Ellie smiled when Sean took her hand in his, and they entered the school. *Today is going to be great.*
Then she saw Ms. Hatzilakos coming toward them. *Okay, maybe not so great.*
"Ellie, Sean," Ms. Hatzilakos greeted them, "Could I see you two at lunch?"
Sean and Ellie looked at each other wearily. They nodded their heads as Ms. Hatzilakos walked off, "Ellie, you probably don't have to come. I'll just go there and explain what happened,"Sean offered.
Ellie shook her head, "No, I want to go. Besides, I need to be there to make sure you don't take all the blame."
Ellie bit her lower lip as Sean released her hand, "I'm not going to betray them, Ellie."
Ellie started to open her mouth to protest, but Sean stopped her as he started walking, "I'll talk to you later," he grumbled without turning around.
Ellie sighed. *Sometimes I wonder if he suffers from schizophrenia. He'll act all sweet and caring one minute, and the next, he'll be cold and distant.* Ellie shook her head, and started to walk to her first period class.
"Hey, Ash," Marco saw Ashley by her locker.
"Oh, hi Marco," Ashley smiled as she closed her locker.
"Have you seen Ellie anywhere? I kinda need to apologize to her," Marco admitted.
Ashley wondered why Marco had to apologize. She shook her head, "Not yet,"
"Ok, well, thanks anyway, Ash!" Marco smiled and walked off down the hall.
*Maybe I should look for Ellie. I called her three times last night, and nobody answered.* Ashley was just about to walk toward Ellie's first period class, when she spotted Craig walking toward her.
She smiled shyly as he approached her, "Hey."
"Hey,"Craig greeted her, "So, about yesterday . . ."
"Yeah," Ashley stopped him, then realized she didn't know what to say.
*She's probably still angry at me.* Craig thought to himself. *But, maybe she isn't. Maybe she wanted us to kiss.* He stared just above her head, and saw a poster advertising for the dance on Friday night.
"So . . .will you go to the dance with me?" Craig said it so quickly he wasn't sure that she would understand.
Ashley nodded her head, "I'd love to."
Craig nodded as well, "Great. That's great, I'll talk to you later then," he walked away smiling.
Ellie stood outside of Ms. Hatzilakos' class. *I wonder if he's even gonna show up.* Her question was answered as Sean came staggering up to her. He let his backpack slip off his shoulder, and he slid it up against the wall.
An uninterested expression was on his face. Ellie didn't know how he did that. She felt so anxious. She knew she shouldn't worry because she wouldn't get into too much trouble, but Sean's emotionless face made her feel even more nervous.
"Should we go in?"Ellie asked.
Sean just shrugged his shoulders. Ellie rolled her eyes as they entered the classroom.
"Good, you guys came," MS. Hatzilakos motioned to the two chairs in front of her desk.
They quietly took their seats, and Ellie immediately began fidgeting. Sean relaxed back into his chair, and waited for somebody to say something.
"So, who wants to start?" Ms. Hatzilakos asked cheerfully.
*Are we in therapy?* Sean wondered to himself. He wasn't sure why, but he was in a really crappy mood. He figured it had something to do with the disagreement he had with Ellie that morning.
Sean planned on taking all the blame, just like Ellie told him not to. *Why shouldn't I? If I tell the truth, chances are Jay and Towerz will beat the crap outta me. And then I'll have the rest of the gang following me, waiting for a chance to get me. I'll just take the fall for this one. Jay would probably do the same for me.* As Sean opened his mouth, Ellie cut him off.
"Ms. Hatzilakos, I'm sorry for taking up your time," Ms. Hatzilakos was surprised that Ellie was the first to speak. She figured Sean would try and defend himself.
"Ellie, yesterday you told me that you believed Sean may have broken into my house. You also said that you didn't think that Sean would do that sort of thing alone. I haven't spoken to anyone else, but Sean, I'd really like it if you told me what happened."
