I'm Not That Girl

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty Six

As I walked down the hall of the preppy school I had known for three years, I looked up, and my eyes were caught. I had mistakenly made eye contact with someone. But this someone, I didn’t mind. I didn’t mind if they saw all my emotions or the secrets I was hiding. This someone happened to be Nick Ross.

       “Hey, Elle,” he said, smiling brightly at me.

       “Hi, Nick,” I said, still holding the same intense gaze with him.

       “You look beautiful today.” My cheeks heated up at his compliment.

       “You are aware that it’s a school day, and I’m wearing a pair of jeans, and a T-shirt, correct?” I asked.

       “Yeah, I know, but you still look beautiful.”

       “Thank you.”

       “And what about me?”

       “Fishing for compliments, are we?” I asked, quickly looking him over. Yeah, he looked pretty good too. A light blue polo, and jeans. Simple, yet completely Nick.

       “Maybe,” he smirked. 

       “Well, Nick, you look pretty dashing yourself!” I humored.

       “Oh, stop!”

       “Okay, I will,” I laughed. He yawned, stretching his arm over my shoulder in a way I had seen so many times in movies. I leant up against him, as we walked down the long hallway.

       All eyes were off of us, consumed in their own adgendas, except one particular person was glaring at us; well, really me. Why? Because, in her mind, for some reason, I shouldn’t have been able to live happily ever after with my Prince Charming. But, you know what? I didn’t care what she thought. I loved Nick, and no one could take that away from me.

       “Wow, Nick, you two really make an awful couple!” Rosie said, continuing to scowl at me.

       “Rosie, I think that you’re just jealous,” I said.

       “Me? Jealous of you? As if! If anything, you should be the one jealous of me! I mean you’re not a that perfect girl, like me.”

       “You’re right; I’m not that girl. But you know what? I’m proud of that. I haven’t given into the pressure of society, and I don’t plan to. Now, Rosie, when you’re on your fifth pregnancy scare, because you had a one night stand, and forgot to use protection, being that ‘perfect girl’ isn’t going to matter. So, right now, it shouldn’t matter either. Besides, we both know you’re as far away from perfect as they come.” She was speechless, and walked away with gaped mouth.

       What I said did hold much legitimacy. I wasn’t the blonde girl on the cheerleading squad who was just another Barbie doll. I was me, Elle Paterson, and that was exactly who I was supposed to be. I didn’t need to pretend to be fake, just to please society; just being me was fine.

       “You rock, Elle,” Nick said, planting a tender kiss on the top of my head.

       “I know,” I smiled brightly.

       “Should we get out of here?” he asked.

       “Yeah.”

       “Okay, let’s go then,” he said, taking my hand in his own. 

       We walked down a few steps, out of the building, and down a familiar path. As we passed the grass-covered lawns, and trimmed to perfection trees, I felt at peace. The pure emotion that dominated my heart was love. I was in love with Nick Ross.

       Our feet met the hard concrete of the sidewalk, and we skipped. Yes, we skipped. Nick Ross skipped. Best. Boyfriend. Ever. At the end of the bleak sidewalk, we entered the parking lot. Nick scanned the many rows of cars for his own, and once he saw it, we continued skipping all the way to his car. Once we reached it, he opened the car door for me, and I slid in.

       “I love you, Elle Paterson,” he said, as he buckled my seatbelt for me.

       “I love you too, Nick Ross,” I said. I couldn’t get enough of that word. Love. It was such an amazing word! I hadn’t known what it had really meant before Nick reentered my life. 

       “You know, Elle, I don’t care what people like Rosie think about us. As long as you’re mine, I’m happy,” he sighed.

       “Me too Nick; as long as you’re mine.”

       “Don’t change.”

       “I wasn’t planning on it.”

       “Good, because you were right in what you said back there; you’re not that girl, you’re way better,” he said, proving yet again why he made such a fantastic boyfriend.

       “Thanks, Nick.”

       “You’re welcome. Oh, and, Elle, we need to talk…”

       THE END... or is it?

 

A/N: As Long As You're Mine (see what I did there? At the end? When Nick's talking Elle? I just crack myself up!) is the sequal-ish thing to this! Thanks again for reading!!

-Sophie