Here we go again

They showed up on registration day in practically the same outfit. Eric and Ellie. He had the same maroon bermuda shorts that she did, and they'd showed up in the white polos too.

"This is too much," Ellie laughed.

"And you didn't even tell me." He gave her a little nudge as they walked into the school together.

"I got mine on clearence."

"Mum got these. Don't have a clue how much she paid. They just showed up on my bed, and I took them." Eric shrugged.

They looked around at new faces. A lot of Freshman. They held hands as they walked through the lines. There were a few teachers that Ellie said hello to. She hoped they didn't ask about her parents nor Lisa. She could be happy if she didn't think about them.

Finally, they saw Cory and they both stopped. He was hanging out with Roger.

"Well?" Ellie pulled Eric closer.

"Well, what?" Eric wouldn't even look at Cory.

"What happened?" Ellie had to ask.

"Nothing."

"You can't just not speak to him, can you?" Ellie looked at Eric's face then who didn't give way any impression about what he might be feeling.

"Yes, I can." He sighed. "Just don't bother. Lets get this over with." And he didn't mean with seeing Cory. They moved on.

Ellie looked behind Eric's shoulder. There Cory was talking to Roger. Was that his only friend now?

No, Ellie took that back. There was Kyle chatting it up with both of them. Ellie couldn't help but stare. Before long she saw Roxie come up from behind Kyle to give him a surprise hug. You'd think he hadn't seen her the whole year by the way she made over him. This disgusted Ellie.

"Just a few more things and then we can go," Ellie said thinking they'd probably end up back at Eric's.

Then they saw Leia at the drama club. She wanted everyone to join.

Eric looked at Ellie, "Do we have to?"

"No," she smiled. They held helds hands, there arms swung back and forth, perhaps a little too much. Leia was starting to get on Ellie's nerves.

"Lets just get out of here."

On there way out of the hall there was Nick coming in, alone.

"Hey, how you been?" He seemed oblivious to the whole Rex thing. He was much more cheery than Ellie expected him to be. Perhaps he was either faking or on medication.

"Just great!" Ellie made an effort to be nice. "What have you been up too?"

"Not a lot," he nodded. "I'm working at the library."

"Cool." Ellie said. It was hard to keep smiling, but that silly grin on his face just couldn't be real, could it? "See ya, around."

"Good to see you, Nick." Eric finally said.