~ * Small Beginnings * ~

Sitting in her car, parked in the school's parking lot, Elizabeth takes a deep steady breath in as she stares at the building, watching kids starting to arrive at the school. This is her last year in this place and she can't help but wonder what this year will hold for her. Just as she was reaching for her backpack on the passenger seat next to her, her door opens up and in its place is one of her closest friends, Zander Smith. Accepting his hand, she lets him help her out of the car before sliding her backpack on.

"Hey, Z," Elizabeth greets him, accepting the hug he offers. "Thought you were moving away this year. Nonnegotiable."

"Pops decided against it," Zander says with a shrug. "I think a certain aspiring artist made quite a compelling case against it."

"In that case, you're welcome," Elizabeth chuckles, walking with him into the cafeteria. "Looks like our little group will remain intact for our last year."

"Looks like it," Zander agrees, gesturing to their usual table. "Maybe even growing as we speak."

"I heard it happened just this past weekend," Elizabeth comments as they take in Johnny with Emily. "She says it won't affect the dynamics..."

"Right," Zander scoffs at that. "He's part of hell-storm."

"Benefit of the doubt, Z," Elizabeth counters, putting a smile when they get to their group. "Hey, Ro."

"Hey, Liz," Robin Scorpio replies as she scoots over to make room for her to sit. "Z."

"Ro," Zander says as he plops down atop the table, dropping his bag on the floor. "Spill. How was Paris?"

"Enlightening. Romantic. Adventurous." Robin admits with a shrug of her shoulders. "Stone and I had a great time. We're thinking of going back after graduation."

"The Eiffel Tower must have been a real sight, huh?" Elizabeth comments. "It's one of the many places I'd love to sketch one day."

"It was epic, for sure," Robin agrees. "But enough about summer and more about the first party of the year."

"Last I checked, the first party of the year is hell-storm territory," Elizabeth points out. "And none of us are on that invite list."

"True, but who's to say we can't host a party of our own this year?" Robin counters. "I mean, their party is so elitist, right? Leaving more than enough people for us to invite to our party."

"Fair enough," Elizabeth accepts, eyeing her curiously. "Let's say I'm into such a thing...where would we host this non-elitist party exactly?"

"Huh," Robin actually hadn't thought about it, seeing as she didn't think any of them would be into it. "Good question."

"My uncle's warehouse will be empty for the rest of the month," Johnny chimed in, causing them to look at him and Emily. "I'm sure I can get him to let you guys use it."

"Doesn't that go against some kind of ethical code for your group?" Zander counters, backing down when Elizabeth subtly glares at him. "Just saying. The last thing we need is Hurricane Carly on our tail."

"She kinda always is regardless, don't you think?" Emily points out. "Johnny's offer isn't half bad."

"It isn't half good either," Zander replies firmly. "It's just asking for trouble."

"Liz...Ro..." Emily looks at them almost pleadingly. "Come on, guys..."

"It's okay, Em, really," Johnny shakes his head, understanding their hesitation. "It was just a suggestion. No pressure."

"No. She's right. It's a good suggestion," Elizabeth says after a moment of thought, rising to her feet. "We'd appreciate it if you'd ask your uncle to lend us the space. Thanks, Johnny."

"Sure thing," Johnny smiles slightly. "Anytime."

"Great! It's settled then," Robin exclaims happily. "We're throwing a party of our own."

"Thanks, Liz," Emily says after they walk off together to get some breakfast. "You're the best."

"Anything for a friend," Elizabeth replies with a soft smile. "About time you went for it."

"Yeah," Emily laughs softly. "Just wish I was graduating this year with you guys."

"Me, too," Elizabeth admits. "You do know it'd be easier if you just joined hell-storm, right? I mean, your brother is at the top and now you're dating his right hand..."

"As logical as that sounds, I'd rather be a loner than join them," Emily replies seriously, paying the lunch lady. "I love my brother and I really care about Johnny, but I'm nowhere near crazy enough to join the same group as Hurricane Carly."

"Good," Elizabeth says with a gentle nudge. "Cuz I'd hate to lose you to the jerk squad."

"Never," Emily promises. "You're stuck with me forever."

"I'll hold you to that."

Getting back to the group, Elizabeth sits down with Robin, handing her the breakfast she bought for her, watching as Emily and Johnny walk off to sit at a table by themselves. Guess it's better than deciding which group to sit with for breakfast. As they eat breakfast, talk of party planning ensues, her friends actually looking forward to a party for once. With the ringing of the bell, talk of the party stops as they get ready to head off to homeroom. As Robin and Elizabeth get closer to their homeroom, they spot the hell-storm crew heading down the hall, barely getting out of their way as they nearly knock them over.

"Still as sad a sight as ever," Robin sighs as they walk into their homeroom class. "To think there was a time I had a major crush on him."

"Good thing you met Stone just in time," Elizabeth agrees, having been surprised when Robin went through the Jason phase, much like most of the girls in their year after his accident changed his personality. "Or you'd be the queen of hell-storm in Carly's place."

"As if," Robin laughs as they take their seats. "That's one role I'm more than happy to leave to the devil herself."

"No kidding," Elizabeth chuckles. "Consider it a bullet dodged."

"Yeah," Robin agrees. "Definitely."

The conversation ends there when their teacher walks through the door and the class begins. The next few classes went like almost any other class on the first day of school. Introductions, preparations, blah, blah, yada yada. When lunch came, she was more than happy to be back with her friends, unable to handle yet another syllabus reading or rules recital. Of course, if she had known what would greet her when she walked into the cafeteria, she just might not have walked into the cafeteria at all. Being the dutiful friend, however, she takes a deep breath before walking over to the latest spectacle at the hands of hell-storm.

