That one moment

chapter 7

Nick's pov 

Its finally Monday and I drag my exhausted body out of bed. I can barely keep my eyes open I've never slept so bad in my life. I just kept replaying Elle's words in my head how she doesn't want to be my friend. There's no way on earth I'm letting that happen. I go jump in the shower getting all the sand off me that I slept in. The shower wakes me up a little. I throw on a blue top and some black jeans. I'm running late this morning. I make my way to my car and James is already waiting for me. "You ok Nick you don't look so great" James asks concerned. "I will be" I yawn out. I get in the car and rub my hands over my face trying to wake myself up. When we get to school I waste no time looking for Elle. I wait by the wall and look at the tree I normally see her hiding behind. To my disappointment she's not there. The bell rings and I drag myself to history. It was only a week ago I was standing in the doorway looking into those eyes. I scan the room and she's not there. I take my usual seat and text her. 

Me - Elle are you ok. Your not at school. Do you want me to pick you up? X 

She doesn't reply and I cant get rid of this feeling in my heart it feels like someone constantly stabbing me. I see Alicia walking up to me she takes the seat next to me which Elle usually sits in. "Hey you ok" she asks while putting her hand on me. I turn to her "what do you want" 

"You look down I was seeing it you were ok. I like you Nick I think we could be good for each other" she smiles at me and I just want to hit her but I don't. I hear a someone clear their throat in front of me. I assume it's the teacher but the air is knocked out of me when I see Elle standing in front of me. "Elle" I let out. "Miss Jones can you take a seat please" Mr Hunter calls out. She looks around to find the only seat available is Alicia's usual seat. I can see the dread in her face as she makes her way over to the empty seat. 

They groan as she takes her seat. "So class we have a surprise test today. This is just to see how much you've learned over last year and what we need to focus on this year before you guys take your GSCE's." He hands us all a small booklet with 50 questions ranging from all topics. I take the paper and start answering the question. I glance at Elle and I can see she's struggling. I wish I could help her. The hour goes by fairly quickly I finished my test in half hour. Most other students finished about 15 - 20 minutes after me. Elle was still working on her paper till the last minute. I could hear a few students in front of me whispering about how stupid she is and how she hasn't finished the test. "Miss Jones times up" Mr Hunter states while standing in front of her with a sad smile on his face. "Sir... I..." she starts to say something but a few people in the front row start laughing and she just lowers her head. The teacher collects everyone's paper and we start packing our things away. "Aren't losers suppose to be smart." Izzy turns to Elle. Elle just ignores her comment and stands to leave. "Elle. Wait up" I call out to her but she doesn't respond nor does she wait for me. 

I see her by her locker and I make my way over to her. "Elle please talk to me" I beg her. "Look Nick. I'm asking you as a friend to leave me alone." Oh god she didn't call me Nicky like she normally does. I think she means it. She looks around and slams her locker door shut before scurrying off leaving me standing there confused. I feel a hand snake around my arm and see Alicia. "What did you do to her? Why doesn't she want to be my friend any more" I demand while pushing her off me. She shrugs her shoulders "how should I know why she does what she does." She smiles at me. Come on we got maths now. 

We get to maths and  I don't want Alicia next to me. I see Elle sitting in her seat. I walk up to her but she puts her bag on the seat next to her. I kneel beside her but she shifts her body facing away from me. "Elle I am so sorry. Please let me make it up to you. I'll do anything." I've never seen her act like this with me usually she uses me as a support tool. "Nicky come sit here" I hear the irritating voice of Alicia "Elle can I sit with you please?" She just ignores me. I stand and sit next to Alicia looking at Elle the whole time. "Morning class. Ready for another fun lesson" Miss Davies laughs out. She wants us to work in small groups solving equations. "Miss Davies can I work with Elle as she's on her own" I ask. I see Elle's eyes look at me she looks upset by my request. "Ok." I smile as I make my way over to Elle. I sit next to her this feels right. 

"Now you have to talk to me" I grin at her making her smile ever so slightly. I look around and see Alicia staring at us. We do the work and Elle wont talk to me about the beach or why she doesn't want to be my friend. We discuss the work and she's really struggling with maths. I use this as an opportunity to tutor her some more. Towards the end of the lesson she's starting to understand it and even answers a question correctly. I'm so proud of her. The smile that beams off of her when she gets it right makes my heart melt. The bell rings and I wish maths wasn't over. She was finally talking to me even if it was about maths. 

