Sketchbook Girl

[† Shazi]

this started off as a fanfic, mainly because i had trouble thinking of names. then it turned into this. enjoy

Prologue

Part I: Ivory White

"Freak"

"Idiot

"Retard"

Elliot had heard those insults a thousand times before. She held her sketchbook tighter as she walked further down the hallway. No matter how many times they said it, no matter how many times they tripped her in the halls, no matter what they did, no one was getting her sketchbook.

Still she had been called those names since she'd arrived in year 7 two years ago, by now those words should've lost all meaning, but the names still hurt. They still meant she was alone at East Island High.

Elliot was only a small girl. She had hollow ivory skin. When she drew portrait of herself her skin toes of choice were ivory white and pale pink. She had messy platinum blond hair that she usually slung over her right shoulder; she used straw yellow, cream and lilac for her hair, her eyes were blue: cobalt, Kingfisher and pale.

Elliot did many self portraits, because she didn't have many drawing subjects. She had no friends, no one talked to her except to insult her. People other than Alexis, her designated helper, would talk to her, if she didn't have a speech impediment. People wouldn't say she was ugly if she didn't have the stupid glasses. She would have friends if she was normal, but Elliot was different and she hated it.

"Well, well, well," June, a girl who frequently tripped Elliot, spoke to her. Her fraternal twin sister, April, was right next to her, blocking Elliot from going any further.

This happened on a daily basis, everyday Elliot would come to school, carrying her sketchbook and her vinyl backpack depicting pink butterflies and flowers on her back. Almost without fail June and April would be waiting for her either at the front door or near their lockers for Elliot.

"If it isn't the retard with the butterfly backpack" April Mocked. She sued Elliot's inability to pronounce the letter t properly. Elliot kept her head low and tried a different path around them.

They weren't going to allow that. April stuck her foot out and tripped Elliot. Elliot held her sketchbook tightly as she fell face first on the floor.

She sat up slowly and put her left hand to her face, it felt wet. She took her hand away and saw blood all over her fingers and palm.

"Elliot, you're bleeding" Alexis, Elliot's helper, found her sitting on the floor with a blood nose.

Alexis was a nice woman; Elliot had drawn her on several occasions. She'd used emerald, Tasmanian grass and cats eye green for her eyes, Chocolate, Golden and burnt brown for her hair and copper, rose pink and coral orange for her skin.

Elliot was still looking at her own blood when Alexis pulled her off the ground and washed her up.

"There now, all better" Alexis soothed. "What happened? She asked her.

"I chripped" Elliot replied. She didn't specify what she tripped over. Alexis never asked for specific detail and Elliot didn't intend on giving it.

"You need to watch where you're going" Alexis scolded her lightly, "Why didn't you brace your fall?"

"My sketchbook" Elliot held up the book, still clutched tightly in her right hand. Alexis sighed.

"C'mon Elliot, time for English," Alexis grabbed her students arm and led her to class.

Elliot hated English, because her teacher, Mr. Trevora, made her read out loud. Elliot had no trouble reading to herself, she just could get the words out at the same time as her brain read them. That and the other students always laughed at her speech impediment.

Elliot pushed her fluorescent pink glasses closer to her face and opened her book. She awaited Mr. Trevora's call on her to read, but it never came.

Instead he called on a boy Elliot had never seen before.

"Xander Colliver, welcome to East Island High. Would you do the honours of reading our poem." Mr. Trevora said. The boy nodded and stood up, her grabbed his book from the table and began to read.

Elliot stared in awe at the boy, he read the entire poem, without a mistake, not even a waver in his voice.

Elliot noted what he looked like, hoping she'd see him again. Preferably not in her English class.

Luckily for Elliot the English lesson and indeed the day passed with little incident. April tripped her again at lunch and broke her nose, but that was all. Alexis, being a qualified nurse, bandaged it up, now Elliot sounded even worse than normal.

oooooooooooooooooooo

Elliot was glad to be home. It was the only place she felt comfortable, she put down her sketchbook long enough to hug her little sister and fish her coloured pencils from her bag.

"Ellie?" Raine asked, "Whad happened do your nose?" Raine was 4 years old and adored Elliot so much that she'd adopted her speech impediment, there was actually nothing wrong with Raine.

"Chripped" Elliot replied. She sat down on one of the heavy armchair in her lounge room and took up her sketchbook. Using her grey lead pencil she drew and oval on her page. Raine sat on the arm of Elliot's chair and watched intently.

Every now and again Elliot would glance at her sister an pick out the appropriate colours. Crimson, vermillion and cherry red for her hair, pale, kingfisher and cobalt blue for her eyes. Raine looked exactly like Elliot did when she was younger. Only she had red hair.

When Raine worked out what Elliot's sketch was of she squealed with joy and ran up to her room. Presumably to draw a picture of Elliot for her. One that would most likely join the many already hanging around Elliot's room.

When Elliot finished her sketch of Raine she flipped to a fresh page. She pulled out the appropriate colours and sketched what she remembered of Xander Colliver, but it didn't look right.

Elliot resolved to take a batter look at Xander Colliver when she could.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Edited September 22, 2012 by Emotional Outlet

[seirachan]

I like this story, the sketchbook reminds me of me in school lol but I didn't have it rough like that just carried it around with me everywhere.

hope you do more!

[† Shazi]

and heres some more. i will update this from time to time.i have the whole thing typed up it's jest having to go through and maje minor corrections here and there before i post the next part.

Part II: Cobalt Blue

Xander Colliver was a boy of many talents. He read poetry, played the piano, had a knack for remembering things and he was a fantastic photographer. When his parents moved from North Island to East Island, Xander had to shift schools as well. Hopeful that his first day of school would bring something good he stood at the office waiting for the staff to help him out.

"Well, well, well" Xander spied a pair of rather vicious looking blonds harassing a petite albino girl with pink glasses, a sketch book and pink vinyl backpack that most little kids would have. Xander watched, intrigued by the girl who was so small and frail.

"If id isn'd the retard with the budderfly back pack" the blond with her hair done like ant antennae mocked the small girl. She tried to walk around them but to no avail. Instead of letting her passed, one of them tripped her. Instead of holding her hand out to brace her fall, the albino clutched her sketch book closer and closed her eyes while she slammed into the floor.

The blonds laughed and left the girl on the floor. Xander only had time to see her slowly sit up before one of the office staff notice his presence.

"I'm Xander Colliver, I'm new here" he said to the woman, she looked down at her list of things to do that morning.

"Xander?" she asked, just to confirm what she'd heard. Xander nodded. "I'm Lilly," she leaned to her side and ruffled through a draw, "everything you need should be in here" she handed him a packet full of information, most likely maps and timetables.

"Thanks" he nodded. She smiled and bobbed her head back down to what she was previously doing.

Xander went through several information sheets and two maps before he found his timetable. The very first lesson was English, something Xander was good at.

He made his way to the classroom, lead by his map, and spotted the girl who'd been bullied earlier. She seemed to have recovered well, there was also a woman beside her, she handed the girl a book. The girl the stared at the teacher

The teacher was quite a small man, with slate coloured hair, hung over half his face. Xander glanced at one of the information sheets that identified the staff of the school and saw that he was named Mr. Trevora.

"Xander Colliver, welcome to East Island High," he welcomed Xander shortly after the class had settled, "Would you do the honours of reading?" Xander was expecting quite the forward request his first class, way to break the ice.

