Short Stories

Short Story 17- I Love You Always and Forever

Alia stood by Elsie's locker waiting for her best friend to show up. She saw her down the hall and frantically waved like a five year old seeing her grandma. Elsie looked at her weird and smiled. Alia could tell Elsie was chuckling quietly under her breath. She instantly turned bright red and mentally started beating herself up. Anxiety was a bitch sometimes. Normal people would've brushed it off but as soon as Elsie was by her, Alia would start profusely apologizing, hoping she didn't hate her for a simple wave. It was magnified to the extreme because Alia was practically in love with Elsie. Everyone saw it, the only person who didn't notice it seemed was Elsie herself. If you asked her to describe her crush, she would go on and on. She would go into details most people wouldn't notice, like how Elsie would swoop her hair to the right side or always wear her bracelets on her left arm. Alia noticed every little detail and she loved every single on of them.

"Hey babe." Elsie greeted. Alia loved it when she called her babe, the downside though was she called everyone babe.

"Hey. I'm sorry about that wave. It was stupid and hella embarrassing and I'm really sorry and-"

"Lee-lee stop, its ok, breathe. It was cute, just like you." Elsie cooed, booped Alia's nose and winked. She blushed and her heart fluttered. Elsie always knew how to make her speechless, "What's up?"

"What's today?" Alia asked, hinting at something.

"Valentine's Day?" Elsie asked, clearly not getting it.

"And?"

"Friday?"

"And what do we do on Fridays?" Elsie looked blankly at Alia, "Are you serious?" Elsie smiled and started laughing.

"Of course not! It's movie night! The thing we've been doing since we were twelve."

"You're an ass." Alia said but started laughing along. They got into Elsie's car and drove to her house. They ran inside and quickly hugged Mrs. Mason. Elsie's mom, Molly Mason, was practically Alia's second mom. Whenever Alia's mom couldn't do something, Mrs. Mason was always there. Molly tried for years to get her to call her by her name but the closest she got was Mrs. M. They went to Elsie's room and jumped on the bed. Alia looked over t Elsie, smiling at her, admiring her beauty.

"What?" Elsie asked.

"Nothing, you're just beautiful."

"You're the sweetest Lee-lee."

They did what they did every weekend, went downstairs to grab bowls of chips, popcorn and sweets, went to Elsie's extensive movie collection and grabbed so many movies that they couldn't possibly watch them all in one night but they were gonna try. They went back to Elsie's room and laid down on the bed. They popped in the first movie, 13 Going On 30. They always watched romcoms or movie musicals, two of their favorite genres. Sometime before 10 Things I Hate About You and The Breakfast Club they stopped paying attention.

"Pizza and breadsticks or friend rice and chow lo mein?" Elsie asked looking over to Alia who was munching on potato chips. She just shrugged her shoulders.

"We had pizza last weekend, so Chinese?"

"Sure." Elsie said and ran downstairs to tell Mrs. M their orders. Alia paused the movie and smelled the pillow Elsie was laying on, Bath and Body Works peach perfume. Alia loved that smell. She looked around, Elsie's room has been decorated the same way since they were thirteen. The bed pushed up to the wall across from her door in the middle, A bedside table on the left, a desk by the window and the closet and dresser on the opposite wall. Posters covered the wall behind her bed, a tv across from her bed, a bookshelf next to her desk, and a garland of polaroid pictures over her dresser. She loved the shades of blues, purples and greens that decorated the big room. She looked over to the table next to Elsie's bed. A notebook she's seen before sat on top. A baby blue journal Elsie used for writing short stories. She loved old school writing, a pen and paper. What she didn't recognize was the piece of paper sticking out. Elsie never ripped out her stories in fear of losing them. Curiosity got the better of her and she pulled the paper out and opened it. She didn't expect what she started to read. The first line 'Dear Alia Ortiz'. She started to read but heard Elsie start to come back upstairs. She jumped up and put the paper back carefully. Elsie crawled up next to Alia, cuddling into her side, laying her head on Alia's chest. Alia tried to slow her racing heart but it was almost impossible. They started the movie again but neither of them really paid attention. After a little while Elsie went down to get their food. As soon as she left the room, Alia sat up and grabbed the letter addressed to her.

Dear Alia Ortiz,

It's Valentine's Day, I know it's your favorite holiday. God, you're such a sappy hopeless romantic but I love it, like I love you. I love how your hair is the color of the sun, warm and happy. I love how your eyes are like little oceans. Perfect mixes of blue with specks of green and grey. I love your perfect cursive handwriting. I love your signature lilac pen that you write everything in. I love your notes that you write me with the heart on the front. I love how you call me El. I love our movie nights, and our days on the boardwalks. I love how we sing along at the top of our lungs to the radio in my car. I love how we cuddle and hold hands and you kiss my forehead. I love how we go to the lake, sit on the rocks, and talk for hours. I love your bubbly personality  I love your giggle and your smile and how your eyes light up when you talk about something you're passionate about. Most of all, I love how you're always there for me. No matter what I did or any mood I'm in you're always there. I need that in my life and I think that's why I fell in love with you when I was fourteen. I was going to tell you earlier but I chickened out. I've been chickening out since freshman year though so it's not that surprising. Maybe I'll give you this as a Valentine's Day gift. Maybe.

I love you always and forever,

Elsie Jay Mason

Alia's eyes went wide. Elsie likes her. The one thing she never thought would happen did. She didn't know what to do. Her heart was pounding in her ears and tears pricked at her eyes. She didn't hear when Elsie came back upstairs with boxes of food. She didn't hear when the door opened. She didn't notice when Elsie asked what she had or when Elsie realized that it was the letter. The letter she was going to give Alia today at school.

"Lee-lee?" Elsie spoke softly as not to scare Alia more, "Babe?"

"Don't call me that." Alia finally said after what felt like five minutes of deafening silence.

"Sorry. Are you ok?"

"You like me?" she said after what seemed like another five minutes.

"No Alia, I love you. I'm in love with you. I have been since freshman year. I have been since I was fourteen. I love your hair and your eyes. I love your personality. I love-"

Alia suddenly cut off the anxious, fast-talking Elsie by kissing her. Elsie melted into it. Butterflies exploded in their hearts and they felt like they were going to beat out of their chests. Fireworks bursted in their stomachs and sparks flew as energy flew through them in tingly light. They told a story with that kiss. All the pent up love, feelings and pain melted in that kiss. It was clumsy and new. It was nervous but kind. It was sweet and loving and safe. Elsie tasted like fried rice and smelled like peaches. Love is like a drug and it's addicting.

A/N- Happy belated Valentine's Day!!! Xo Ella