Chapter Twenty-One: Alone Again

"Dad!" Ellie called from the top of the stairs the following morning. "Where's mom?" she frantically asked, racing down the stairs to the kitchen where she knew her father would be. She saw him sitting at the table, taking a sip of his coffee and reaching for the newspaper.

"Good morning to you too," he said.

"Morning," she mumbled. "Where's mom?"

"She had to leave, honey, she said she'd be back in a little while," he answered, not making eye contact with her. "Have some waffles before you go to school. They're on the counter."

Confused, Ellie walked over to the counter and helped herself to breakfast. She debated inside her head all of the places her mother could be. Who went out at sixty forty-five in the morning?

After breakfast, she quickly got herself ready. She threw on a plaid shirt with knee stockings and she wore arm warmers under her mesh sleeves to hide the hideous bandaged-wrapped gash she had inflicted upon her self last night. She prayed no one would notice, especially Jimmy.

Her heart sunk as she thought of him. Why was she so stupid? It hadn't hit her until now just how much she was going to miss him.

Remember why you did it, she told herself. This isn't about him. It's about you. You need to get grounded and you need to get your life back on track. Then you you'll have time for a boyfriend. Just not right now.

She laughed at herself. Time for a boyfriend? There would probably never be another one after Jimmy.

She tried to shake all the negative thoughts out of her head. The day hadn't even begun and already she wanted to fall off the face of the earth. She gathered her backpack and school work, and got ready to head downstairs. She stopped as she reached for the switch to turn her light off, though. She walked over to her nightstand and grabbed a couple rubber bands. Sliding them on her wrist, she exited her bedroom.

----

"Craig!" Manny shouted as she found him in the hallway that morning. She ran up to him, a smile plastering her face. "So..." she said mysteriously. "Still need a date for Spring Fling?"

"Well I was actually thinking of asking Hazel..." he said.

Manny slapped him. "You better be kidding."

"Alright, you got me. I'd love to go with you, Manny," he told her.

She squealed, expressing her happiness. "It's gonna so much fun, Craig. I can't wait. I'll see you later, 'kay?" she said, and flounced away.

From the corner, Liberty had witnessed this whole scenario. In a way she felt bad for JT. After all, she knew just how much he had like Manny, although she would never understand it. She also felt that this was her chance to prove to JT that she was right for him, so she shouldn't waste her time pitying him.

Quickly, she turned around, only to slam into someone else behind her.

"JT!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"You got to watch the show, so I figured it was only fair if I did too," he replied.

"Y-you saw that?" she asked. "Craig and—"

"Yeah," he said shortly. "I saw it."

"JT, I'm sorry...you know, about what's happened. I know how much you liked her," she supplied sympathetically.

He shrugged. "It happens. I'll get over it, Liberty."

"Look, if you still need a date, I'll go—"

"Thanks, but no thanks, Liberty. I don't need a date. I just wanted to go with Manny. And sorry, but your not exactly my idea of a fun date," he replied.

Liberty stared at him, and then shrugged. "Whatever. It happens, right?"

-------

Ellie felt alone. Not the I-have-no-friends-color-me-depressed alone, but the everyone-hates-me-what-do-I-do alone. All neither Paige or Jimmy so much as looked at her. The only person that did look at her was Hazel. And the looks she gave weren't exactly welcoming. She needed to talk to someone. So who did she start with? Paige or Jimmy? She immediately crossed Jimmy off her list. He obviously wasn't going to want to talk to her now that she had 'ripped his heart out and torn it to pieces.'

Walking into Media Immersions, she decided she needed to talk to Paige. There was no sign of her in the classroom, though. She saw Jimmy and Spinner sitting together in the same spot that they always did. Spinner saw her and nudged Jimmy, while Jimmy glanced at her for a second then went back to talking to Spinner.

Ellie sighed, almost ready to give up. Her time was up hanging with the popular crowd. It was nice while it lasted, and she had almost thought she had made some real friends. But things always take a turn for the worst when Ellie Nash is involved.

She sat down in a seat on the opposite side of the room from Jimmy and Spinner. She began to start up her computer, when she noticed someone sit down next to her.

It was Spinner.

"Okay, Ellie, what's the deal?" he demanded.

Ellie was silent. What did he want her to say?

"Either talk or I'm not going away," he told her.

Her eyes flickered towards his. "I'm really not in the mood to talk about this. We're in school," she said.

"Jimmy is crushed. Why'd you—"

"And what about what I feel? Isn't that important? You don't know how hard this is for me!" she snapped.

"Then why?"

"Why what?"

"Why'd you do it?"

Ellie sighed. "There are just things in my life that need to be sorted out right now."

"You don't have to push people way."

"You have no idea," she replied.

He laughed. "Right," he said, his face growing serious. "Paige and I have been through it all."

"You and Paige are perfect."

Spinner turned his head away in frustration. "No, we're not."

She looked at him for a moment. Something in her made her realize that he was right. They probably weren't as picture perfect and they showed the world to be. No couple was. Ellie knew that for a fact. But something about them seemed that way. The way they always smiled and cuddled with each other...it seemed so natural, that no one ever though that they could have problems just like everyone else.

"Okay," she said gently, not wanting to pry and get him upset. "I understand. But this is different."

"Yeah," he snorted. "Because you can't admit that you really care about him."

"I can too!" she snapped in defense, then realized she sounded childish. "Look, it's just hard for me. My family is a mess right now and they need me."

"So does Jimmy! Okay, I've learned through this relationship thing that you will always have someone by your side. Don't bottle it up. It's better to talk about it. And who better to talk with than Jimmy!" he said.

Ellie gave him a strange look. When did Spinner become so wise? They had never gotten along for the sole reason she thought he was the world's biggest moron. But now, here, he seemed so different.

"What? Is there something on my face?" he said, in reaction to the look she shot at him.

"No, you just surprise me," she stated.

Spinner shrugged. "I'm a man of many talents," he joked. "Look, just talk to the dude, alright? Tell him what you told me, okay?"

"I'll try."

"Pinky promise," he demanded and held out his pinky to her.

She grinned. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Do it," he urged. "Or I'm never going away."

She sighed. Giving in, she laced her pinky with his and laughed at how ridiculous they probably looked.

A/N: Yay for chapter 21! Thanks for the reviews guys...I seem to have lost some interest in the story, but that happens. I liked writing this chapter, so I hope to have the next one out soon. Review please. 