He complied to Mr. Trevora request in a very Xander-like manner; he simply nodded and read the poem from the book, not missing a line, word nor syllable along the way.

He sat back down and saw the almost albino girl staring at him from where she sat across the room. Xander felt his cheeks heating up and quickly directed his attention to the front of the room where Mr. Trevora was writing and analysis topic on the board.

Xander's classes for the day went smoothly. At lunch a rather naïve boy named Zack and a tall, very frightening looking guy called Kai chatted idly with him at lunch. Kai laughed when the two girls from earlier tripped the sketchbook girl. Xander didn't find it funny, especially since she broke her nose. She neglected to brace her fall in favour of her sketch book once again.

Xander wondered if this was the norm at East island High: get to school, pick on sketchbook girl, class, bully sketchbook girl, eat, tease sketchbook girl, go home, lather, rinse and repeat.

The next day he was going to talk to sketchbook girl, put a name, and a voice to the girl behind the sketchbook. Maybe they could be friends. Xander had three friends back on North Island: Corey, Tabatha and Dean. He missed them dearly but his mother insisted he make new ones.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

The next morning Xander discovered his lather, Rinse and repeat theory was correct, the two blonds blocked sketchbook girl's path again in the morning, only this time they didn't trip her. Instead they pushed her into the wall, cackling viscously as they left.

Sketchbook girl fell to her knees as soon as the pair were out of sight. Xander heard her soft sobbing as she clutched her sketchbook closer to her chest.

Xander knelt beside her and brushed some dust off her shoulder. She was smaller than he originally perceived. Her school shirt was at least two sizes to big and her skirt was much longer than any of the other girl's Xander had seen.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently. The poor girl was a mess. She shook her head in response to his question and refused to look at him, just the floor.

"I'm Xander," He introduced himself, trying to meet her gaze. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breathe.

"Elliot," she replied. Before Xander could make the conversation go any further, the woman who was with her the previous day came rushing up to Elliot and told Xander to leave her alone.

At least sketchbook girl had a name and voice to Xander. His only obstacle now was that woman.

oooooooooooooooooooo

[jobonline20]

hey, read the story,good. it will be more interesting if you can add some sketches along with the story

[† Shazi]

i might add some, it depends on if i can draw the character the way i want to. in the mean time here's some more

Part III: Imperial Purple

April pushed Elliot into the wall that morning. Xander Colliver asked if she was okay, but she couldn't reply. She was too conscious of the bandage across her broken nose and her speech impediment to say anything. She managed to give him her name before Alexis told Xander to go away.

Elliot was afraid to tell Alexis that Xander was only trying to help and it wasn't him that pushed her. Instead she waited for the one class that Alexis's presence wasn't required. Elliot was quite capable of doing art on her own. It was her favourite class overall and she hoped Xander was there. She just may get a partial conversation with him. Providing her was there of course.

Rebecca, the art teacher, was very friendly towards Elliot and understood her hesitation in class discussion. She encouraged her to continue her sketches outside if school, telling her to use as many subject as she could.

Elliot sat in her usual seat in the class. Rebecca welcomed her with a casual nod. Other students began to enter the room, taking their usual formation around the room. No one sat near her.

"Sorry I'm late" Xander Colliver entered the room last, "I got a little lost," he scratched the back of his neck, obviously embarrassed. Elliot watched him carefully as he scanned the room. Xander was unknown to Elliot and the unknown was unpredictable.

Xander sat down on a seat very close to where Elliot was sitting. Much closer than anyone other than Alexis sat. The unknown was unpredictable, and the unpredictable was potentially dangerous.

"Elliot, right?" he asked. Elliot nodded in reply. She was very good at avoiding conversation. Years of practice had made her capable of answering every question with a simple hand gesture, nod or shake of the head.

"Xander?" she asked his name politely. He nodded in response. She thought for a moment before asking. He was unknown, unpredictable potentially dangerous and Elliot detected a feeling a feeling inside her that fitted that very same description.

"May I?" she asked, she wasn't sure if he understood. "May I draw you?" she finished her question. Xander looked blank momentarily before smiling.

"Only if I can take a photo" he bargained. Elliot didn't quite understand

"Dake a phodo of whad?" she asked. Then inwardly punched herself for not thinking before opening her mouth. He seemed to not notice at all, or he chose to ignore it.

"You, of course" he grinned. From his pocket he pulled out a digital camera and took a snapshot of her stunned look. "I've got my photo, enjoy draw me" he laughed. Elliot found another word to describe her unknown feeling. It was volatile.

She pulled out her sketchbook and laid it on the table. Like a ritual she went through all the sketches. The ones of herself were all backwards because she was drawing from a mirror. The one of her mother happily preparing a meal in the kitchen. One of Raine.

"Who's that?" Xander asked, pointing to Raine, Elliot was very protective of her sister. She didn't want Raine to go through the same things she did.

"My sisder Raine" Elliot told him. He nodded thoughtfully. She continued through her sketches. Skipping the attempts she made at drawing Xander the previous night. The last one was of her own hand covered in blood. Xander looked at it confused.

"I chripped and hit my nose on the floor," she explained "I thought it looked inchresting" she shrugged. Xander nodded. Elliot realised she was comfortable talking with Xander and she wonder why that was. She never talked like this with Alexis and she was the closest thing Elliot had to a friend.

She turned to a fresh page and rummaged through her back pack for her pencils. She found the browns and selected Chocolate to begin with. Xander watched her as she drew him. Chocolate brown, Burnt umber, tree bark and golden brown. When she finished show held it up to show him.

"I think you've made me a lot better looking then I really am" he laughed. Elliot frowned at the picture. How was it possible for her to draw him better looking she only ever drew what she saw or remembered.

Rebecca dismissed the class for lunch. Elliot hated lunch. Generally speaking it was the worst part of the day.

"Want to join me for lunch?" Xander asked "I don't really know anyone here" he explained when Elliot gave him a confused look. She nodded in reply.

"You're that new kid" June tapped Xander on the shoulder. He and Elliot spun around to see Both the Micheli twins, looking rather twinny with their matching school skirts (cut and hemmed to be much shorter than they really should be.)

"Xander Colliver" he introduced politely. Elliot and I were about to get lunch. It was nice meeting you," he led Elliot away from the twins.

"Looks like we have another freak to deal with." June scoffed, April laughed ferociously.

"I'm sorry Xander" Elliot couldn't help but feel sad. Xander was now considered to be the same as Elliot in the school.

"Don't worry, I'm used to it" he soothed. Elliot wondered how someone so nice be called a freak. "People didn't like my photography." He grinned. Elliot assumed it was memories that made him grin.

It was until they were eating lunch, Xander a sandwich and Elliot an apple, did Elliot realise she had made a friend. Her first friend and his name was Xander Colliver.

oooooooooooooooooooo

[† Shazi]

have another chapter =P will keep posting them from time to time

Chapter 1

Part I: Sunset Orange

It's been two weeks since Elliot met Xander Colliver. They'd become good friends. Xander had taken many photos of Elliot, most while she was sketching so she wouldn't notice. She didn't mind it anyway.

April and June tried many times to break Xander with insults. Each time they failed. When they tried to trip Elliot Xander would either catch her or if he could trip them first. Suffice to say Elliot's broken nose heal quicker than normal.