Sean didn't like the way Ms. Hatzilakos and Ellie were both staring at him. He sat up a little straighter, and took his hands out of his pockets, "Things haven't been going so well at home. We're having . . .financial difficulties," he could feel the disappointment in Ellie's stare, but he kept going, "I didn't know it was your house. It just looked like a really nice place, and I figured that nobody would notice if a couple things went missing."
Ms. Hatzilakos wasn't buying his story for a second. Last night, she had gone through everything in her house, and found out what was missing. She decided to use this information against him, "Okay. Well, I know you took my charm bracelet, and I can hardly see how it would be worth much, so you must've planned on giving it to Ellie. Which, in my opinion, was a bad move, Sean, because you could've gotten Ellie in trouble. So, what did you steal that was worth anything?"
Ellie noticed Sean's face tense for a second, but it quickly relaxed, "I don't remember. Just punish me how you see fit."
*Oh please. She had to see right through that.* Ellie thought to herself. She waited for Ms. Hatzilakos' to reply. But she just kept staring at Sean, waiting for him to explain himself.
*I should've asked Towerz exactly what kind of "jewelry crap" he stole.* Sean sighed, "Some jewelry crap."
*Well, he definitely was involved. I'm still missing a pair of 18 karat gold earrings, two sterling silver lockets, and a slave bracelet. But he didn't mention my emergency cash in that empty shoe box.*
"Okay, Sean. If you don't tell me who's idea this was, then I'm not only going to punish you, but I will also get Ellie, and Jay," Ms. Hatzilakos felt bad for making such a horrible threat, considering it was a lie, but she didn't know ow to make Sean tell the truth, "I'll give you to the end of the day. Meet me here soon as you get out of seventh period."
Sean grunted as he slid his chair back, and walked out of the room. Ellie smiled weakly at Ms. Hatzilakos before getting up and slowly walking into the hall.
She was surprised when she saw Sean standing outside the door, waiting for her, "Ellie? Do you wanna go outside?"
Ellie glared at him. *I should just say no. I should just walk away. After everything he has done, he still has the nerve to actually consider letting me get part of the blame.*
Yet somehow, she found herself sitting on the bench across the street from the school. Sean reached into his backpack, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. *I actually thought I was better than this.* He offered one to Ellie, who like he predicted, refused.
He lit it with a silver lighter, and took a long drag of it. Ellie rolled her eyes, and waited for him to say something.
Sean finally broke the silence, "Ellie, you have no idea how much I appreciate what you did for me yesterday."
Ellie nodded her head. *If he thinks this is gonna soften me up before he lets me take the blame, he's got another think coming.*
Sean leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his thighs, "When we were in Ms. Hatzilakos' class, I thought Jay would take the blame for me . . ."
Ellie cut him off, "No, he wouldn't Sean," she waited for him to get angry, but he didn't. He just took another drag off the cigarette.
"I know, I know. You're right Ellie. That's why I'm even more grateful I know you. I think you're the only one who would've done that for me."
Ellie wasn't so sure where he was going with this now.
"I'm gonna tell Ms. Hatzilakos the truth. But, that's also gonna mean there's gonna be some people really pissed off at me," he took another puff, "They're not only gonna go after me, though. They're going to come after the people that mean something to me," he scratched his head, "I don't think we should hang out anymore."
"Sean, it's okay, I'll be fine," Ellie tried to reassure him.
Sean shook his head, "You don't know what they're like, Ellie. I don't know how Jay was put in charge. Maybe because he has more than two brain cells left. But it definitely wasn't because he was a badass. There are guys that are thousands of timed worse then Jay that I hang out with, and I don't want them to know how I feel about you."
Ellie smiled when she heard his last words. Sean continued, "So, I'll go to Ms. Hatzilakos after school, by myself. I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to see you, I don't want to know you. Goodbye Ellie Nash," Sean ground out his cigarette, and walked away.
As she watched him walk toward the school, she felt a tears start to roll down her face. Sean entered the school, and turned into the nearest classroom. He made sure nobody else was in there, before locking the door, and letting the tears run freely down his face.
