So many reasons why.. [Bexi}

[Lester 'Les' Nicholson]

Lester sat at the cafeteria table, trying desperately to hold his sleeves over his hands and eat at the same time. He was trying to eat as fast as he could and cover the burns, because he knew that if he didnt get back to his dorm before lunch was over, he was sure to get beaten again. It hurt to sit, it hurt to stand, it hurt to lay down.. He thought he couldnt win for loosing.

But no matter what physical pain he was going through, he knew it couldnt possibly match the emotional pain the girl he had met yesterday was going through. She looked like she had just had her heart danced on, then placed back in her chest backwards and upsidedown. And Lester knew first hand how that pain surpassed that of any other pain. He just wished he could help her. He had had to escort the poor girl back to her dorm because he didnt think she could make it back alone without collapsing. He could tell she had cried so much, she had literally dehydrated herself.

"But theres nothing I can do.." He told himself, tossing his tray away and walking back in the direction of the dorms, his hands shoved in his pockets.

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi was sitting in the cafeteria at the same time as Les. She had the food on the plate in front of her, the steam rising as she could tell that it was still too hot to eat even if she couldn't feel its heat. She was sitting in front of it, waiting for it to cool, wondering vaguely why everyone enjoyed warm food so much. It was just a pain to her.

And so she drew her attention to the things around her. Particularly the people, watching as they enjoyed their food, wondering who to speak to, when she saw the boy. He was moving so much faster than the others, not seeming to enjoy his food or even particularly taste it. She watched him closely, almost forgetting that she had the food she was so wrapped up in his strange behaviour. She hated to stare, but a mothering instinct told her to watch him and take care of him...

She ate the food quickly, or at least part of it, making a mental note to eat more later. But the boy wouldn't wait. She picked her bag up and walked out, ignoring the looks the dinner ladies gave her as she didn't put away her plate, hurrying after him.

"Is he worth it?" She walked calmly to his side, matching his steps perfectly and pretending like she wasn't even really speaking to him, but simply voicing her thoughts, "A boy hides his scars so eagerly, he is saving someone. If they were accidental, you would be nervous but you wouldn't look so afraid. So you're covering for someone," it was a statement, not a question. "And so I ask you... is it worth it?" she turned to him, finally looking straight at him, giving him a soft smile.

[/blockquote]

[Lester 'Les' Nicholson]

Lester shrugged. He wanted to go back to his dorm, take a shower. Get the awful smell of smoke off of him and hopefully clean the wounds scarring his skin.

"No. Hes not worth it. But I think my life is. Id much rather be burned, bound and tortured than killed. Because I still have things to live for. And theres a girl here who needs my help, who needs a hug. Before she goes off and kills herself. I might not be worth it, but she is. Now if youll excuse me, Im going to go sneak into my dorm, grab a change of clothes, and run like hell to the showers." He said, slipping inside the doors. He sighed, pushing his hands down further into his pockets. He hoped Ehren wasnt in the dorm. Because he wouldnt let Lester take a shower until he begged for it. And even then, he still had to bathe with Ehren.

He fumbled with his keys, unlocking the door then opening the door slowly, peeking in.

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi looked at him, her heart aching for him. "Haaaaang on..." she said slowly putting her arm out in front of Les and the main doorway into his room. "You're telling me that that guy has been threatening you, so you're just lying back and letting him walk all over you?" she demanded, finding his words hard to believe simply because they were so far from anything she was used to. Bexi had always taken what she wanted, spoiled by her pain-free world and with an apatite for fighting, particularly when it was to protect someone.

She moved her hand out of the way, throwing his room door open and looking around herself confidently, quickly making the room her own as she pressed her clenched fist against her palm. "Right..." she said, looking around and checking that no one was in. "Show me to him. I, Bexi, shall be your personal body-guard - no one threatens kids on my turf. 'sides, you're cute and you look like a decent kid," she added with a shrug.

[Lester 'Les' Nicholson]

Lester pushed past her, gathering his clothes quickly before running back out. He took off his jacket, tossing it on the bed before closing the door quietly.

"Look. I dont care if you think Im cute. I have a boyfriend. I may not want him, but I have him. So just leave it at that. Im sure theres someone out there who loves you. And sorry, its not me." He said, storming past her. He hated when people called him cute. Thats all anyone ever thought about anymore. Was how cute someone was. He hugged his burned arms, clinging to his clothes before running into Ehren.

"E-Ehren.. H-hey.." He said, looking up at him, then back down.

[Ehren Murray]

Ehren looked down at Lester, tipping his chin back to place a kiss on his lips. Then he let him go, pushing past Bexi to open the door to his dorm. He walked over to the dresser, grabbing his pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out then put it between his teeth, inhaling deeply as he lit the tip.

He walked to the window, opening it and looking out as a cool breeze came in.

He walked to the dresser, grabbing a textbook before walking back out, the cigarette still thrust between his lips.

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi gritted her teeth in frustration, rolling her eyes. Why did everyone seem to be obsessed with relationships in this school? Couldn't someone just say that someone was 'cute' without meaning 'I want you in bed'? He was cute like a lost puppy, and was probably a fair few years younger than Bexi.