Alexis disliked Xander to begin with. Something about the way he laughed at the things Elliot did. Elliot knew Xander wasn't laughing like the others. She asked him why he laughed and he replied with: "you're cute." This caused Elliot to blush and Xander to laugh again.

Eventually Alexis accepted Xander and found that she didn't need to come to so many of Elliot's classes, just the ones she had without Xander. As much as Elliot liked Alexis, she enjoyed not having her around as much.

oooooooooooooooooooo

"Ellie!" Raine came screeching down the hallway when Elliot arrived home. Elliot only had enough time to brace herself before her four year old sister launched her self at her.

"Careful Raine, one day I'm nod going do be able do sdand when you do thad," Elliot squeezed her little sister then adjusted her so she was on her hip.

Raine rested her head on the shoulder that didn't hold Elliot's hair.

"Ellie, you smell funny," Raine wrinkled her nose. Elliot thought for a moment. What had she done that could make she smell different? "Smells like boys," Raine concluded, "Ellie smells like boys," she wriggled her way off Elliot and ran back outside.

Elliot took her things to her room. Xander had given her a photo of them at school that her printed. She smiled at the memory and placed it in a frame she'd been given as a gift. She remembered what would've made her smell different, April and June tripped both her and Xander in the hallway leaving them tangled up together on the floor, not that she minded being so close to Xander.

Elliot pulled out her homework, despite all of the help Alexis and Xander had given her, circular functions were never going to make any sense.

She glared at her page as hard as she could, she'd much rather be drawing something.

"Ellie look," Raine was at Elliot's door holding a drawing she'd done, "ids you and me," she pointed to the appropriate figures.

"That's preddy" Elliot grinned at her sister. Raine grinned back and put it in front of Elliot, over top of all her math homework.

"Wride the names please," she gave Elliot the look that Elliot couldn't resist. She wrote 'Raine' and 'Elliot' next to the figures for her sister.

"Thanks Ellie." Raine grabbed the drawing and fled from the room. Elliot briefly wondered where she got so much energy. Her thoughts were broken by her mother calling her. Elliot sighed. So much for catching up with some maths.

She found her mother in the kitchen. Chopping up some carrot for their tea. Raine was sitting on the floor, crayons scattered around her.

"What do you want to do for your sixteenth sweetheart?" Elliot's mother asked, "You can invite Alexis over for dinner if you want," she put the carrot in a pot of water, along with several green things. Elliot nodded, Alexis was a regular in the Abbie household.

"Can I invide a friend?" she asked shyly, unsure about how her mother would react . Her mother stopped chopping briefly before answering.

"Of course you can sweetheart" she was overjoyed that Elliot was inviting someone other than Alexis to her birthday. "Who is it? What's their name?" she shot 6 other questions at her.

"his name is Xander Colliver and he goes to school with me" Elliot didn't want to answer all her mother's question. She left the kitchen and let her mother swoon over the idea of Elliot's school friend in her house "and a boy no less."

Elliot didn't see what the big deal was. Raine's friend Fred was over all the time. What was the difference? It wasn't like Elliot felt for Xander in that way. Did she?

oooooooooooooooooooo

[† Shazi]

thought i post another chapter, just to keep the thread alive. enjoy people who read this =D

Part II: Orange Chrome

"Xander," Elliot started, she wasn't quite sure how she was going to say it, "It's my birthday on Sadurday," Xander gave her a look that caught her completely off guard causing her to trail off, "And I was wondering if you wanded do come for dinner" she managed to splutter. Once again Xander laughed at her.

"Of course I'll come for dinner, don't be silly" he ruffled her hair affectionately. And continued to laugh

Satisfied, Elliot regained her confidence. Her best friend Xander Colliver would be at her sixteenth birthday.

oooooooooooooooooooo

"Mama, go see Ellie," Raine tugged on her mother's skirt. They were shopping and shopping was boring without Elliot.

"No sweetheart Elliot's at school" her mother replied firmly, "we're going to see Fred later anyway." Raine liked Fred a whole lot, he was her best friend, but she wanted to see Ellie.

"No, go see Ellie!" Raine stamped her foot impatiently. Her mother wasn't being fair.

"No Raine" her mother sounded agitated now.

"Fine," she huffed. Her mother took this as defeat but that wasn't what Raine meant. If her mother wouldn't take her to see Elliot, then Raine would just have to go see her on her own.

She waited until her mother wasn't paying attention to sneak away. Carefully she slipped out of the super market and into the car park.

From the car park she headed tot the streets. She knew her way around town from hanging out with Irving and his brothers; they never seemed to be at school.

She found Elliot's school and wondered through the gates, by now her mother would've noticed her missing. She walked further into the school and found two blonds. They looked like sisters.

"Hello there sweetheart, are you lost?" The one with hair that looked like ant antennae asked. Raine tilted her head sideways curiously.

"I'm looking for my sisder Elliot" Raine said to ant lady. Ant lady looked at the other blond then back al Raine.

"Dalk like this" ant lady imitated the way Elliot talked. Raine nodded.

"We'll take you to her," The other lady grabbed Raine's hand and led her through the school.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

"I can't believe you were scared to ask me to go to your birthday." Ten minutes later and Xander was still laughing at her, "You're so cute Elliot" Elliot blushed furiously

"I've never had anyone over before," she admitted. Xander grinned and quickly snapped a photo. Elliot enjoyed having her photo taken by Xander. To her it was photographic proof that she was happy somewhere besides her home.

"Oi, Elliot" April yelled, she and June had a little girl with them. "This belongs to you?" she pointed to the girl. Elliot looked blankly. Neither one of them called her freak.

"Is that Raine?" Xander asked quietly. Elliot's attention shot directly to the little girl, who surely enough was Raine. Elliot was slightly stunned but regained herself quickly.

"Raine come here" she ordered. How dare those vile girls put their hands on Raine, HOW DARE THEY?

"See ya sweetheart" June waved to Raine who quickly attached herself to Elliot.'Sweetheart?' how dare those vile, repugnant, loathsome girls use such an endearing name? Elliot was absolutely infuriated.

"Ellie, you angry at me?" Raine asked in a small voice, she obviously detected the pure rage that was radiating from Elliot's small frame.

"Nod ad you Raine" Elliot replied through gritted teethe. Raine let go of Elliot and backed away.

What's up with you?" April sneered. Elliot glared as hard as she could at April. If she had the power to she would no doubt make June bust into flames right where she stood and strike April with a huge bolt of lightning.

"You sday the hell away from Raine you repulsive animals." Elliot said. Her voice was level, even so she sounded like she would rip their hearts out with her bare hands.

June and April looked terrified; their once punching bag had suddenly become volatile. They weren't sure how to react.

"Elliot, calm down" Xander tried to soothe the raging petite. Elliot was currently beyond soothing, her first reaction to Xander's hand on her shoulder was to turn around and slap him as hard as she could.

April and June exchanged glances before boosting. Elliot looked blankly for a few seconds at Xander as all her emotions left her. He was rubbing his face, rather spun out by Elliot's reaction.

"Xander I'm so sorry," she cupped his face in her hands, "I can't believe I did that."

"Ellie," Raine called quietly, seeing Elliot in a state of pure rage had shaken the poor little girl up.

"Raine, I'm sorry" She let go of Xander and wrapped her arms around her little sister.

