Encore
And I drove outta east Atlanta
With a headache the size of my car
And I called to say I was okay, anyway
Cause I know how you are
You know I'm like a movie without a ending
You know I got nowhere to go
And it makes me wanna throw up
To see you wanna give up more than you'll ever know
Marvelous 3 / Cigarette Lighter Love Song
…I heard she tried to kill her mom and then herself and they sent her to another country to do experiments on her brain…
…well I heard she really was a vampire and killed her dad and they locked her up…
…she cut herself and painted the walls of her room with her blood…
…no, her mom tried to kill her and now she's in the witness protection program…
…she killed herself…
…I heard that she tried to kill herself because Sean and her broke up...
…I heard she was kidnapped by drug dealers and taken to LA…
…Heather Sinclair said that she heard Sean got Ellie pregnant and she moved to B.C. to have an abortion, and got caught up in the Mafia and was killed and it all got covered up…
"Enough!" Ashley shouted as she heard whispers about Ellie.
The hallways immediately got quiet. It was bad enough when whispers were being muttered about Ashley's life, but lies were now being spread about her best friend, "Ellie is away on a much needed vacation, she's not dead, she's not a vampire, she didn't kill anyone, she didn't try to kill herself, she wasn't kidnapped, and she sure as hell isn't pregnant!" Ashley was turning beat red with fury, "keep your pathetic rumors to yourselves!"
Ashley rounded the corner on her way to her locker and immediately heard more whispers floating as she disappeared from view. She spun the combination on her locker and leaned in to the metal enclosure and wanted to scream. She looked at the pictures lining the inside of her locker and smiled, Ellie would be home in two months, and everything would be back to normal.
"Ash…have you heard everything they're saying?" Marco asked out of breath as he rushed up to her locker.
"Yea…and nothing I say will change their minds." Ashley answered as she slammed her locker shut.
Terri walked up next to Ashley and Marco, "are you guys talking about all the nasty things they are saying about Ellie?"
Ashley nodded.
Terri sighed, "Why are teenagers so nasty?" she asked innocently.
Ashley laughed, "We'll never know why some of us doing things like that." Ashley thought back over the many teenage drama incidents she'd be apart of, it was more of a question of what rather than who or why. Such as what had been the situation that occurred for those actions to be taken? More or less, everything had been done in self defense, and in the case of their first year at DCS it had been an influence of character. But growing up changes things for some people. And in Ashley's case, she learned what true character was through her dramatic actions over the years, and she was going to use that to her advantage while protecting Ellie's good nature during her absence.
"So when is she coming back?" Jimmy asked as they walked into their homeroom.
"Her mom said that she's there for two months indefinitely, and if they think she's stable enough she can come home" Ashley answered, "why?" wondering about Jimmy's sudden interest in her best friend.
"Ellie's one of us, ya know?" Jimmy answered, "gotta look out for our crew."
Ashley held back a chuckle, "that's sweet Jimmy," and hugged him, immediately losing all cool as she fell into his arms. Trying to be strong for Ellie was over whelming, Ashley didn't know how Ellie made it through the days when everyone knew she was 'the cutter' and whispers floated through the hall. Jimmy, stunned at first, ran his arms up and down Ashley's back, comforting her as only her oldest friend and first love could. Jimmy could feel her hot tears as they fell on his gray Nike t-shirt.
"She'll be okay" he said as he gently rubbed her back.
Ashley smiled and pulled away, her fingers immediately rubbing away the smudged eyeliner and mascara, and laughed, "I must look like a raccoon," she said, "does it look okay?"
Jimmy laughed, "beautiful Ash, as always."
Ashley blushed and took a seat behind Terri, and next to an empty chair, only to groan as the empty chair was filled with Craig's form. "As if the day couldn't get any worse…" she muttered to herself.
"Nice too see you two Ash…"
"You must be Ellie…"
Ellie opened her eyes, and they looked up to the owner of the soft quiet voice. Ellie's eyes took in the form of her roommate.
Long black hair…purple hi-lights
Blue eyes
Pale
Short
Hoodie
Sweatshirt
Thin…very thin…
Pretty face…a pretty girl…
"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"
"No…Verity right?" Ellie said sitting up, sliding her headphones down to dangle around her neck.