I walk out the classroom with Elle watching her as she goes to the girls toilets. Alicia, tori and Izzy also go into the toilet. I have a bad feeling. After about 5 minutes Alicia and her friends exit "Hey where's Elle?" I ask how can she go in first and come out last. "She's going to be a while why don't you join us for lunch." Tori offers. "No I'll wait for Elle." Alicia approaches me. "Come on... look I'll tell her you'll be in the lunch room and she can meet us there" I think it over. She opens the door and calls to Elle telling her to meet me in the lunch hall she agrees. "Elle are you sure. I'm happy to wait for you" I yell out. "Its ok I'll meet you in the lunch hall" she yells back. I head to the cafeteria with the girls regretting my decision. It's been 20 minutes and still no Elle. What the hell. I stand to leave but Alicia holds my hand "where you going" "To find Elle. She might need to go to the nurses office." I shrug her off me and make my way out the cafeteria. I cant find Elle I even went into the girls bathroom myself. Where could she of gone. I don't even have her in my next lesson. I don't see her till our last lesson English. 

The bell rings telling me it's time for my next lesson I groan as I couldn't find Elle anywhere. After my lesson I rush to Elle's locker. She always goes to her locker before classes to her books. As I approach I see a crowd of people laughing. This isn't going to be good. I see Elle standing in front of her locker. She's covered in rubbish someone has thrown a f*****g bin over her. She's looking at her locker and I look too. I see the most disturbing thing written on her locker. In thick black permanent marker is written "FAT b***h GO KILL YOURSELF" I look around and see them all laughing and pointing to her, some call her fat while others repeat the words on her locker. I see Alicia, Jack, Tori and Mark all smirking at me. I make my way over to them, I'm sure you could feel the anger radiating off of me. "What is your f*****g problem just leave her alone!" I say raising my voice. "There's only one way we will stop. Leave her and hang out with us." Tori says, I just look at her in disgust. "After the other day I looked you up, your right you are a well known person and someone of your social status shouldn't be hanging around that fat slug." Alicia says. "Never" I say bluntly. The bell rings and I turn to find Elle, I feel someone tug on my top and I turn to see Alicia she comes closer to my face she snakes her hands round my neck and whispers in my ear. "How much more do you think she can take? Think about my offer" She walks off swaying her hips a little to much. 

I head to English hoping Elle is there already there, I peep my head through the door but she's not there. I wait out side pacing back and forth. "Nick is everything ok class is about to start" Mrs Scott  says bringing me out my thoughts. "Mrs its Ellie. she's not here someone wrote fat b***h go kill yourself on her locker and while I was confronting the people who I'm 100 percent sure was behind it she left." I run a hand threw my hair in frustration. "Who would do something so cruel?" She asks I'm not sure if its rhetorical or not. "Its the same people that say the shitty remarks about her in class that most teachers just brush off. I'm getting so sick of people treating her like this. How much more can she take?" I breath out sounding aggressive. Mrs Scott looks at me sympathetically. She must know my anger isn't at her. "I will write you both up a pass for missing class. Were going to be starting the assignment today I know Elle has already started it. Go find her and let me know she's ok as soon as you can." I nod. I grab my phone from my pocket and start calling her, she doesn't answer my calls and I've spent half hour running around searching every part of this school for her. I call James asking him to meet me outside the main entrance. I head outside and wait for him I call my dad maybe he can help. 

"Hi son everything ok. Why aren't you in class?" He asks. "Dad its Ellie, I need you to call Richard and see if he can track her phone or something I'm worried about her" I say in one breath. Richard is my dads police friend in London he is always doing us favours.

"Son tell me what happened and calm down." 

"Ok well first someone threw a bin over her covering her in s**t then on her locker they have written fat b***h go kill yourself, she ran off while I was confronting the people responsible and I honestly don't know where she's gone, she's not at school and I don't know how much more she can take of this bullying. Please dad help me." My voice breaks at the last bit and I try and fight the tears that want to escape. 

"I'll get back to you in a few minutes" he says before hanging up. Although he doesn't know her and they haven't officially met I can hear the worry in his voice. Now that they know what Ellie means to me they already consider her part of the family. And kylie spoke very highly of her when we went to the beach yesterday.

James pulls up and I get in waiting impatiently for my dad to get back to me. A few more minutes pass and my phone beeps its my dad texting me Elle's location. I give it to James and he starts driving. We end up in a small secluded area its like a mini forest with tall trees spread around, I follow the dirt path leaving James to wait for me in the car. After making my way through the tress I come to a wooden deck it over looks a large lake. I scan the area and see Elle sitting on the decking next to the lake, she has her knees to her chest with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees. The sight in front of me breaks my heart. I see her book bag empty, her books and lose paper scattered everywhere and next to her are two orange tubes.