Now Ehren, on the other hand, she realised to her dismay, would be placed into that catagory... "Aw Jeez..." she muttered under her breath. Why did it always have to be the kinds of boys she loved which she would end up fighting? Bexi pulled open the door wide, her twisted feelings quickly gone. After all, they only infuriated her more. "You the kid who's been messing with this un?" she said, putting her hands on her hips and indicating that she was talking about Les, whom she still didn't know the name of.

[/blockquote]

[Ehren Murray]

Ehren raised an eyebrow at her.

"You talking about Les?" He snorted, pulling the cigarette from his lips long enough to blow smoke in her face. Then he walked out, slamming the door.

"Keep away from my boyfriend." He told her, walking out of the building. He had class to get to. He would handle Lester later.

He almost stamped on Lesters foot as he rushed out of the shower, his hair dripping wet and in his eyes.

"Hey, baby." He told him, kissing him deeply before continuing on to class.

[Lester 'Les' Nicholson]

Lester kissed Ehren back quickly before running back to his dorm. He fumbled with the knob, his hand wet. He hadnt even had time to really dry off. His clothes were still soaked, but he had thought Ehren had wanted to shower with him, so he had hurried out. He didnt want to see Ehren naked. He had seen plenty of girls swoon over him, and he was sure THEY wanted to see him shower, but Lester didnt want to.

He was tired of being raped by this guy.

"Youre prodding into a lost cause.." He told Bexi, clinging to his towel as an infant would cling to a blanket.

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi slid down slowly to take a seat whereever she could. She was far from hopeless, but she looked like a traveller standing in front of Everest; it would make for an interesting journey, but the costs could end up far too great, and it would take all of her energy.

She shook her head slowly, giving the boy a polite smile. "No cause is lost, kid," she told him, determination in her eyes. "But the fact you believe that tells me why he chose you in the first place..." she said, her eyes narrowing at him. "I can teach you to defend yourself, get myself to protect you when you can't. It's not like I got much on else... 'cept for Drama club..." she added, suddenly remembering that.

[/blockquote]

[Lester 'Les' Nicholson]

Lester threw his towel down, realizing he was making a puddle on the floor. And that the window was left open. Again.

"I dont need anyone to teach me anything about self defense. And dont you tell me you dont have anything but a stupid drama club. Because everyone has someone. Except maybe me. But thats beside the point. So, thanks for the offer. Im gonna pass. I dont want anyone else dragged into this, okay? So you can go home and do whatever it is youre gonna do today. Because I need to get changed." He stood by the door, waiting for her to leave.

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi smiled at him once more, seeming to take great delight in this. "See, I knew you had a backbone, chuck," she said with a grin, leaning further back in the seat and refusing to leave. She picked her legs up and rested them lightly against the bar below the seat of the chair, and rested her elbows on her knees.

She looked at Les with interest, pretty much ignoring every one of his requests. "Now, if only we can get this selflessness to put itself into another form... a one which can protect your own ass. Now that would be interesting..." she said slowly, looking at him like he was a specimen in a test tube rather than a real person.

[/blockquote]

[Lester 'Les' Nicholson]

Lester balled his hands into fists. In some ways, she was just like Ehren. Stubborn. Disrespectful. Uncaring of other peoples feelings. And she probably wasnt loyal, either.

"Okay. Go ahead and get me killed. Because Ehren comes back here and finds you still here, Im gonna be dead. But you know, who cares. One less lonely kid. So why bother?" He stuffed his key into his damp pants, wishing he could have changed. But like Ehren, she didnt listen to what Lester said. Everything just went in one ear and out the other. He stood there, waiting for her to leave. But he didnt expect she would.

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi rolled her eyes; why was everyone so stubbornly selfless? She was certain that she would prefer someone to be completely selfish than to be so selfless that the world was forced to watch them crumble. Bexi had seen firsthand the damage that it caused, seen how many more lives it had destroyed. What was the point of living without gain?

She would find Ehren, give him a piece of her mind or die trying. There was no way anyone would get away with threatening someone in the school. Not after what had happened to Brendan... Not after what had almost happened to those other children... Because to Bexi, they weren't just strangers or even friends; she had spent her whole life travelling from stranger to stranger, barely knowing any. And for once she was in a place that she would consider a home, and these were her children that were being hurt.

"Les, Les, Les..." she said slowly, swinging her legs around the chair to jump up. She was, surprisingly, the same height as him, and so she could look down at him. "Will you at the very least believe that I'm not doing this for your sake, but for the sake of justice?"

[/blockquote]

[Lester 'Les' Nicholson]

Lester raised an eyebrow. This girl must really be nuts.

"Do what you want for the 'sake of justice.' Just leave me out of it. Whatever happens to me is none of your concern. Who ever you have me mistaken with must be much more important, because I could care less about whats happening to me. If it keeps him.. him off of people.." He started choking, remembering what the girl in the garden had told him about Ehren.

"Are.. Are you Bexi?" He asked her, highly doubting it could be the girl that Shaun was so upset about. He crossed his arms, looking her in the eyes.