"

It had been a week and a half since I'd been discharged from hospital, but my parents had only allowed me to actually leave the house now, and that was only for school, it's like I put myself under house arrest by blacking out, I know it's only because they care but I'd been inside so much I can still feel the boredom now.

"Finally," I answered, "I thought they'd have kept me under house arrest at least another month actually, I mean, being here's dangerous, I could get a paper cut and not notice, then it could get infected and I'd die."

"Whoa, intense," He commented, then joked, "Stay away from paper."

"My mom actually said the thing about the paper cut this morning, I know she's worried but that's insane." I complained.

"So basically she's freaking," He decided, "but you're the one that gave her a reason to, blacking out, what were you thinking?"

I laughed at the mock outrage in his voice as he asked his question.

"What's funny?" Taylor asked as she approached from behind him.

"I asked Gabi what she was thinking when she blacked out, because her mom's freaking more than anyone thought possible." Chad replied, sticking his tongue out at me.

"That's not really funny," Taylor pointed out, glancing over at me for an explanation.

"It's not what he said," I told her, "It's how he said it."

She nodded, taking that as an answer, after all, it did make more sense than laughing about what happened.

"We should get to homeroom," Taylor pointed out, "Did you tell Troy you were coming back today?"

"Nope, just you and Chad," I smiled, "I want to surprise him, is he here already?"

"No idea," Chad answered, "Haven't seen much of him for a while."

"Yeah, he's been kinda weird, you know, it's like he's avoiding us or something, nothing like himself." Taylor agreed

"He'll have his reasons," I sighed as we turned a corner, it was that moment I chose to look forward, I had to really, the corridor was packed, and I couldn't risk getting hurt again.

I stopped in my tracks at the sight of my cousin staring at something down the hall from her locker, she looked disgusted, I followed her gaze, and immediately wished I hadn't, it wasn't something I'd wanted to see on my first day back.

"I don't believe this," Taylor spoke first, "after everything he's put you through."

"At least we know why he was distant now." Chad stated, I could tell he was furious inside; he was trying to stay calm for me.

"I'm sorry Gabi," Came a voice from behind me, "That's the reason I came, I found out about your relationship and I had to stop it, I knew he'd hurt you."

I turned to face Jessica; it was easier to face her right now than reality.

"Ironic, isn't it," I decided, "About a month ago he accused me of cheating on him, and now he's flirting with other girls behind my back, it's actually kind of funny."

"Gabi, are you gonna be ok?" Taylor asked, evidently concerned.

"Tay, he's only flirting, it's not like he kissed her or anything," I pointed out, "I think I'll live."

"What, so your totally ok with this?" Chad asked, confused.

"I'll never be totally ok with it, but I don't own him, he has his own life and if that's what he wants to do, good luck to him," I replied.

"Are you sure you mean that?" Ellie asked, scaring me, I hadn't known she'd come over to the small group.

"It's flirting Ellie, not cheating," I pointed out, trying to reassure them, at the same time knowing that they weren't falling for my lies, "It's different, he'll have a good reason."

"Wow, that's some trust that you have in him," My younger cousin pointed out, "I guess if you trust him, I'll trust him."

"Nice to know you trust my cousin," Jessica sighed, "Problem is, I don't think he'll care whether his girlfriend's friends trust him or not."

"What's it got to do with you?" Ellie quipped, "Not as if you no anything about their relationship."

"I'm Jessica, Jessica Bolton, his cousin" Jessica smiled that sickly smile she had always given me in the past, "And you are? I'd like to know how it affects you."

"Ellie Montez, and unlike you, I don't see any reason for me to say my first name twice, unless you really are thick, then I will for your benefit, now tell me truthfully, do you remember my name? Cos I told you it at the hospital last week and you didn't seem to remember," My cousin questioned, mocking kindness, "I'm guessing you're a cheerleader."

"Not all cheerleaders are thick, Emma," Jessica argued.

With the exception of my cousin and Jessica, the group of us started laughing, confusion crossed Jessica's face, showing she clearly didn't understand what was so funny.

