Barcrow's: Codename K9

Chapter thirty five - Friends

'Why?' Tina repeated. 'Why not? Everyone here's just surviving, we all need people to lean on, friends. And sorry to say but you don't look like someone who has many friends here.' She looked to the side at Abi's old jumper and jeans that were both a bit too big for Ellie.

'I'm not trying to be your friend or anything.' Abi waved her hands. 'I'm actually quite popular. I'm just... Zack's a friend, ok? And if he likes you, I'm not going to miss out on the action. Besides, if Celeste trusts you enough to have let you stay the night, then... Whatever! I'm helping you whether you like it or not ok? I came along to have fun, and that's exactly what we're gonna do, just like up until now.' She forced herself to smile and went ahead to the cashier.

Ellie didn't quite know what to say, for a moment she just stood there. 'I'm gonna change back.' She murmured as she went back into the cabin.

She heard Tina lean against the side of it. 'You know, she won't admit it but you're already our friend. She doesn't like to seem weak, always putting on a brave smile and laughing-'

'I can hear you!'

Ellie (putting on the jeans) heard Abi's footsteps and Tina stand up straight.

'I don't care about seeming weak,' her voice shook, 'but if I'm sad then the people around me feel bad too and I don't want that. I'm not going to ruin someone else's day because of my own feelings.' She got the strength in her voice back but lowered the volume. 'Even when things are bad, it's better if I just say I'm tired, it's better this way, for everyone.'

Ellie had just pulled the jumper down. The emotions of these two people, just beyond the cabin's curtains, overwhelmed her.

I've only known them for a few hours, and yet... 'I've never had friends like you before.' A tear trickled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away.

'Are you crying?' Tina asked worried and peeked in, then seeing that she was finished changing pushed the curtain away.

Was it my voice? 'No...' She said as more hot tears streamed down. It was useless trying to wipe them away.

'Oh, nonono. Don't cry.' Tina hugged her. 'If you cry I'll cry too.'

'I don't want to.' It isn't even because of my own feelings...

'Don't say that.' Abi stayed where she was. 'You're a human, it's normal.'

No one's ever said that to me... Thank you.

*

'Hey Celeste! Your stepbrother's here.' The group of girls coming into the classroom told her.

They had two more hours after the break so unless the weather was bad, this was the time when most of the class went to the shop a street over to get some food.

Which one? She asked in her head even though she knew exactly who they meant. 'What's he doing here?' She muttered as she packed away the stuff on her desk.

'Hey, could you maybe ask him if he's free on Friday? You know, some of us are going out for pizza, maybe he'd like to join?'

'I'll ask.' Celeste smiled as she slid the books she needed for the next class into her desk. Taking a bite out of her sandwich she walked out of the classroom and down the stairs. Twenty five minutes of the break left. She glanced at the clock before sitting down beside Conan. She looked at the computer. 'Did you log in with my user again?'

'Who else's?' He grinned as he wrote "fireboy and watergirl" into the search engine.

'I've got science in twenty five minutes, and after that I've got politics.'

'And then, you'll wait more than half an hour for the bus? No, I don't think so.'

'Why's that?' She asked, unimpressed as the game started.

'Because I brought along your motorcycle clothes...'

'Hhh.' She sighed as she thought about how she's have to put them on over the clothes she was wearing now. 'And what'll you do 'till then?'

'I find some way to entertain myself, there're the computers for example, or the library.'

'Oh, Meli asked me to ask you if you're free on friday.'

'Let me think... Tell her: no.'

Celeste smiled.

'I wonder why they keep inviting me to stuff. The one time I went they wouldn't leave me alone. It took me three hours to get away.'

'Well, you are... you.'

'Was that a complement?' He glanced sideways as he hit restart.

'In some ways.'

'Well then... thank you.'

*

'Well isn't that lovely?' Tina asked proudly.

'I get the feeling you're really over doing it.' Ellie said as she looked in the mirror.

They were back in their room now, after buying the shoes (, underwear) and some really long blue ribbons.

'Yeah,' Abi agreed, 'braiding the ribbons in her hair might be a bit too much. How about we leave it open then just take the sides and tie them back? Simple and pretty.'

'Well, let's try it. And I've got the perfect necklace to go with it!'