Hi again! Next installment of pellie fluff is here, my friends. Sorry it's short.

Toenails and Popcorn

The Michalchuk residence was a sweeping two story house, with huge plentiful windows and open French doors. Ellie's eyes almost fell out of her skull when she saw the gorgeous place.

Dylan parked on the side of the road and Paige escorted Ellie up the porch steps and in through the front door. "Welcome to my place," Paige said breezily. "My room's upstairs, come on." Paige bounded up the steps, Ellie following slowly. Paige's room itself was a beautifully airy room with a double bed along the wall and going under the wide window. A fully laden TV cabinet rested behind the door, and girly magazines littered the table and part of the floor. Posters of the most recent young male superstars lined the walls, and some of the up-and-coming young women shared the space. A walk-in wardrobe was filled to overflowing with clothes and old toys, and Ellie stood staring at the entire room in wonder. Painfully she remembered her own tiny room with the window opening onto next door's crappy yard; Paige's window overlooked the beautiful street, even glimpsing a park at the end of the block.

"Everything ok, Ellie?" Paige asked, concerned.

"I'm fine." Ellie replied instantly. She caught Paige's sceptical expression. "Really. I'm just amazed at your room. It's beautiful."

"Thanks," Paige said honestly, smiling. "So, what's first: manicure or facial?" Paige asked perkily.

The afternoon passed languidly, with Ellie receiving star treatment from Princess Paige; manicure, pedicure, facial and hair deep root conditioning. By dinner time Ellie had showered and felt better than she had in weeks. In loose black long sleeved shirt and baggy pyjama pants, she followed pink-pyjama clad Paige downstairs to the dinner table.

"Mum, Dad, this is my friend Ellie. Sorry I didn't bring her down earlier; we were in the middle of an intense beauty therapy session." Paige announced as they sat down at the food-laden table. A huge roast lay in the middle, surrounded by bowls of salads and steamed vegetables. "Ellie, my mum Nora and my dad John." Paige introduced as the adults sat down as well. Nora and Paige shared the same chin and smile, but the eyes were totally John's.

"Nice to meet you," Ellie said, smiling politely. Paige and Dylan had already started to pile their plates.

"And you too, dear," Nora said warmly. "Help yourself, or there won't be any left after these two have finished." She joked, helping herself to a slice of roast.

"Thankyou," Ellie said quietly. Almost shyly she placed food on her plate, only a little to begin with but as she became more comfortable she ate more and more. Paige watched her newfound friend, eyes glowing.

Ellie and Paige finished their meal and Paige led Ellie into the kitchen. Ellie turned back before she left the dining room. "Thankyou for dinner, it was delicious. And thankyou for letting me stay here tonight."

"Not at all, dear!" Nora smiled. "You're welcome anytime."

Ellie smiled her thanks. "Did you want a hand cleaning up, or anything?"

"Thankyou, but we'll let you and Paige get on with your videos." John smiled, stacking the plates. Ellie nodded, and followed Paige.

"Ok, so do you want butter flavour or the weird salt and vinegar flavour?" Paige asked as the door closed behind Ellie, searching through the cupboard for the packages. Her face was scrunched up with concentration, and Ellie tried not to giggle. Eventually Paige found the packages and held them aloft.

"I'm gonna have to go butter," Ellie replied.

"Good, I hate that salt and vinegar stuff. This won't take long to cook, if you wanted to go up to my room and decide on a video?" Paige offered.

"Ok," Ellie nodded. "You don't want me to stay?"

"its popcorn, hun, I'm sure I can handle it." Paige answered in her know-it-all way. She ruined the bitch effect by burping loudly. "Oh my God! Excuse me," Paige said, astonished. Ellie laughed and went back up to Paige's room.

She found the light switch easy enough and sat on Paige's bed, reading the backs of the videos. From the blurbs 'Kissing Jessica Stein' sounded the most interesting, but Ellie felt weird admitting that to herself, despite the fact that it was almost Paige's favourite movie.

"So, picked one?" Paige asked from the doorway, closing it behind her. Ellie looked up, startled out of her daydream.

"No, not really." Ellie lied, shrugging. Paige placed the bowl of popcorn in Ellie's lap, and performed 'eeni-meeni-mynie-mo' to pick a video. 'How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days' won.

