This one is a bit longer- I finally figured out how do those stinkin’ breaks

This one is a bit longer- I finally figured out how do those stinkin’ breaks! Thanks for the reviews! You know the routine, read and review!

Gary eyed her during Statistics class. Ella clearly understood what Hattrick scrawled across the chalkboard, but she was slumping and having a decidedly distracted conversation with Ted, who shared a desk with her. Gary took out his phone- the only gift he’d ever gotten from anyone that cost more than twenty bucks. Ella had rationalized it easily, shrugging her shoulders.

“Well, I can never find you anyway, so I figured that a cell phone would be the best way to keep track of you during the summer.”

“And who’s going to pay the bill?” He retorted, looking over the expensive piece of plastic.

“You are.” She stated. “I charged it and everything already. And look at your background. It’s me, so that every time you use it, you think of me. Because there’s no other way to force it.”

“Thanks.” He said, looking her over. She seemed shy and off-kilter.

“Happy Birthday, Gar. Have a fabulous summer and save some time for me.”

He grinned without thinking about it, furiously hitting numbers.

Hows jock boy?

Hes just enthralling.

R u mad me?

I havent decided.

O.

Thats it?

Wat?

I just assumed u were going further.

Well i wasnt.

Stop txting me.

Y?

Gary! I cant pay attention.

B/c im such a hottie?

She didn’t answer but he was glad because he wanted the last word. It irked her, and she turned deeper in her conversation with Ted, cell phone tucked deep in her fancy backpack.

At lunch she was tucked deep in a corner with her brother. Ricky didn’t dislike Gary, per se, but luckily he was more concerned with Bif at this moment to pay any mind to him.

“Ah, no more Aquaberry.” Johnny Vincent sighed into the seat across from Gary, his fine features set alight by Ricky’s mild little sister.

“Shut up,” Ella answered, rolling her green eyes, which were only improved by the flush of mascara swiped on her lashes.

What an improvement, Gary remarked, wanting to tug at the tight curls that were not wrangled straight by whatever sort of hot iron she used every other morning. In fact, he sort of forgot what she looked like with curly hair. Ella caught him staring, and glared, as if warning him to glance somewhere else. She was not in the mood.

Both Greasers seemed to tower over her, which Gary had never really noticed before. Ella was average height at best, average everything, waist, whatever. But that hair set her apart, it was what made Gary take that secretive second look across her face, which crinkled in delight whenever Ricky was around. Gary sort of envied the siblings, who were more like twins. Ella did best in pairs, actually. First with Ricky, then with Gary, and before yesterday, with Bif.

But hadn’t she forgotten about Gary when Bif was in Ella’s perfect little picture of a life? Big ol’ Bif was twenty times more important than Gary, and he still was, judging by that wistful little gaze over at the table filled with baby blue sweaters and khaki pants and Hollywood hair.

It sort of made him hate her.

But then again, it definitely made him hate Bif Taylor even more.

Gary was always fucked whenever Ella formed a third pair, because apparently there was only room for two.

&oooo&

Ella avoided Bif’s awkwardly open stare and glared at him, but it accidentally hit Gary instead, making the dark-headed boy bow into his lunch. It wasn’t like Gary unless the meds were putting him a bad mood, which seemed to be everyday lately.

Ella couldn’t help thinking that if things got even worse, then Gary might start treating her like anybody else at Bullworth. The only reason why Ella and Gary got along was because they had so many years of practice at it. They both grew up in New Coventry- even though Gary didn’t like to talk about where he fucking grew up, alright, just forget it. He hated to talk about the dirty but charming streets where they’d played tag and hide and seek. Because Ella had to remember that Gary’s life was just not when they played until dusk set in and they had to find their ways open solely from memory because it was too dark to see any street signs.

Ella thought she’d kill his fucking mother. With her bare hands, which Gary always told her didn’t have enough strength knead clay in art class. Ella didn’t care.

What a fucking bitch. She’d murder her in premeditated cold blood, and she wouldn’t care. Ella would growl at her, becoming that tiger that Gary always said laid dormant within her mouse exterior.

Look what you’ve done. It would be chilly and accusing and then Ella would grab the old woman by her throat and scream at her. She’d tell her that she may have fucked Gary up in any way possible, physically, mentally, emotionally especially, but he was still there somewhere. And you’re not going to fuck with him anymore, that’s for fucking sure. And even if you’ve found religion, the bottle in still hard in your soul and the drugs’ effect is still printed against your aged skin, and I’m not ever going to let you back into Gary’s life ever again. And she’d kill her. Ella didn’t know if Gary would be appreciative, whether he actually hated his mother or loved her in a required and embarrassing way.

Thinking about this made her mouth set straight in a line and made her exceptionally furious. But Ricky was able to coax her out of it.

“I told Christy that she was a slut during Gym.” Her brother confessed, which made her smile.

“I did too,” Johnny replied, shrugging. “I figured it was appropriate.”

“Well, thanks, but I’m pretty positive that’s not going to change Bif’s mind.” Ella answered, peeling off two nearly moldy pieces of bread and exposing some foul-smelling turkey. She sighed, and put the disassembled sandwich back on the tray.

“Is that what you want?” Gary asked quietly, causing both boys to look at him, eyebrows raised.

Ella was quiet for a few minutes. “No. It isn’t. Give me a week and I’ll be fine, I promise. Back on the market and all that fucking bullshit.”

Ella only let her famously mild manner slip when she was with her brother or when she was really pissed.

“That’s all well and good, but I’m still going to mess that preppie up. They’ve been deserving a good beating for a while.” Ricky proclaimed, unconsciously flexing his fists.

“Don’t drag me into it,” Ella warned. “If you attack them, you’d better have a good reason.”

“Baby, you are a good reason.” Johnny said quietly, just so that four of them could hear, but barely.

Ella couldn’t estimate the speed with which Gary darted his head to catch a glimpse of Johnny. Gary wasn’t defensive of anyone beside himself, and maybe he was surprised that Johnny would be so willing to jump up in Ella’s honor. Or maybe it was that unnecessary pet name that he’d basically stolen from Gary’s arsenal of pretty words he used to get his way.

But Ella really just thought that Johnny wanted to pick a fight. Maybe Gary did too, judging by his screwed up grey-brown eyes and the disgusted slack to his mouth.

The bell rang and Johnny was free from Gary’s hurtful mouth. Thank God.

She just wished the doctors would find the right meds for him and he’d go back to normal.