Inconceivable

[Piper Galloway]

"I'm so happy you were selected to be my peer mentor."  Piper said merrily, her eyes gleaming as she sat behind the usually dour blonde girl.  Her slender fingers were deftly moving through the soft, well maintained tendrils, twisting them this way, looping them that way and generally experimenting with many different styles of braids she'd learned over the years.  "Aren't you?"

It had been a few weeks since school had started and Piper had grown very fond of her older (and much more grumpy) peer mentor.  Ellen had been polite, though probably reluctantly so which made Piper all the more intrigued by the other girl.  She proved to be shrewd when it came to deciphering a person's motivations and from the very beginning decided Ellen and her were going to be best friends.  Best friends.  The soft spoken girl quickly learned Ellen was no one to play around and her sense of humor wasn't the most developed.  Still that didn't stop the tiny Brit from being nothing but pleasant and equally as cordial around her new American acquaintance.

If someone with knowledge of the situation, or more specifically, knowledge of one Ellen Banks , then it  was clear the young, blue eyed girl had managed to strike a chord somewhere deep within the icy blackness Ellen called a heart.  But that was where things things took a turn for the strange. To the ignorant eye it was simply two girls, one who had taken the younger girl under her wing (which was exactly how Piper chose to see it) sitting in a dorm room braiding one another's hair.  It had to simply be the rare moment of weakness for the frigid Bitch Queen of Bellefonte, right?  Surely another blue eyed, soft spoken girl hadn't wormed their way into her heart.  The odds of that were inconceivable.  

[Ellen Banks]

Urg..... Her duties as a college student...

This had to be Elsa's doing. It just had to be, who else would get such a perverse enjoyment from seeing Ellen like this...

Apparently, Ellen was signed up to some kind of buddy program, which would involve her mentoring a younger student who just arrived in Bellefonte...

...That literally couldn't sound any less appealing to Ellen if she tried. No, she was not a baby sitter it was not her position to hold some snot noses brats hands while they go through the basics of the school. No one ever held Ellen's hand when she first arrived and she flourished here...She saw no need for her to mentor anyone and she made it quite clear to this Piper girl that she wanted nothing to do with her....She wasn't going to hold her hand or hug her or be like some kind of friend to her. she needed to sink or swim on her own. It was as simple as that...

Ok, fine. She was currently letting her hair being braided but really what was the harm of that? It didn't harm Ellen in anyway and besides it kept her quiet for a few seconds so why not right?

Ellen gently considered the question that Piper posed. Tilting her head in consideration "....It's ok...I guess" She muttered.. At least Piper was quiet, which is more then she could say for most people here...she was just...harmless...nothing more nothing less..

...Besides it's not like she had a relationship with her right?
"Are you almost done?"

[Piper Galloway]

Even though Ellen's reply was tepid, to say the least, the words that came from the blonde girl's lips brought out a bright smile in Piper. Her eyes lit up, as they commonly did whenever Ellen spoke, and every utterance was hung on intently. Piper was nothing but the consummate student. Everything Ellen said, whether it be dispensing advice or simply random musings was consumed by the young girl. Ellen was a source of invaluable information. After all, someone like her had to know the ins and outs of how this world worked, didn't she? And Piper was all too eager to learn.

"It could have been worse. I saw one of the other new girls get this... really scary looking girl as her mentor." Piper said, eyes widening almost in a fearful sense at the memory. "She was very pretty but she was so cold and..." Piper paused a moment as she tried to piece together the words. "Severe. She looked like she was about to make the poor girl cry just by looking at her." Piper then smiled again from her vantage point behind Ellen. At some point she may have began extending out the braiding session in order to simply run her slender fingers through the soft tendrils of blonde hair for a moment.