"Well, look who stumbled into our section of the cafeteria," Carly says with that disgustingly smug smirk on her face. "Little muffin face. Here to save that waste of space from the big bad hell-storm?"

"Hurricane Carly," Elizabeth meets her toe-to-toe, holding out a hand to help Damien back to his feet. "Word of advice, blondie, high school ends in less than a year. You won't have hell-storm to back you up forever."

"Is that a threat little girl?" Carly counters, anger flooding her being as she glares at Elizabeth.

"I don't make threats," Elizabeth states firmly. "That's your thing."

"Enough," Jason states just as Carly's about to lunge forward at Elizabeth. "Let's go."

"Seriously, Jason?!" Carly blurts out, followed by a loud shriek when he and the rest of the group start walking off. "This is far from over, little girl, count on it! Jason, wait up! You know I can't run in these heels. Geeze!"

"And off she goes," Elizabeth laughs, turning to Damien once hell-storm is out of sight. "Hey, Jackal, you okay?"

"Many thanks, Fair Elizabeth," Damien says happily once he ensures that his laptop hasn't been damaged in the fall. "If the Jackal can ever repay you for your kindness, you need only say the word and I shall be there."

"We're friends, Jackal," Elizabeth reminds him. "There's no need to repay me for that."

"Right, right, I know that," Damien says with a soft chuckle. "Anyway, the Jackal had better get going before another disturbing situation occurs. I bid thee farewell, Fair Elizabeth."

"Later, Jackal," Elizabeth smiles softly, watching him walk off before turning to Robin as she approaches. "Hey, Ro."

"Liz," Robin arches her eyebrow. "You sure love pushing Carly's buttons, don't you?"

"What I love is food," Elizabeth counters, gesturing for them to head to the lunch line. "Shall we?"

"Fair enough," Robin says as they walk towards sustenance. "Can I at least ask one more question?"

"Depends on the question."

"The beef between the two of you is worse than any beef Carly has with anyone and that's saying something," Robin says seriously. "Why is that?"

"So...about this party..." Elizabeth says, blatantly changing the topic. "Are you going for some kind of theme or just a run of the mill kind of party?"

"In other words, touchy subject...got it," Robin says with a shake of her head. "As for the party, sure, we can work in a theme. Any ideas?"

After a nice long conversation over party plans and an even longer second half of school, Elizabeth was more than happy to return to the slow pace of volunteer work at the hospital. Taking on the task of returning files, Elizabeth was almost having a stress free shift when she runs into the one person she hadn't expected to run into in this place. Placing a smile on her face, deciding to stick to her own advice, the benefit of the doubt, she stays in place when he walks up to her rather than walking away.

"Elizabeth, right?" Johnny voices with a slight smile.

"My friends call me Liz," Elizabeth replies. "What has you in the hospital?"

"Checkup, no biggie," Johnny assures. "Must be cool to volunteer here."

"It is," Elizabeth admits. "About as cool as dating Emily, right?"

"Yeah," Johnny shakes his head. "Never thought she'd see me like that, but I'm glad I was wrong."

"Matter of time, really," Elizabeth counters with ease. "Anyway, I better get back to work...unless there was another reason you stopped me?"

"Yeah, the warehouse is all yours for the party," Johnny divulges, handing over a piece of paper. "That's the address. You've got free reign for the week to prep for the party and whatever else you need to do."

"Thanks, Johnny," Elizabeth replies, tucking the piece of paper into her pocket. "You know, you're not half bad...for a hell-storm, that is."

"Like I told Em...we're not all that bad," Johnny says with a shrug. "Does that mean I can look forward to an invite to your party?"

"You'd skip out on a hell-storm party to come to ours?"

"It's bound to be more fun," Johnny replies simply. "What do you say?"

"I'd say...any friend of Em's is a friend of mine," Elizabeth says with a soft smile. "I'll get you the invite when it's printed."

"Cool," Johnny replies. "See you around, Lizzie."

"Whatever you say, Obie."

Sharing a little laugh over the nicknames, the two go their separate ways, a newfound friendship solidified. Finishing up her shift with the hospital, she makes her way to the diner to start her dinner shift there, finding that she was truly earning herself a nice long slumber with the day she's been having. Especially since hell-storm seems to continue their annoyance by being at the diner when she arrives for her shift. Placing the smile on her face, she pushes through, holding her head high despite the continued irritation in the form of Hurricane Carly.

Thankfully, for her, hell-storm decided to blow out of the diner not too long after she got there. It was as they were leaving that a certain pair of blue eyes found hers, but only for a moment. Forcing the memories to recede back into the lockbox she's kept them in, Elizabeth gets back to work and finishes off her shift before getting home to call it a night. By the time she gets home, her grandfather is already asleep, sparing her the conversation on how her day went for another day.

Getting upstairs, she takes a deep breath before pulling out the top right drawer of her dresser, reaching it to pick up a single photo. She hasn't seen that picture in many years, hasn't felt the need to look it in so long, and yet there she is pulling it out of its file grave. Lowering herself down onto her bed, she takes a deep breath, wondering how life can change so much. How people can change so much. With a heavy sigh, Elizabeth places the picture down on her nightstand face down before crawling beneath the sheets and calling it a night. To think senior year has only just begun. Yipee.