This is the last chapter of this story.
I could go on and on, but I feel like this needs to come to an end.
I'll make a sequel if enough people want one.
I will have an epilogue though.
Look for that coming up.
Thanks for all of the people who have been with me sense the beginning!
I love you guys!

No Matter What They Say

Chapter 54: No Matter What They Say

Look ahead. Face forward. Look around. Do anything but cry. Don't you dare cry. I will not have you messing up anything else. Why did you even give it away? Don't you have any self worth? Head spinning… Eyes fuzzy…. Calm down. You're going to freak yourself out. Calm down. You're going to be fine. You'll get down the mountain and get something to eat and everything will be perfectly fine. Better than fine even. You have Odd. Can't you see how good things are becoming? Everything is finally turning up. Close your eyes. Relax. Stay calm. Pounding temples. Lightheaded. Don't think too much. Just relax. Everything will be wonderful.

Aelita closed her eyes and waited to get down the mountain. She felt Odd's arms wrapped protectively around her waist. He leaned closer to her every once and a while as if to reassure her that he was in fact still there.

"Surely, we're almost down, Aelita. I can see the place from here," Odd whispered in her ear. "Only a couple more minutes until we're back. Then we can get something to eat and warm up."

She nodded slightly, just enough for him to know that she had heard him. She didn't want to say anything for fear that she'd break down or her voice would catch. She didn't want to shake her head too much for fear that she would get too lightheaded and pass out. She had been worried about passing out for a while. She knew that it would be a possibility as soon as she realized they didn't have much food in the beginning. When she told Odd at the beginning that it was possible to live without food for a long time, she never said it was comfortable. She just hadn't wanted to worry him.

Odd's arms tightened around her waist again. "See how we're getting even closer? It won't be long now."

Aelita sighed, half worried, half in relief. It all comes down to this. After almost 2 and a half years of knowing Odd, it all comes down to this. Odd and I are a couple. After today, everyone will know. Oh, Odd. I don't know why I didn't see him earlier. The way he makes me laugh and smile when no one else can. The way he always knows what to say to get me out of a slump. The way his smile can light a room. The way he jokes about everything. The way most of his jokes aren't funny. The way I always feel special around him. The way he always makes me feel safe. The way he never judges me. The way he knows when to pull me away from too serious topics. The way he nudges me toward the funner things in life. The way he gets me to say words like funner. The way he makes me feel comfortable in anything. The way he knows when to cheer me up and when to let me sulk. The way he stays when I tell him to leave. The way he is so intelligent about everything I am not. The way he dances when no one is watching. The way he knows me like no one else. I don't know why I haven't seen him there before. He was in front of me this entire time and I never even knew. He was there that very first day on Lyoko. He's saved me from countless Xana attacks. He's been in practically all of my classes. He's taken me to dances. He's taken me for ice cream. He's taken me ice-skating. We've been friends forever, but I never saw that we could be anything more than that. Now, we finally get to be together. No restrictions. No boundaries. No one to tell us no. No one to stop us from doing what we want. Just him and me. I finally can be happy. Aelita started to tear up slightly. She reached up and wiped her eyes quickly. Just then, she felt Odd squeeze her from around the waist. A practically new me has formed. I don't have to worry any longer. We're going to get down this mountain, we're going to get something to eat, and we'll get better. Then, we'll be happy. I get to spend the entire rest of the trip with him. Yumi will have Ulrich. I'll have Odd. Heck, even Sissi has Kiptyn. This has turned around. I don't care what anyone else says anymore. It's my life.

"Odd," Aelita whispered.

"What is it, princess?" he asked nervously and leaned forward to hear her better.

"How does that song go again?"

Odd smiled. "You'll be in my heart from this day on now and forever more. You'll be in my heart, no matter what they say. You'll be here in my heart always," Odd whispered directly into her ear.

"Will you sing it to me again when we get down?"

"Sure, Aelita, but I don't really have the best voice."

"I love your voice, Odd," she said with a smile. "Do you promise to sing to me?"

"I promise, Aelita. We can do whatever you want. We have forever."

"You promise you'll never leave?" Aelita asked timidly.

"Aelita," Odd started to whisper in her ear. It was so soft that she could just barely hear it over the roar of the snowmobiles. "I will never leave you. You will have to leave me. I love you so much. I don't think I could ever leave you."

"Thanks for everything. I love you too, Odd. I love you oh so much. I always will, no matter what they say." Aelita leaned back against Odd and sighed comfortably. "Everything is going to change." Odd wrapped himself tightly around her and smiled.

"Oh, Aelita. I couldn't imagine going through any of this without you. Everything might change, but we'll be together forever. No matter what they say."

Thanks for sticking around to the end.
Feel free to comment saying what you think i should do next.