I make my way over to her and I wrap my arms around her, she doesn't look up but she knows its me. She has bits of rubbish in her hair and smells like mould but I couldn't careless. She's still perfect to me. She buries her head into my chest and just cries. I don't speak I let her get it all out of her system. I pick up the tubes with one hand while the other still has her tightly in my grasp. I read the labels and see one is for anxiety and the other is for depression. I close my eyes and mentally count to 10 I don't want Elle to see me angry, not that I am angry at her but she's already so sad and I don't want her to be afraid of me. Her breathing starts to calm and her cries have turned into sniffles. I run my hand over her soft hair that's lose over her back, removing some of the crap that's in her hair. "Elle. How many tablets did you take?" I whisper to her trying to not let my voice break. I fight back the urge to cry. She pulls away and sits in the position I found her in. "I didn't over dose if that's what your worried about. Nick please leave I want to be alone" She says bluntly.

"Elle don't push me away please." I don't even fight the tears any more. "Just leave Nick" she shouts at me. I don't care she can shout and scream at me all she likes I will never leave her side. "Elle. We both know I'm not going any where. Your my best friend and I will always be here for you, you will never be alone again." She doesn't respond, she still has her head resting on her knees. I pull out my phone texting my dad that I found her and she's ok. I ask him if he can contact the school and pass a message onto Mrs Scott that she's ok. I put my phone away and gently reach out and touch her arm. "Please Elle, please talk to me." she turns her body to face me and leans her back on the post behind her. "How about we play 20 questions. We each get 20 questions to ask each other anything and we both have to answer honestly." She nods in agreement. 

"Ok ill go first. What's your favourite colour?" I ask. "Purple" she croaks out with a shaky voice and a sniffle. "Mine use to be blue but its green now." I tell her "Why did you change it to green?" She asks curiously. "Well it was about 7 days ago, I was in my first class of a new school I was looking at everyone in the classroom, when this beautiful girl caught my eye she has the most amazing green eyes that I have ever seen, they have me hypnotised when ever I look into them" I smile at her while starring into her beautiful eyes. I notice her neck and face heating up and she covers her face with her hands. I gently run my hands over hers moving them out the way, "Please never hide from me" I whisper softly to her.  "What's your favourite food?" She asks shyly. I smile at her "Defiantly Fajitas." I tell her licking my lips at the thought of food. "I love fajitas too." She says excitedly. "My mum makes the best fajitas you should come over one night for dinner." I slyly add. She bites her bottom lip and I cant pry my eyes away from it. 

God what I would do to have her lips on mine, I want to bite that bottom lip. My body moves before my brain can stop it, I take her face in my hands and lean in towards her I gently place my lips on hers and the electric I felt coursing through my body made me instantly addicted to her. I move my lips against hers and she doesn't respond. I rest my forehead on hers we're just looking into each others eyes. I run my fingers into her hair moving it behind her ears. "I'm sorry I hope you aren't mad. I've been dying to do that since we met" She smiles at me and I feel her lips graze mine. I take full advantage of this and kiss her passionately. Moving my body closer to hers till our chests are touching. I deepen the kiss by nipping on her bottom lip making her part her lips with a yelp. I slide my tongue into her mouth and massage her tongue with mine. I pull away from her and we're both slightly panting I hadn't even realised her hands were on my chest till I feel a tingling sensation where her hands are running down my body feeling my abs.

 "Your lips are perfect" I mumble out trying to calm my urge to take her right now. She moves away from me leaning on the post again she runs her finger across her lips and smiles. "Its everything ok?" I ask wondering what's she's thinking. "Yeah" she smiles "It's your turn" she says still smiling. I look confused till I realise the game. I sit back and get comfortable "Ok let me think. You don't have to answer this but where's your dad?" She doesn't respond and I mentally shout at myself. She's hesitant but she licks her lips and takes a deep breath. "I've never known him. He left my mum while she was pregnant. I've only asked once why he never stayed she said he didn't want me to hold him back in life and he doesn't want the responsibility of looking after me or providing for me. My mum has never lied to me about it. But she always reassures me that I'm not the reason he left. She says they were having problems before I came along, she always tells me I'm the best thing to ever happen to her." I scoot beside her and wrap my arm round her, she leans into me and rests her head on my shoulder. "He is really missing out on an incredible girl." I tell her sweetly. 