"Ellie, no be scary" Raine sobbed. Elliot lifted her little sister off the ground with ease

"Raine, I'm sorry" She let go of Xander and wrapped her arms around her little sister.

"Ellie, no be scary" Raine sobbed. Elliot lifted her little sister off the ground with ease and stroked her hair soothingly.

"Raine, whad're you doing here?" Elliot asked.

"Came see Ellie," Raine hiccupped in reply. She rubbed her eyes. "Mama was unfair, I came on my own."

"Mama doesn'd know you're here?" Elliot was horrified that Raine could walk all the way to her school on her own. Raine shook her head in response to Elliot's question.

"You should probably call your mother Elliot," Xander suggested, "She probably really worried." Elliot wasn't sure if Xander was angry with her or not. Everything around her was so hectic at that moment.

"Probably" Elliot agreed. She shifted Raine onto her hip and started towards the office. "I really am sorry aboud slapping you Xander." Elliot turned and apologised to her best friend once again.

"S'okay," Xander replied with a grin. "But I don't think your mother's going to be happy" he said grimly.

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

[† Shazi]

whooops! i nearly forgot about this one. have another chapter

Part III: Tangerine

Elliot's mother was frantic with worry by the time Elliot called her.

"Is she alright?"

"She's fine."

"Is she hurt?"

"No"

"What was she doing?"

"She came do see me"

Elliot was bombarded with so many questions. Raine was too preoccupied with Xander.

Elliot had hit him really hard, so hard that his face was swollen making his left eye all squinty.

He also laughed at Elliot on the phone which caused her to smile. Raine was intrigued by how he achieved this feat. And also by how he kept his hair the way it was. Maybe the sweatband he wore had something to do with it?

Nope, that wasn't it; Raine pulled his sweatband off his head. His hair still stuck up funnily. She stuck his head band back on when Elliot got off the phone. She sighed and sat next to Xander. Raine noted that she didn't have her sketchbook.

"Mama'll be here soon." Elliot told her little sister. It'd been one hell of a day for Elliot, and it was only lunchtime.

"Don'd wanna go home, Sday with Ellie." Raine pouted, as much as Elliot wanted to keep her sister with her, her mother was already on her way.

"Sorry Raine, Mama's already coming do ged you," Elliot shrugged. Raine huffed angrily and sat on the floor with her arms crossed. Elliot smiled warmly at the little girl.

"So what time's this dinner?" Xander asked

"Seven o'clock." Elliot replied. "Mama's going do be over the moon about you coming over" she giggled

"Because you've never had anyone over before" Xander recalled their earlier conversation, Elliot nodded "sounds like fun" her grinned. Elliot was more worried about how her father would react. Sure her mother was over the moon, but her father was known to be unpredictable at times.

"Raine, sweetheart." Elliot's mother's relieved cry rang out when she arrived at the office. She swept her youngest daughter into a crushing hug.

"Mama, hurding me" Raine squeaked. Her mother put her down and her relief quickly turned to anger.

Elliot sat and watched her mother scold little Raine almost to tears. Elliot knew that she hadn't done anything wrong, but Raine was spoilt so Elliot would get scolded for something as well. As predicted her mother turned to Elliot, but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Xander sitting rather close to her oldest daughter.

"Mrs Abbie, I'm Xander Colliver" he introduced himself to Elliot's mother very politely. Mrs Abbie stared at Xander.

"Nagori, please, 'Mrs.' makes me feel old." She gushed. Elliot rolled her eyes. After her performance the night before this was to be suspected.

"So I hear it's Elliot's birthday on Saturday" Xander and Nagori had conversation about Elliot's birthday while Raine sat on the floor looking very unhappy.

"Id's alrighd Raine, Mama'll forged very soon." Elliot took a seat next to her sister on the floor. "She's busy anyway." she concluded. Raine nodded, their mother was very busy organising Elliot's birthday, especially since Alexis wasn't the only one coming for tea.

"Mama wands to make sure your birthday is perfecd." Raine told her sister, "she told Papa he has do 'Behave.'" she waved her finger in imitation of her mother. Elliot laughed at her little sister.

She smiled when she realised that was how Xander laughed at her.

oooooooooooooooooo

[† Shazi]

posting another chapter, i hope people are reading this.

Chapter 2

Part I: Straw Yellow

April and June had been avoiding Elliot. Especially when they saw Xander's face the next day after she slapped him. He was swollen not long afterwards but the day after it was black.

"My dad asked me what happened and he nearly cried with laugher when I said a girl slapped me." He told Elliot, Alexis had taken Elliot's bandage off her nose that afternoon, Xander said she looked even cuter with out it.

Elliot still wasn't used called cute, She blushed every time he said it.

"I haven'd seen April or June ladly." Elliot mused. For the last ten minutes or so she'd been sketching Rebecca who was quietly singing to herself.

"You scared them pretty badly yesterday." Xander replied. He was arranging his photos in an album, stuck on how to put the photos he'd gotten of Raine and Elliot together.

"Do you think they'll finally leave me alone? She asked. Xander paused.

"Probably not, old habits die hard" her replied, Elliot nodded glumly.

Xander's mind wondered back to North Island and his three friends; Corey, Tabatha and Dean

Would they be missing him? He missed them, Elliot had made it much easier but when she wasn't there Xander just seemed be lost.

"I hope Raine's alrighd" Elliot mused again. She was tapping her chin with one of her numerous coloured pencils. She mused and churned things over in her head quite a lot in Art, it was the only subject that allowed her to be free.

"Rebecca, I'm going to take a few more photos" Xander stood up and grabbed his camera.

Rebecca nodded in time with her song to acknowledge him. He left the room to roam the schoolyard for a decent photo of something.

Elliot watched Xander leave. She wasn't good at reading people but Xander seemed sad about something.

"Rebecca, I'm going to sketch something oudside" Elliot stared packing her pencils away. Rebecca acknowledged Elliot with a nod as well. Elliot followed Xander out into the yard.

She found him wondering about with his camera. She looked to her left and found the perfect place for drawing. From up in the tree the perspective was something Elliot had never tried, and she felt it was time to.

Xander noticed Elliot when she walked out but paid her little mind, he was too engulfed in his photography. He photographed birds in the trees, seagulls overhead, the school buildings and just about everything he could. His photography at that moment was more of a distraction so his mind wouldn't wonder back to his old home and his old friends.

When he did snap out of his focus, Elliot was gone, or at least he thought she was. Until he looked into the school tree only to find her working her way upwards, sketchbook strapped to her backpack and her mechanical grey lead between her teeth. She had a determined look on her face that at any other time he'd watch her carefully but with the pencil in her mouth Xander just couldn't take her seriously.

Elliot heard laughter below her but ignored it and continued climbing. She saw a flash and gasped in surprise. Her favourite pencil dropped out of her mouth and she lashed out to grab it but she'd let go of the tree and began falling, leaves and twigs whipping her face.

Elliot heard her name yelled before she blacked out.

Xander ran to Elliot's side. The sound she made when she hit the ground was anything but healthy, not to mention she was really high up. He patted her face to wake her up but to no avail.

On the verge of a panic attack he ran as fast as he could back to the art room.

"Rebecca, come quick" he almost screamed when he got to the classroom door. The panic in his voice made Rebecca snap completely out of her rhythm. She followed Xander to the tree where Elliot still lay at its base.

