Chapter 5 - Gen 1 - Lilly

~Today My Life Begins ~


The door swung opened and Jazzberry wandered in  "Hey Charming, don't you ever knock?"  I snapped at him as I managed to pull up my leggins just in time. I was getting changed a few minutes earlier and he would have caught me totally just in my underwear; as it is I am stood here in my bra, I quickly grabbed my top and put it on.

"Sorry Lil I forget you might be half naked or somethin' - how did the nerd get so lucky anyway rooming with a girl?"  He didn't make any attempt to look away or cared that I was embarrassed.  He just made himself at home slouching on the sofa and turning on the tv.  "Where is he anyway?"

"He's gone to the bookshop - more piano music." he rolled his eyes, I'm not sure he understands Mango's piano obsession. " Oh Jazz while you're here - that bottom draw over there you might want to empty it, we need more space , and at the moment its full of your whoopee cushions, you can use them on your next victim."  His face was a picture, I couldn't help but laugh at him.

"I ... errr ... you knew it was me .... How? .... Oh My Berry ... Lilly I'm sorry!!!" he was stammering, I'm not sure he knew what to do with himself now he was the one embarrassed.

I could laugh about it now, and we did have a good laugh mainly over his clumsiness, the thought of him bouncing off my walls and furniture in the middle of the night has always amused me.  I told him to forget about it, I was trying to, I wanted to stop moping about my past and put it all behind me.

Mango was not quite the loner that I first thought he was, he is pretty good friends with most of the other kids in the school, with a few obvious exceptions - Lime, Ice and Ruby - everyone else loves him and I could easily understand why.

Before I knew it I had also gained a load of new friends and our room became the hang out for most of the boys, even Alpine, Limes boyfriend, put in an appearance sometimes when Lime let him off his tight reign.  The only boy that did not show up regularly is Cosmic the purple boy - now he is quite the loner.

At first things were a little awkward, the boys eyed me curiously, I could see they were nervous around me, but once they realised the colour fading thing was a load of rubbish, things got a little easier, now they just treat me like one of the gang.

I enjoyed the classes a lot more these days especially if Lime is not in the class.  Everyone leaves me a lone now even Ice and Ruby as long as they are not with Lime.  Lime is the only bad thing in my life, she still gets at me when she gets the chance, but now I don't let it upset me.  I am still playing the colour fading game with her but I think she is starting not to believe it.

English class and we are reading The Hobbit, which I don't mind because I love reading books, I have always been a book worm.  Mango went off to the toilet, a few minutes after the teacher went out to photocopy the test papers, I heard a chair leg scraped across the floor - i know what and who was coming - Lime.

"Hey freak - where has your little nerd gone?  Not sure why you think he is going to protect you, he couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag!!!!"  No teacher and no Mango, she seizes the chance to get at me.

"Mango has gone to the bathroom, say Lime you are looking mighty pale today, are you feeling ok??"  I replied acting like what she said did not bother me.  Caramel and Sunny start sniggering behind me, that just got her angry, one evil look from Lime and they shut up.  I learned from Mango that Lime quite frequently breaks into the office during the night and rifles through everyone's files, she uses what she reads in those files to blackmail and bully everyone - that is how she controls everyone.

"Shut that hole in your head before I fill it in for you!!"  She stands there and I just smile into my book, not looking up and say nothing.  " Personally I'm looking forward to the holidays, you don't have a home to go back to - your parents don't want you - It will just be me and you in the holidays - you won't escape me then!!"  She started laughing  "Your little nerd should be returning just in time to attend your funeral!!"

"Whatever - like I am bothered!!"  I said to her - Just as I thought she has been at my file - how else would she know I have no home to go to - cutting all contact with my parents since arriving here they ended up signing me over to the state , I am now officially 'in care' and no longer their responsibility.

I had not looked up at Lime all the time she had been stood by my desk, keeping my eyes on my book, so I was as surprised as Lime when Miss Bloom shouted her name, stood right behind Lime she must have heard what she had just said to me.

Lime does not do herself any favors when she starts arguing with Miss Bloom, the raised voices must have attracted Mr Ocean into the class room and they both ended up dragging Lime off to the principals office.  I am actually glad Lime is causing a distraction, I'm not really paying much attention to what is going on with Lime at the front of the class like everyone else is -  because I can't stop my attention wandering to the back of the classroom.