[Ellen Banks]

She will say this for the girl..she certainly seemed....eager. God knows what she was so cheery about, Ellen wasn't giving her any real reason to be so happy. IF she wanted a reason to smile she was sure that Frank would be more then happy to be a mentor for the girl. Ellen made it perfectly clear that this wasn't a "Friendship"this wasn't a "Relationship" This was something that was Ellen was forced to do

She tolerated the girl...

Ellen frowned as Piper continued more and more first off Ellen was confused that Piper was not labeling Ellen with those traits and part out of figuring out who exactly it was that Piper was taking about "That was Eve...Eve Connor, real piece of work that one...quite the charmer, you should probably stay away from her

Ellen couldn't help but let out a relaxed sigh and Piper began to exploit her weakness for her hair being played with like she's been doing.

...She found the action soothing

[Piper Galloway]

Now this was interesting. Ellen had yet to issue any sort of warnings to Piper and the sudden way in which she reacted to the mention of the other girl, Eve, was startling, to say the least. Piper's eyes narrowed in thought as her hands moved seemingly of their own volition. They'd long abandoned the act of braiding and were now lazily running through the soft, blonde hair without much of a purpose. She may have been a reluctant participant in all this, but Ellen was still a source of invaluable information.

"Really?" Piper said in her usual soft tone. Her head tilted a little in curiosity as she spoke. There must have been something between this girl and Ellen and Piper, being as she was, couldn't help but wonder what. "Eve Conner..." Piper said the name contemplatively, taking in the feel of it on her lips for a moment. "That name sounds familiar. She's someone I should know, yeah?" She asked, her attention returning to Ellen. "Why do you say stay away? Is there... something wrong with her?"

[Ellen Banks]

What could she say? Superman had his kypnonight. Ellen was instantly calmed by the sensation of having her hair played around with, it was a relaxing motion to her...she couldn't explain it. She couldn't give any rationlize for a reason behind it. She just did...and really maybe she should have been asking what Piper was doing...but really...it felt great so questioning it was the last thing Ellen wanted to do

"Evelyn Connor" Ellen said her body language becoming far more relaxed as she leaned her head against her knuckles, tilting it as she did "Even you probably heard of her. The Connor family are the richest family in the area....as she likes to remind me" Ellen shot a small bout of bitterness entering her words "Let's just say she isn't the friendliest person around...she's like me only without my cheery disposition and welcoming nature"  Ellen smiled as she streched herself out feline like "I can't think of a single person she isn't a total witch too...Conversing with her isn't exactly a pleasent experience

[Piper Galloway]

Piper let out a long, low 'oooooh' in response. She slowly nodded, letting Ellen's words sink into her mind. This Evelyn Conner sounded exactly like the type of person Piper did want to avoid. She was never too fond of people that lorded their money and wealth over others, no matter how affluent they were. Ellen didn't seem as though her family was in poor financial straits, to say the least, so this Conner family must be loaded if they could get under Ellen's skin in that way.

Piper would file that thought away for use at a later time.

"Is she really just so dreadful to be around all the time?" Piper said with a hint of disdain creeping into her voice. It didn't make sense. If this girl really was as rich as Ellen described, why couldn't she find at least some happiness in life? Piper could use herself as an example of someone who was born with nothing and still, really, had nothing to speak and still managed to enjoy a bright summer's day once in a while. "I'll never understand how some people who have it all and seem to hate every bit of it."

Piper sighed softly, all the while her fingers continued toying with Ellen's hair. "You're not like that." Piper felt the need to point out, even as a hint of sheepishness began to creep into her voice. "I know you're very serious and driven but you have things that make you happy... right?" She leaned to the side just a bit so she could sneak a glimpse of Ellen's profile as she spoke. "Or maybe someone?"

[Ellen Banks]

It's funny. It could be argued that in the school there wasn't two people more alike then Evelyn Connor and Ellen Banks. Certainly when it came to her persoanlity wise. Ellen wasn't exactly the nicest purpose and she's been known to chew out a lot of people who even dared look at her funny. They were different sides of the same coin and if circumstances were different maybe they would have been friends....