"Xander, to the office and call the ambulance" Rebecca ordered, even though she was obviously panicking her voice was still melodic. Xander nodded and ran as fast as he could to the office.

Elliot was hurt and it was all his fault. If he hadn't taken that photo she'd be fine. She'd be sitting in the tree sketching away.

Elliot wouldn't have gotten hurt.

[† Shazi]

here we go with another post. please let me know what you think, i'm rather proud of this story

Part II: Gold

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Elliot heard the steady regular beeping of a machine nearby. Hearing its steady rhythm was oddly comforting.

Her thinking wasn't very coherent. She tried to remember what happened and string it all together.

She was climbing the tree for a different angle, a new perspective. Then she dropped her pencil. She concluded she fell, which would explain the beeping and perhaps the soft snoring very close to her ear.

She struggled to open her eyes to figure out where she was. At first all she could see was white, slowly her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room.

Obscuring her vision form the left side was a tuft of chocolate brown hair, it obviously belonged to whoever was snoring. She looked over to see who it was and found Xander. His eyebrows knitted together in worry that he clearly fell asleep with.

Elliot could now feel the equipment attached to her, all of it uncomfortable.

"Xander," she whispered. With her arm that was willing to comply with her wishes she shook him gently, "Wake up Xander."

Xander stirred but didn't wake. Elliot smiled lightly, he looked so cute when he slept.

"Xander wake up." She said a little more forcefully. He opened his eyes and stared at her. He blinked and sat up strait.

"Elliot, are you okay?" he asked franticly when he grasped the situation. Elliot thought he was being a little melodramatic but by the way he was acting she was obviously worse then she originally thought.

"I'm fine" she grinned, Xander didn't look convinced, she had tubes and wire coming from her every which way. "I don'd look id do I?" she cringed when she tried to sit up. There was a sharp pain in her ribs.

"Be careful, you'll hurt yourself." Xander tried to stop her but Elliot pushed him away. She looked around the room. Her bag didn't seem to be there neither was her sketchbook.

"Where's my bag?" she asked Xander, he reached under her bed and pulled her butterfly backpack out and handed it to her. Xander was concerned about her, she was more worried about her things than herself.

"My pencils are all broken" she threw her bag away. "All of them!" She cried angrily. Her pencils were all scattered across the room.

Xander went through the pencils to find some unbroken ones.

"Don'd bother." Elliot said. She wasn't looking at Xander. She was too busy mourning the loss of her pencils. "Leave them there, they're all broken anyway." they were the fundaments to her sketching, the most precious thing to her. Apart from when she was at home, she was never without her pencils.

"Look these ones aren't broken" Xander held up three pencils. From the colour on the end of the pencils Elliot knew exactly what colours they were: chocolate brown, oriental blue, emerald green.

These three colours became Elliot's favourite three colours. She would always remember them as veterans.

"Bud the resd of them?" she asked. "They're all broken?" she sniffed lightly.

"Elliot you need to rest, go back to sleep" Xander told her. During their conversation he'd forgotten how badly she was injured. Because she took no notice of it she made Xander forget too.

"I don'd wand do resd" she told him firmly. Now she was just being stubborn.

"I wand do know how badly I hurd myself." she gave him a look that meant he was going to tell her whether he wanted to or not.

"I'll go get the nurse" Xander caved. Elliot had never done anything like that before; it was scary when she did.*'She blames it on me.'*He thought to himself. He sulked out of the room, feeling very sorry for himself.

Elliot let out a cry of pain as soon as she was sure Xander was out of earshot. Her ribs were shooting pain up her spine, her left wrist, which she noted was in a cast, was aching and her left shoulder didn't feel to healthy either.

She felt hot tears sting her eyes and fought them back.

"I'm fine, just fine. I have do be fine" she chanted to herself.

"so you're awake" a woman poked her head in her room. Elliot instinctively stopped moving and cleared her face of all emotion. "It's alright, I'm sure it hurts" she smiled warmly as she came into the room. She glanced cautiously at the scattered pencils.

"Id doesn't hurd" Elliot replied. The woman made a face, showing that she was unconvinced. This woman was very pretty. She had short brown hair and two different coloured eyes. One was blue and the other green.

"yes it does, it's alright to cry when you're in pain." She told her. She went about her nurse business, doing various little tests to ensure Elliot was okay.

"I'm fine" Elliot told her more firmly, the woman gave her another disbelieving look.

"can you swallow pills?" she asked, Elliot nodded "I'm Sandra, by the way" she handed Elliot two pills, "they're pain killers" she told her going back to checking the machinery, "water?" she offered. Elliot shook her head. She dry swallowed the pills and sat quietly waiting for them to take effect.

Elliot saw Xander stick his head in the doorway to see what was going on which caused her to giggle. Sandra grinned and shooed him off.

"your boyfriend's really worried. He stayed all night" Sandra said. She was fixing the blanket around Elliot

"he's nod-" Elliot tried to correct her but stopped herself. She liked Xander, maybe even that much. But he was her only friend and she didn't want to ruin that.

"if he's not just keep that to yourself, otherwise the doctor won't let him in"

Sandra winked her green eye at her. Xander was still watching from outside the doorway as Sandra left the room.

[† Shazi]

Part III: Lemon Yellow

Elliot spent the rest of the week in hospital. She woke up Saturday morning rather light headed.

"Don't worry it'll pass" Ash, the other nurse, told her. She handed Elliot her pain killer silently, knowing that making a big deal of it would make Elliot not take them.

The doctor, Adam Even, had come in not long after Sandra and told her the extent of her injuries: Four broken ribs, broken collarbone, shattered left wrist and several fractures throughout her bones, right down to her pinky toe. That had fractured, as Adam explained, by a ripple effect that ran through her body on impact.

He also said there was no physical damage to her jaw or any evidence that could cause her speech to be impaired but it would most likely clear up on its own.

Xander, who'd snuck back into her room, gave him a horrendous glare that had unfortunately gone unnoticed. Elliot had a feeling that Xander would have a talk to Adam later.

Raine and Nagori had been to visit several times. Raine was carrying one of Elliot's sketchbooks the first time she was there. Elliot had almost cried because of her pencils but held back her tears to be strong for Raine.

"Ellie ged bedder soon cause homes no fun 'foud you" Raine snuggled up to her sister and fell asleep. If Elliot had her pencils she would have drawn her sister resting peacefully at her side.

Much like she would've sketched one of the many times she's woken to find Xander's head resting on her pillow next to her. With Xander snoring lightly and still in his school uniform.

"Your family is here, is it okay for them to come in?" she asked, better now than when she was panicking later on.

"Happy birthday Ellie!" Raine ran as fast as she could to Elliot and climbed onto her bed. She handed Elliot a folded piece of paper that said "Happy Birthday Ellie" with the 'p's, 'B' and 'E' backwards.

"Thanks Raine" Elliot grinned and hugged her sister awkwardly with her right arm.

"Happy Birthday Elliot" Nagori swept across the room shortly after her youngest daughter, her husband Sebastian stopped by the door and leaned on the door frame. He allowed his girls to gush before making his move.

"From me and your father" Nagori handed Elliot a neatly wrapped gift. Elliot unwrapped it to find a jewellery box. She opened the box and stared at the golden pencil shaped pendent.

"Thanks mama" Elliot gave her mother a hug very similar to the one she gave Raine. "Thanks papa" she called out to her father.