"Verity Tate Russo, at your service," she said flopping down on the bed on the other side of the room. Verity watched as Ellie pulled her knees up to her chest, as she became uncomfortable with her new surroundings. "So, Ellie, right?" Ellie nodded, "how long are you here for?" Verity asked.
"Two months…or longer…"
"so what are you…Anorexic? Bulimic?" Verity wondered aloud as she looked Ellie over, "Sorry I'm being rude, aren't I?" she shook her head, "stupid me…"
"cutting, actually…" Ellie answered looking at her bed sheet.
"Wow! You're so thin…I'm jealous…I could never stay that thin…"
Ellie looked at the girl confused, "you're thinner than I am…"
"I could never look as good as you…"
"so…what are you here for…?"
"I'm anorexic…been here for six months already…they think I'm severely depressed as well…"
"how long have you been…I mean…if you don't mind me asking…?"
" hmm…about eight years" Verity answered as she pulled out a composition book, " since I was about twelve or thirteen," she laughed, " perfectionist mother…thin is in…Verity, honey you could stand to lose a few pounds" she said mocking her mother's voice.
"so you're…" Ellie said trying to do the math in her head.
"twenty-one next month" Verity answered as she scribbled some words down in the composition book.
The room got quiet until Verity's eyes peered over the edge of the notebook, "how old are you Ellie?"
"Sixteen "
"You got a boyfriend?" Verity asked, Ellie hung her head, "guess that's a no…so what happen? He cheat on you? Left you cause they think you're crazy?" Verity wondered aloud, and then thought for a moment as Ellie remained silent, "I'm being rude again, I'm sorry, I tend to do that a lot, so you like, really liked him…?"
Ellie nodded.
"He cute?"
Ellie reached into her back pack and pulled out a journal type sketch book and flipped through the pages until she stumbled upon a picture of her and Sean sleep on the couch. Tracker had come home late from work to find the two sleeping on the couch, and couldn't help but take a picture. She held her arm out expecting Verity to walk over and take it. Verity looked over, "you have legs girl, and I'm not going to bite…" Ellie sighed; slightly laughing to herself she crawled off the bed and made her way across the small but spacious room. Verity took the picture from Ellie as she sat down on the bed. Verity laughed, "cute…what's with the eyebrows though?"
Ellie laughed, "I love the eyebrows" she said sweetly, while pretending to be offended.
Verity laughed as she handed the picture back, "so, what happened?"
"we're taking a break…" Ellie answered.
"his idea or yours?"
"both?"
Verity snorted.
"what?" Ellie asked, confused by her snort of laughter and disbelief.
"nothing, it's just…" Verity closed the notebook and sat it in her lap, "Ellie, you're in a mental hospital for two months, what do you think is going to happen when you get out of here? Do you really think he's going to wait for you?" Ellie was silent, "I don't intend to sound mean but I'm speaking truthfully…guys don't wait around for girls like us…"
"But…"
"he loves you?" she asked," Ellie…" she said, and then changed her mind about what she was going to say, " never mind…if he loves you like you believe he does, then by all means, don't lose hope."
Ellie smiled, "thanks…I don't plan to…"
Verity looked over at the digital clock on the desk, "dinner in twenty, you wanna walk down to the mess hall with me? I'll introduce you to some of the other crazy people" she said with a smile.
"Sounds good," Ellie answered, "mind if a change? I feel a bit overdressed"
Verity looked over Ellie's outfit, a cute black skirt with gray striped stockings, her classic clunky boots, layered t-shirts and a light black blazer emblazed with pins. Verity laughed, "not so much, but yea…dressing comfortable is always a good idea."
Ellie blushed and walked over to the dresser she had previously unpacked her clothes into and pulled out a pair of loose black jeans and a tank top. There was no point in hiding scars in a place where everyone had their own deep scarring battle wounds. Verity pulled off her sweatshirt and pulled on a small black t-shirt and slipped on a pair of sandals while throwing her long hair up in a ponytail. Ellie slipped her feet into a pair of her low top converse and shook her red hair loose. "Ready?" Verity asked.
"mmhmmm" Ellie answered.
