That one moment

chapter 15

Elle's pov 

It's Fridays and I've been avoiding Nick which is a lot harder than you think as we are in a lot of the same classes. I walk up to my locker while Brax has gone to the toilet. "Moring beautiful" I hear his deep voice whisper into my ear sending shiver down my spine. "Nick" I whisper out as I closer my locker door. "I haven't really seen or spoken to you since the coffee shop" He says while turning me to face him, He pushes some lose hair behind my ear making me smile into his touch. Oh how I've missed him. "Are you still coming to my party tonight?" Before I can answer I feel an arm rest on my shoulders pulling me into him. "Hi Nick... What brings you over here" Brax asks. "Brax, Nick was just asking if we were still going to his party tonight" I tell him trying to cut the awkward tension between these two. "And our we" Brax says while maintaining eye contact with Nick. "Yeah, sure, why not" I mumble out. "Well we better go Nick, I'll see you around" He looks at me and a weak smile forms on his lips, I smile shyly back and turn to leave with Brax leading the way to English. 

The day moves faster than I thought and before I know it, it's lunch time. Me and Brax go to my locker to put my books away but as we approach I see the most horrific thing I have ever witnessed my locker is covered in photos of girls throwing up. I see students laughing and whispering about my eating disorder. All I feel is panic, the need to binge eat and throw up is taking over my body. I look to Brax for help but all I can see is his body shaking in anger. His hands are balled up into fists. He goes to my locker pushing who ever is in his way. He rips the photos off shouting and cursing at those that are standing by watching. I hear a soft voice behind me turning to him I see the sadness in his eyes, the last thing I need is Nick pitying me, he probably helped them do this. He approaches Alicia who is laughing with the others. "Why, why did you do this to her" He asks her. "Because I'm sick of being second best to her. I saw you two this morning looking awfully close to one another. I wont be taken for a mug any more Nick" I hear her seethe out. I have no words, all I can focus on is not to cry in front of everyone. I look around observing my surroundings Brax's shouting becoming a mere whisper to me. All I can think to do is run, I bolt out the school doors and run to my tree, the place I feel the safest. I dig deep into my bag grabbing the only thing I know that can make this less painful. Swallowing my tablets I rest against the tree letting the tears run down my cheeks. Why do they hate me so much, what could I of done for them to so cruel to me. 

I hear footsteps coming up beside me and relief washes over me when I feel the warmth of Brax's embrace. "Elle I am so, so sorry, I promise we will get them back for this." I lean into him and cry into his chest as he just holds me stroking me hair. I love the comfort he gives me, I feel safe with him which is weird as I haven't known him long and I don't know much about him. We skip the next lesson, I just can't face anyone right now. 

Nick - Elle I am so sorry they did this to you.

Me - Are you because it seems like your on their side, I remember a time when it was me and you against them. I think it's best you leave me alone. This isn't working between us anymore. Being your friend or what ever we are is causing me more problems. I thought you would of changed your mind or something but I guess I was just kidding myself thinking you would coming running back to me declaring your undying love for me. 

Nick - Elle, I promise everything I'm doing is to protect you. I do love you, please come to my party tonight we can talk and I can tell you everything. 

Me - Nick I can't listen to these excuses anymore, it just gives me false hope. I love you Nick but I just don't think it's enough anymore. Through out all of their s**t nothing compares to the pain of knowing I don't have you anymore. I'm sorry Nick but this is goodbye.

It breaks my heart sending him that message but I have to move on, I can't do this any longer it's just too painful. "Ellie, I will always be by your side" Brax softly says. I look up at him wiping my face. "I'm guessing you read the messages" He nods his head yes. "You must think I'm really pathetic in love with a guy who doesn't feel the same way" I laugh out. He looks down giving me a weird look. He mumbles something under his breath it sounds like 'that makes two of us' but I'm not sure what he's on about. "Should we go to P.E." I ask, he looks around and I follow is actions, "I guess so." We head to our last lesson. 