"Don't mention it sweetheart" Sebastian smiled to his eldest daughter. When his daughter acknowledged him it was his cue to come over and give her a hug. He was very careful not to hurt her since she still looked so fragile wrapped in bandages and plaster.

Elliot had breakfast with her family; Alexis had arrived not long after they'd finished eating. Her present, as it always was, was a fresh sketchbook for Elliot to fill. There was so many back in Elliot's room it was hard to find one that hadn't been filled.

"Thank you Alexis" Elliot smiled, not willing to let on the loss of 222 of her pencils.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"C'mon Tabatha, I'm really stuck here" Xander pleaded over the phone to his old friend

"I don't really know Xander, I haven't met her" Tabatha replied, "I'm sorry I have to go now. Good luck, we miss you" She hung up on him

"Great." Xander grumbled to himself. For three days he'd been churning over what to buy Elliot for her birthday. Twice he'd called Tabatha for help, twice that hadn't aided his search. If anything it had given him more options, what he really needed was something definite.

He was wondering around the east island shopping district. Admittedly the rumours of it's size were true. Everywhere he looked there was a shop specializing in something. Be it jewellery, clothing or shoes. At East island shopping district, there something there for everyone.

Amongst the hundreds of other stores Xander found one that answered his prayers. Wonderland arts, nestled quietly in between Mt. Olympus Sports store and Deep Jungle Exotic pets.

Since Elliot had lost her pencils she hadn't sketched anything, even when Raine brought in one of her sketchbooks.

Xander scanned high and low for the right kind of pencil. He wanted the ones that matched the chocolate brown pencil that Elliot had gave to him. She said it was pointless having them and that colour reminded her of him.

"Can I help you?" a woman asked behind him. Her flinched slightly in surprise, he turned to see her smiling, awaiting his response. She was a pretty woman, with long blond hair held back with a black headband

"Yeah, um." he looked at her name badge, "Alice, I'm looking for a set of pencils to match this." He held out the chocolate brown pencil.

"Of course, follow me." She glanced at the pencil and led him through the store.

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

[† Shazi]

Chapter 3

Part I: Juniper Green

"Whad's wrong Ellie?" Raine asked, Elliot looked at her little sister curiously. She knew Elliot very well and obviously sensed her disappointment. Xander still hadn't shown up for her birthday.

"Id's nothing Kai," she hugged her sister. Praying the goddess Cosmos that her little sister wouldn't have to face the same hardships she did . Raine had Fred and Irving; she hoped that they wouldn't abandon her.

Nagori and Sebastian were just outside of Elliot's room when a boy came rushing down the corridor and passed them. They exchanged confused looks only to find him come back.

"Is Elliot awake?" He asked, Nagori stared at him for a few seconds before she recognised him.

"Of course Xander." She gushed, "We just left her and Raine alone. They get along much better when we're not around." She gestured to her husband and herself, "go ahead I'm sure she's expecting you," She beamed. Sebastian looked at his wife and sighed

"That was such a motherly response." He grunted, Nagori's dreamy smile turned instantly into a glare.

Elliot was quietly humming a wordless lullaby learned off their mother to Raine. She was curled up snugly at her side. Elliot had her eyes closed, lost in the melody.

"Happy birthday Elliot." Elliot's rhythm was broken by a sudden voice. she opend her eyes to a grinning, very red faced Xander. "You didn't think I forgot did you?" His face fell when he saw Elliot's sad look.

"No, of course nod." She lied. She nearly cried after lunch over it.

"Great! I looked everywhere for something and I found you these." He handed her a present that was obviously wrapped by himself. There was plenty of sticky tape, that wasn't really holding the paper together. Elliot made no move to do anything with it. "Go on. Open it" Xander urged.

Carefully Elliot unwrapped Xander's gift, aside from her mother, no one actually bothered to wrap a gift for her.

"Xander you didn'd." She stared at the unwrapped gift.

"I did and I spent ages finding them." He grinned.

"Bud Xander they cost a fortune." She argued.

"And a half." he agreed. All that time she wasted being upset, thinking he'd forgotten, when he was really searching high and low to replace her broken pencils.

Carefully Elliot shifted closer to Xander. Careful so she didn't wake Raine or hurt herself, since she'd shattered her left wrist people crowded at her right side, with her right arm she pulled Xander into a hug.

"Thank you Xander" she whispered. She couldn't stop the tears of joy flowing from her eyes. She buried her face in his shoulder.

"Elliot, you're hurting me" Xander choked. She quickly let him go and apologized. She wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I take it you like them" he concluded.

"I love them" she replied, Grinning widely. She just couldn't help it.

Without warning a small boy barged into the room and leapt over Elliot's bed.

"What in the name of Cosmos!" Xander cursed.

"Shush, Irving's after me." Came a whispered reply.

"What's going on?" Raine woke up from the commotion

"Fred where'd you go?" another small boy entered Elliot's room. Raine looked at him confused.

"Bud Fred's not here Irving" she told him "Why're you here?" she cocked her head to the side.

"Fred's cousin is Baby sitting us" he spat the word 'baby' "he's not very good at it." Irving leaned out the door to check for Fred's cousin.

"Guys, c'mon!" Someone called down the hall "why did you go to the hospital? I thought kids hated hospitals" Elliot heard him mutter to himself.

Xander stared at the door, recognizing the voice.

"You know Fred's cousin?" Irving raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Found you Irving" a blond boy came in and threw the child over his shoulder.

"Dean!" Xander gaped

"Xander?" Dean questioned

"Fred!" Fred jumped out from his hiding place.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

[† RazorDan]

this is brilliant shaz! I only realised it was a story when I did the lit index >.<

[† Shazi]

Part II: Emerald Green

"Didn't you go to West Island?" Dean asked

"No East." Xander replied. Dean thought for moment.

"And who's this?" Dean directed his attention to Elliot who was trying to avoid any notice.

"This is my friend Elliot" Xander introduce her to Dean. Xander often spoke for Elliot; he'd gotten very good at it too.

"What happened to you?" he asked. Elliot refused to meet his eyes and didn't want to say anything. Her answer would show her speech impediment.

"She fell out of a tree" Xander answered, even though the question was obviously directed at Elliot.

"Ouch, that's gotta hurt" Dean commented.

"Ellie broke her wrisd" Raine told him.

"So I noticed" He nodded. Elliot wondered if he noticed anything wrong with the way Raine talked, or if he thought is was just a childhood thing.

"Put me down Dean" Irving complained from over Dean's shoulder.

"Not likely. Honestly, what kind of kids run to a hospital?" he asked no one in particular.

"Ones who like Raine jusd a liddle bid doo much," Elliot laughed.

"Do not" Irving snapped

"Who likes Raine too much?" Fred sat on the end of Elliot's bed next to Raine

"You do" Dean told him. Fred looked confused and about to give a childish argument. "Never mind" Dean ruffled his hair.

"So you family lives here?" Xander asked Dean. Somewhat surprised he didn't know this already.

"Just Fred and his parents" Dean shrugged, "I baby sit him on the odd occasion" he pointed to Fred. "And I see you've gotten yourself a girlfriend." He nodded towards Elliot.

"She's not my girlfriend," Xander mumbled, Dean raised a questioning eyebrow and shrugged. Elliot sat quietly as Dean and Xander conversed over the good old days on North Island, she didn't really want to intrude on the old friends.