"What's with the cast?" Verity asked as she led Ellie down the hall and down the stairs towards the mess hall while pointing the black cast.
"Got into a fight with my mom…she let go…I lost balance and fell down the stairs"
Verity made a cringing face, "ouch…" Verity led Ellie through the common room, "oh, this is the common room, row of computer's over there" she said pointing out things of interest, "you need a pass to use them, and you get fifteen to thirty minutes use." Ellie nodded, "and this is…the gang" Verity showed her off in front of a group of teenagers sitting in front of the television set on the comfy leather couches. Ellie blushed.
"Guys, this is Ellie…" Verity said, throwing an arm around the red head, "Ellie…meet…"
"Leslie…I like prescription meds" a tall lanky blonde girl interrupted, "a lot" as she lay across the couch her head in the lap of
"Jane...nose candy is my best friend" she answered messing up her short black hair. Leslie's legs were draped across a short mousy haired boy
"Max, cutter" he answered simply.
"Jerzy" added a buff looking boy on the edge of the couch, his short dark hair cut short, "heroin, anger problems…"
The last person to speak was a tall very thin boy sitting in an oversized chair with a notebook, he looked up, his dirty blonde hair falling into his face, and over his black thick framed square glasses. He wore arm bands over his arms as he smudge charcoal lines in his book with his shaky fingers. He closed the notebook gently, and set it aside, standing up and gently grabbing Ellie's cast. Ellie looked him oddly, and he kissed her hand, "Orion Hunter James…milady"
Verity rolled her eyes, "leave her alone Orion, she's in love."
Orion smirked, "well can I escort milady to dinner?"
The group on the couch burst into laughter.
Ellie flushed bright red, "I think I can handle it on my own…" she said pulling her hand away from his gentle grasp.
"smooth Adonis" Jane said in her husky voice.
Orion nodded, "of course" and bowed, backing away slowly.
Friday Afternoon in the ravine. Parties started early and ran late, and Ellie being gone was no different for the Montreal Crew's routine.
"She okay?" Jay asked, not completely sober.
Sean shrugged as his best friend went to hand him a shot of tequila. Sean pushed it away, "Did you forget the point of going to AA meetings?"
Jay laughed, "didn't' know you were taking it so seriously."
"Well I am" Sean answered.
"Are you okay?" Jay asked.
"I'm fine…"
" Cause man, your girl's in a crazy house…I dunno if I'd be fine with that."
" I'm fine Jay…and she's not my girl…"
" regardless of her position in your life, you still love her" Jay answered.
Sean laughed, "you getting all deep on me man?"
"I'm drunk, man, back away, I think I'm gunna start spouting sonnets…"
Sean laughed so hard tears were bursting from his eyes, "I didn't even know you knew what a sonnet was!"
"Man…" Jay leaned in on Sean, "I ain't stupid…I'se just pretendin'…" Sean struggled to drag Jay over to Alex's side, where Jay fell to his knees, "what light through yonder window breaks…it is the east…and Alex…is the sun," he said laughing and grabbing Alex's hips and pulling her close, sloppily kissing her stomach. " will thee do me the honoreth of suckin' my cocketh?"
Alex pushed him away and laughed, "not now hot stuff."
"I'll see ya'll later, I'm goin' with my brother to Wasaga…parents anniversary and all" Sean muttered messing up Jay's hat and kissing Alex on the cheek goodbye.
"Have Fun!" Alex called out.
Sean faked a smile, " yea, I'll see you guys on Monday"
A/N: Sort of happy with this chapter, not sure why, but I am...I think I've pretty much established the story at this point. In the future I think each chapter will pretty much just be surrounding either Ellie or Sean, not both at the same time. I'm really liking how my mental hospital is turning out, I wish a hosptial like that really existed. I'm liking the reviews guys, thanks a lot, really. I'm glad some of you liked the title of the last chapter...it was just something I thought was funny, and was laughing about the night I posted it...Just cause Amy is just...so funny! Anyways, I don't think the chapter titles will really tell much about the chapter's themselves...
I'll get back into posting song lyrics within the chapters soon, cause I know how much some of ya'll like them...
And this one goes out to Arthur ( as always)
And to my Sheriff Sampson (who finished a tale of his on fictionpress)