**Sequel to Hold Her**
What if Eliza Domashi never died? What if she went through a recovery and was able to finally be rid of depression and anxiety for good? What if she was able to return to school healthy and finally be able to be the girlfriend...
"Hey guys!" I called to Zeke, Hunter, Cable, and Johnny. They stopped arguing over whatever it is boys argue about and waved at us.
"Morning Eli." Johnny greeted her with a fistbump, but then Cable came in and gave her a big hug from behind.
"Good morning Eli!" Cable proclaimed to a laughing Eli. I snickered as Hunter gagged.
"Morning Gorgeous." Zeke gave me a bit of a creepy smile and kissed me deeply on the lips. I was taken back a bit, but I still melted into the kiss.
"Okay, everyone said good morning." Hunter groaned after Zeke and I had stopped kissing.
"Let's get in line to eat, I'm starving!" Zeke squeezed my hand roughly and dragged me toward the breakfast line.
I stumbled a bit but then stood up straight when he looked at me. Eli gave me a knowing look and I glared at her. She put her hands up in surrender.
"Food's actually pretty good!" Zeke exclaimed, shoving everything in sight in his mouth.
"Can you please eat a little neater?" I whispered to him, a little frightened of his wolf-like eating.
"Oh, shut up rat!" Zeke ordered, cramming about a pound of eggs in his mouth.
"Hey Jazzy, can I talk to you for a minute?" Eli practically dragged me outside where she sat me down on a tree stump and stared at me.
"Eli?" I asked. Eli glared at me then lifted her hand.
A/N: Bold and italics mean ASL
"Zeke is giving me the creeps. He just called you 'rat'! And he's been dragging you around and demanding kisses!" Eli explained furiously with her hands.
"Eli Zeke's just having a hard time right now. He was only joking!" I countered. Eli groaned.
"What hard time? On the bus up here he wanted to do something with you, but made us promise to keep secret. But if he's being a psycho, dude, you just shouldn't." Eli signed with worry.
"Don't worry. Yes, he used to cut himself, but not anymore! And he was only joking!" I insisted. Eli scowled but sighed.
"Okay, fine. But if he turns out to be a total psycho, don't say I didn't warn you!" Eli sighed. We then went back to the Mess Hall.
"So what were you talking about?" Zeke asked us when we returned, is mouth still full of food.
"Eat your food!" Eli ordered, loudly. I was taken back a bit, but was grateful.
Zeke didn't talk for the rest of breakfast. No one did. We were all so surprised at her outburst.
"Eli, are you okay?" I asked her later as we were changing for Paintball. Eli threw on a pair of jean shorts and a white shirt that said "If I'm not back in 5 minutes, wait longer" on it.
A/N: The picture below is a picture of Diana walking dramatically to a Paintball field her second time playing.
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"Yea, I'm fine." she replied. I sighed and slipped into a beige hoodie and a pair of dark gray pants. I tied my long hair back into a bun then put some gel on so it wouldn't fly everywhere. I looked myself up and down in the mirror, then carefully took Eli's hand. She flinched a bit, but let me walk with her to the Paintball field where the guys were waiting for us.
"Why are you wearing that? You look so plain!" Zeke complained when he saw us. He wasn't wearing anything better to be frank. But I didn't say that.
Eli did.
"You're one to talk! You know Zeke, I heard only the best looking guys could play Paintball!" Eli put her pointer on her chin thoughtfully, a smirk playing at her lips.
"That ain't true!" Zeke snapped, walking straight into Eli's trap.
"I know. I figured that out when you were allowed to play!" Eli snorted, smirking at a flustered and very unhappy Zeke.
"Ha!" Johnny, Cable, and Hunter laughed after Eli had roasted Zeke. Zeke glared at them, and Eli make a gesture as if to say shut up.
"Alright everyone, welcome to paintball!" Our mouths flew open when we saw the Smallbones (all of them, kids too) wearing paintball masks and holding guns.
"Joel?" I blurted out the word at the same time Eli said "Luke?"
I think Luke's her favorite.
"Welcome Ranchers. I see you met Johnny. Is he a part of the Ranchers? He should be!" Luke exclaimed, hugging Johnny. Eli's jaw dropped to the floor, but she fixed it before gasping.
"Johnny, you were just hugged by LUKE SMALLBONE!!" Eli gasped. Johnny laughed.
"Yeah, he's my uncle. Courtney's sister's my mom." Johnny explained. Eli's face turned pale, then red, then back to its normal color.
"Okay. Okay. Okay." Eli panicked a bit, but then her brain returned to her. "So, if we destroy him in Paintball, we're destroying one of your family? Oh boy, this'll be fun!"
"Is she always like this?" Johnny whispered to me as Eli started chatting up Joel about guns. I smiled.
"Well, when she was in recovery no. When she was in the ER no. But before that, yea, pretty much." I said softly so only Johnny could hear.
"Recovery? ER? Is she-?"
"Don't you dare ask if I'm okay!" Eli snapped, cutting Johnny off. I jumped. She went from chatting up Joel about guns to being over here snapping at Johnny.
"But I-?" Johnny couldn't finish that sentence before Cable came over.
"Give it a rest." Cable growled. He and Eli walked away while the rest of us started selecting guns and masks. I worried about her but knew she was in good hands with Cable.
CABLE'S POV
"Eli are you okay?" I asked her. We had walked a good ways away from the Paintball field and Johnny. Ugh.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired." Eli sighed. I huffed and wrapped my arms around her. Eli seemed to stiffen up a bit, but then relaxed. Something in me told me she was thinking of her father.
"Are you thinking of your father?" I asked her. She scowled, sighed, then whipped her eyes.
"No. I'm fine. Seriously Cable." Eli insisted.
I didn't respond, only squeezed her then kissed her lightly on the lips, my hands on her hips.
"Cable!" She squeaked. I looked at her carefully, and she nodded. I promised Eli a long time ago that I would never do anything she didn't give me permission to do, no matter how much I wanted to.
"It's okay. It's just me." I whispered, letting my hand gently trace her back. She shivered a bit, but let me carefully caress her back. I let my hand drop and kissed her again.
"We should head back." she whispered after she kissed me. I knew my actions scared her a bit, but I also knew she trusted me.
And I also knew she wanted to play Paintball.
"Okay. Let's destroy the boy that doesn't think you're okay!" I pumped my fist in the air, trying to get Eli to smile. She sighed, then smirked.
"Okay, I'll happily destroy you!" She snorted, then laughed and jumped. I looked at her weirdly, then realized what she was doing. I quickly started to run, knowing I would need the head start. Eli's rips caused her to lack the speed she once had, but she was still the fastest Rancher.
I ran all of five strides before Eli raced passed me and skidded to a stop at the Paintball field. A few seconds later I finally caught up.
"I'll never be as fast as you." I breathed at her, and she smirked at me.
"Nerp!" She sassed, then pointed at Luke, who was staring at us.
"Glad you're feeling better. Now, grab a gun and helmet. We got some Paintball to play!" He ordered.
