A/N: Don't own Ninja Turtles! What a shame.

"Mmm... we're standing so far apart
We had a string of false starts
I can't seem to stop it now
It grows and it grows and it grows"—The Rolling Stones

--

"You seem cheery today, Hazel." Her art teacher smiled at her, peering at her work. She blushed, nodding.

"Oh, well I-I had a good weekend, Miss Welter." Hazel glanced at the clock mounted on the wall. Usually, she dreaded the end of the day- but the bullies hadn't even bothered her in the halls or in class today. She packed away her supplies, putting her newly finished project on her teacher's desk- of course, she didn't care about that one- her mind wandered toward her other new piece.

When the bell rang to signify school was over for yet another dismal Monday, Hazel hurried to her locker. She pulled on her sweater and snatched her backpack from its hook, rushing outside.

Pleasantly surprised to find no one following her home, Hazel carefully lowered herself into the manhole she was quickly becoming familiar with.

"Hey Hazel!" cried Mikey, jumping off of his skateboard and running over to her. She giggled.

"Hi, Mikey."

"You come and visit lots, don't you?"

"Oh! Is that bad? I-I'm sorry—"

"No way! It's cool. I'm just not used to it 'cos April's always busy so we don't get to see her as much anymore." Hazel nodded sadly in sympathy.

"Where's everyone else?"

"Oh! Uh, they said they'd be back soon," grinned Mikey, "Wanna play a game? I'm not really much of an entertainer…"

"Sure! I'm not that good, though." She laughed.

Hazel laughed in surprise when she looked at the screen.

"You guys have your own game?" she smiled.

"Well… It's really just Street Fighter." Hazel nodded, seeing some of the original characters still remained; she chose Ryu.

"I used to play this at the arcade down the street from me when I was a kid."

"There was an arcade that close to here?"

"Well, no… I used to live in Ontario."

"Oh, so that's why you talk like that!"

"Mikey, that's really rude of you," Donnie sighed, walking in with his other two brothers just as game-Mikey finished Ryu off.

"Told you I was no good," laughed Hazel nervously, avoiding eye contact with Raph at all costs, "H-Hi guys, I-I drew you all something…"

"What? You didn't show me!" Mikey whined. Hazel smiled, fumbling with the zipper on her backpack as her hands trembled. All of her life, she kept fearing what others thought, to an almost ridiculous level.

"Well, h-here it is," she sighed, pulling out the small folder as the brothers leaned in, staring at it. Many different comments poured out all at once, but only one really stuck out in Hazel's ears.

"It's good," Raph had mumbled quickly and quietly amongst his brothers' louder praises. Hazel turned pink, a faint smile evident on her face.

"Thanks, guys." She handed it to Donnie, who had requested a closer look.

"I look so sweet," Mikey bragged, looking over his brother's shoulder. Hazel sat down, sighing.

"You okay?" Raph sat down opposite her, making her shiver.

"I-It's just… My parents are leaving for their vacation tomorrow, and they won't be back for a week or two," she stammered, "A-And I'm just paranoid, is all."

"No one's gonna hurt you."

"I wish I could believe that…" She shrugged. Mikey jumped over the couch and landed beside Raph.

"Pizza guy's here!"

The next day after school, Hazel was told she had to come home straight away. She found a cab there, and her parents packing their bags into it. Her mom hugged her tightly.

"Oh, I'll miss you so much! Don't do anything to the house, okay?"

"I-I won't." After the cab drove away, Hazel headed back into the house. She had hardly slept the previous night- everything that was bothering her just wouldn't back down and let her sleep. Now, she couldn't stop thinking about that picture. He said it was good. It must've been a lie; she knew he hated her… But why? She had no idea.

"If he hates me so much, why'd he friggin' rescue me?" she grumbled to Apple, stomping up the stairs to her room. Her bed creaked loudly when she flopped onto it, glaring at the ceiling.

"I shouldn't even give a shit what he says!"

"Meow."

Hazel yawned, her eyelids feeling heavier and heavier. Apple curled up beside her, and soon the pair were both asleep.

"Crap!" Hazel pried her kitten from her chest several hours later, her uniform now covered in black and white cat hair.

"How long did I sleep for? Crap!" she whined, getting out of her uniform as fast as she could, as if it had a plague. She changed into a bright yellow, short sleeved dress, with black leggings underneath. She tied a yellow ribbon into a bow in her hair.

"Well, don't I look fabulous?" She grumbled, picking up her uniform and taking it down to the laundry room.

Dumping soap into the machine with it, she glared at Apple, who had taken to following her wherever she went in the house. She was starting to think twice about naming her that- after all, she was named after a Raphael painting, of all artists… But… She did care. She did want him to care. She screwed her face up in anger.

"I'm talking to my cat, my parents ditched me for a random vacation, and I'm in love with a mutated turtle who hates me!" She balled her hands into fists just as she heard a knock at the door.

"And it gets better!" She shuffled off in her bare feet to the door, opening it the small crack that the chain would allow. She stared at her visitor, blood rushing to her cheeks.

"R-Raph, I-I… W-What are you doing here?"

"Not lettin' anyone hurt you, since you were so concerned about it." Hazel smiled shyly.

"Where're the others?"

"Home. Figured you didn't want your house mangled. Nice bow." Hazel laughed nervously, though she wished they'd have came along to make things less awkward. She let him in, sitting down in the living room.

"R-Raph?" she stammered, pulling on the silver band around her wrist.

"Huh?" Apple had crawled into his lap.

"D-Do you… hate me?"

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YAY, ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE! And I'll be updating shortly, since I'm so addicted to writing this! POSSIBLY EVEN UPDATING TODAY. Wow. (: Please review! I love you guys.