How is A Raven?~Eli

[Lilli Ricci]

Her first week so far at Degrassi hadn't been too bad, she had at least made it on the cheer squad but her second order of business had yet to be taken care of and that she was told would need to be taken up with a boy by the name of Eli Goldsworthy. Lilli had asked around to a few people after school today who had all pointed her in the direction of the theatre. Lilli had mustered up the courage seeing as everyone she mentioned Eli's name to seemed to mention a few worrisome things about him that Lilli wasn't so sure about. She hesitantly entered the theatre to see a boy at the very front middle row seated by himself, heavily in thought it seemed and she quietly tiptoed down the stairs in her little cheer outfit she had forgotten to change out of. She manuevered her way into the second row of seats and into the seat right behind the boy and she leaned back abit and crossed her legs eyeing the back of his head,"Are you Eli Goldsworthy?"

[/color] she asked breaking the silence and making her presence known at this point with her cute little voice. She smiled abit and she waited for him to move or something,"I was told you're the guy to see about drama club...I'm Lilli"[/color] she added softly as she still kept her eyes on him hoping he wouldn't be in a bad mood for her interrupting his deep thought.[/center]

[Eli Goldsworthy]

School had went by seemingly fast today, he avoided a class to get away from whats-her-face instead he talked to the schools guidance counselor about his energy levels. Eli, wasn't really ones to talk about his problems or concerns let alone his disorder but anything to keep him away from math class. Eli leaned back, just talking responding with his sarcastic yet comical answers and when he heard the bell ring he decided to catch up with Imogen for lunch. Eli went to his locker, he grabbed some celery and carrot sticks and a small container of ranch dressing and caught her outside. See Eli was just getting back into the swing of being a student again after the summer, he knew his responsibilities as head of the drama department, and he knew what his grade levels had to be, to keep his position. He'd manage, he ate a few celery sticks dipping them in between light conversation, he loved hearing about Imogen's summer, and he was thrilled she's take place in the drama club this year. He was a little disappointed when he found out Fiona would be leaving his side, but all was well. Eli finished up his small lunch, his mania didn't have him very hungry now a days, but that was just the disorder. When the warning bell rang he bid Imogen a due and walked to class finishing the rest of his school day.

When it was all over he walked to his place of comfort, the theater. Eli walked in seeing a couple of his regular actors scattered doing not much of anything. He took his seat and pulled out his notebook, he had a few ideas but he wasn't writing a play for the winter, he was debating intensely if he wanted to direct a musical though. This was a tough decision, and that blond girl wasn't making it for him. He heard his name and nodded, trying to to disrupt his thought train, they were racing so he tried to stay focus and when he heard the voice again he turned around to see a cheer leader. Eli narrowed his eyes at the girl, and though her voice was cute she was from a completely different stereotype just wearing that uniform in his presence. Now he brought the tip of his pen to his mouth looking around the room, was this his new enemies plan? He'd be sure to find out thought. "Yeah, I'm Eli Goldsworthy, the one and only." Eli said keeping his manners for now. He lowered his pen and stood up offering a smile and tilted his head with a slight sarcasm. "Lilli, well how can I help you Lilli I am the one you need to talk to for the drama department, but I think your in the wrong place, see the dance studio is that way." He said pointing to the side door with his pen. Eli wasn't being rude just cautious she wasn't in his grade and wasn't a junior, he dreaded working with freshman and sophomores but he'd give her a fair shot just like anyone else. "Okay, I'm being a little harsh, but that's show bizz kid. Tell me why you want to be part of the drama club." Eli said giving her a fair chance to prove his over all first impression wrong. She was smart not to snap at him he did run this department, and he wasn't at all pleased with his new co-head either.

[Lilli Ricci]

She was about to get up and walk around to the first row until he finally said something and he stood up as well and she stood up after a moment, it was bad enough she was short, she didn't need to be stood over whilst sitting down too. She listened to him and though her temper liked to tinge at her in the back of her head she knew better than to snap about this as he seemed to be stereotyping her at the moment. She dropped her pompoms in the seat she had just been sitting in and she looked him in the eyes,"Nope I'm in the right place, I want to join your club Misteh Goldsworthy why you ask?"