P.E. sucked I hated seeing Nick, he was just looking at me the whole time but Brax helped take my mind off him, he really is a great friend. We are doing track today which I hate everyone always makes fun of me when I run as much as I pretend I don't hear their comments it always makes me hate myself. Me, Brax, Nick, Alicia and Tori are all lined up to start running. The whistle blows and we start running in our lanes, I start falling behind fairly quickly and to my surprise so does Brax. When we eventually get to the finish line everyone is waiting for me and Brax. Nick won then Tori, Alicia me then Brax. "Brax there is no way your slower than me, why did you do that" I ask him, before he can answer were interrupted by the teacher telling us to shower and change. 

We finish P.E. and I head to the showers, I wait for everyone to shower first and then I can shower alone, I would wait till I get home to shower but the last time I did that I got called smelly and comments about me being to fat to wash went around the school for months so now I wait for everyone to leave. As I wait around my phone pings in my hands. 

Brax - I will wait outside the front for you. 

Me - Ok wont be long just getting in the shower now. 

Brax - Is that an invitation babe. 

Me -  HaHa, I'll see you in 10. 

After I shower and get changed I head out of the school where I see a commotion out side the front there's half the school watching, I make my way over to where I'm meeting Brax but I see him standing in front of Alicia who is crouched down by a tree, Tori and Izzy are huddling to the side and Nick is just standing there unfazed. I wonder what's happening. I rush over and go stand next to Brax, all I hear from this is Brax saying "Deserve her" I'm guessing he is talking about me. I pull his hand and he looks at me the anger in his eyes soon goes and his face turn soft, we hold hands as we walk off. "Brax what was that all about" I ask while turning back to see everyone gasping and gossiping. We make it back to mine where we both flop on to the couch. "So what are our plans tonight?" I ask Brax while turning on the telly. "Anything but I'm not going to his party." He says firmly. "how about the movies?" He nods in approval. After an hour or so Brax leaves and heads home to get ready for our 'date' as he calls it. I head up stairs and get my self ready as he will be back in about an hour or so. 

I get ready and make my self a sandwich before Brax gets here I sit at the table flicking through i********: while eating and see a video. I click on it and see what the commotion was all about out side school this afternoon. It starts off with Brax holding Alicia by the throat against a tree. "YOU THINK YOUR FUNNY DOING THAT TO ELLIE TODAY, I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL END YOUR MISERABLE f*****g LIFE IF YOU TRY AND DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN YOU STUPID f*****g b***h" Brax spits out. You can hear her trying to gasp for air and after a minute he releases her and she falls to the ground. "THE NEXT PERSON TO SAY OR DO ANYTHING TO ELLIE WILL BE ON MY HIT LIST. TRUST ME IT ISN'T A PLACE YOU WANT TO BE" He shouts out looking around at all the other students, he walks up to Nick. sadly I can't hear the audio so I don't know what he says to him, I see myself running up to Brax and taking his hand. The video ends with me and Brax walking off, A knock at the door makes me jump, I slide my phone onto my jean pocket and open the door to Brax leaning against the door frame giving me his best smile. "You look beautiful as always" He says with a smirk. 