"Happy birthday to you Elliot" Dean said after a while. "Sorry for intruding like this"

"I'm not." Irving said, still hanging over Dean's shoulder.

"Its okay, Raine's got lods of friends" Elliot said proudly. Her little sister was popular; she would hopefully get through the education system fine.

"We should get going, c'mon Fred" Dean scooped Fred up and threw him over his other shoulder. "Awesome seeing you again Xander. I'll call you when I'm babysitting these two again, and it was nice meeting you Elliot" He waved as best he could with a four and a five year old hanging over his shoulders.

"Bye Raine" Fred waved to Raine as Dean carried them out of the room. Raine waved back.

"I'm going to see mama" She informed them and left the room.

"You okay?" Xander asked Elliot. She nodded in reply

"He didn'd say anything aboud id" she said.

"Who Dean?" Xander asked Elliot nodded again. She wondered why he hadn't mocked her, or at least said something about it like everyone else did.

"Didn't say anything about what?" Xander asked rather confused. Elliot rolled her eyes like it was the most obvious thing in the world. At least it was to her anyway.

"Aboud how I dalk" she sighed

"He wouldn't have cared" He shrugged "like how I don't"

She knew that, he'd told her time and time again that it didn't matter. He was still her friend, even when everyone mocked her and tripped her and laughed at her.

Xander was the first person outside of her family she'd met that didn't care about what was wrong with her, because he saw what was right, even when Elliot couldn't.

She realised that now, before they got to the point where they would only ever be friends, was the time to be what everyone said they were. Dating.

"Xander, I think," she started, she breathed deeply. "I think we should be more then friends." She stared at him for a moment waiting for his response.

"Me too" he nodded, he leaned closer and kissed her lightly on the lips

oooooooooooooooooooooo

[† Shazi]

Part III: Olive Green

"How was babysitting" Corey teased Dean the Monday after his visit to Xander. He'd gotten home on the ferry back to North Island Sunday afternoon.

"Great, I saw Xander sat the hospital" he replied. Tabatha's eyes widened.

"Xander is in hospital?" she screamed. Dean almost had to tackle her when she stood up.

"He's not, His girlfriend is" Dean said, Tabatha calmed down for roughly the three seconds it took her to react to what was said.

"Xander's girlfriend's in hospital! We have to go visit her guys" she yelled, frantically flailing her arms around like a mad woman. She continued babbling so the boys continued their own conversation.

"Xander has a girlfriend?" Corey was more surprised at Xander showing interest in girls then her being in the hospital. He'd never showed interest in girls before. At least never the ones Corey pointed out to him.

"Yeah, she one of Fred's friends older sister" her replied

"Wait, not the smart ass with the girly hair?" Corey asked, referring to Irving.

"No, the little girl who talks funny" Dean rolled his eyes.

"Guys, are you even listening to me? We need to go visit Xander." Tabatha shouted, still making wild hand gestures and flailing her arms about.

"We're not listening because you started babbling" Corey replied calmly.

"We'll go see them tomorrow, we have the day off" Dean told her.

"Really?" she dropped her arms to her sides

"Really" the both confirmed in unison.

oooooooooooooooooooo

Dr. Even told Elliot she could leave sometime in the next few days. Since her birthday her ribs had almost healed completely and her collarbone, provided she stayed out of trees, would heal perfectly fine.

Now that she and Xander had officially made themselves dating, Xander had been visiting even more, not that she minded at all.

She was resting, not sleeping, with Xander around she couldn't sleep, when she heard voices in the hallway. Xander's grip on her hand tightened.

"Guys shut up, it's meant to be a surprise" A girl said quietly.

"Oh please, as if it's a surprise now" someone else said. Someone Elliot recognised. Xander's grip loosened on her hand.

"Is this it?" I third voice asked, they were at her door.

"I think so." The second voice said.

"Xander!" a girl shouted and dived towards Xander and gripped him in a hug.

"So much for she's not my girlfriend" Dean, the boy from her birthday followed the girl through, only a lot less energetic.

"Hey Xander, long time no see" a third person entered Elliot's room. For someone who previously had no friends, she was certainly being visited a lot.

"What in the world are you guys doing here?" Xander asked the trio.

"Dean said he saw you at the hospital" the girl started after releasing Xander

"Tabatha panicked until he explained that you weren't in hospital" the third person said

"Then panicked again because you're girlfriends in her" Dean finished. "how're you feeling by the way?" He asked Elliot.

"Bedder" Elliot replied. She now knew two of Xander's other friends name, Tabatha the girl, who Elliot thought was very pretty and Dean, Fred's cousin.

"She gets out on Thursday" Xander told them.

"Way to introduce us first" Tabatha hit his shoulder. Xander rubbed it tenderly.

"Ellie these are my other friends Tabatha and Corey" Xander pointed to them in turn, "Guys this is my girlfriend Elliot" Tabatha grinned cheerily and Corey gave her a peace sign.

"Whad are you doing here anyway?" Elliot asked. Corey looked taken aback. Apparently he noticed something up and thought something of it. Elliot became uncomfortable in her own skin and wished that he wasn't there.

"Tabatha panicked, and the only way we could calm her was to say we'd visit." Dean said.

"And of course if we didn't actually do it she'd flip." Corey added. Tabatha glared at him

"I wanted to see Xander's girlfriend." She poked her tongue out. Corey returned the gesture.

"Well I'm Elliot." Elliot said to her.

"So Xander said." She looked at the boys and cleared her throat.

"We're going to have girl talk, go hang out somewhere. She shooed them away. Elliot was unsure of what Tabatha was going to do and that worried her.

The boys sulked out of the room and Elliot's worry doubled when Xander's comforting hand left hers.

Tabatha took a seat on the end on Elliot's bed and sat cross legged. She studied Elliot's scrutinously for several seconds.

"So you're the girl Xander finally takes an interest in." she muttered to herself.

"Is everything okay?" Elliot asked carefully. Tabatha was and odd person and Elliot didn't like the ways he was looking at her. It was frightening.

"Are those sketchbooks your?" she nodded towards the books under Elliot's pillow. Elliot nodded in response. She knew Tabatha was going to ask to see them, what she feared was what Tabatha would do if she refused to let her see them.

"May I?" she held her hand out for a book. Reluctantly Elliot handed her one, calmly Tabatha filled through Elliot's sketches.

She stopped at the one Elliot drew after Dean visit.

The picture was of Fred, Raine, Xander, Irving and Dean. Fred and Raine were at the end of Elliot's bed holding hands, Xander beside her bed and Dean standing with Irving over his shoulder. Very much the scene of Dean's visit viewed by Elliot.

"This is really good" Tabatha commented. She continued flipping through and came to the picture of Elliot's hand covered in blood. Elliot cringed; she forgot she drew that one.

"What's that?" Tabatha asked.

"Id's nothing" Elliot replied hastily. Tabatha looked at the picture for a few more seconds.

"Is that a permanent thing or will it go away?" she asked. She was of course referring to Elliot's speech. The way she asked wasn't mocking or cruel, it was just curiosity.

"Permanend." Elliot replied quietly, "And it'd not from falling from the tree either." She added. Tabatha considered the statement for a moment.

"Don't like talking about it huh?" Tabatha said quietly.

"I ged mocked for id" she said. Tabatha nodded sympathetically.

