Summary: Ella knows what wearing black means. It means you have to be a crude and dark loving person who only has fun with another person in black. She doesn't call it Goth, but she isn't like that, and she does dress in black. Ella may spite preps but loves her fellow goths and geeks who don't dress like them and everyone else. A few goths think she is a contradiction, the anti cheerleader who doesn't cheer. Then there is Crowley, who wants to make a little deal with Ella.

Chapter 1

As I got dressed I cursed the sun that I knew was growing behind my black curtains. I looked at my alarm clock and it was seven, meaning I didn't have too much time to get ready. Granted, school stated at eight twenty, but for me to get ready in the morning took alot. I also like to get there early. There wasn't much that I could cut out of my morning habits. Pausing as I pulled on a shirt I thought over that.

I already showered, so I still had to put on my shirt, pants, socks, boots, belt, sweatshirt, chains and jewelry, not a flexible list. Those stayed. After that was make-up, so black eye liner, smokey gray eyeshadow that took forever to perfect, red lipstick and -if needed- concealor. Vital. I could just not switch the books in my backpack for today's classes and just work with what I had, which would save a few minutes. Then there was breakfast, bacon and toast if my mother was awake and if not a toaster waffle from the freezer. The drive to school itself took ten minutes.

Looking at my bedside alarm clock again I realized I had spent three minutes just standing around. "Fuck," I threw out and pulled my shirts on, along with some black bondage pants I made from skinny jeans, attached to hanging red plaid suspenders. The heavy metal loops I stuck on the side down to my knees jingled when I walked to my closet.

These pants were made especially for boots, tight around the calf so I could tuck them inside, and no loops down far enough to take the space. I fished through the fourteen pairs of heavy boots I owned and grabbed my demonia knee high slush boots. They were perfect, platformed with a large square heel, making me three or four inches taller. That was a plus along with the style considering I was five foot five. It took four minutes to wriggle those on, and a few more the dore the buckles, each boots having eaight to go along with the zipper in back.

I grabbed my belt, putting it on quickly. By the time my makeup was done, my hair brushed through, and I had put on my sweatshirt it was seven forty-four. I grabbed my backpack and ran down the stairs expertly in the platforms. For once I skipped breakfast, knowing my toaster was tempermental and my mom was still asleep. Hopping into my little hybrid my dad got me (though I hated him and he lived halfway around the world) I just thrusted my key into the ignition and sped down the road.

My usually group of friends was standing off the the side of the school, on the lawn under an weeping willow that hid most of us in shadows. I parked close by and got out, arriving a a great time of seven fifty-one. "Hey, Ella." My pal Andrew said as I bent under the willow's vines. He was smoking, but then again when wasn't he?

"Drew, what's up?" I grinned at him as he hugged me. He was a hugger, and I didn't mind because we had known each other since we were nine and he turned me nto a hugger. At me question he made a sound awfully close to 'wohm'.

My group was clustered under the willow, only about one fourth of which smoked. Black clothes were all around the group, along with the occasionaly item that was green or purple or red. I myself had a green Gir on my black sweatshirt, the robot who dressed in a dog suit from Invader Zim. After Andrew released my I pushed my shoulder against my friends Tamara. She squealed and nearly fell over.

"Hi Tom-tom." I cheered and then proceeded to jump on her back. This did knock her down, causing me to go down with her. I was laughing, though, having landing straddling her greed plaid butt. "I love your pants."

"I love your shirt." A guy but in from in front of me and I looked up. It was Crowley, smirking down at me. I froze and knew something was slightly wrong, because Crowley was a jerk who just teased me.

I looked down at my shirt, visible because my sweatshirt was open. My jaw dropped. The swooping shirt I cut to barely touch my shoulders had fallen in front and he was looking right at my bra. Quickly I jumped up and clasped my hands to my chest. There was probably a wicked blush across my cheeks as I punched his arm.

"Pervert." I whined and turned away from him. Tom-tom was just standing on her feet when an arm was swung around me, catching me by the neck. The smell of Tag body spray (which I liked) let me know it was Crowley.

"Oh come on, El. We could get along." He said huskily in my ear which made me glare at the wall of leaves. Only he called me El, which I didn't exactly like him doing. It was a nickname to my nickname, something only a boyfriend or someone really close should call me. My real name was Ellouise.

Another reason I glared was because by "get along" I knew Crowley was using innuendo. He meant sex. "Back off." I elbowed back with one arm, still holding my shirt up. He groaned as I successfully hit him in the stomach and I turned to face him when I could.

My boots may have made me five foot eight, but that was nothing compared to Crowley's six foot three looming figure. He was the tallest in our group, a full ten inches taller then me, the shortest. "You're so sweet." He said and rolled his eyes, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Right when I thought he was going to leave me alone and I was talking to Tom-tom about the pants I liked so much Crowley grabbed my arm and started to pull me away from the tree. "Come on, let's go for a walk." He said in one of his cocky tones.

"I don't want to go for a walk." I complained after going under the willow vines after him. He still had a good grip on my arm and was leading me along the side of the school towards the back. Pulling, I only felt like I was bruising myself, so willingly I followed. Crowley let go after a while when we were at the back of some class rooms.

I stood in front of him furiously as he leaned against the wall. "Well, what do you want?" I demanded.

"You're such a brat." He glared back and pulled a cigarette from his pocket. That was a bad sign. Crowley never smoked unless something really terrible had happened, like when he got in a car crash or found out he had to be present for finals.

As he lit up I calmed slightly and leaned against the wall next to him. Our arms touched. "That bad, huh?" I questioned more nicely. He passed it off to me and I took one puff, not much of a smoker but not wanting to seem rude or too stiff around him.

"My parents are coming back home for a few months." He replied and took the cigarette back while I attempted just not to couch as I let the smoke out of my lungs. On accident I did cough and Crowley just laughed lightly. "Don't take it if you can't handle it, little girl."

"Oh, shut it." I managed and rested my hands on my knees as I caught my breath. I looked back at Crowley and his face was solemn again. "So what's wrong with your parents coming back for a while? I didn't even know they were away."

He shook his head and took a drag of the cigarette, holding it delicately between his two fingers. "No, they don't live around here. I live with my sister. She's twenty." He replied and I swore that was the most Crowley had ever told me about himself in the past seven months I've known him. We met last school year in April when he transferred to the school.

"Uh-huh." Was all I said as I stood again and turned towards him. He turned to me and dropped his cigarette to the ground by my feet. then Crowley was standing in front of me, a forearm on either side of my head as he leaned against the wall space around me. His face was maybe a foot from mine.

"I need you to be my girlfriend while they're in town." He told me and I stood frozen, staring up at him.

What the fuck?