They walked out of the theater, and looked around. It was getting dark quickly, so they all decided to head toward Ashley's house.
"Ellie, are you spending the tonight?" Ashley asked as they waited to cross the street.
"If it's okay, I'd like to," Ellie answered, "But I should probably run home and get some clothes." *And check on my mom*
"Okay," Ashley responded, knowing what Ellie meant, "I'll meet you back at my house." Ashley knew that Ellie wouldn't want everyone at her house, in case her mom was . . .indisposed.
They crossed the street, and on the corner there was a small store with some old clothes. Ashley saw a vintage tee shirt in the window, and went inside to check it out.
"Okay you guys, I'm gonna head home," Ellie informed Craig and Sean as they waited outside for Ashley.
"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you?" Sean asked Ellie.
"I'll be fine," Ellie assured, "I'll meet you at Ash's in a half-hour or so."
Before they could say another word she took off down the street.
"Well . . ?" Craig looked at Sean expectantly. Sean raised an eyebrow from confusion. Craig jerked his head in the direction Ellie had went. Sean shrugged his shoulders.
Craig shook his head, "Aren't you going to go with her?"
"She said she'd be fine," Sean recalled.
Craig raised his hand and smacked Sean, "Did you see that coming?"
Sean glared at Craig, and kept himself from hitting him back, "No."
"Then Ellie won't see the nice rapist man coming up to her," Craig said sarcastically, "What're you still doing here? Go after her!"
Sean sighed, and ran after Ellie.
He finally caught up with her, "Ellie," he yelled so she wouldn't be scared if he just popped up beside her.
Ellie flipped around, "Sean? What're you doing here? I said I'd meet you at Ash's."
"I just didn't want you to have to walk home alone," Sean explained.
"Sean, I told you I'd be fine," Ellie was becoming nervous as they neared her house.
"It's okay, I don't mind. Besides, I'd like to know where you live."
"Sean, I don't need you to. Why don't you just go back to Ash's?" They were at her front yard now, and Ellie was thinking about just passing it. She hesitated too long.
"Is this your house?" Sean asked.
Ellie bit her lower lip, and admitted, "Yeah, it is. Sean, why don't you just stay outside while I go inside and get my stuff?"
*Please just stay out here.* Ellie prayed as they reached her front door. Sean must have finally gotten it, because he nodded his head and didn't follow her inside.
She saw her mom on the couch, and she looked very sick. Ellie reached over and set the garbage can in front of her mother right before she threw up. Ellie sighed, and went to her room to get some clothes.
As she pulled out some clothes from her top drawer, a razor blade fell out of the folded clothes. It lay on the ground, reflecting the light from her lamp, making it look very appealing. Ellie glanced at her slightly opened door. She bent over and carefully picked it up. *I shouldn't do this.* She started to put the blade back into her drawer. *What difference is one time going to make?* She looked at door one more time before starting to roll up her arm stocking. She felt a single tear roll down her cheek as she placed the blade against the soft underside of her arm. Cuts of all sizes covered her arm. Some were brand new, while others were old and scabby. Ellie started to pull it across the skin, when she realized what she was doing. *This isn't going to help.* She began to replace her arm stocking, when all of a sudden, she heard a firm knock on her doorframe. Her head snapped up in horror as she heard the voice, "Ellie? Are you okay?"
She rapidly stuck the blade in between her arm and the tight stocking, "I'm just finishing packing. I'll meet you outside in a second," she tried to keep her voice even as she walked over to bed and put some more clothes into her bag.
Sean wasn't exactly sure what she was doing when he walked in. He saw her messing with her arm stocking, and when he knocked, it startled her, like she was doing something she shouldn't have been . . .
"Let's go," Ellie grumbled as she walked out the door, and motioned for Sean to come with her.
As they passed the livingroom, Sean whispered, " Is that your mom? Is she okay?"
Ellie nodded, and walked faster, "Yeah she'll be fine."
Sean knew what was going on. He used to have the same problem with his parents. He never wanted anybody to come over, because he didn't want them to see his parents. He hung his head as they walked out the door. *I heard somebody throwing up, and I wanted to make sure Ellie was fine. I used to get so embarrassed if somebody saw my parents when they were like that. I really screwed up.*
They walked in silence the rest of the way to Ashley's house. Sean knocked on the door when they got there, and Toby answered.
He shook his head and called to them as he walked away, "Take off your shoes."
