Saving Elliot - One Shot Competition

Saving Elliot is literally my favourite book on the whole of Wattpad so in honour of it, I'm entering northbynorth's one shot competition. I've never written anything before so even if this is the worst thing you've ever read in your whole entire life, please don't criticise me too much. Thanks!

s a v i n g e l l i o t

"Look at the sky. Look up at the stars and just for a second, all your problems will go away."

Elliot Fintry did not come back. He didn't come back in the autumn and he didn't come back in the winter or the following spring. And I foolishly waited for him; day after day, night after night. But he never called, and he never answered mine, and days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months. And after a year, I gave up waiting.

I started med school, made many friends - even had a few relationships along the way - but at the back of my mind something was off. I seemed to be cursed forever by the blasted Elliot Fintry.

I was standing outside in the garden following Tamara's wedding reception. Her and Theodore West did not stay together long (much to my delight). Instead, she'd married my one of my university friends, Sam. The day they had met was at a party and they just clicked. He made her laugh like no-one had before and they were perfect for each other.

I was looking up at the stars; trying to find peace, but it seemed as if the only logical thing my brain could think of was Elliot. And I felt bitter towards him. A rush of emotions passed over me as I thought about the year he spent at my house. His hair, his laugh. His love for the constellations, the way he smirked, and called me annoying nicknames like-

"Munchkin"

I spun round, stumbling over my feet and I took in a shallow breath as I saw him. What was he doing here? Why didn't Tamara tell me she'd invited him? He was there, leaning against a weeping willow tree and the anger inside of me bubbled up like a volcano waiting to explode.

I took a deep breath in to calm myself.

He looked good. No, he looked great. His hair was different - longer, his jawline looked more defined.

I stepped closer, despite everything telling me to leave, before he could break my heart all over again.

"Fintry" I whispered. I closed my eyes. Everything hurt. I took a deep breath in to compose myself. "What the fuck happened?"

"I'm sorry Elliot", he sounded sincere. His eyes locked on mine, a blackness surrounding them.

I stepped closer, needing to be sure he was real.

"I waited for you. I put my god damn life on hold for you Elliot. What the fuck?"

"Ellie." A jolt of longing rushed through my me, he still made my heart race. "I couldn't. I can't. I can only apologise. I was a bastard to you."

We were nearly touching, I could feel the heat radiating off his body. And he still smelled exactly the same. Safe. Like home. I looked him in the eyes, and saw the emotion flooding through, a novelty that was rare. There was happiness, hurt, sincerity and even some emotions I couldn't detect. His eyes flicked down to my lips and he moved closer. My anger fizzled away. All I could think was that he was going to kiss me, after all this time.

But before his lips touched mine, I heard a voice coming from the party. He instantly sprung away from me.

"Elliot, where are you?" a voice shouted.

The moment had passed, I stepped further from Elliot, looking past him to see who the voice belonged to.
"I'm here Connie" he replied, eyes closed, need to go back soon! We told the babysitter that we'd be back by twelve and it's already nearly one!"

I followed the voice back to a leggy blonde woman who was epitome of a goddess and pain rippled through my body; almost as if I'd been speared right through the heart.

"Cortney, I'll be there soon." He replied.

The tears were threatening to spill over, but despite the fact that I needed to pick up the shattered pieces of my heart up off the ground, I was determined not to cry.

"What's the baby's name?" I said, looking down at my feet.

"Nova" he said, "her name is Nova."

Before I could stop then, the tears were flowing and my heart felt heavy.

"Ellie," he said softly as he leans in, wiping away my tears with the soft pad of his thumb, "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, stupid emotions" I replied, my voice shaky and slightly scratchy. I took a deep breath in and composed myself. "I didn't really expect you to wait for me anyway."

I looked at him, and he was looking right at me, concern filled his face. He pulled me into a hug, fierce and safe, as if he was trying to make everything better. His thumb was tracing circles around my neck and he burrowed his head into my hair.

"Ellie. I am so sorry. I have one last request before I go." he murmurs.

"What is it?" I ask, pulling away to look him in the eye.

He holds out his hand. "Dance with me."

It wasn't a question but nor was it a command. It was completely and utterly up to me if I wanted to dance with him, and although I was almost certain that it would be no good for my health and mental wellbeing, I smiled. The feeling of nostalgia is overwhelming, so I do the only thing I think of;

"I thought you didn't dance."

And that's when he smiles at me, not a cocky half smirk, but his mouth was curved into a perfect smile; his eyes shining like the stars. And despite my millions of questions I had running through my mind and everything else that I still had to figure out and that he was no longer mine, it was perfect. He was perfect and he held my waist with one hand, the other holding my own and the next three words that were said, were said so quietly that a regular person looking in onto the picture perfect scene would not have seen, nor heard anything at all. But I knew exactly what Elliot had said as we danced underneath the willow tree, below the stellar night sky on that special evening.

"Only for you."