...Maybe, but it would be impossible for them not to clash, it was always going to happen...

"Oh, talking to her is always a joy....I honestly can't think of a thing she enjoys. Maybe making kids cry...yeah that would be pleasing to her I imagine Ellen did her best to stiffle a yawn..having her hair played like this always made her a little sleepy and relaxed and certainly her body language was miles more soft then when Piper first sat down "When you're raised spoiled and not having to lift a finger for yourself things like that happen" Not like her dad, he worked for every thing he had and made sure Ellen knew it.

Ellen had to snort at Piper's words, clearly she was an idealistic "No?" She asked with a raised eyebrow clearly Piper hasn't seen Ellen in "Action" yet but no doubt she will, sooner rather then later, Ellen paused for a moment blinking at Piper's words her eyes locked on her's considering the question...Almost instantly her mind threw up the mental image of brown hair and light blue eyes "...I do..." She said after a beat maybe the realization only hitting her  just now "...But it's complicated"

[Piper Galloway]

This Eve girl sounded positively dreadful. Piper couldn't help the frown from touching her usually cheerful features as Ellen elaborated on the enigmatic creature that was Evelyn Conner. Perhaps Piper would find her paths crossing with this girl in the future. Surely someone who could draw the ire of one Ellen Banks in this way was worthy of at least a curious look. But for now Piper's attention remained locked upon Ellen and her lovely blonde hair. It really was achingly soft and easy to get lost in toying with.

The real question here had been directed toward Ellen. All talk of Eve or the Conners in general was fine and dandy, but Piper watched intently ad a myriad of emotions flashed across Ellen's face. "Well..." Piper said once Ellen had fallen silent. She wasn't quite sure how to approach the subject and it looked as though Ellen didn't either. "How complicated?" Piper asked at the risk of sounding dreadfully naive. She was, at least thankful her subtle psychic power usually aided in coaxing such answers out of people. "If they make you happy, what else is there?"

[Ellen Banks]

Piper, was a big girl....well that was a lie she had the body of a small child and the disposition of a small child ("Utterly harmless") she was a big girl, she could take care of herself, and if she wanted to talk to Eve, it'll be funny to see Piper try and use that bright disarming smile against Eve....which will of course fail utterly.

No one else listened to Ellen, why should she?

Ellen was quite more chilled out then she had been for a long time so she was more relaxed about talking to Piper about these issues, Ellen couldn't describe it but there was something about Piper that made it....easy to talk about especially when it came to...THIS kind of thing, Ellen couldn't help but smile bitterly at Piper's question "Very Complicated...Take my word for it, happilness is incidental in my life.It's not really important

[Piper Galloway]

Piper frowned. She didn't like half answers or stilted responses. She preferred to deal in certainties and truths. Ellen all but brushing her off wasn't the desired reply to her question and it was a little discouraging, to say the least. She tutted a little and sighed lightly, though she leaned back so she was out of Ellen's view again and focused on the girl's blonde hair. It was remarkably soft. The meticulous care in which Ellen gave to her hair was noticeable from the very beginning.

"Really?" Piper said, her fingers now beginning to work on the braid she'd been putting off for so long. "That's being a pessimist." She poked lightly at the back of Ellen's shoulder. "You shouldn't think like that, right? You deserve happiness just as much as anyone else, yeah? You can't think you don't, do you?" She smiled again in spite of the fact that she knew Ellen couldn't see. Ellen's reluctance to speak gave Piper the distinct impression she didn't have very many people to talk relationships with. "Tell me about him." She said abruptly. She hadn't lowered the subtle psychic waves that emanated from her mind just yet. "Maybe talking it out will help you gain some clarity?"

[Ellen Banks]

Funny. Ellen didn't really deal in much truth....she much preferred give vague answers and deflect attention so she didn't have to speak anything real about herself...because being real about anything just highlighted the fact that there was a real person behind Ellen Banks Queen Bitch of the school...and Ellen never liked doing that, at all.