As Toby passed the livingroom, he walked up to Ashley and whispered, "Your fellow vampires, I can deal with. But a criminal? If any if my stuff is missing after he leaves, you're replacing it."
Ashley glared at him as he left the room and Sean and Ellie entered, "You guys okay?"
Ellie and Sean both had a blank expression on their faces, which led Ashley to believe something was wrong.
"Yeah, we're fine," Sean answered for both of them, "What are we doing tonight?"
Ashley shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. You guys want to watch some tv?" Ellie and Sean looked at each other before sitting down on the couch, "Ellie, do you wanna come help me make some popcorn?"
"I help you Ash," Craig volunteered as he started to get up.
"No that's okay Craig." Ashley stared at Ellie, waiting for her to get the idea.
Ellie saw the expression on Ashley's face, and stood up with her, "Uh, sure, I'll help you."
Craig looked at Sean questionably, and Sean shrugged.
"So . . .?" Ashley asked as they entered the kitchen.
"So what?" Ellie seemed clueless.
"I went into the store, and when I came out, not only were you gone, but so was Sean. Did you invite him?" Ashley was concerned for her friend. She wasn't exactly sure what Ellie's family life was like, but she had some idea.
"No, I didn't invite him," Ellie denied, "He just followed me. He said he didn't want me to walk home alone. Ash, he saw her . . ."
Ashley started the microwave, and turned to face Ellie after hearing the embarrassment and fear in her voice.
"Ellie, it's okay. It's not like Sean would tell anyone," Ashley tried to reassure her.
"Ash, he knows more than I want him to. He knows more than *I* want to," Ellie confessed.
"Sean has many problems of his own, El," the beeping of the microwave startled them both, "Just don't worry about it. Sean probably won't bring it up."
Ellie managed a small smile, "Thanks Ash."
Ashley got the popcorn out of the microwave and Ellie said, "I don't know if I should leave my mom home alone again. I don't think I should spend the night. She looked horrible when I stopped by, and I didn't really get to check on her, because of Sean, and everything . . ."
"It's okay El. I understand. Maybe we can do something tomorrow."
They poured the popcorn into a bowl and walked back out to the livingroom, where they found the guys watching a hockey game.
They were rooting for opposing teams, and the score was tied. Ellie and Ashley giggled as they set the bowl in the middle of the table.
Craig and Sean suddenly became aware of their presence, and Craig cut Ashley off as she opened her mouth, " Ash, you weren't about to make some stereotypical comment about guys and sports, now were you?"
Ashley shook her head and smiled, "No, but can we please change the channel to something a little less . . ."
"You're on thin ice," Craig joked, "Fine, fine, we'll change it. Sean, hand me the remote."
"Get off your lazy ass and get it yourself," Sean said as he looked at the remote that was only a few feet away from Craig, "Besides, I should get going."
Craig was reaching for the remote when he heard Sean's last comment, "Where are you going?"
*He doesn't want to hear that I'm going out with Jay and Towerz tonight.* Sean lied, "It's getting kinda late, so I'm just gonna head home."
Craig opened his mouth in protest, but Ellie started to speak, "I should be getting home too . . ."
"Sean, why don't you walk Ellie home?" Ashley suggested.
"I thought she was spending the night?" Sean was confused. Nobody noticed as Ellie grabbed her bag, and walked out the door.
It was chilly out, but at least this time she had her own coat. She was just about to turn onto the next street, when she head someone calling after her, "Ellie wait up!"
Ellie looked over her shoulder as Sean ran to catch up with her, "You should really learn to wait and find out if someone wants to come with you."
Ellie rolled her eyes, "It's okay, I can walk myself home. I'm pretty sure I know the way."
"I don't mind, I just thought you were spending the night," Sean explained as they walked down the sidewalk.
"What are your plans tonight?" Ellie asked Sean. She knew by the tone he had used with Craig that he wasn't planning on staying home.
"Probably hanging out with Jay," Sean admitted.
"He's so mean to Marco and Dylan," Ellie complained.
"I don't understand, or like everything they do," Sean admitted.
"Then why do you hang out with them?" Ellie asked the obvious question.
Sean hated that question, but chose to respond the way he always did, "They get me."
Ellie thought about it for a second, then nodded her head, "Okay."
Sean stopped walking for a second to stare at her. *Who is this girl?* She was the first person to accept that answer. Either they took offence like Craig, or they thought he was wrong.
Ellie stopped and turned around when she noticed Sean wasn't beside her, "Are you coming?" Ellie asked nonchalantly.
