A/N: I got no reviews, but I just wanted to update.

School was useless and stupid. The people were all the same, whispering, flirting, gossiping. Girls with their stupid hair and makeup and clothes, and guys with their stupid sports and hooking up and cars. JT hated all of them. The few exceptions being Toby, Emma and Manny. And Liberty. He didn't hate her. Even if she did hate him.

He slammed his lunch, on a table all by itself, away from where he usually sat, feeling ashamed. JT searched the cafeteria, and looked towards the end of the table, where Craig Manning was kissing Manny, playfully. She didn't notice him. Emma, Toby and Liberty were sitting together, laughing and talking. He sighed, wishing that he was with them.

JT took a bite of his sandwich, savoring the taste, feeling the lump in his throat, and swallowing. His self pity was interrupted, by a small, calm voice. "Um . . . can I sit here?" JT turned his head, rolling his eyes. The same girl from group therapy, the girl with the red hair, was standing there, holding a brown bag, with a black one around her shoulder. He shrugged, and she sat across from him, silently.

He examined her. She was wearing a black graphic t shirt, over a rugged red blouse, with skinny jeans and combat boots. Ellie Nash was a weird one, that was for sure. He supposed everyone was weird, in their own way. Ellie opened up her lunch, picking at doritos. JT scrunched his eyebrows, and she looked up. "What?"

"Why are you sitting here?"

Ellie gave him a look saying that she still didn't understand.

"We've talked. Ever. I mean . . . yesterday . . ."

"It's never too late to make a new friend," said Ellie, eating on of her doritos.

JT scrunched his nose, "Who said I wanted to be your friend?"

He knew this would send her away. His aggressive nature had been sending everyone away lately. Who cared though? He deserved it.

But Ellie Nash did not leave. She sat perfectly still, except for the slight flip of her red hair. She played with her fingertips, which had been painted with black nailpolish and pursed her lips. JT wondered why she wasn't saying anything. Maybe she was afraid that she would send him to suicide. God knows that had already happened. He thought of Liberty, and looked over to her, biting his lip, fustrated.

"Well," said Ellie finally. "You look pretty lonely. I mean – you're here all by yourself,"

"I like being by myself," he lied through his teeth, and Ellie looked down and back up.

"No you don't," she said. "You're JT Yorke. Class clown, sarcastic, certified outcast. You're best friends with Toby Issacs, Emma Nelson and Manny Santos. You love kids, even though you hate to admit it."

JT looked shocked, surprised that a person he had never spoken to, could know that much about him. Maybe that was why Ellie Nash was in therapy. Because she knew complete strangers like the back of her hand. Good thing she didn't know everything.

"How do you know that?"

"Being alone gives you a lot of time to observe people," she states. JT shrugs. "For example. For the past five minutes, you've been staring across the room at Liberty Van Zandt, who – seems to be . . . different this year."

JT gulped, feeling the panic wash over him. Not sure why. The whole school knew that he was the one. He was the one who had gotten Liberty Van Zandt pregnant. Ellie waited for a comment, and he gave her one. "N-no I haven't,"

"Okay, then," said Ellie. "I just thought that since you two are dating –"

"We're not dating,"

Ellie shrugs her shoulders, "Ah. So she dumped you,"

JT bit his lip, and looked down, bothered and annoyed. "I never said that,"

"Then . . . you like her," Ellie Nash raised her eyebrows, and JT wondered why she cared so much about a starnger that she had just met. But she did.

"I – I don't," he lied once more. It wasn't really a lie. He didn't like Liberty, he loved Liberty. Ellie Nash did not need to know about his failure of a love life. She shrugged.

"I get it. You don't want to get hurt," Ellie's expression moved to Craig and Manny. Manny was sitting on Craig's lap – until Miss Hatzilakos scolded them both. He nodded. Manny and Craig, there was nothing you could do to tear those two apart.

"Craig, huh?" JT asked. Ellie nodded.

"Yeah – I wouldn't. Guy's bad news. I mean, a couple years back he and Manny –" JT stopped himself, so he wouldn't feel like a pathetic hypocrite. Ellie crossed her arms, and sipped her apple juice.

"Had a baby – and then an abortion? Yeah, Ashley told me,"

Back then, he had agreed with Manny on the abortion subject. He meant, at the time, they were just little kids. Now, JT could see, he never agreed. He had just wanted to impress the beautiful Manuella Santos. Now, espeically. JT Yorke couldn't see how anyone could ever want an abortion.

Ellie smiled at him, "So. Group therapy, tonight. Are you coming?"

He wanted to say no, he really did. He turned his head slightly, and saw Liberty sitting with Toby and Emma, and sighed. "Yes,"

"I guess I'll see you then," she said, picking up her garbage to throw it out, and leave.

"Yeah. Guess you will."