[/color] she smled allowing her nose to scrunch up and she climbed over the chair beside the one he had been sitting in so that she was now standing in the aisle of the first row beside him and she looked around before she walked over to the stag and pulled herself onto it and she figured why not just show him what she could do. She walked to center stage and she looked down for a brief moment taking in a deep breath before she looked passed him as if presenting to an audience and not just him and she spoke with such emotion in her voice one of Juliet's monologues from Shakespeare,"Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband? Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it? But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin? That villain cousin would have killed my husband. Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring! Your tributary drops belong to woe, Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy. My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain; And Tybalt's dead, that would have slain my husband. All this is comfort; wherefore weep I then? Some word there was, worser than Tybalt's death, That murd'red me. I would forget it fain; But O, it presses to my memory Like damnèd guilty deeds to sinners' minds! 'Tybalt is dead, and Romeo--banishèd!' That 'banishèd,' that one word 'banishèd,' Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt's death Was woe enough, if it had ended there; Or, if sour woe delights in fellowship And needly will be ranked with other griefs, Why followèd not, when she said 'Tybalt's dead,' Thy father, or thy mother, nay, or both, Which modern lamentation might have moved? But with a rearward following Tybalt's death,Romeo is banishèd'--to speak that word Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, All slain, all dead. 'Romeo is banishèd'-- There is no end, no limit, measure, bound, In that word's death; no words can that woe sound." she had paced along the stage and done her emotion all in proper spotting and when finished she looked down at him and she smiled abit, memorized the entire monologue that had to be showing something to this boy correct? She stood there though not breaking the silence, awaiting his reaction.[/center]

[Eli Goldsworthy]

Eli crossed his arms over his chest and he puckered his bottom lip a bit giving a slightly amused reaction. He could deny he liked being called Mr. Goldsworthy, but that was besides the point. Eli held his notebook in hand and watched Lilli take stage and he listened walking over to a chair trying to get the feel of what was going on. Ah, Romeo and Juliet, it made a little sense now but he got up and cross examined her. "Ah Juliet, that was nice but can you sing, can you dance like a star, do you have what it takes to be on Broadway?" Eli said taking her small hand in his walking over to the piano, he placed his fingers on the keys and started to play lightly and then got faster playing the show melody to Chicago The song All that Jazz he looked up at Lilli and smirked then he got a bit more energy standing up grabbing her hand running over to the stage, pulling her up the stairs with him and he pointed. "First stage rule, if you can see the audience they can see you, whats the next?" Eli asked tossing his notebook to the ground looking over the small theater he made his home, no way was that pushy blonde going to ruin his years committed to the theater department. Eli shook the thoughts from his head and looked back at Lilli awaiting an answer. "Time is ticking, Lilli my dear." Eli said his mind was jumbled and he looked around at the other actors and stage crew staring at him. He was going over board, or was he?

[Lilli Ricci]

She was abit surprised when he got up and took her hand leading her to the piano and he played the tune from Chicago and she smiled in recognition as she sang along to it, her voice matching key as it should but when he took her by the hand again and led her up the stairs to which he asked a question and she grinned her knowledge very wide in this department,"No matter what the show must go on,"

[/color] she replied to his question before she grinned and scrunched her nose again and she looked him over for a moment and she slipped her hand from his and she rushed back over to center stage,"Dance? You want to know if I can dance?"[/color] she asked and without any music at all she slipped off her shoes so she was bare foot and then she did an array of footwork ranging from tap dance stuff to Ballet pirrouettes and even some hip hop moves here and there, the girl wasn't a cheerleader for no reason, she had dancing background, years of it of all types. She smiled when she finished her little dance number and she rushed back over to him taking his hand and pulling him to center stage with her and she took his other hand in hers and she smiled leading him in a tango as she looked into his eyes,"So Misteh Goldsworthy, Am I worthy of your club?"[/color] she asked making sure to keep in step and lead him properly in this tango though halfway through he took the lead and she smiled and even let a pink color touch her cheeks, a blush of admiration.[/center]

[Eli Goldsworthy]

Eli cocked his eyebrow and nodded showing her her answer was right, and he crossed his arms over his chest watching the small girl dance her heart out. He walked over circling her smiling at the different types of dance, he himself a a white boy wouldn't be able to preform. Eli took her tiny hands in his and started to dance with her, but being as small as she was trying to lead him in a tango was unseen. Eli took lead and twirled her around, coming up from behind her leading her this way now toward left stage, to her question he stopped and scratched his nose. "Well, I believe you held your own, and proved yourself a worthy member of my club." Eli said with a smile, walking over to his note book going through the folder part of it pulling out a permission slip handing it to her and then his chart. "I know, sounds lame but practices can be really late at night, so just a parent's signature and your own John Hancock right here." Eli said putting his hand on a clip board and holding it out to her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his pen and looked at the cap. "I chewed on that so just hold it low." Eli teased looking around seeing Imogen in the crowd doing homework? Or at least that's what he thought she was doing. Eli shook his head and directed his attention back to Lilli and when she was done signing he put the paper back in his folder and sighed. Then the door opened and his eyes feel upon her and he scowled taking Lilli's hand walking her away from that Ego that just entered the room. "You know another rule Lilli, always stand your ground, when you work so hard you keep working and don't let anyone with an ego change your mind, on what you know you achieved ." Eli was talking to Lilli but he was looking at the devil herself. His thoughts were going again, a million miles per hours, but just like in show bizz, the show must go on.