I feel a little weird after what I just saw, am I truly safe with him, what if he were to attack me like that. "You ready?" He asks and I can see worry settle in his eyes. "Yeah." We start walking towards the cinema which is about a 20 minute walk. A few minutes into the walk he takes my hand lacing our fingers together. "Brax.... Can I ask you something but I don't know how your going to react." He looks at me puzzled, then looks at our surroundings. "Lets talk here" He says pulling me into a play park, we go sit on a near by bench. "Ellie what's wrong?" He questions. I take a deep breath. "I saw a video of what happened outside school this afternoon. I saw you strangle Alicia and threaten everyone. What happened why did you do that." He looks down at the ground. "Ellie, I'm sorry if what you saw scared you, I would never harm you I am just sick of them all saying s**t to you and that thing at lunch time with the photos on your locker it got to me a lot and something inside me snapped so when I saw them all laughing and enjoying themselves I couldn't hold back the rage. Ellie you are the nicest person I have ever met you don't deserve this." I scoot closer to him leaning my head on his arm. "Try not to let it bother you Brax, I will survive anything they throw at me because I have you by my side" He takes a deep breath and sighs. "Ellie it's more personal than you understand. My sister had a crush on this jock, which is your version of a popular guy, he told her he would never find her attractive cause she wasn't stick thin, she started making herself sick so he would notice her but when people found out they made her life a living hell. I didn't even realise what she was doing I'm a s**t brother, I should of helped her, she died 3 months ago, f**k she was only 14." I feel his body shaking from crying under me and I wrap my arms around him. "Brax, I had no idea I wish I could say something to help" I whisper softly to him. "Ellie you being here alive and safe is all I want, I can't lose anyone else to this illness. That's why I lost my shit." I take his face in my hands and we stare into each others. "We will never lose each other, thank you for protecting me, I wouldn't have gotton threw today with out you" I tell him, I rest my for head against his. "Ellie while I'm opening up I have something else to tell you. Her birthday was a month ago and I kinda lost it, I found the guy who made her feel fat and worthless and followed him to a party in the woods, when he went to take a leak I confronted him and he just denied it, telling me she wasn't right in the head, I grabbed a large branch and repeatedly hit him in the head with it. I stopped when his body fell to the floor blood pouring out of it. I ran after that, I heard from some friends he survived and was in hospital for about a month. He wrote me a letter apologising he says he regrets his actions and he doesn't blame me for what I did, when the police question me he didn't even rat me out. I told my mum and we moved here for a new beginning." He pulls away from me and leans back on the bench, I cuddle up to him and he wraps his arm around me, I feel the tears fall and hit my head but I don't care he needs me. I listen to his heart beat pounding away. 

"My brother died 11 months ago he had a brain tumour and they couldn't save him. I had no one, no friends no family other than my mum but she was grieving her own way. I turned to food as a comfort and slowly the weight gained, I know how you feel and if you ever need me I'm here for you day or night" I tell him clinging to him tighter. He kisses the top of my head and we sit in silence a little longer, "We missed our movie" He laughs out making me pull up laughing with him. We play on the park a bit, he pushed me on the swing and we raced around the obstacle course. I can't remember the last time I had this much fun. We head back to mine hand in hand. 

Nicks pov 

I can't believe Elle has given up on me, on us. This isn't how I pictured it me being blackmailed and her in the arms of another man. After school Brax just losses it he nearly kills Alicia which I'm not upset about but what hurt was what he said to me. "Your a f*****g disgrace. The Nick she's told me about is not the man standing in front of me today, your a coward, you say your protecting her when all I see is a little boy to scared to do the right thing, I honestly don't know what she see's in you, she doesn't deserves the s**t you lot put her through, and you certainly don't deserve her" Is he right have I changed that much I thought I was doing this to keep her safe but now he has me second guessing myself. I wont stop till I win her back and give her everything I have to offer. I head home with Dave and Finn tonight is the night of the party and I really hope she turns up even if she is with him. 

I show the guys around and they have fell in love with my house. I am proud of it. We get ready for the party and before I know it people start turning up. It starts getting late and music is blaring, bodies are grinding on each other, drinks are being poured and still no Elle. "Hey Nick" My face turns sour at her voice. "What Alicia" I spite out. "How about a dance or a private tour" She winks at me. "Alicia just f**k off I don't even want you here" I tell her loudly. I start to walk past her put she pulls at my top putting a hand on my chest "Look Nick, I like you a lot, all I'm asking for is a chance for us to try and be something, were perfect for each other, I promise I will leave Elle alone and I'll get the girls to back off to, please can you just give me a chance." She pleads. I just walk off, if I talk to her I'm going to snap, how does she think she's the victim in all of this. I head for my room and start going through Elle's i********:, I'm mortified when I see a picture of Elle holding his head in her hands, It looks like they are about to kiss. I put my phone down, my blood boiling at the fact I lost her to this guy. I go down stairs and just drink my thoughts and worries away.