El still wasn't quite over the fight with her parents by the time she went to bed. Now, I may not be the #1 girl expert but when I hear muffled sobs coming from El's bedroom, I can tell she's not quite over it yet.

I let her cry for a bit as I tried to drown out the noise, just like I used to do when my mother drank herself to tears. But then I remembered Camp Green Lake. I remembered how I used to be the one muffling my sobs into the pillow as I tried my hardest not to wake anyone.

Looking back on it, I kind of wishes I had woken someone. The only one who ever really asked about it was Caveman and if I remember correctly, I felt slightly better that morning knowing someone actually cared. Even if I did threaten him.

Slipping off the couch, I tiptoed down the dark hall until I reached El's room and I carefully pushed open the door to see the brunette curled up in the sheets, her back facing me.

I closed the door behind my and shuffled to the bed, not bothering to ask El if I could come in and slid under the sheets. El turned her head slightly, about to ask what I was doing but I cut her off by wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her back closer to my chest.

"I care." I whispered in her ear and just like that, she put her head back on the pillow and within a few minutes, I could hear her rhythmatic breathing, telling me she was asleep.

I closed my eyes as well and let myself drift off to sleep.

I was awake before El. Not wanting to disturb her sleeping, I carefully unwound myself from the tangled, purple sheets and slid out of bed. I had school today and only had time for a quick shower before I had to go meet up with X and the guys.

I grabbed some fresh clothes from my bag laying at the end of my bed (AKA the couch) and walked into the bathroom. Stripping myself of my old sweats and boxers, I hopped in the shower, and quickly scrubbed myself of the grime that had built up on my body over yesterday.

When I was ready and in fresh clothes, I was about to go to the kitchen to get something to eat but was rudely reminded that we had no food when I opened the fridge to find it was nearly bare.

I glanced at the clock, I had woken up late and only had a few more minutes to get ready before I had to go. Grabbing a pen, I rolled up my sleeve and jogged to El's room and lightly shook her awake.

"El, I need some money for grocery shopping after school. What do you want me to get?" I asked the pretty brunette as she rolled over to face me. Her sleepy brown eyes were red rimmed from last nights crying session.

"What? Groceries? Chocolate milk." El muttered sleepily and curled into a sleepy ball. "All I want is chocolate milk..." She waved her hand to her purse and grumbled something that I assumed was about money.

I ripped open her duct tape purse and grabbed a stack of twenties before asking again what El wanted me to get. "Chocolate milk." she grumbled.

"Helpful, really." I sighed sarcastically as I scribbled chocolate milk on my arm and left the room. Grabbing my backpack off the couch, I left the house, yelling goodbye to El.

As I walked to Hinder Park, I tried to think of what we would need. Milk, eggs, Kraft Dinner (because of course we need KD) and some of the cheapest shit I could find. By the time I finished writing down Pop Tarts, X-Ray pulled up.

"Hey man, what's up?" X greeted as I slid into the front seat.

"I have to get groceries and my roommate is being the least helpful person in the world." I answered, still trying to think of stuff to buy. "Ooh, pancake mix! Then maybe I'll get pancakes for breakfast." I scribbled pancakes onto my arm.

"Did you get Kraft Dinner yet?" Zigzag asked from the backseat, "Everyone needs Mac n' cheese."

"Of course I got KD, who do you think I am, Zig?" I snorted. "I should probably get something to drink." I muttered and wrote juice in big letters on my arm. What else is cheap that actually taste good?"

"Ramen Noodles." Twitch answered immediately, "When my mom got fired a few years back all we ate were Ramen Noodles."

I shrugged and wrote that on my arm as well. By the time we reached school, I already had a good list written on my arm and it was all in my budget. "Hey, by the way, where's Caveman?"

"He's sick." X-Ray answered. "Passed by his house and the bathroom window was open. I could hear him from outside. Got a text a minutes later saying his dad tried spraying Sploosh in his yogurt to see if it tasted as good as it smelled."

"Did it?" I asked as we walked up the path to the school.

X-Ray shook his head, "Apparently not. Man, you need to just get a phone and text him yourself."

I shrugged, I really did need one, even if I just got a shitty flip phone. "I guess I'll get one sometime. I'm getting my pay check tomorrow and then I still have to pay rent."

"Get one, we need to stay in touch with our favourite sea creature." X-Ray chuckled at his own joke. Only then did I realize we were the only ones left of our group because everyone else went to go meet up with Pit and Magnet.

X-Ray seemed to notice it too because he whipped around to face me with a serious look on his face, "Who is she?"

"What?"

"The girl! You would never go grocery shopping on your own and I saw you hugging this chick on the street yesterday. Who is she and why haven't I met her?" I looked back to make sure no one else was around.

"Look, she's not my girlfriend, we're just living together because I got her caught up in this thing-"

"Is it illegal? Squid, you know we can't do that shit anymore!" X-Ray urged and I opened my mouth to object. But was what were doing illegal? I don't think so, we were just lying...

Thankfully, the bell rang. "It's fine, trust me. I got to get to class though."

The day flew by, me avoiding X-Ray as much as possible and not really talking to any of D-tent because I was scared my his friend had told everyone that I was in Trouble and bringing someone down with me.

When the final bell rang, I rushed out of school and straight to the grocery store picking everything up and heading home. I didn't even bother telling the guys I wouldn't need a ride and I figured they could figure it out themselves.

But when I got home, I was in for a surprise. El was sitting on the couch, her baby bump laying on the floor and a girl was sitting next to her, holding a cup of tea.

And she was pregnant.