[Lilli Ricci]

She smiled when he agreed she could join and she was handed a permission slip to which she signed her own name using his pen and holding it low as he had directed and when it was signed she folded it up to take home. She followed his eyes as they danced around the theater but she was yanked aside and he began telling her to always stand her ground and a small smirk played upon her lips, she did always stand her ground...but it was always violently.. She wouldn't tell him that though. She looked up into his eyes, her own wide eyed and puppy dogged,"Is there practice today or are you heading out? if you are heading out would you mind if I walked with you?"

[/color] she asked as she smiled at him and chewed the inside of her cheek. She glanced down at her feet for a moment a slight shyness over coming her and she stepped back from him about a foot or two just because she didn't want to invade his space and now she realized what she was doing and she shook her head abit and met his eyes again,"What is it you were working on when I came in if you don't mind me asking?"[/color] she said trying to distract herself with a subject that was proffessional, she couldn't get all nervous around him now, yes he was really cute and had this air of mystery to him but he was now her leader in this club and she couldn't go having admiring crushes like that, it would ruin the seriousness of the drama club and she would not risk ruining drama club, she had to hold her ground like he said and she had to be strong, she could find him attractive yes, but it was important to keep things proffessional.[/center]

[Eli Goldsworthy]

Her perfect teeth, and high spirit made him smile and forget about what was going on in the room, the co-leader and everything. Eli looked at Lilli listening to the bell ring in the distance answering her question. It was the after curricular dismissal bell. "Let's get out of here, I'd feel better if there were not people around me polluting the air with their views on life, and the way I handle my club." Eli said offering a bit of a smile, he cautiously waved bye to Imogen hoping she wouldn't take that as in invite to follow him with her obsessive ways. Eli grabbed Lilli's hand allowing her to grab her stuff before he walked into the frame of the the theater door. "EVERYONE, MEETING TOMORROW, I'LL BE DECIDING WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR THIS SEMESTER'S PERFORMANCE." Eli shouted walking out the door fast with Lilli beside him, he made his way out of the building, his messenger bag on his side, and his notebook in hand. Eli slid his notebook into the bag and looked at Lilli. "You want to know what I was doing, well I am the director of plays here at Degrassi, but Simpson gave me this new partner and we have to agree on what to do for an overall performance but, I'm going to have my way so I was debating on a musical or a play I wrote myself." Eli explained walking towards town maybe he and Lilli, could grab some dinner or something, it sounded nice seeing he only had a small lunch for the day. "You hungry, I'm starving lets grab some dinner, my treat and don't tell me your one of those 'oh I don't eat, and count my calories cheer leaders' Lill." Eli said teasingly shoving her a tiny bit.

[Lilli Ricci]

She giggled abit at his comments and when he grabbed her hand she grabbed her pompoms from earlier and she allowed him to drag her abit and she followed keeping a tight grip on his hand and blushing abit that he was holding her tiny hand in his. She walked with him toward town and at the mention of food she purred and she looked at him still holding his hand,"Food, mmm yes food, i eat, trust me I think those calorie counting females are crazy, whats life without enjoying its cuisine?"

[/color] she said with a grin and a giggle as she wondered where he would take her, she never really liked other people paying for her for things but if he insisted then so be it. She intertwined her fingers with his and she watched her feet now as they walked,"Where are we gonna go eat?"[/color] she asked not knowing a whole lot of places, she was fairly new to the area, she only knew of a few spots but she was sure he'd help show her around little by little. She grinned again at the thought of what he had said he was working on,"Well I would think a musical would be grand, or a play either or, I am sure anything you write will be spectacular Eli, you have the passion and the drive it just glows off of you,"[/color] she said giggling a little bit again as she glanced up at him and she smiled letting her eyes drink him in, she didn't understand why people said such weird things about this boy, he seemed quite nice and decent to her as far as she could tell.[/center]