Then she saw Ms. Hatzilakos coming toward them. *Okay, maybe not so great.*
"Ellie, Sean," Ms. Hatzilakos greeted them, "Could I see you two at lunch?"
Sean and Ellie looked at each other wearily. They nodded their heads as Ms. Hatzilakos walked off, "Ellie, you probably don't have to come. I'll just go there and explain what happened,"Sean offered.
Ellie shook her head, "No, I want to go. Besides, I need to be there to make sure you don't take all the blame."
Ellie bit her lower lip as Sean released her hand, "I'm not going to betray them, Ellie."
Ellie started to open her mouth to protest, but Sean stopped her as he started walking, "I'll talk to you later," he grumbled without turning around.
Ellie sighed. *Sometimes I wonder if he suffers from schizophrenia. He'll act all sweet and caring one minute, and the next, he'll be cold and distant.* Ellie shook her head, and started to walk to her first period class.
"Hey, Ash," Marco saw Ashley by her locker.
"Oh, hi Marco," Ashley smiled as she closed her locker.
"Have you seen Ellie anywhere? I kinda need to apologize to her," Marco admitted.
Ashley wondered why Marco had to apologize. She shook her head, "Not yet,"
"Ok, well, thanks anyway, Ash!" Marco smiled and walked off down the hall.
*Maybe I should look for Ellie. I called her three times last night, and nobody answered.* Ashley was just about to walk toward Ellie's first period class, when she spotted Craig walking toward her.
She smiled shyly as he approached her, "Hey."
"Hey,"Craig greeted her, "So, about yesterday . . ."
"Yeah," Ashley stopped him, then realized she didn't know what to say.
*She's probably still angry at me.* Craig thought to himself. *But, maybe she isn't. Maybe she wanted us to kiss.* He stared just above her head, and saw a poster advertising for the dance on Friday night.
"So . . .will you go to the dance with me?" Craig said it so quickly he wasn't sure that she would understand.
Ashley nodded her head, "I'd love to."
Craig nodded as well, "Great. That's great, I'll talk to you later then," he walked away smiling.
Ellie stood outside of Ms. Hatzilakos' class. *I wonder if he's even gonna show up.* Her question was answered as Sean came staggering up to her. He let his backpack slip off his shoulder, and he slid it up against the wall.
An uninterested expression was on his face. Ellie didn't know how he did that. She felt so anxious. She knew she shouldn't worry because she wouldn't get into too much trouble, but Sean's emotionless face made her feel even more nervous.
"Should we go in?"Ellie asked.
Sean just shrugged his shoulders. Ellie rolled her eyes as they entered the classroom.
"Good, you guys came," MS. Hatzilakos motioned to the two chairs in front of her desk.
They quietly took their seats, and Ellie immediately began fidgeting. Sean relaxed back into his chair, and waited for somebody to say something.
"So, who wants to start?" Ms. Hatzilakos asked cheerfully.
*Are we in therapy?* Sean wondered to himself. He wasn't sure why, but he was in a really crappy mood. He figured it had something to do with the disagreement he had with Ellie that morning.
Sean planned on taking all the blame, just like Ellie told him not to. *Why shouldn't I? If I tell the truth, chances are Jay and Towerz will beat the crap outta me. And then I'll have the rest of the gang following me, waiting for a chance to get me. I'll just take the fall for this one. Jay would probably do the same for me.* As Sean opened his mouth, Ellie cut him off.
"Ms. Hatzilakos, I'm sorry for taking up your time," Ms. Hatzilakos was surprised that Ellie was the first to speak. She figured Sean would try and defend himself.
"Ellie, yesterday you told me that you believed Sean may have broken into my house. You also said that you didn't think that Sean would do that sort of thing alone. I haven't spoken to anyone else, but Sean, I'd really like it if you told me what happened."