"Well to be honest, it doesn't matter to me," Tabatha shrugged, "Xander is your boyfriend and he's happy, which makes me happy." She grinned.

"I'm happy doo." Elliot smiled.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

[† Shazi]

Chapter 4

Part I: Oriental Blue

June and April were lounging at the front of the school Friday morning.

"What happened to her I wonder" June mused.

"I heard she fell from the tree" April said. Silence fell over the pair. June frowned in thought

"Maybe we should leave her alone" she suggested.

"I think we should apologize first" April replied.

"Probably" June shrugged. They watched the pathway at the front of the school. If the girl they were looking for was going to show up, there was no doubt she'd come down this path.

They didn't have to wait long. She rounded the corner holding hands with someone.

For once she was without her sketchbook, it wasn't until she got closer that they saw she'd broken her wrist and she was limping.

"Elliot" June called out to the girl. Her sister grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the pair.

"Go away" Xander said coldly. Elliot refused to make eye contact with them.

"Elliot we're sorry for teasing you all the time" June said, ignoring Xander completely.

"And tripping you and all the other nasty things we've done since you came to this school." April added hastily. Elliot looked them strait in the eyes. She'd been waiting for this moment for a long time, just so she could say this.

"You really think apologising is going to make id all bedder?" she asked them.

"No," June mumbled

"But it's a start" April added. Elliot studied them carefully. She observed the way they shifted under her uncomfortable scrutinous stare.

"Okay" she said

"If you're apologising there better not be anymore teasing." Xander warned them as he and Elliot walked away from the twins.

June and April sighed in unison.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Rebecca Atlantica greeted Elliot back into her class. She was rather shaken by the incident; she'd almost lost her job because of it.

"How are you feeing?" she asked, Elliot smiled. Since leaving the hospital she'd been feeling great.

"Gread, I'm looking forward to my nexd projecd" she told Rebecca.

"Excellent. I'll leave you to it. I know it'll be fantastic" Rebecca fluttered away to greet the rest of her class.

Elliot knew what she was going to do for her project. She just needed to sketch those people involved.

She set up the scene in her sketchbook, from several different angles with vague images of everyone.

Xander watched her. She saw who she was drawing and smiled. She was currently drawing Raine sitting on half a couch, hand in hand with Fred.

Behind the couch were Corey and Dean, standing confidently. Corey giving the thumbs up. On the arm was Alexis looking calm and placid. The other haven't been drawn yet but Xander had a feeling who'd be in it.

"What a lovely picture." Rebecca commented, she was circling the class and investigating everyone's work. "Is there more?"

Elliot nodded and began to draw Tabatha. Rebecca watched with interest as the next person she drew was June. Xander frowned June tormented Elliot so why was she there.

After June, Elliot drew April. To Xander's surprise the twins looked quite sad. Finally she drew herself and Xander hand in hand and her head on his shoulder.

After seeing all of the drawing Elliot had done of herself he was surprised to see her drawn happy.

Xander Knew Exactly what his project was going to be. Quickly he fished out his camera and took a photo.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Hi Elliot." June greeted pleasantly in English. Elliot nodded in reply and sat next to her. Xander took his seat on the other side of Elliot and under the table he slipped his hand in hers.

Mr. Trevora entered the class with his glasses on. June sighed and tore a piece of paper from her book and wrote on it.

She slid the paper to Elliot and pretended to be interested in whatever it was Mr. Trevora was prattling on about.

( June) I hate it when Trev gets like this

(Elliot)I hate it more when he makes us read aloud

He does tend to pick on you when he does that

Yeah I know

You ever thought of refusing?

Refusing?

Next time say 'no' to him.

Elliot grinned and nodded. Next time Mr. Trevora called on her to read, she would say 'No.'

Since the twins had apologized, June had really tried to get along with her. Elliot would change the way June would be portrayed in her project. Depending on how April acted she might be shown in a different light.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Nero D. Ace]

Awesome story so far, shaz. Quite different from the ones i've mostly read here.

[† Shazi]

Part II: Turquoise Blue

Xander was unconvinced of the Micheli twin's acts. Call him crazy but he believed it to be just another one of their plans to tare Elliot down. Their sudden change of disposition just seemed suspicious.

He would wait it out and watch carefully to see if he could suss out their plan. When they were going too far he would pull her out, before she got hurt.

April was waiting for the two girls when the left class.

"Zexy talked for the whole lesson" June complained. April laughed

"At least he didn't make you guys read out loud" April gave Elliot a knowing smile.

"Yeah thad sucks." Elliot replied, Xander frowned. The twins were defiantly up the something, and Xander was going to find out what.

He listened to their conversations from lunch to every class he had with them. They didn't openly appear to be causing any harm, but Xander knew that deep down they were still the same cold hearted villains as they were before, only now they were taking a different approach.

They were even being nice to Xander. He was polite to them, just as he was polite with everyone.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Kai and Zack sat at their usually table. They had ordered their lunch today, and as always they shared almost everything. What they thought was funny is that no one was suspicious of them sharing food and drink. At all.

"Hey Kai, the Micheli twins are hanging out with the albino girl" Zack pointed out. Kai didn't even spare a glance in their direction.

"Wasn't she friends with that Xander kid?" he sighed and took a bite of his pasta.

"He's with them too" Zack replied. Kai looked up from his food and spotted the four of them at the one table. He had a direct view of under the table and saw Xander and the albino girls hands intertwined.

"Check it out Zack" he pointed to their hands. Zack leaned over Kai.

"Well, well, well" he grinned "Xander, you sly fox you" he laughed

"Isn't it odd how April and June are suddenly nice" Xander pondered out loud. They were in art, the only subject Elliot and Xander took together that the Micheli twins weren't in.

Elliot glanced up from her painting and shrugged.

"Maybe they thoughd aboud things and decided they should be nice." She suggested

Xander gave her a sceptical look. He believed June and April to be Satan evil in school uniforms, but Elliot was giving them the benefit of the doubt.

"I think we should give them a chance." Elliot said. "They seem to mean well"

"Seem to," Xander agreed. "I'll be polite to them, but don't expect anything from me if they hurt you" he told her.

"If they try anything they'll get what for from me" Elliot replied. She stood back to view her painting from a distance.

So far she'd painted the couch and the beginnings of Fred and Raine. Pencils weren't the only thing Elliot was good at making pictures with.

Xander took out his camera and took photos of Elliot painting and checking her work. Both their art projects were going fantastically.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

June and April slowly became trusted friends of Elliot's over several weeks. At the time of Elliot's cast coming off, April and June suggested they celebrate.

"C'mon, it'll be just us girls" April insisted, Elliot looked grim. She wasn't sure if she was ready to stay overnight at someone's house. Sure she'd visited Xander's family, but that wasn't overnight.

"A proper slumber party: movies, pyjamas, a make over or two" June trailed off after seeing Elliot begin to nod enthusiastically.

"It's going to be awesome" April grinned knowingly to their sister.

Xander, who'd been sitting quietly throughout the conversation was suddenly very suspicious of their intentions.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[† Ferocia Coutura]

OMG!!! I WANT MORE!!!!! Xander is friggen awesome. Elliot is the coolest chick EVER!!!!!!!!

[Kinara Uzumaki]

Gosh I LOVE this story!!!!! It has got a unique approach to it and I must admit, I was hooked till the last part. Do keep it going Shazi^^^^