Sean smiled and caught up with her. *She's absolutely amazing.*
"Ellie, are you spending the tonight?" Ashley asked as they waited to cross the street.
"If it's okay, I'd like to," Ellie answered, "But I should probably run home and get some clothes." *And check on my mom*
"Okay," Ashley responded, knowing what Ellie meant, "I'll meet you back at my house." Ashley knew that Ellie wouldn't want everyone at her house, in case her mom was . . .indisposed.
They crossed the street, and on the corner there was a small store with some old clothes. Ashley saw a vintage tee shirt in the window, and went inside to check it out.
"Okay you guys, I'm gonna head home," Ellie informed Craig and Sean as they waited outside for Ashley.
"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you?" Sean asked Ellie.
"I'll be fine," Ellie assured, "I'll meet you at Ash's in a half-hour or so."
Before they could say another word she took off down the street.
"Well . . ?" Craig looked at Sean expectantly. Sean raised an eyebrow from confusion. Craig jerked his head in the direction Ellie had went. Sean shrugged his shoulders.
Craig shook his head, "Aren't you going to go with her?"
"She said she'd be fine," Sean recalled.
Craig raised his hand and smacked Sean, "Did you see that coming?"
Sean glared at Craig, and kept himself from hitting him back, "No."
"Then Ellie won't see the nice rapist man coming up to her," Craig said sarcastically, "What're you still doing here? Go after her!"
Sean sighed, and ran after Ellie.
He finally caught up with her, "Ellie," he yelled so she wouldn't be scared if he just popped up beside her.
Ellie flipped around, "Sean? What're you doing here? I said I'd meet you at Ash's."
"I just didn't want you to have to walk home alone," Sean explained.
"Sean, I told you I'd be fine," Ellie was becoming nervous as they neared her house.
"It's okay, I don't mind. Besides, I'd like to know where you live."
"Sean, I don't need you to. Why don't you just go back to Ash's?" They were at her front yard now, and Ellie was thinking about just passing it. She hesitated too long.
"Is this your house?" Sean asked.
Ellie bit her lower lip, and admitted, "Yeah, it is. Sean, why don't you just stay outside while I go inside and get my stuff?"
*Please just stay out here.* Ellie prayed as they reached her front door. Sean must have finally gotten it, because he nodded his head and didn't follow her inside.
She saw her mom on the couch, and she looked very sick. Ellie reached over and set the garbage can in front of her mother right before she threw up. Ellie sighed, and went to her room to get some clothes.
As she pulled out some clothes from her top drawer, a razor blade fell out of the folded clothes. It lay on the ground, reflecting the light from her lamp, making it look very appealing. Ellie glanced at her slightly opened door. She bent over and carefully picked it up. *I shouldn't do this.* She started to put the blade back into her drawer. *What difference is one time going to make?* She looked at door one more time before starting to roll up her arm stocking. She felt a single tear roll down her cheek as she placed the blade against the soft underside of her arm. Cuts of all sizes covered her arm. Some were brand new, while others were old and scabby. Ellie started to pull it across the skin, when she realized what she was doing. *This isn't going to help.* She began to replace her arm stocking, when all of a sudden, she heard a firm knock on her doorframe. Her head snapped up in horror as she heard the voice, "Ellie? Are you okay?"
She rapidly stuck the blade in between her arm and the tight stocking, "I'm just finishing packing. I'll meet you outside in a second," she tried to keep her voice even as she walked over to bed and put some more clothes into her bag.
Sean wasn't exactly sure what she was doing when he walked in. He saw her messing with her arm stocking, and when he knocked, it startled her, like she was doing something she shouldn't have been . . .
"Let's go," Ellie grumbled as she walked out the door, and motioned for Sean to come with her.
As they passed the livingroom, Sean whispered, " Is that your mom? Is she okay?"
Ellie nodded, and walked faster, "Yeah she'll be fine."
Sean knew what was going on. He used to have the same problem with his parents. He never wanted anybody to come over, because he didn't want them to see his parents. He hung his head as they walked out the door. *I heard somebody throwing up, and I wanted to make sure Ellie was fine. I used to get so embarrassed if somebody saw my parents when they were like that. I really screwed up.*
They walked in silence the rest of the way to Ashley's house. Sean knocked on the door when they got there, and Toby answered.
He shook his head and called to them as he walked away, "Take off your shoes."
As Toby passed the livingroom, he walked up to Ashley and whispered, "Your fellow vampires, I can deal with. But a criminal? If any if my stuff is missing after he leaves, you're replacing it."