"Do you have any pets?" She asks. "We had a dog Niko when I lived in London but he died sadly. My parents were going to buy me another dog but I said no it's too painful when they die." I breath out. "I'm so sorry Nicky" she says I look at her raising an eye brow. "So Nicky is staying huh we could always think of another nickname for me?" I chuckle out and she laughs. "I love that" she looks at me. "Love what" she asks. "Love watching you laugh." I tell her honestly. She snuggles back into me which makes me the happiest man alive. "Do you have any siblings" I ask. I feel her whole body go rigid. "Everything ok" I ask while I see her wipe her eyes. I turn her to face me. But she looks away "Elle please talk to me."

"I had a brother. His name was Eddie. He died 10 months ago. He had a brain tumour and he just wasn't saveable he was 10 years old. Life isn't fair. I wish I could of swapped places with him. He could of lived a happy life." She silently cries. "I'm sorry about your brother. If you ever want to talk I'm here for you." I tell her. It goes quiet for a moment till she talks. "We were best friends me and Eddie. Always getting into trouble with mum. He use to go to his dads house every other weekend, I was so lonely when he left. We don't have the same dad obviously and for unknown reasons Eddie's dad never really liked me so I wasn't allowed to go with him, it funny as he's all I've even know as a father figure. I don't know how I've wronged everyone in the world but as you've noticed I'm not liked by anyone." She weakly says. 

"Well that's not true. You have me and I'm not going anywhere" I smile at her and kiss her again. I don't know what's coming over me I cant control myself around her. She kisses me back making me smile into the kiss. "You haven't done anything wrong." I firmly say. Making her listen to each word. I wipe her eyes. "Why do you keep kissing me?" She shyly asks. "I'm sorry I cant stop myself. Please don't be mad" 

"I'm not mad it's just... erm. I've never been kissed before.... before you, that's why I left on Saturday night I knew you was going to kiss me and I just got scared" so kylie was right. 

"So how long have you been single for?" She asks. I feel my heart speed up god what do I do?? Do I tell her the truth. I cant, I just kissed her twice I'll lose all that trust she's given me. She's told me about her dad and brother if she finds out about Cassie she will never talk to me again. "Recently, I had a girlfriend in London but with me moving here we split up." I half tell the truth half lie. I mean I am breaking up with Cassie when I next see her so it's not a complete lie. She smiles brightly at me and I just feel guilty. 

"Why do you take those pills?" I hope she doesn't mind me asking. "They help me survive the day I guess. Since my brother died I haven't been the same, I have no friends, Tori stopped being my friend a couple of months before he passed."

"Is that why she asked about him when we was at the beach yesterday? She doesn't know he died." I ask interrupting her she nods at me. 

 "So I had no one to turn to no one knows about his death I have no need to tell anyone, I found myself eating for comfort I needed to fill this void I had and I gained some weight, the anti depressants help me cope with losing my brother, the doctor advised me to talk to someone but we cant afford that so I just went to my only friend, food. Now I'm on anxiety tablets I've been on them since Tori stopped being my friend, we had been friends for 10 years and she gladly stopped being my friend to become popular. It physically pains me to know I mean nothing to no one. I thought we would be best friends till the day we died. I always had Tori by my side defending me. its laughable now knowing she's the cause of my pain. She use to protect me. Since I have no one I started having panic attacks when I left the house knowing what was waiting for me. the tablets help me clam my nerves and stop me from panicking." I seriously hate this Tori even more than I did before. When I next see her I'm giving her a piece of my mind how can she do that to her. 

"You have me now, I'm going to remind you that your beautiful every single day till the day I die." She lowers her head on my chest "Why me?" she mumbles out. "What do you mean?" She raises her head "Why do you want to be my friend?" I smile at her "Because I see something in you that no one else see's not even you." She furrows her brows together "Oh yeah and what's that" She snorts out. I hold her face in my hands looking her in them perfect eyes. "Perfection" I whisper to her. I crash my lips on hers again. I will never get enough of her. If I could kiss her all day everyday I would. She's my addiction. We sit back down properly resting against this wooden post. "Elle. What happened at the beach yesterday? What did they say to you. Cause we were having so much fun till they said something and then you tell me you don't want to be my friend anymore." She pulls away from me. "Look Nick I don't want to ruin this moment that were in right now." "Ok" I don't want to push her. I stand up and strip off into my boxers. she looks at me confused but I see her bite her lip as I stand in front of her just in my boxers. I hold my hand out for her. "Come on." I prompt her. She looks around. "What are you doing" "Lets go swimming" I smile at her. "I.. I … don't know how too" she whispers. "Well then I'm teaching you. Strip off." 