"My name," My cousin began stating, "is Ellie, it is not Emma."

"I was close," Jessica defended.

"Yeah, not so much," I commented,

"What's she doing here anyway, shouldn't you be hanging out with her own people, the little kids." Jessica continued.

"Shouldn't you be in kindergarten?" Ellie shot back, "Going by mental ability, not age."

Jessica gasped, turned on her heel and stormed off, she wasn't used to being insulted.

"I didn't know you had it in ya, kid," Chad told her.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," Ellie replied mischievously, "but you'll find out in time, so will your parents Gab, anyway I should go to homeroom, good luck with T, I'm gonna go be El for a while."

"Did she just refer to Troy as T?" Taylor asked.

"I think she did," I told my friend, "Weird?"

"Totally," Taylor agreed as we headed towards homeroom, "Come on Chad," she called back as we walked, prompting him to follow us.

"Hey," Chad spoke after a while, catching us up, "I just noticed something."

"What?" Taylor asked, rolling her eyes at me.

"Gabi's cousin is here, and so is Troy's, weird huh," He grinned.

"You only just figured that out?" I quizzed, "You've had like, two weeks to figure that out and you just got it?"

"I'm going to ignore that." He replied.

"Is that because you're not sure if it's an insult," I continued annoying him.

"Hitting your head made you bitter Gab." He decided

"Please don't call me Gab," I told him, "El calls me Gab, and I don't like El, heck, I don't even think El likes El when she's Ellie, does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense," Taylor told me in perfect unison with Chad's "No sense at all,"

"Nice to see you back Montez." Ms. Darbus announced my entrance as we reached the class.

"It's good to be back," I smiled back at the teacher before glancing over at Troy, he had obviously been in deep conversation with the girl from before, but looked up, a goofy grin forming on his face when he saw me.

I giggled at his face before taking my seat at the back of the room.

He turned around, flashing his megawatt smile at me as Ms. Darbus began her usual homeroom drone.

I started doodling in one of my many notebooks when he turned back to the front, the squiggles and swirls forming no apparent pattern. I'd forgotten how boring homeroom could get.

A piece of paper landed on top of the book, breaking my current swirl, I sighed and unfolded it, reading the words on the paper.

And there was me thinking you were gonna stay housebound forever, hospital stays must do good for you, you look better than you ever have, I thought that was impossible.Troy xoxo

I smiled at the note and quickly scribbled something back.

Housebound forever: me? Not likely, too boring, and the thing about me looking better than ever, you said that yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that etc. btw, Ty came last night, staying for the week, he's gone all concerned brother on me, it's freaky. G xxx

As soon as Ms. Darbus turned her back once again I threw the now screwed up piece of paper at Troy, he turned back at me mouthing, "Your brother is a moron," I nodded in agreement and went back to doodling on the page.

I continued drawing until the bell rang out, signalling the end of homeroom. I quickly dropped the book in by bag and, swinging the bag over my shoulder, went to leave the room.

"Hey," I heard Troy's voice as he put his arm around my shoulders, "You didn't say you were coming back today."

"Oh, didn't I, must have forgotten," I joked.

"Did you get all funny after that bump on the head?" He asked, grinning.

"Nope, that was a one off," I told him.

"Hey, did you happen to see me talking to Louise this morning?" Troy decided to ask.

"I saw you flirting with Louise, yeah," I admitted.

"I was not flirting with Louise, I only flirt with you, constantly, sometimes in note form, Chad say's it's sick," He defended.

"Chad would," I pointed out before realising what he was trying to do, "Stop trying to change the subject, it makes me more suspicious."

"Don't you trust me?" He asked, his tone telling me he wanted to know the truth.

"You haven't given me much reason to," I told him, I noticed the immediate hurt in his eyes and made him look down at me, "So I don't know why I do."

He kissed me gently on the lips before saying, "In time I'll give you reasons, but right now I'm going to give you a reason to leave, you're going to be late for class."

I glanced at the time on my cell and realised he was right.

"See you at lunch?" I asked as I started running.

"You can bet on it." He confirmed.