"So you keep saying — I'm allowed to look out for everyone except you, is that it?" Pretty much, yeah... El, I'm alright, really." Elspeth remained ...nconvinced, but they spoke quietly about trivialities as they walked, admiring the Christmas decorations."I love Christmas." Shawna announced, as they rounded the corner into Marcus' road."Normally I do," Elspeth agreed. "It's going to be strange this time." Are you heading home?" I don't know... I was going to, but... with Bri being away this week. ." she paused, as she dabbed at the corner of her eye.I remained silent, as I slid my hand across the bench seat, resting it against her leg." ... you opened yourself more in that moment, than your grandfather ever did," she said, finishing her thought.Still, I didn't know what to say, so I continued to remain silent."Just so you know Michael, I've only been with two men in my life. And I realized..." she turned away again, staring out the window.I moved my hand to her lap and covered her. Mark heard somewhere that she sometimes helped her fellow outsiders. Noone could ever recall her doing anything notable, but the idea seemeduniversally accepted. Off to college and still bullied like a child, Markhad worked up his nerve on the grounds that it couldn't hurt to ask. He'dtold Shayna how Steve Martens, a tubby classmate with greasy blonde hairand a singularly cruel mind, made his life miserable, and how he justwanted some peace during his last month here. She cheerfully offered. Once he was out of sight she sighed and slumped a little, raising her coffee to stare into the black steaming liquid. She saw herself looking back, the coffee giving her reflection a skin tone, not unlike the warm chocolatey glow of Skys. How long had it been, she wondered, since she had been on a date. She remembered it then, it had been a woman, a delicate blonde girl, slender and fine, concerned about her growing weight despite the fact she had been too skinny to be healthy. Andrea had.