"Nick. I don't feel comfortable getting undressed." I pass her my jumper "Wear this. it will keep you warm too." I smile at her she takes it. "Nick your clothes aren't going to fit me." she looks down at her own body. "Yes they will, please just try it for me." I turn around and I can hear her shuffling I'm assuming she's taking her clothes off. She taps me on the shoulder and I turn to face her. "You look so sexy in my clothes" I moan out. I take her hand in mine and we walk to the ledge. "On the count of three we jump. 1. 2. 3." We jump in the lake and its freezing cold. I start splashing her a little and we just laugh. "How come your jumper fits me." she asks. "That's because your body is perfect." she blushes a little. I'm not going to tell her that I went and brought clothes a little bigger before our date Saturday so I could do this. I was hoping if she got cold I could give her my jacket like they do in romantic movies. " No it's not Nicky I'm fat everyone knows it, everyone calls me it." She sighs out. I swim up to her I take her legs and wrap them around my waist. I wrap my hands around her body bringing her closer to me so were chest to chest, our faces are inches apart. "Don't ever say that about yourself. I don't ever want to hear you say that again. I love the way you look. You are the most sexiest, beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on. You are perfect just the way you are." I firmly tell her. "Your only saying that because you're my friend." "No I'm saying it because it's true. If we all looked the same it would be a boring world. We need beautiful people like you in the world." she starts laughing. "I'm not beautiful. Alicia is beaut-" I kiss her before she can even finish her sentence. The kiss is perfect. We pull apart and she smiling at me. "I'm just going to have to show you how to love yourself." I tell her. "Right you ready?" I ask. "Ready for what?" "To learn how to swim." I spend the next hour teaching her how to swim. After a while we get out and sit back on the decking letting the cool air dry us off.

"So how come you never learnt to swim?" I ask breaking the silence between us. "I just never had anyone to show me. My mum has always been busy trying to provide for me and my brother." "I'm sorry you never had anyone. I'll tell you what how about you write a bucket list of 10 things you've always wanted to do or wanted to learn and we will complete them together before Christmas." I watch her looking at the lake. "Ok but only if you do the same." I smile. "Of course.(I pause) Elle.... So.... will you tell me what happened at the beach now?" She takes a deep breath still looking at the lake.  "Ok, Alicia said that if I didn't stop being friends with you she was going to make my life a misery. In the toilets she was angry that you spent maths with me so she and the girls threw a bin over me. Then I saw what was written on my locker and I just had to leave. I know I'm not liked but to want me dead was a new level of hatred." "Elle I'm so sorry. I promise we will never stop being friends. It's you and me always. I will protect you, I will do anything to keep you safe." "Do... Do you think everyone would be happy if I was dead?" I can hear the pain in her voice when she asked that. I immediately take her head in my hands making her look at me. "NO ELLE." I raise my voice. When I see her fear I soften my face giving her a weak smile. "Elle. I would not be ok if something happened to you. Please don't hurt your self. Promise me. Promise me right now you will never let them win. If you ever need to talk you have me day or night. I can't live with out you Elle. I think I'm falling in love with you." Oh s**t did I just say that. f**k its been a week she's going to think I'm crazy. f**k it just slipped out.. I'm shocked when she kisses me. "I think I'm falling in love with you too" Her saying that makes me the happiest man alive. I kiss her again, after a while we pull apart, not speaking we get dressed but the smile that takes over her face tells me all I need to know. We head back to the car where James is patiently waiting for us. I apologies for making him wait so long but he seemed ok. He was happy to see Elle was ok he must of spoke to my dad once I told him where to find Elle. It's pretty late so we stop to get dinner at this little diner. We had a lovely evening of talking and laughing. after were finished I took her home. I walk her to her door and kiss her soft red lips goodnight. As I turn to leave I hear her sweet angelic voice calling me. "Nicky" I turn back and walk back to her. "I don't want you to think I think its something when it might mean nothing." 

"Elle... I'm confused what" I laugh out. "What are we... I don't want to be one of those girls but I'm a little confused." she's so beautiful when she fumbles her words out like that. "I want us to be boyfriend and girlfriend but its up to you" 

"I want that to." I smile brightly at her. "Ellie Jones will you be my girlfriend?" I ask her properly. "Nick Marshal I would love to be your girlfriend." I kiss her goodnight and watch her enter her house, I walk back to the car and enjoy my silent ride home.