Cosmic is sat alone.  With all the commotion going on I get the chance to sneak another look at the cute boy sitting at the back of the classroom.  Big Mistake - he is watching what is going on with Lime and sees me looking at him - he quickly smiles then goes back to his book - I carry on looking, I can't help it, he does the strangest things to me just looking at him.  He looks up again straight at me this time, I have to quickly look away - damn!!  I hope he doesn't know I was watching him.  If only I was purple - I can dream - but who am I trying to kid!?  Yeah right like that is ever going to happen!!!!!

After English I had Art, for once it was quite an enjoyable lesson, Lime had still not reappeared since being carted off to the principals office -  I'm hoping they might have finally expelled her, but know I would never be that lucky!!!  I actually manage to come out of art with a completed painting and not a spot of paint on my body or clothes - quite an achievement!!!

Opening the door to our room, my legs nearly buckled from underneath me, Cosmic was sitting on the sofa with Jazz and they were deep in conversation, which stopped as soon as I entered the room.   Not trusting my legs to take me across the room I sat down at the computer desk and switched the computer on, I needed a distraction.

"Hey Lil, we're waiting for Mango."  Jazz threw at me  "He told us to drop in after last lesson, we are all hanging out here tonight?"  Like that is different to any other night lately, except for Cosmic is here, and I cant talk or think straight, my heart is beating double time and if my stomach doesn't stop doing somersaults soon I'm going to be sick.  "You ok Lil, you are unusually quiet? I heard about what happened in your English class with Lime, she didn't upset you did she?."

"No, I'm fine, I'm not worried about her, I don't let her upset me any more."  I looked over at them Cosmic was cutting his eyes and shaking his head at Jazz.  "So what are we doing later?"

"Just the usual, I think ........ say Lil, what colour should you be, what colour are your parents?"  I am sure Jazz has asked me this question once before.

"Purple, I thought you already knew that, and if your next question is why am I like this - ask Mango he knows all the medical ins and outs of it and what it's called - I keep forgetting"

I heard a commotion behind me, Jazz and Cosmic muttering quietly, I heard a slap, then another, when I looked they were bickering and punching each other I couldn't help but laugh out loud, they looked like a pair of primary school kids slapping each other.

"I need to shoot."  Cosmic suddenly said.  "Stay Cosmic, you always do this, you are a pain in the butt, you need to stop moping."

"Its got nothing to do with moping - I seriously have something I need to do, Ill catch you later."  with that he got up and left.

"Whats up with him?"  I was more than a little disappointed that he had left.

"Oh he is over emotional I think.  He spends too much time moping over his past instead of trying to forget it, he's probably curled up in a corner as we speak balling his eyes out, but why nobody knows, he won't tell anyone."

Mango rolled up with Sunny and Alpine in tow, Caramel showed up not long after them with her stereo, something we lacked in this room.  I have learned something about myself since I have been here - my eyes light up at the sight of Caramel's stereo, and so do Sunny's, who says we are a like  'party animals' he calls it - bang up the music and I will dance the night away, preferably with Sunny because he is the only one that can keep up with me.  Caramel is quiet happy to dance alone, but Alpine dances with her when he is here.

I do not quite get Alpine and Limes relationship, when he is with us he seemed to be a different person, he smiles and has fun and is not in the slightest bit nasty, he is actually a pretty nice guy.  When he is with Lime he always stands behind her with a menacing face but does not do anything nasty he just looks it.  He looks far from happy when he is around her - I wander why he stays with her.

"I can't stay long, my history assignment is due in two days and I haven't even started it yet!!"  Sunny always leaves everything to the last minute and regularly gets into trouble for not doing homework.  Life is one big party to Sunny, I am actually surprised he is making an effort tonight to do his history assignment.

"Need a hand with it, I've finished mine?"  I offered as I would probably just spend the rest of the night reading if Sunny wasn't around to dance with.

"No you're ok, I work quicker on my own, besides I'm too easily distracted but thank's anyway."  That is when I heard the guitar - Cosmic had returned - I knew without even turning round because he is the only one who plays the guitar.

I stood watching him for a while, he was actually smiling, he looked quite a bit different from when he was here earlier, he looked happier.  I spent the rest of the night lay on my bed pretending to read, and watching him playing his guitar and daydreaming.

My time ran out in I.T.  Lime has finally sussed that my little colour fading game was nothing more than that - a game - and boy she was not impressed - I have made a right fool of her, everyone, even her own boyfriend has known the truth for weeks, no months, and we have all been having a good laugh at her behind her back!!!

