A/N: I've just noticed that the chapters are getting shorter... no idea what's going on there lol. Anyway, I've had a sudden surge of people favouriting this story, so thanks to everyone who's faved :D And huge thanks to my lovely reviewers too, you're all awesome :D

Chapter XXVIII:

"And The Doubts Descend"

Elliott sat on the edge of her bed, frowning deeply. What the hell had Gary been doing with Mandy? He had told her on many occasions that he hated her guts and Mandy could barely remember who he was yesterday. So why all of a sudden were they whispering together in the school? It didn't make sense. But then again Gary rarely made sense. Not for the first time since meeting him she wondered if it was really a good idea helping him out with his little 'project'. Maybe she should just tell him she wasn't interested anymore…

Who was she kidding? Of course she was going to keep helping him. Why? Because as much as she hated to admit it she was smitten. It was annoying, certainly, but she couldn't get rid of this gooey invasion on her brain that made her want to follow him around like a little puppy and do whatever he asked. Elliott had never believed in doing things for boys, she expected them to chase after her – but this time it was different. How it was different, she had no idea. She had dated guys before, most of them older and she never did anything for them. But Gary… Hell, she was spending the majority of her free time in a library full of Nerds for him and she wasn't even sure why she was doing it.

Elliott's frown deepened. Yeah, she was off doing all this while he was off doing God knows what. The least he could do was let her in on why she had to 'infiltrate' the Nerds. All he said was that they needed the Nerds on their side, but that made absolutely no sense at all to Elliott. Why did they need the Nerds on their side? Just what the hell was he planning?

A knock at the door roused her from her thoughts and she looked up as it opened. Mrs Peabody entered, looking even more irritable than usual.

'Dr Crabblesnitch told me to bring this.' She said, lifting the CD player up like it was made out of mouldy cheese. 'Why he did I do not know.'

Elliott smiled as pleasantly as she could and stood up, taking the CD player from her. 'Thanks a lot, Mrs Peabody. And don't worry, I'll make sure it stays quiet.'

Mrs Peabody scowled. 'You better. Because if I hear even the tiniest squeak coming from that awful thing then…'

She was interrupted by Mandy, who walked into the room with a textbook and a pile of notes in her arms. Elliott had to stop herself from scowling at the cheerleader, and managed a smile.

'Do you want me to come back?' Mandy asked, glancing warily at Mrs Peabody. She looked to Elliott, and then saw the CD player. 'Oh cool!'

'Like I said,' Mrs Peabody growled, now at the both of them. 'I do not want to hear a peep.' She glared at the two of them to emphasise her point and then left, closing the door behind her.

Elliott hopped to her desk and set the CD player down, squatting to plug it into the wall. 'I didn't think she would bring it.' She told Mandy. 'I expected to look out of the window and see her burning it in the yard.'

Mandy crossed the room and put her books on the desk, looking at the CD player like it was the Holy Grail. 'How did you get that? Crabblesnitch takes anything that makes a noise in this place. We're lucky we even have a TV downstairs.'

Elliott pulled open her drawer and began to rake through the CDs. 'Apparently I've made the most drastic turnaround out of every student here because I'm doing these stupid tutor class things. So as a reward he said I could have my CD player back. I don't know how long for, I'm sure Mrs Peabody will find an excuse to take it back sooner or later…'

'Wow. I don't think I've ever heard of Crabblesnitch doing something like that.' Mandy sat on the chair by the desk. 'I brought all my notes and stuff but I have no idea what any of them mean…'

Elliott limped off and returned with a chair from one of the other desks. She sat down and picked up the textbook. 'It's probably just timelines and stuff and…' She trailed off when she looked at Mandy's messy notes. 'Um… what is it you're doing, exactly?'

'I don't even know.' Mandy replied unhelpfully, pushing the textbook towards her. 'I don't even see why we have to do it. It's not like I want to be a frigging librarian or whatever they're called.'

'Historian.' Elliott corrected, opening the book.

'What?'

'Not librarian. People who do History are called Historians.'

Mandy frowned vaguely. 'Oh right. So… can you do History?'

