Sauve was not impressed. "Okay," she said. "Let me get this straight. You cut yourself this time because your boyfriend of a week broke up with you because you cut yourself and didn't tell him before you slept with him?"
Ellie nodded innocently.
"Nice try," the counsellor said, rolling her eyes. "Why don't you tell me what really happened, and, for that matter, where that nice blue bruise came from. Concealer can only do so much."
"Okay, then, I was abducted by aliens," Ellie said. This time it was her turn to roll her eyes. "Seriously? I'm clumsy. I tripped over my own feet and slammed into the doorway. I'm still not good in high heels. And as for the cutting, it's under control. No worse than it was. I mean, you saw my arms. If anything, I've cut down--really bad pun intended."
Sauve gave her a hard look, then nodded. "But our deal still stands. Frequent appointments, no skipping, or I'll do what I have to." She glanced at her appointment book. "Thursday, third period okay?" Ellie nodded. "I'll see you then. And next time, please don't waste so much time telling me lies."
"Sorry." Ellie had to work to keep the smirk off her face.
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Sean knew, even if his parents didn't, that it was time to think about school again. He was sixteen, and therefore not legally required to attend, but if he wanted some semblance of his life back, he had to force himself to go.
They had a car sitting in the yard, and he soon discovered why they never used it. With his skill, however, a few repairs were all it needed. He neglected to mention its new-found life to his parents, however, but he was back on the road, much to his delight. He realized later that while working on the car, he'd been genuinely happy, despite everything that had happened. The thought gave him unexpected chills.
With no particular plan in mind, he cruised around, trying to locate the local school. He finally found it and pulled into the parking lot, then headed to the front office and waited patiently to speak with the principal. It didn't take long for her to arrive.
"Can I help you?" she said, giving him a funny look.
"I'm here to register," he said. "I know it's the middle of the year, but I sort of... transferred." Her face twisted in the oddest expression he'd seen in awhile, and to his dismay, he realized that she was trying to suppress a laugh.
"You want WB High," she said. "It's down the road. This is an elementary school. I knew we should have gotten the new sign up." He turned bright red--he'd always been a blusher, much to Ellie's delight--and offered a stammering apology before bolting out of the building. He was surprised he had retained his desire to figure out the school thing at all.
The next meeting went substantially better. The principal--a pleasant older woman--arranged for his records to be sent from Degrassi, and helped him figure out his schedule. They agreed that he would start the next day in order to give them both time to get everything arranged. On his way out, she asked if he had any more questions.
"Um, one, actually," he said. "But not school related. Are there any pet shops around here? It's been awhile since I, uh, went shopping, so I don't know what there is."
The principal was, of course, baffled, but pointed out the window. "Down there," she said. "Take a right, then a sharp left, then another right. But, Sean, is it? I have to admit I'm more than a little surprised." She chuckled slightly. "Not that that's a problem."
He nodded and thanked her, then returned to his car and carefully followed her directions.
Damn he missed that weasel.
----------------------
Her mother was waiting for her when Ellie got home, and there was alcohol on her breath. She gestured at something on the table, and Ellie knew there would be trouble.
"You are a slut," her mother said. "Guess you don't just dress like one. Used condom, and birth control pills. Really classy, Eleanor."
"You went snooping through my room?" Ellie was sufficiently enraged that she neglected to consider the consequences of her outburst. "How dare you?"
"I was shoving that disgusting rodent back in there. If you'd been more responsible, I wouldn't have had to. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised." She narrowed her eyes and took a step toward Ellie, who was more concerned about Bueller than herself.
"If you did anything to him," she began. She never got a chance to finish. She felt a hard blow against her head, and off-balance, tumbled to the ground and curled up into a tiny ball. Her mother gave her one last kick in the ribs then left the room and poured herself a drink as if it had never happened.
It took Ellie a moment to realize what had gone on. Her mother had never gone that far before--in fact, before the previous day, had only ever hit her once. She dragged her body up off the ground, keeping one eye on the woman in the next room, then darted up the stairs and shoved Bueller into his travel cage. She didn't even bother to get a coat or change her boots into something more comfortable before leaving the house.
She knew the number by heart without having ever called it. It was slightly harder than that to find enough dimes and nickels for the payphone. She scoured her pockets and the steet, and came up with just enough. It was the third ring before anyone picked up.
"Sean? Sean, please, I'm scared. I need you."