[Eli Goldsworthy]

Eli smiled looking down at her hand in his and he gave her a charming smirk and thought of where they could eat. It wasn't like he was with Imogen and a burrito would work, no plus he had some money that he wanted to spend, not impulsively. Productively. Eli walked into town and enjoyed her talking about his passion, and dedication. It made him feel like he was doing something right in life, beside leading on Imogen and obsessing over losing Clare. "That makes me feel good, I'll have it all decided by tomorrow and if I don't whats the weekend to think things through." He said. Eli thought to himself a bit more looking around at restaurants then it hit him, he wasn't going to go too high end, because he just met the girl, but he'd go to a decent place where they could sit in a booth and get to know each other a bit more. She had an accent she wasn't from this place he knew this already but he could find out where she was from. Eli lead her to a hole in the wall place, it had all types of food and he walked in was greeted then then a host took them to a booth. Eli sat down and looked over the menu and when the waitress came he ordered a Sprite He'd let Lilli order whatever she wanted but for now, he'd splurge on a side salad and some bread. "Can we have bread and salad for now, thank you." Eli asked looking over to Lilli for approval, and he knew it was there. "So, Lilli what brought you to Degrassi?" Eli asked looking up from his menu to meet Lilli's eyes now. Eli watched the salads arrive and the bread basket, and he poured dressing over the salad and grabbed a piece of bread applying butter. He took a small bite, and then dipped the bread in his excesses dressing. Reaching over grabbing a fork taking a few stabs into his salad and bringing it to his mouth. He loved the homemade Italian dressing this place had. "You like that dressing? It's amazing!" Eli said putting emphasis on the world Amazing.

[Lilli Ricci]

She liked how he seemed so carefree about the play he was planning and when they entered the restaraunt and sat down she ordered a Dr.Pepper and she watched him put the dressing on the salad and she did the same and took a few bites smiling and enjoying the taste,"Mmmm yeah it is really good, thanks Eli,"

[/color] she said she thought about his question of what brought her to Degrassi and she looked down at her salad and poked at it abit in her thought."Well I am from Brooklyn New York and I had to move here because my mother's job transferred her a few weeks ago, so here I am trying to get involved in as many after school programs as I possibly can so that I don't have to be home around her asshole husband of hers while she is working,"[/color] she wondered if that had been too forward and too open. She put a few more bites of her salad in her mouth and she put her fork down reaching for a piece of bread and buttering it nibbling on it before she looked at Eli. No one could tell she had scars and bruises because well, being in the drama department in her last school, Lilli learned a thing or two about makeup and she tended to cover her bruises with cover up and her scars the same way. She looked down at the menu now and chewed the inside of her cheek, she was never good with making decisions so she glanced up from her menu at the cute boy seated across from her,"Do you reccommend anything imparticular?"[/color] she asked him as she grinned and then she decided she wanted to get to know him better, beyond the Leader of the Drama Club so it was her turn to ask something,"Can I ask you something?"[/color] she asked softly as she set her menu on the table and she folded her hands in her lap after finishing her bread slice and she kicked her feet back and fourth abit.[/center]

[Eli Goldsworthy]

The taste, of natural Italian ingredients filled his mouth and he swallowed looking to Lilli nodding. "Your extremely welcome." Eli said eating a bit more and then he pushed his salad away and took another piece of Italian bread, he liked to doughy bread as he took a small bite just nibbling for now, and when Lilli answered his question he cocked his head a bit and licked his lips in thoughts. Something bad must have been going on at home for Lilli to not want to be there, somewhat like a past Bianca situation? She was from New York after all and then when she spoke of her mother husband, and didn't call him a father it had to me one of a few things. Physical Abused, Sexual encounters, or emotional abuse. But it wasn't Eli to say anything, he respected her too much to comment negatively. So he did what he knew best, be a good friend. "Well, I'm aloud to have friends over whenever, I live with my uncle and his fiance, so if you ever need a safe place to crash, you got me Lilli, no strings attached seems like you wouldn't be trying so hard to get away if everything at home was perfect." Eli responded taking another bite of his bread looking at the menu answering her next question getting off that topic. "Yeah, their cheese raviolis, and sause are amazing, with garlic bread." Eli responded, he wasn't a big meat eater to say the least. When she asked him to answer a question he shrugged and nodded cuffing his hands in front of him leaning back a little. "Yeah Lilli, ask me anything." He asked, he was quite used to people asking him personal things but if they got too deep he'd reply negatively or just would change the subject.