Elliott glanced at her briefly. There was something weird about tutoring other kids that she hadn't been able to pinpoint until now; it was that the kid being tutored suddenly looked towards you like you were the authority. Maybe they even had a little respect for you.

'Yeah. Sure.' Elliott replied. 'I guess you're on the Civil War by now…'

Mandy had already lost interest and was looking through the CDs that Elliott had produced. 'I don't think I've heard of a single one of these.' She said, her nose wrinkled. 'And who are Rem?'

'It's REM, not Rem.' Elliott told her, taking the CD. 'And I don't think you'd like them. We'll just leave it off while we do this and then-'

'How's your foot?' Mandy interrupted, leaning on her elbow.

Elliott paused. Okay, so Mandy had the attention span of a brick. 'Okay. The cast comes off next week.'

'It hasn't been on very long.'

'Apparently it wasn't very broken.'

Mandy half nodded. 'Damon's leg's better now. He should be able to play again soon.'

Like I give a damn. 'Great. Now, it says that your report has to be three pages…'

'Nurse McRae said he should be totally better by the time the big game comes along.' Mandy continued, leaning back in her chair and examining her fingernails. 'We've been doing nothing but practising for the past month. If we lose that game then we'll be a complete laughing stock. It'll be awesome though. The girls and I have come up with a killer opening routine.'

'Sounds great. Now, about the report-'

'Are you coming?' Mandy asked. 'To the big game. It's still a while away but everyone's going to be there. The guys won't mind. I talked to them today and they said they're cool with you now. Ted is still a bit funny about the whole thing, but knowing him he'll have forgotten by then. He does that.' She cocked her head patronisingly. 'He's not that bright, really.'

Elliott gave up and sat back, putting the book down. 'I guess I'll come and see what's happening.' She shrugged. 'Although I've never been much of a sports person.'

'I noticed in Gym,' Mandy replied. 'But still it's fun to watch, y'know? And we've got to make sure the other team get slaughtered.' She paused and eyed her. 'You know, Elliott, you're totally weird.'

Elliott blinked at the sudden comment. 'Uh…'

'Not in a freaky way.' Mandy told her. 'Not like, Algie weird. I mean… you seem pretty cool to talk to and, I dunno if things had been different you probably would have been hanging out with me and Pinky and Christy but… then you do all this weird stuff like skipping class all the time and doing big revenge attacks. And hanging out with weirdoes like Beatrice and then that slut Lola. Then all of a sudden you're doing these tutor groups…'

Elliott shrugged. 'What can I say? I'm complicated.'

Mandy nodded. 'Too right. And your choice in guys is just uber weird.'

'My choice in guys?'

'Trent's been going around telling everyone you made out-' Mandy started.

'That little shit!' Elliott cried. 'He practically assaulted me!'

'Don't worry, no one believes him.' Mandy shook her head. 'He told everyone that I made out with him behind the library. I mean, behind the library? Of all the places.' She shook her head again. 'And there's that weird kid who likes to torture people…'

'Gary doesn't like to torture people.' She replied. 'That's just what Pinky was telling everyone.'

'Well, he still freaks me out a bit.' Mandy frowned. 'Although he told me something today that nearly made me pee laughing.'

Elliott felt her ears prick up. 'Oh yeah? What was that?'

'You know that kid Jimmy? Well apparently he was kicked out of his old school because they found him in the kitchen with a roast chicken and, get this, he was butt naked.'

Elliott grimaced. 'Ew.'

'I know!' Mandy giggled. 'So gross. I knew there was something weird about that kid. I thought maybe Gary was just making it up but then I thought, why would he make it up? I mean, that would just be stupid. And it would probably explain why Jimmy is sexually confused.'

Elliott frowned thoughtfully. 'Yeah, it would be stupid.'

Mandy sighed and looked down at the notes. 'Well, I guess we better get started, yeah?'

Elliott glanced to the books. 'Yeah, I guess.'

Mandy grabbed the textbook and scanned through the page. 'This totally blows. I bet all the head cheerleaders at the other schools don't have to do frigging history reports.'

Elliott only nodded in response. Now it was her who was going to find it difficult to concentrate. She couldn't help but wonder if Jimmy really deserved all the crap he was getting.