Authors note: The whole business with this site and the troubled lay before us is over…for now, that being the case I am thankful it had only impacted one of my stories. Still last I checked I updated this on the 29th or so and everything went down the 30th. Dodged one there. Anyway Maddie and Kelly are set to see each other again. Let us get into that.

CH.11: The girl with wicked blue hair

Maddie had learned of Liv's kiss with Malcolm and how the two were moving closer to boyfriend and girlfriend. She was honestly happy for Liv…though…Liv at times made it difficult to get a word edge wise in. She did her best to be supportive though and even tried to talk about Kelly but Liv at that point yawned and appeared to have fallen asleep.

Maddie let it be considering it had been a long day and then she couldn't get to sleep. She tossed and turned but all she could think about was what she was going to wear tomorrow. Finally she rose from the bed and reaches for her nightstand as she places her glasses on; she didn't sleep with them on for obvious reasons.

"Ugh, why is this so difficult?" She slipped out of bed and walked to the bathroom as she gripped the counter before looking at her bed hair and huffed some.

In appearance she was very much like her sister and yet in personality the two were nothing alike. Liv had followed her dreams in acting and for Maddie her passion was sports. Maddie enjoyed physical activities while her sister was more of a walker. She loved her sister but sometimes they appeared worlds apart.

Finally she headed down stairs to the quiet of the family dining room. She went to turn on the light and found Joey seated there as he was sitting with a bowl of ice cream.

"Do you always eat ice cream in the dark?" Maddie inquired as she sought out some for herself and sat down moving her spoon about the treat.

"Sometimes…so…what is up?" She sighed but somehow she needed someone to talk to. Joey was a year or so younger than her but he was easy to talk to at times. True he was a guy but compared to her younger brother his listening attention got high marks.

"I have a situation, and, suppose before I even get into that there is something I need to tell you. I should probably tell it to everyone but-."

"Your gay right? Or is it politically correct to say lesbian?" Maddie gawked some at her brother, ice cream running down her spoon back into the bowl.

"H-How did you know, I mean not like I was going to say it, but…what?" Maddie was flustered and to be honest aside from Liv and Diggie she had not told a single soul.

"Maddie you have been acting strange way before Liv showed up again, not to say strange is bad, but your behavior especially with Diggie took a drastic turn. You used to talk about him like non-stop and he used to be around a bit more. It was a change sure but there were other signs…just…wasn't my place to say anything and when you were ready to tell us you would." He ate his ice cream while she continued to process all this.

"What other signs were there?" Maddie was now running through her mind all those years that Liv wasn't here. That was 4 years to compartmentalize and de clutter.

"I'd notice your attention during the films we watched where you used to go gaga over the male lead but now it was focused more on the female lead. Anytime something happened-."

"You are too attentive for your own good you know?" Maddie interrupted him as she was just glad to have stopped him there.

"Maddie, I am glad you are telling me now. I imagine I am not the first to know but all the same I appreciate not being kept out of the loop. I also understand why you haven't mentioned this to the others yet. Mom and dad are religious to an extent and while they may understand they may also tell you to not tell the world, they still go to church with many people who would not view it so…kindly."

Maddie knew what he was getting at. Still it sucked royally to have to hide who she was. It took her a little bit just finding that part of herself given that yes she had gone gaga over shirtless male leads or even the fact she had promoted her interest in Diggie more than just in her diary.

"Right. So, you aren't upset or telling me to take it back to the closet?" Maddie just wanted to make sure that they were good.

"Maddie, you are my sister and I love you, I know this sort of thing we don't do a lot but your happiness means the world to me. It doesn't matter if it is with a guy or girl…so long as you can be happy with whom you are. You are happy with who you are right?"

Maddie nods her head fighting back tears. "I'm happier now than I have been in a long time. I just never knew…thank you Joey!"

She threw her arms around him hugging him. To be honest this had gone better than coming out to her sister and Diggie. Why was that? She pulled away from him attempting not to stain his shirt with her tears.

"When the time comes there is something I need to tell you too Maddie. I'm not quite ready yet so give me some time ok?" She nods her head.

"Of course Joey, you know I will always be here for you, or anyone in this family. We should probably eat the ice cream now before it…oh." Both of them look down and with a knowing look they raise their bowls and drink given the ice cream had melted.