I stood listening to her tongue running riot, her language was fowl and her threats well - she is planning my funeral as she speaks, the cheeky cow even asked me what music I would like playing while they burnt my bones.  I just laughed at her and that set her going again.  I was waiting for the first punch because now she knows she can touch me, but that punch never came.  She is all mouth - I think - but I didn't want to push her too far, just in case she proved me wrong.

"You know what Lime - bring it on - I'm not scared of dying, in fact, I have wished for it more times than you will ever know, because of people like you, so you would actually be doing me a favour - but at this precise moment in time, I don't particularly want to die, I'm having the best fun I've ever had in my life, but hey, if it has to end - so be it." I then just stood there smiling at her waiting for a reaction.

Yeah I thought so - she just stands there staring at me, she really did not know what to say to that, Ruby stood there her mouth hanging open catching flies - All mouth - If I had said that to Prelude he would have had me six foot under by now.  I'll give Prelude one thing he always backed his mouth up with his fist - she I doubt isn't even capable - that is why she has an army of lap dogs to do her dirty work for her - All Mouth - why was I ever scared of her???

"Are you ok Lilly??"  Mango appeared with his concerned face on.

"Yes I'm great thank you Mango"  I stood there grinning at him, Lime still stood there saying and doing nothing.

"Good because I've got something to tell you.  Ive just been speaking to my parents and you can come home with me for the holidays"  he suddenly turned into an excited child which made me laugh.

"Really!!??  They don't mind??"

"No, they can't wait to meet you - they both have the two weeks off work and have plenty planned and you will get to see those mixed berries I have told you about AND the boy who is like you - you will have to ok it with your carer first though, but I doubt that will be a problem."  He was rambling away with excitement - of course I wanted to go anyway but the thought of seeing someone else like me was what excited me the most.

"So will you??"  He stood there impatiently waiting for an answer.

"Yes, I'd love to go home with you for the holidays."  How could I say no to his excited face, even if I didn't want to, but I actually couldn't wait

"Great we are going to have so much fun!!"  He grabbed me, hugged me then lifted my feet off the floor and started swinging  me round in circles over and over making me giddy.

When he put my feet back on the ground I was giddy and very wobbly on my feet, he caught me and stopped me from falling over.  "Sorry, I think I over did it this time!!"

Ruby started laying into Mango rambling on about him being orange me not having any colour, how it was disgusting and how we couldn't - I think she had totally misread our hug - we do that all the time and it doesn't mean we are sleeping together or anything - its just a hug, although I wish he wouldn't keep swinging me round like that - he makes me giddy every time.

"Mixed berries are perfectly legal where I come from, besides I am colour blind so I have an excuse, what excuse do you have Ruby?  You've got a nerve having a go at me!!!"  Ruby's face suddenly dropped, she looked shocked.

"You do nerd and your little friend here will be arranging your funeral."   she started threatening him but he was quick to respond, he started laughing.  "Oh, If I did Ruby it wouldn't be my funeral I think it might just be yours."  he carried on laughing, Ruby stood there a face like thunder, she looked like she was about to explode any minute.  All these death threats what is wrong with these girls, they are beginning to sound like broken records.

"Come on Lilly,"  he grabbed my hand and started to pull me away from Lime and Ruby.  "I need to get out of here before my tongue starts slipping" and off we went Mango laughing his head off.

"What on earth was all that about with Ruby??"  I was having to run to keep up with him he was going so fast.  He still had a hold of my hand pulling me along and he was still laughing  

"Principals office first then I'll tell you about Ruby when we get back to our room."

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I can't believe what I am watching - the orange nerd drooling all over the colourless freak and he looks like he has it bad!!!  Come on Lime, think, you can use this!!!!  I want that berry hole on her knees, she doesn't make a fool of me and get away with it!!!!

"Ice is it me or has our little orange nerd got a crush on the colourless freak??"  I was running my idea past Ice she is the only one on my wave length, Ruby is useless, one of these days I am going to kick her I don't know why I have let her hang around me for so long, especially now just to prove how useless she is even then nerd has something on her.

"Ruby I have a plan - go find Midnight - tell him I want him out back IMMEDIATELY."

"What do you want him for??"  Berry that girl irretates me when she questions me.

"He is going to do a little something for me!!"  He has no choice when he hears what I have dug up from his file - he will be begging to do it in exchange for me keeping my mouth shut!!  "Find him and bring him to me, then you will find out what is going on - oh and Ruby - later you are going to tell me what dirt the nerd has on you."

That colourless freak is going down and hopefully she will take the little orange nerd with her!!!!

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Song: "Today My Life Begins" by Bruno Mars (Song)