Ellen smirked once Piper reveled that she thought Ellen deserved happiness "Well aren't you just full of sunshine" She was clearly a glass half full kind of person, she didn't believe she deserved a damn thing. Over the years she's collected up a ton of bad karma and karma was just collection on her, she deserved NOT to be happy.

At first Ellen was content to blow off Piper's question, because she made herself a personal promise that no one could know about her and Ash. the more people knew the more chance her dad would find out...and that simply couldn't happen. no way

but there was something about Piper.....

"It's not a he..." She muttered in a small voice unsure why she was saying it....

...But it did feel good to say it out loud

[Piper Galloway]

"Oh, god, I'm sorry." Piper said sheepishly, instantly feeling as though she'd put her foot in her mouth. She didn't mind one bit about Ellen's correction. Relationships and romance as a whole were lost on Piper. She didn't give them much thought, really, so gender was merely an afterthought. She'd only said 'he' because that was the societal norm not from some predisposed way of thinking. "I didn't meant to assume." She frowned again. That was something she tended to do a lot around Ellen. The blonde put up such a convincing front of being a careless, heartless witch even though Piper had already began to suspect there was far more going on behind those brilliant, hazel eyes.

"Is that... what's troubling you?" Piper asked tentatively. Her voice was ever so soft and gentle as she once again leaned forward to take in Ellen's profile. Her own features were twisted in concern and curiosity. "It's a she. That must be it." She urged, a hand now moving to Ellen's back where it would slowly begin to rub. It all made remarkably clear sense to Piper. The unsure way in which Ellen attempted to dismiss the topic and the tepid correction fit together to brush away the haze that surrounded the picture Piper was trying to put together. But that wasn't enough to keep Piper down. She smiled brightly, her eyes gleaming as they looked to Ellen. "Do you care about her?" She asked. "Does she make you happy?"

[Ellen Banks]

Ok, Ellen will admit, it did feel a little good to say that, like there was a weight that had slowly been lifted off her chest and she could breath...why did she say it to Piper? She supposed she could always hypnotize her to forget this happened but....she trusted Piper, and that was something that wasn't to be taken lightly, seeing as she barely trusted anyone but...But Piper was harmless, what could she honestly do with that information?

Ellen didn't answer for a moment, merely unconsciously leaning her head back so Piper can get better traction on her hair as she leaned her head against her knees. Therre wasn't any need to say it out loud was there? It was obvious that that was the reason why Ellen was avoiding questions, Ellen flinched at Piper friendly gesture not expecting it , but once she figured out that it was a warm comforting gesture Ellen leaned back into it, not sure how to take an unfamiliar affectionate gesture "Yes. Yes she does" She didn't even need to think about it

[Piper Galloway]

Piper waited with bated breath. She hadn't realized she'd stopped breathing while Ellen slowly deliberated her answer but the exhale that followed the eventual answer brought with it an absolutely beaming smile. Brilliant blue eyes gleamed brightly at Ellen's admission. All things considered Ellen was lucky, really, to have been able to find someone that she could say made her happy. So many people went their entire lives without ever finding the one that could be that for them even for a fleeting moment and here Ellen was, not even old enough to drink and she'd been able to do so. Piper almost felt like celebrating the news.

Slender arms slipped around Ellen's shoulders and pulled her into a gentle, yet excited embrace. "Oh, Ellen!" Piper cooed softly. "That's lovely!" She couldn't keep the wide, faintly lopsided smile from her face. "You're so lucky, you know that?" She released the hug on Ellen, as she realized there was still work to be done with the soft, blonde tendrils that she'd neglected. "Oh, you must tell me about her. Is she pretty?" Piper's eyes rolled and she gave a soft giggle. "Of course she is, what am I thinking?" She gave a light laugh then. "I bet you could have your pick of anyone on campus." She nodded then as though she was sure of this. "What was it about her that made you pic her?"