Ashley glared at him as he left the room and Sean and Ellie entered, "You guys okay?"
Ellie and Sean both had a blank expression on their faces, which led Ashley to believe something was wrong.
"Yeah, we're fine," Sean answered for both of them, "What are we doing tonight?"
Ashley shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. You guys want to watch some tv?" Ellie and Sean looked at each other before sitting down on the couch, "Ellie, do you wanna come help me make some popcorn?"
"I help you Ash," Craig volunteered as he started to get up.
"No that's okay Craig." Ashley stared at Ellie, waiting for her to get the idea.
Ellie saw the expression on Ashley's face, and stood up with her, "Uh, sure, I'll help you."
Craig looked at Sean questionably, and Sean shrugged.
"So . . .?" Ashley asked as they entered the kitchen.
"So what?" Ellie seemed clueless.
"I went into the store, and when I came out, not only were you gone, but so was Sean. Did you invite him?" Ashley was concerned for her friend. She wasn't exactly sure what Ellie's family life was like, but she had some idea.
"No, I didn't invite him," Ellie denied, "He just followed me. He said he didn't want me to walk home alone. Ash, he saw her . . ."
Ashley started the microwave, and turned to face Ellie after hearing the embarrassment and fear in her voice.
"Ellie, it's okay. It's not like Sean would tell anyone," Ashley tried to reassure her.
"Ash, he knows more than I want him to. He knows more than *I* want to," Ellie confessed.
"Sean has many problems of his own, El," the beeping of the microwave startled them both, "Just don't worry about it. Sean probably won't bring it up."
Ellie managed a small smile, "Thanks Ash."
Ashley got the popcorn out of the microwave and Ellie said, "I don't know if I should leave my mom home alone again. I don't think I should spend the night. She looked horrible when I stopped by, and I didn't really get to check on her, because of Sean, and everything . . ."
"It's okay El. I understand. Maybe we can do something tomorrow."
They poured the popcorn into a bowl and walked back out to the livingroom, where they found the guys watching a hockey game.
They were rooting for opposing teams, and the score was tied. Ellie and Ashley giggled as they set the bowl in the middle of the table.
Craig and Sean suddenly became aware of their presence, and Craig cut Ashley off as she opened her mouth, " Ash, you weren't about to make some stereotypical comment about guys and sports, now were you?"
Ashley shook her head and smiled, "No, but can we please change the channel to something a little less . . ."
"You're on thin ice," Craig joked, "Fine, fine, we'll change it. Sean, hand me the remote."
"Get off your lazy ass and get it yourself," Sean said as he looked at the remote that was only a few feet away from Craig, "Besides, I should get going."
Craig was reaching for the remote when he heard Sean's last comment, "Where are you going?"
*He doesn't want to hear that I'm going out with Jay and Towerz tonight.* Sean lied, "It's getting kinda late, so I'm just gonna head home."
Craig opened his mouth in protest, but Ellie started to speak, "I should be getting home too . . ."
"Sean, why don't you walk Ellie home?" Ashley suggested.
"I thought she was spending the night?" Sean was confused. Nobody noticed as Ellie grabbed her bag, and walked out the door.
It was chilly out, but at least this time she had her own coat. She was just about to turn onto the next street, when she head someone calling after her, "Ellie wait up!"
Ellie looked over her shoulder as Sean ran to catch up with her, "You should really learn to wait and find out if someone wants to come with you."
Ellie rolled her eyes, "It's okay, I can walk myself home. I'm pretty sure I know the way."
"I don't mind, I just thought you were spending the night," Sean explained as they walked down the sidewalk.
"What are your plans tonight?" Ellie asked Sean. She knew by the tone he had used with Craig that he wasn't planning on staying home.
"Probably hanging out with Jay," Sean admitted.
"He's so mean to Marco and Dylan," Ellie complained.
"I don't understand, or like everything they do," Sean admitted.
"Then why do you hang out with them?" Ellie asked the obvious question.
Sean hated that question, but chose to respond the way he always did, "They get me."
Ellie thought about it for a second, then nodded her head, "Okay."
Sean stopped walking for a second to stare at her. *Who is this girl?* She was the first person to accept that answer. Either they took offence like Craig, or they thought he was wrong.
Ellie stopped and turned around when she noticed Sean wasn't beside her, "Are you coming?" Ellie asked nonchalantly.
Sean smiled and caught up with her. *She's absolutely amazing.*