Nice Guys Finish Last
Elliot had lived on the Sunshine Islands for the past few years, and the quality of life there was good- even if it got a little boring after a while, at least, until Chelsea came. Then nothing was boring, even working as a shipper became more interesting with the variety of things she would find.
Elliot had been shy around her like he was with most girls for the first while, but after she showered him with unnecessary gifts, he warmed up to her; but not enough to be the one to initiate conversation, or go visit her at her house.
Elliot had never been overly confident- he was quite the opposite. He was shy, too shy according to his rude sister Natalie. Elliot was never one to have people depend on him and know it consciously, he was more of a behind the scenes guy.
Which was why he was confused when he fell for Chelsea, she was everything he was not. Beautiful, ambitious, brave, and confident among other things. When she first arrived, it was unanimous that Chelsea was something more- but as the rest of the guys fell for other girls, Elliot stayed infatuated with her.
The islands depended on Chelsea, and in a way, Elliot did too. He lived for her passing smiles, her happy words, and her many compliments; which were something Elliot didn't hear often. She drifted around the islands, becoming fast friends with everybody, even the gruff animal trader Vaughn.
Although she had had to work a little harder on befriending him.
Elliot realized his feelings the day she broke her arm working in the mines, when Will had tore through town with her in his arms- something had awakened in Elliot. His blood had run cold when he first spotted Will, running as fast as he could without hurting her further. The blood hadn't bothered him like it usually would, neither had the angle at which her arm was at- both of which would normally have caused him to faint. They had rushed her to the hospital on the mainland, where she drifted in and out of consciousness for a few days; it was then, when everything was at a standstill and all he could do was think, he realized how he felt- that he was in love with her.
Then Vaughn had showed up that Wednesday, like any normal week, bringing the usual delivery of animals to Mirabelle's shop where they had promptly told him what had happened to her. Elliot had been outside at that time, going through the shipping bin in front of the house he shared with his family. He had seen it happen, he had seen Vaughn storm out of the door unexpectedly, and climb right back on to the boat that had brought him there.
It was also that day, that Elliot realized Vaughn- no matter how much he denied it, loved Chelsea too.
When Chelsea had come back home to the islands with Vaughn the next Wednesday, a pure white cast around her arm with a single signature on the side, she had been welcomed back with open arms. For a while, Chelsea spent most of her time at the Animal Barn, Julia and Mirabelle's house, and she rarely came to just hang out with Elliot; she would get the next day's weather from Taro, and then continue on without a word to Elliot.
The seasons went on, and Chelsea showed up less and less often and for shorter amounts of time, and Elliot still hadn't worked up the courage to go to her, he was too afraid of what could happen. But inside, his heart ached to hear her voice, and not just from a distance.
He, along with everyone else, was overjoyed when her cast could finally come off and she could start working again. They had all been there, made a spectacle of watching it get cut off; Chelsea had loved the attention, but she loved the fact that Vaughn was holding her hand more.
But he would feel a pang in his chest every time he saw Vaughn walk across the wooden bridge to Ranch Island casually, to Chelsea. Something Elliot could never do. Natalie was always standing there, glaring at him- and she'd only mercilessly make fun of him if she saw him.
But then, one day Mirabelle had practically ran over to their house in the middle of the day, giggling like a school girl- whispered something in his mother's ear and then, both of them grinning, went inside to chat.
Elliot had been perplexed, to say the least. His mother always put work before play- she would only spend time with Mirabelle on Saturdays, or when she wasn't busy- which, with everything Chelsea shipped, they usually were.
When work had finished for the day, he had been bone tired- almost falling asleep at the table as he waited to be served. But, his mother had brought the situation up, apologizing to them all. They had all reassured her, too tired to fight with anyone and Felicia had finally admitted why she had left in such a rush. Why Mirabelle had been so happy.
Chelsea was getting married. To Vaughn. After it had been said, all Elliot wanted to do was curl up in a ball and die; but he hadn't, he had finished the meal his mother had worked so hard on before excusing himself to his room.
He didn't even cry that night, or the next, or the next. He was too shocked to think, and it didn't really sink in until a week later, when he was waiting patiently for the rest of his family to finish getting ready for the wedding.
At that moment, he had wanted to do a lot of things; break down, cry, smash something until the pieces were in unrecognizable pieces, go to Chelsea and try to fix it- try and stop the wedding. But he didn't do any of those things; he had simply sniffed away the tears and fixed his tie. He was used to stepping back from something he wanted, Natalie had belittled him for so many things, he was used to just not trying and accepting his fate.
Which was how he ended up here, in the back pew of the church- trying his best not to cry, trying his best not to ruin what would be the best day in Chelsea's life; because he cared, because he wanted her to be happy. Because he didn't put himself first.
When the pastor, Nathan, asked if anyone opposed to the marriage- it took all Elliot had to stay in the pew, shoulders sagging. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, as if he were prayed- when he was really concealing the tears.
The loud cheers that erupted broke Elliot away from his thoughts, making him snap his head up just in time to see a grinning Chelsea make her way down the aisle with Vaughn on her arm.
It was done. He could never win her back. But Elliot consoled himself with the thoughts that she would be happy, that he would be happy- they loved each other, and there was nothing Elliot could do, would do, to stop them. It was true, nice guys did finish last; because if Elliot was being truthful, Vaughn was kind of a jerk. He wasn't, he was everything Vaughn was- on the inside at least, but confident. It was his flaw, his one weakness, his-
"You okay?"
The feminine voice made Elliot woke him from his thoughts again, it was Julia. Vaughn's cousin. Her teal coloured eyes were filled with concern as she stood beside him.
Elliot looked around, the church was empty. It was just him and Julia.
Elliot nodded, pulling himself off the pew and stepping into the aisle.
"It'll be okay, I know how you felt for her." Julia said softly, touching his shoulder with her hand as she stared into his eyes.
Elliot froze, shocked. Had it been that obvious? No, it couldn't have, he assured himself, Natalie would've noticed. Elliot nodded again, and Julia wrapped her arms around him- embracing him. Elliot awkwardly returned the embrace, blushing.
"If you need anything, I'll be there for you." With that soft whisper in his ear, Julia reached up and pressed her lips against his cheek before disappearing out the wooden door and joining the reception, which was being held outside the church.
Elliot pressed his hand against his cheek, Julia had kissed him. Julia had kissed him, of all people- the nerd next door. It all clicked together, and a smile broke out on his face as he headed out the doors.
Maybe nice guys didn't always finish last.
A/N: Woot, completion! I felt the need to write, and somehow this came out. Honestly, I'm not even sure how this happened, let alone if it's any good. If you like my writing (which is weird, because people don't usually like crap) then stay tuned, as I'm working on a long fic to post soon called Addicted :)