A/N: Time for a new chapter! One of your last for this week because I'm leaving for Camp this Sunday; plus I actually supposed to be packing right now so this chapter will be kind of short.

Chapter Fourteen

Girling Up

December 24, 2012 (Later)

Well that was convenient. I was sitting on Lilly's porch with a chilly breeze stirring my brown hair ever few minutes when Lilly's voice wafted through the air towards me.

"Juliet? Hey Juliet?"

I heard the backdoor behind me open and bang shut; footsteps crossed the porch and stopped a few paces to my right. I felt the creak of the boards as Lilly plopped on them; out of the corner of my eye I saw Lilly cross her legs, then uncross them before pulling them up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

"Well?"

I turned my head to look at her and gave her a once over.

Her crystal white locks are pulled messily back in her trademark ponytail with her bangs out and swinging like wind chimes in the breeze. A black and white striped scarf was wrapped around her neck and the ends had black pom-poms.

She was wearing a two sizes too big grey sweatshirt with bright yellow flecked randomly on it. Black jeans and broken in white sneakers completed her look.

"Um, earth to Juliet. Do you want to freeze?"

I rolled my eyes.

"This is Santa Monica Lilly, it's practically impossible to freeze."

"Well when you do don't come crawling to me."

I turned fully to face her; "No, my pride wouldn't like that."

"What's this?" Lilly clapped her hands to her heart "Is Juliet Damson actually being sarcastic?"

I rolled my eyes but kept the grin "I do have a sense of humor you know."

"Psh," said Lilly, smirking "Whatever you say."

I harrumphed and tossed my braid back over my shoulder.

Lilly's smirk widened but instead of pressing the subject she changed it:

"So; what exactly are you doing out here on Christmas Eve?"

I shifted on the hardwood porch; "Thinking."

"About what?"

"It's complicated."

Lilly snorted and crossed her arms over her chest, defiance clear in her green eyes.

"Try me."

I sighed and played with the end of my braid.

"I was thinking…about what Vice Principal and Principal Munroe said about me."

Lilly raised an eyebrow; "What about it?"

I shivered "It gave me the creeps."

"Uh-huh, well I think you're just being paranoid."

I scowled "But you said to care about what the right kind of people thought about me."

"Yeah," Lilly leaned back on the railing of the porch "The right kind of people, Munroe doesn't qualify."

I interlaced my fingers together, flexing them up and down:

"But she scares me." I mumbled.

Lilly shrugged "She's a walking nut job, her type always scare people."

I snorted, eyes still on my fingers: "She doesn't scare you."

"Actually she does."

My head shot up, eyes wide.

"She scares you?"

Now it was Lilly's turn to be embarrassed, she blushed and studied her shoelaces.

"Don't tell but yeah, I mean she has no clear motive. There is a lot of pure untapped purpose contained inside her and that makes her both scary and dangerous."

"Which is bad."

"Very."

We were silent for a moment each preoccupied with her own thoughts.

"Okay; let's start."

I started at the sound of Lilly's voice.

"Start what?"

"Your empowerment lessons of course."

I blinked.

"What?"

Lilly rolled her eyes and pushed her white bangs back from her face.

"Just listen. Say I'm Clare."

I guessed my expression must have been pretty doubtful because Lilly laughed.

"Just go with it, say I'm Clare and I said that your new shirt that cost one hundred dollars that you saved up to get is hideous and that you should burn and then bury it somewhere in China. You would say…"

Feeling slightly silly I lifted my chin and replied:

"Clare thanks for the advice but maybe instead of burning and burying it I could just pretend like I actually care what you think."

Lilly's green eyes hardened:

"So misguided…I would help you but you're in the third world and as amazing as I am I can't help you there."

The simper was so like Clare that I almost did a double take.

"At least in the third world I can be my own person."

"Honey, you are one mess of a person."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Lilly sat back and studied me; I fidgeted putting my right thumb in a thumb lock.

"Good; extremely good."

"Really?"

"Yup," Lilly said, standing "I'll help you some more but I think this is a good start."

I stood too; "Alrighty then, thank you."

Lilly flashed me a warm smile. "Don't mention it, now; would you like some hot chocolate? My mom's making."

I returned the smile:

"Yes please."

Must go hot chocolate is waiting.

Juliet.

A/N: Hmmm, I think this was an alright chapter. Next chapter is another time skip as they return to Windmere!

Click n' type people.

Replies to Reviews

Raven555: You go to my bottom an's first? Huh. But yeah really really evil cliffy, sorry about that; you're special, I'm special, everybody's happy! Yes drama, drama, drama. You'll never believe what I have planned in a couple of chapters. ;) LOL I did that once, waited to see if the story was really updated. It was; and I was happy. Thanks for the review!

Dream. Love. Smile: Thank you so much! That's means a lot and I don't mind the exclamation points because if you're hyped I'm hyped! Thanks so much!

Lady P.