Sean didn't like the way Ms. Hatzilakos and Ellie were both staring at him. He sat up a little straighter, and took his hands out of his pockets, "Things haven't been going so well at home. We're having . . .financial difficulties," he could feel the disappointment in Ellie's stare, but he kept going, "I didn't know it was your house. It just looked like a really nice place, and I figured that nobody would notice if a couple things went missing."
Ms. Hatzilakos wasn't buying his story for a second. Last night, she had gone through everything in her house, and found out what was missing. She decided to use this information against him, "Okay. Well, I know you took my charm bracelet, and I can hardly see how it would be worth much, so you must've planned on giving it to Ellie. Which, in my opinion, was a bad move, Sean, because you could've gotten Ellie in trouble. So, what did you steal that was worth anything?"
Ellie noticed Sean's face tense for a second, but it quickly relaxed, "I don't remember. Just punish me how you see fit."
*Oh please. She had to see right through that.* Ellie thought to herself. She waited for Ms. Hatzilakos' to reply. But she just kept staring at Sean, waiting for him to explain himself.
*I should've asked Towerz exactly what kind of "jewelry crap" he stole.* Sean sighed, "Some jewelry crap."
*Well, he definitely was involved. I'm still missing a pair of 18 karat gold earrings, two sterling silver lockets, and a slave bracelet. But he didn't mention my emergency cash in that empty shoe box.*
"Okay, Sean. If you don't tell me who's idea this was, then I'm not only going to punish you, but I will also get Ellie, and Jay," Ms. Hatzilakos felt bad for making such a horrible threat, considering it was a lie, but she didn't know ow to make Sean tell the truth, "I'll give you to the end of the day. Meet me here soon as you get out of seventh period."
Sean grunted as he slid his chair back, and walked out of the room. Ellie smiled weakly at Ms. Hatzilakos before getting up and slowly walking into the hall.
She was surprised when she saw Sean standing outside the door, waiting for her, "Ellie? Do you wanna go outside?"
Ellie glared at him. *I should just say no. I should just walk away. After everything he has done, he still has the nerve to actually consider letting me get part of the blame.*
Yet somehow, she found herself sitting on the bench across the street from the school. Sean reached into his backpack, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. *I actually thought I was better than this.* He offered one to Ellie, who like he predicted, refused.
He lit it with a silver lighter, and took a long drag of it. Ellie rolled her eyes, and waited for him to say something.
Sean finally broke the silence, "Ellie, you have no idea how much I appreciate what you did for me yesterday."
Ellie nodded her head. *If he thinks this is gonna soften me up before he lets me take the blame, he's got another think coming.*
Sean leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his thighs, "When we were in Ms. Hatzilakos' class, I thought Jay would take the blame for me . . ."
Ellie cut him off, "No, he wouldn't Sean," she waited for him to get angry, but he didn't. He just took another drag off the cigarette.
"I know, I know. You're right Ellie. That's why I'm even more grateful I know you. I think you're the only one who would've done that for me."
Ellie wasn't so sure where he was going with this now.
"I'm gonna tell Ms. Hatzilakos the truth. But, that's also gonna mean there's gonna be some people really pissed off at me," he took another puff, "They're not only gonna go after me, though. They're going to come after the people that mean something to me," he scratched his head, "I don't think we should hang out anymore."
"Sean, it's okay, I'll be fine," Ellie tried to reassure him.
Sean shook his head, "You don't know what they're like, Ellie. I don't know how Jay was put in charge. Maybe because he has more than two brain cells left. But it definitely wasn't because he was a badass. There are guys that are thousands of timed worse then Jay that I hang out with, and I don't want them to know how I feel about you."
Ellie smiled when she heard his last words. Sean continued, "So, I'll go to Ms. Hatzilakos after school, by myself. I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to see you, I don't want to know you. Goodbye Ellie Nash," Sean ground out his cigarette, and walked away.
As she watched him walk toward the school, she felt a tears start to roll down her face. Sean entered the school, and turned into the nearest classroom. He made sure nobody else was in there, before locking the door, and letting the tears run freely down his face.