The two girls settled back in a mound of pillows lying across ways on Paige's bed, eating buttery popcorn and watching the predictable plot line unfold. In spite of herself, Ellie found she was enjoying herself.

At the end of 'How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days', someone knocked gently on the door.

"Come in," Paige giggled, fighting Ellie for the popcorn dregs.

"Hey girls," Dylan said in his campest voice. "Mind if I watch the Jessica Stein saga with you?"

"Not at all Dil," Paige said, smiling. "Just grab a blanket from the cupboard, would you? My legs are cold."

Dylan sighed and rolled his eyes. "As you wish," he scoffed. Paige smirked as she set up the video.

Paige was lying between her brother and friend, with the huge doona covering the three of them. The movie started, and as the story got more in-depth, Paige snuggled down in the blanket and pillows, and moved her arm so that it was touching Ellie's. Ellie looked down at her arm underneath the blanket, feeling Paige's warm skin. Paige showed no outward signs of anything, and she and Dylan were glued to the screen. Ellie looked back at the movie quickly, gulping, eyes darting from her arm to the movie. After a few minutes, Dylan yawned.

"I just can't stay awake. I'm off to bed. See you girls in the morning. I'll get you pizza some other time, promise."

"Goodnight Dil," Paige said as her older brother left. Paige sat up and frowned at her pillows. "I just can't get comfy," she whined. "Mind if I lie normally? I am getting such a sore back."

"No, its fine. Go right ahead," Ellie said, hoping she sounded as cool as possible.

"Great," Paige smiled and rearranged the blanket and pillows. Paige rested her head on a pillow up against Ellie's leg and sighed. "Much better."

"Cool," Ellie said, mildly confused and nervous. Looking down she saw Paige's soft hair had come free of the ponytail. It slid and tumbled over itself as Paige wriggled again to get comfortable. Biting her lip, Ellie lifted a hand to just touch the blonde mass. Hesitating, after a couple of attempts, Ellie ever-so-gently rested a hand on Paige's head and stroked the cheerleader's hair. A second later Ellie pulled away sharply. "I'm sorry," she said haltingly.

"Its fine, hun," Paige said, her voice warm and low. "Told you I needed that conditioner."

Ellie smiled to herself, and spent the rest of the movie holding Paige's soft hair in her shaking fingertips.

Watching the classy love story emerge, Paige smiled at the feeling of Ellie's anxious hands through her thick hair.

Once the movie ended, Paige yawned. "I am so totally exhausted. Ready for sleep, Ella-belle?"

"Yeah," Ellie said drowsily. Paige sat up just as Ellie was stretching.

"Well it's too late to go rummaging for another mattress, so are you cool with sharing a bed? I don't snore, promise," Paige said in her self-mockingly snobby way.

"No, it's fine," Ellie said, ignoring her beating heart.

"Cool," Paige said, climbing off the bed and discarding all but two pillows. "Mind if I have the wall side?"

"Either way," Ellie replied, standing as Paige pulled down the covers. Paige climbed in, and Ellie was momentarily distracted by Paige's pyjamas pulling tight over her legs and butt. After Paige was settled Ellie turned out the light, and got into bed beside Paige.

"So are you having fun?" Paige asked sleepily. "The normal game isn't so bad, is it?"

"As long as you don't think I'm like this all the time, normal and happy and shit," Ellie said, feeling the day's worth of misery welling up inside her. The familiar need to break skin and see blood was back, stronger than ever, but she couldn't do it with Paige so close. The fresh smell of Paige's hair mixed with the memory of vodka and Ellie felt the world changing.

"Oh Ella-belle," Paige said, turning on her side to face Ellie in the weak moonlight. "I'll do anything you want me to. Just say the word, Ellie." Paige whispered, touching Ellie's shoulder.

"I don't want to talk about it," Ellie said quietly, tears dripping down her face. She started to cry, very softly. Paige moved closer and held Ellie in her arms.

"It's ok," Paige whispered, biting down her own tears. "As long as you need me, and much longer after, I'm here." Paige said, rubbing Ellie's back. Ellie cried herself to sleep in Paige's worried arms.