Chapter 3

Lara awoke early the next morning. She jumped out of her bed, exited to help Donnie with one of his experiments. She unzipped her suitcase, pulled out a neon green tank top with lace on the top and bottom, and then pulled out a pair of ripped jean shorts. She slipped them on, then pulled out her neon purple sneakers and slipped them on too. She stood up and realized that today was her 16th birthday. She had almost forgotten in all the rush of meeting the turtles and Sensei. She opened her door to hear angry words out in the hallway. She stopped to listen. She heard Raph insult Leo, and Leo answer back quietly, obviously struggling to hold his temper. She listened hard to understand what they were saying.

"She's a pest! I don't want her around anymore." Raph said angrily.

"C'mon Raph, give her a fighting chance. She's alone with nothing to hold. And no one to listen to her." Leo answered.

"I don't care! She's always following me around, and never leaving me alone!" Raph argued.

"You've always wanted a little sister." Leo said quietly.

"Eavesdroppers sometimes hear things they shouldn't." A voice said from behind Lara, scaring her. She whirled around, to be face to face with Donnie. "Why were you eavesdropping on them?" he asked with, to Lara's surprise, not even a hint of anger in his voice.

"I-I, oh, I don't know Donnie. I'm sorry. I truly am." Lara answered. Donnie nodded. "Why does Raph not like me?" she blurted out before she could think of better. Donnie turned around and looked sad.

"Raph doesn't like many people. I have had this feeling deep down for years that started when I was a little boy, that Raph only stands us. He doesn't love us as his brothers. This, in turn, makes me feel unwanted." Lara hung her head. She had basically insulted him, after she had insulted him before by eavesdropping.

"Oh, Donnie." She whispered. "I'm so sorry." Donnie drew her into an embrace.

"It's fine." He said. "I overdo it sometimes."

"I like you just the way you are. Even with all you're different." Lara answered. "I love you."

"Thank you Lara. I really needed to hear that. Now go do your hair so we can start the experiment. We don't want you to catch it on fire now do we?" Donnie said. But before he disappeared into his lab, he said over his shoulder, "And happy, happy birthday." Lara smiled and returned to her room.

…

Lara skipped out of Donnie's lab and stretched. She had spent the last three hours in his lab helping him with his experiments. She went to the kitchen to see if Mikey needed any help. On her way to the kitchen, she heard Raph and Leo arguing again. She sighed. Would they ever stop?

"Look Leo," Raph said quietly. "I am getting rid of her. I'm doing it tonight, swiftly and silently. And you can't stop me."

"Sensei can." Leo answered.

"Oh yea? Then go get him. And we'll see who the better fighter is." Lara gasped, revealing her presence to the two brothers. Leo looked franticly around the room, as Lara slumped against the wall, hoping to not be found.

"Oh," she thought. "I'm in a world of trouble."

"Lara?" Leo called softly. "Come out here please." When she didn't move out into the open, he called again. "I don't want to force you. Come out here now please." Lara slowly came out of her hiding spot. "How much did you hear?" Leo asked.

"Enough." Lara answered. "If I'm that much trouble to you guys, then I'll leave. Right now."

"No!" Leo said. "You're not leaving if I can help it. Raph just needs to learn some manners." Raph grunted his opinion of that. Lara wasn't convinced. "Please." Leo begged. "Don't tell anyone about this." Lara sighed.

"Fine." She agreed. "On one condition, you stop fighting!" Raph and Leo looked at each other.

"We'll try." Leo answered with a glare at Raph. Raph ignored him and stomped away. Leo tried to hug Lara, but she wiggled out of his grasp, and ran off.

"What a horrible birthday!" Lara thought. "I wish they wouldn't forget about me."

….

It had been an hour since Lara's encounter with Leo and Raph. She closed her book as she heard a soft knock at her door.

"Lara?" Mikey's voice called. "Are you in there?"

"Yea, I'm still in here." Lara answered, jumping off of her made bed and opened the door.

"Come on out." Mikey said. "We have presents for your birthday."

"I thought you had forgotten." Lara mumbled.

"Well, I didn't!" Mikey said happily. Lara smiled.

"I can see that." She said. Mikey took her hand in his own

"C'mon, you'll like the presents we're going to give you."

...

Lara walked alongside Mikey to the living room, where Donnie and Leo, but not Raph, were sitting on the couch. April and Casey were on the floor.

"Happy birthday!" they all said at once. Lara became suddenly shy.

"Thank you." She said quietly. Mikey gave Lara his present first. It was a brand new fiction novel. "How'd you know I wanted this?" she asked.

"You only mentioned it over 3,000 times!" Mikey laughed. Donnie gave Lara her own science kit so she could do her own experiments.

"I'll teach you some easy ones to get you started." Donnie said.

"Thank you very much." Lara answered with a smile that was bigger than she was. Leo saved his three presents for last. The first one was a bow and arrows, the second one was two swords identical to his, and the third one, well she didn't quite know yet.

"Close your eyes for a moment." Leo said, and she did. She felt a light necklace chain around her neck. "You can open your eyes now." Lara looked down, and saw a pink sapphire on the chain.

"Oh," she breathed. "It's beautiful."

"I knew you'd like it." Leo smiled. She smiled back.

"C'mon." Donnie urged. "We can practice some experiments now."

"All right, all right, I'm coming!" Lara laughed. Then Mikey said there was an attack going on outside.

"Or I guess we won't practice right now." Donnie sighed.

"Can I come with you guys?" Lara asked eagerly.

"Uh, no. I don't think so. Maybe later, just wait here until we get back." Leo answered.

"Okay." Lara answered sadly.

"Don't worry." Leo said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be back soon." Lara nodded, and retired to her room to read her new book.