A/N: Technically I don't really own the storyline, but I manipulated it a bit to fit the Els-universe better! I don't own the characters and I hope you enjoy this fluff-filled fic!
"Just kidding! Did you think I was serious? Haha, you should've seen your face, hmm? So red like your hair? Let's go out for ramen today, the new one by the station…"
"I was kidding about being kidding..."
I was a plain kind of girl, easily excited and tomboyish. I wasn't "special" in any way...besides my purple hair and eyes. I was just Aisha, Aisha the girl next door. Looking at myself in the mirror in the bathroom, I sighed heavily. I wanted to confess to him today, but maybe...Maybe I'll pretend it's just a joke when I say it.
I stared at my phone, looking at the innocent message notification. I checked it quickly, in case it was Elsword.
Hey! We walking together after school?
I quickly typed back, with a blush spreading on my face, Yeah! I'll need you to help me with something though!
Stuffing the phone back into my jacket pocket, I ran out of the bathroom, running into Rena.
"Ah, sorry, Rena!" I stuck out my tongue and grinned sheepishly. The older-looking girl laughed lightly and ruffled my hair, much to my dislike. I spent precious seconds fixing my pigtails, okay?!
"It's alright," Rena bent lower and whispered in my ear. "So, I heard something interesting a bit earlier about Elsword and you?" I froze. There was no way someone knew I liked him right?! I mean, it was a little obvious because I smiled too hard and laughed loudly around him, but I mean, we could just be friends..from the outside…?
"H-huh?" All I could get out was a strangled noise and Rena burst into laughter.
"I was joking, Aisha. Hurry back to class or else Lowe will get mad at us." The taller girl gave me a push and I stumbled out of the bathroom, breaking out into a run.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, but I was too busy hurrying to notice.
xx
"Ah! Elsword?" I jumped up, waving at the red-haired boy standing alone by the shoe lockers. He turned with a lopsided grin on his face, pulling his hands out of his pockets to wave back. I felt my cheeks burn slightly and my heart beat faster. It was definitely thumping harder than before. I was nervous, to say the least.
"Aisha, what'd you want to do?" Elsword cocked his head to the side, waiting patiently, sticking his hands back into his pockets. He was adorable.
I took a deep breath, and looked up at him with serious eyes.
"I know this is...sudden… but, Elsword, I like you!"
There was a moment of silence and his tilted head righted itself while a deep red blush began to spread from his ears to his cheeks. His mouth opened, but before he could say anything, I spun around and giggled, "Just kidding!"
I watched his face morph from embarrassed to shocked, then to mock anger.
"That's so mean, Aisha." He grumbled, and with his bag over his shoulder, began to stomp out of the school.
"I'm sorry," I cheerfully teased him, hiding the rapid beating of my heart behind an innocent smile. "Did I trick you though? I'm just rehearsing to say it to someone I like!"
Elsword looked thoughtful and replied slowly, "You've gotta be more serious and not yelling so much. It kinda sounds like you're trying to force it onto them, I guess?" His eyebrows quirked and I gave him a grateful smile.
"Ah, your advice now seems so mature, hm?"
"Hey, let that go okay? I was an idiot in middle school!" Elsword complained and I remembered that fateful day he thought that shaving cream was edible and tried to tell me it tasted exactly like whipping cream...
"Let's go to the new ramen shop over by the station today!"
"Eeh? They opened a new place?"
"I heard it's good from Ara, so maybe we can eat then study later?"
"Sounds good to me."
I couldn't help the wide grin on my face as we walked side-by-side together to the station.
xx
I dunked my head into the bath, wetting my face and watching strands of purple hair float in the water. Aah, the water is so relaxing, but my heart refuses to relax! I raised my head again and leaned against the tile, watching puffs of steam rise in the air.
Ara had bugged me about confessing to Elsword, and I told her I was much too afraid of being rejected. After all, he was the one that had a lot of girls sending him chocolates on Valentine's Day, whereas all I got was giri choco…. He would never like a tomboyish girl like me.
I dunked my head back into the water. But I had to try, or else I would never know the truth. And that curiosity was bugging me like a fly in my ear!
"Man!" I screamed, "I hate Elsword!"
Splashing around, I pouted and reached over to my phone and picked it up, scrolling through my messages. Ah, there's his reply.
You need to rehearse again tomorrow? When are you confessing?
He seemed so eager to help and I couldn't tell if he was genuinely happy to help me, or I was just forcing him to go along with it. But, in any case, Elsword would have a real confession tomorrow! I promise!
Quickly typing back, Yeah! Sorry about dragging you along with this, but you're the only guy I can trust with these kinds of things~, I threw my phone onto a fresh pile of clothes and got up from the bath.
I clenched my fist, my other hand holding up my towel. I gotta be strong and confident and cute tomorrow! I stared at the mysterious bottles and random assortments of makeup that Ara lent me.
"I...I don't think I can do this…!" I slumped onto the ground and wept my sorrows away. I was so selfish to ask him to help me...