"So what is her name?" Maddie rolled her eyes over the rim of her bowl as she sets it down and reaches for a napkin to wipe her mouth.

"How do you know there is a she to even…ok…her name is Kelly, but that is all you are getting out of me." She leaned back in her chair.

"I might know a Kelly, think she lives in a trailer park…kind of has a jerk of a father…" Maddie looked at her brother like had sprouted two heads.

"Huh, that can't be right…I mean I've seen how she dresses," Maddie took their bowls to the sink as she began to wash them.

"One of my buddies lives there. He says he has seen her. Last name is Marks right?" Maddie stops washing as she once again is surprised by her brother.

"I see. Wait." She recalled something that Kelly had told her that day they were waiting outside the Nurse's Office-.

'-I've been hit before and wound up worse for wear.' Maddie nearly dropped the bowl she was washing.

"Uh Maddie you ok overt there?" Maddie nods her head as she finishes washing and places her back to the counter.

"Does Kelly have a mother?" She looked at Joey who appeared to be in deep thought. Clearly he knew more about her than she did.

"I believe so, um, rumors though say she works late nights at the hospital and sometimes buys alcohol. Kelly kind of has a reputation herself Maddie. I'm sorry about all of this-."

"No, no do not be sorry. I want to see it, no; I want to hear it from here. Plus even if she has some struggles, personal struggles, doesn't mean she isn't worth taking a shot on. I like her, like, a lot…so…we'll just see how tomorrow fares. Anyway it is late but thanks for the talk Joey."

Maddie had a plan, wasn't a perfect plan but she wouldn't rest till it was accomplished. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

Maddie had left the household early explaining she was meeting up with a friend. She might've lied explaining she was going to see Stains and Willow.

If Joey knew or rather had inside sources claiming Kelly was living in a trailer park and her father was abusive and her mother a drunk, suffice to say it would not go over well with her parents. Her father would be worried it would impact her game while her mother would be worried she would pick up some bad habits.

Such was the case when having a Coach for a father and a Psychologist for the school or a mother. Maddie waned to discreet as possible when asking around about Kelly. It took a bit of searching but she wound up at the trailer park and she looked at the slip of paper with her address on it.

"You got this Maddie…just stroll up to her door, she does have a door, I hope she does and then casually mention you were in the neighborhood. Sure, that will work out fine." Maddie wasn't much of an actress like her sister so not sure if she can sell this or not.

"Kelly you get back here!" She hear the yell and felt frozen. Oh shoot. What did she do? She saw the door across the street fly open and the blue haired girl, Kelly, strode out with a receding hair older male yelling after her.

"What?!" She turns away to look back at him. She can tell by her body language this is not a pleasing conversation.

"Did you wash the dishes?" He wore a faded white shirt over some jeans and he had a bit of a facial hair lining his face.

"Yeah dad I did." She appears to say and the man who was her father appeared to be thinking of something.

"Yeah well what about the laundry?" He gave her a fixed stare and Maddie felt awkward hearing all of this the way she was.

"Hmm, now did I remember not to have my red bra in with your shirts," she muses much to the chagrin of the older male.

"Kelly!" He reaches for her arm and pulls her towards him. "I'm not fooling around; you'd best not pull something like that-."

"Relax; your precious white shirts are safe. Now would you please unhand me…I had plans today and honestly they don't include being here!" She wrestles her arm free.

"Best watch that tone of yours girl…if you know what is good for you. Your mother and I do not work our butts off just so you can talk back to us." He steps back as she turns away from him.

"Right. Mom labors away at a hospital and buys liquor and locks herself away in her room while you work just as hard but spend so much of your fatherly time yelling. Good times." She walks away.

"Hey…do you know where my pack of cigarettes went?" He calls again after her and she stops with her hand in her pocket.

"How about you remember where you last put them and start from there." Kelly kept walking leaving her father behind. The door slams and as it does Maddie watches as Kelly reaches into her pocket pulling out a pack of cigarettes before she pulls one out and places it between her lips, however, that is when she spots her and the two exchange looks. Oh no.

Authors note: Next chapter picks up here as Maddie is realizing what she has gotten herself into. Though as they say, don't judge a book by its cover.