[Lilli Ricci]

She glanced down at her hands and fiddled with them in her lap as he offerred his home to her if ever need be and she bit her bottom lip and nodded abit at the last part of that statement, it was true, if things were great at home she wouldn't be trying so hard to get away. She half smiled when he said she could ask him anything and now she second guessed herself, not wanting to ask him about the things other people said about him not sure if it would upset him. She looked up now into his eyes and she looked at the waitress when she came now and she ordered what Eli had suggested and she reached for her soda and took a sip before clearing her throat and speaking now,"Well I was just curious, I'm not saying anything is true because if I thought it were true I wouldn't be asking you, but the people I mentioned your name to at school had some not so very nice things to say... and I just don't see why they seem to say such negative things about you, I think you are actually quite fantastic if you ask me,"

[/color] she said as she smiled at him and she grabbed her cup drinking abit more of her soda before putting it aside again,"I guess that really wasn't much of a question persay as I just didn't want to assume things that people told me about you were true cause I think you are very nice and I don't really tend to judge people,"[/color] she said as she kicked her feet back and fourth abit and she felt her cellphone vibrate, she took it out and she looked down at it scowling at the text from her stepfather demanding she be home and she shook her head and turned her phone off as she glanced up at Eli,"And umm about your offer... is it too soon to take that offer up about a place to stay for the night?"[/color] she asked knowing that once her stepfather started texting her it meant he was drunk and looking for a target.[/center]

[Eli Goldsworthy]

Eli watched the waitress come over and he simply asked for what Lilli ordered, it was his favorite dish at this place after all. Eli drank a couple mouthfuls of his Sprite and when she started to speak he looked down, he loved hearing about what other thought about him. Did he care, no. Because he knew who he was in his own heart and no one could take away his memories, and the ones he'd create everyone had him wrong at times and only certain people like Imogen, and Clare knew him really..not to mention Julia. Eli sighed and took another sip of his drink and looked at Lilli, she wanted to be his friend, she'd see it sooner or later so why not just tell her ahead of time. "They say those things because they base me off something they don't understand, I have a mental illness, I'm Bipolar, and I've endured trauma through out my whole life and when things get me anxious, or angry I act impulsively, I get extra energy and get manic. But at times I separate myself and get sad, and I want to cry for no reason know to the world. Ups and Downs constant mood swings. Seems people only see the bad ones at Degrassi." Eli said now looking down a bit as he let his teeth skim his bottom lip and the food arrived. Now he wasn't so hungry and he looked back up at Lilli and smiled, she said she didn't judge but there was most of his judgments dropped on the table in front of her like a deck of playing cards. Eli grabbed his for and ate a little, taking a few bites cutting the ravioli with his fork, and when she picked up her phone, he watched her expression and at her question he smiled. "Yeah, you can take me up on that, if you don't think I'm crazy or anything." Eli said with a genuine smile as he ate a bit more reaching the point where he was just done with food, he looked at the clock, and it was close to curfew and medication time. "If you want to take me up on that, we best be going, I have...curfew." Eli mumbled a little discouraged at his last word.

[Lilli Ricci]

She watched his expressions change as he spoke and as the food arrived she ate taking small bites as she listened to his words and she took them in, if he was going to be honest with her about himself than she could trust him by throwing everything out on the table to him about herself right? She nodded abit and as he ate after explaining abit about himself she spoke now,"I have anger problems... I can get violent and I used to get into a lot of trouble in my old school because of it, don't underestimate me because I'm short, I can fight a mean fight...but yeah that and obviously my home life isn't the greatest, my mom married this guy who is a drunk asshole all the time and well he gets aggressive and I'm his target for that...abuse of course... and well sometimes I'm the target of my own abuse as well,"

[/color] she explained everything she could think of to him from her anger problems, to her abusive stepfather to her own suicidal tendencies, only knowing him for a few hours and she trusted him she didn't know what it was about him but he made her feel safe and not judged. When he said they had to go she nodded and got to her feet making sure she had everything with her and she reached over and took his hand in hers again, liking the feeling of his warm hand holding onto her little cold hand and she waited for him to pay and followed him out of the restaraunt and walked beside him hand in hand and looked up at the stars that were spotting the sky,"Thanks Eli...for dinner and for just being you, thanks for opening up to me and opening your home to me without really even knowing me, I apprecciate it and I am sure we'll be great friends,"[/color] she said as she leaned against him abit as they walked and when they got to his house she just followed him inside.[/center]