Don't worry about it. I'll be cheering you on.
xx
The next day, I woke up extra early to check out my horoscope, just for luck. It wasn't like I believed in it or anything… Maybe I just needed the extra luck to somehow sway Elsword to like me?! I bonked my head on the wall and tripped over a stuffed animal on my way to eat breakfast, and for sure, today was not going to be a good day.
Turning on the TV, I flipped through several channels before an announcer's voice caught my attention.
"And today's horoscope for XXXX birthday sign includes a favorable rating for LOVE, and not so much for DAILY LUCK. Lucky item to cure your bad luck and enhance your lovey-dovey luck is the good-luck charm from XXXX Supermarket! Get it now to-"
I was already out the door, heading off on my bike to the XXXX Supermarket. I crossed my fingers that there'd be enough time to buy a bunch and still put on makeup…
xx
By the time I got back, I had a handful of good-luck charms and I remembered the old lady's stare as she checked out all of the charms I bought.
"This from the morning horoscope?" I had nodded and looked away, embarrassed.
"Good luck to you, dear. I'm sure any boy would be lucky to have you."
I sighed, reaching for eyeliner. I wish he would like me back, but it wasn't really possible! My sudden thought made me jerk and the pencil hit me in the eye. I screamed, running around, tears pooling up and washing mascara down my face.
"Noooo! Today is absolutely the worst!" After washing all the pain and the blackness off, I shook my fist at the sky, and then decided to settle on just lipgloss and light concealer. Nothing big. It wasn't as if I had to cake on the makeup, because he would notice, everyone would notice, and then it'd be embarrassing…
The doorbell ringing pulled me out of my thoughts and I ran to get the door. Ara was standing out there, rocking on her heels happily.
"Today's the day, right?" She chirped and gloom drowned me again.
"Don't even talk about it."
I grabbed my bag and walked out of the door, also forgetting to lock it behind me. Ara only smiled sheepishly and followed quickly behind.
xx
Meet me near the shoe lockers again? I was being such a rebel again using my phone in class, and I stared out the window wistfully. At least I didn't have my last class with Elsword. In the end, I only saw him twice every day; once in Math and once in Chemistry. It wouldn't be so bad if he rejected me. So I was thinking positively, in a way. Ara must've turned a switch in my head; I'm never this positive!
My phone vibrated. My fingers stumbled to check my phone: Ah okay. You'd better get serious after this rehearsal. If not, I'll have to beat some sense into you!
I visibly flinched at that sentence, but laughed it off. Elsword wouldn't hurt me at all. He couldn't hurt a fly unless it hurt his friends.
Class seemed to drag on forever and the birds chirping really didn't help me from falling asleep. Elrios History was probably the worst subject to ever take. Who needed to know that lizards founded Bethma and Ruben was essentially useless without the El? Not me! I ended up dozing off, until Rena shook me awake with an urgent look on her face.
"Class ended, Aisha! Thank God, Adel didn't catch you sleeping. He would've put you in detention in a snap." She scolded me and I only pouted.
"It was the birds' fault. Their chirping made me sleepy!" Whining, I got up, shoving all my belongings into my bag and slinging it over my shoulder.
My phone vibrated again and I jumped up in shock. Where are you? You late? Sleeping again?
Rena looked over my shoulder as I furiously typed back, Sorry, sorry! Yes, I fell asleep...I'm coming now!
"Sorry Rena! I have to meet Elsword for something important! See you later!" I called, running out of the room, always in a rush. I didn't hear her giggle and whisper something about Elsword and Aisha being cute together.
All I knew was my phone vibrating again with another message of, Stupid.
xx
"Okay, okay!" I took a deep breath and steeled my nerves, clenching my fingers tightly to feel the pulse of my heart beating faster and faster. "I-I like you?"
"No, that's a question."
"I-I like you!"
"There was a stutter."
"I like you."
"Are you a robot?!"
"I like you!"
He was silent, then nodded in approval. I breathed out a sigh of relief, but then the butterflies came out again… I...technically just told him, but I lied… Did I have to confess again?
"Ah, that should be enough, right? Good luck, Aisha. Tell me how it goes, okay?" Frozen, I watched him put on his outside shoes and begin to walk out, but mechanically, my arm threw itself out to grab his shoulder.
"Wait! Elsword!"
I screwed my eyes shut tightly, looking down and screaming, "It was a lie! I lied! I actually like you! It wasn't a rehearsal at all! I've liked you for a long time!"
Elsword was silent, and I dared to open an eye to see him. Instead of rejection, I just saw him laughing lightly, a blush staining his cheeks like the sunlight kissing his skin. Surely…
"Aisha, you're so stupid!" He laughed and a tear escaped his eye. A tear of happiness or sadness?
"I like you too." Elsword's smile made my heart feel like a racecar, number one and winning the gold. He grabbed my hands and pulled me closer, into his chest. My ear rested right over his heart and I could hear the steady thumping, fast but strong.
I wonder if he could hear the beating of my heart, the same rhythm as his, fast and strong, beating with love for him.
But at least he heard the words my heart tried to tell him all this time.
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