Complicated
Part 4- "You're selfish and stubborn!"
-Disclaimer- I do not own the songs Elsie sings, or the characters from Mineral Town.
Elsie didn't cry, she just ran. She just ran back to her house and sat down on the ground by the doghouse. Nike came over to her and lay by her side. Elsie began to sing again, she had figured out that singing made her happy, just as playing with Nike did.
"Breathe…'til I whisper in the dark
Oh can you hear…me?
Do you hear…me?"
"Elsie I need to talk to you," Cliff appeared.
"Why did you follow me? Don't you like Ann?"
"I followed you because I…love…you. Not Ann,"
"Should I sing it to your thick skull? Would you understand better?" Elsie was getting angry; she still thought he had played her.
"So just give me one good reason
Tell me why I should stay.
'Cause I don't want to waste another moment
Saying things we never meant to say." Elsie stopped abruptly, and covered her mouth. She hadn't meant to say the last line.
"That's exactly how I feel-"
"I don't care. Whatever game you're playing, stop. I'm tired, I'm angry and I'm lonely. Either you stop playing me, or tell me you really like me." Elsie crossed her arms, and tilted her head.
"What's it gonna be?" she asked.
"I like you,"
"I'm not joking," Elsie answered, sharply. She wasn't giving him a chance, Cliff knew it, and Elsie knew it.
"I'm not joking either,"
"Seriously?" questioned Elsie.
"Serious as possible," Cliff nodded.
"No lies?"
"No lies," Cliff said, seriously, as he promised.
"You still didn't answer,"
"Answer what?"
"Give me one good reason, tell me why I should stay," Elsie repeated.
"You should stay, because-because I'll be driven nuts without you," Elsie looked at him with eyes saying, what?
"That's not what I meant-I meant-" Cliff stuttered. Elsie held up her hand.
"I know what you meant," She tilted her head again and smiled.
"Then why did your eyes-?" Cliff asked.
"Because my eyes are confused things," responded Elsie.
"Oh? Oh," Cliff understood. Cliff decided on something, Elsie liked to sing so if he 'sang' then maybe she'd understand.
"And when I touch your hand
It's then I understand
The beauty that's within
It's now that we begin
You always light my way
I hope there never comes a day
No matter where I go
I always feel you so," Cliff attempted. He sung off-key, off-tune, off everything! Though, she had to admit, he tried, and that's all that mattered. He didn't take her long breaths either, though that didn't matter.
"Really?" Elsie looked up at Cliff, stroking Nike's soft furry back.
"Yes," nodded Cliff, his brown bangs falling forward, and then straightening against his forehead as he lifted his head fast. Elsie got up and hugged him, again. She didn't feel lonely when she hugged him. Tiredness, and angriness left her as soon as she stood up. Elsie just remained there in Cliff's embrace, when she spotted Ann. Ann was close enough to see, but far enough to miss if you wanted to catch. From her face she was hurt. Elsie pulled away and ran after Ann. She didn't stop until Ann let her catch up.
"Cliff cares about you, and-and-and nobody cares for me!" Ann cried, tears streaming down.
"Doesn't your father care about you?"
"Well, yes, but Cliff-He-Cliff doesn't care!"
"Why do you want him to care?"
"Because-because-" Ann's tears slowed down. Then she said something to set them off again, "Be-Because he likes you! He doesn't ca-care about m-me!"
"You know what's wrong with you! You're selfish and stubborn!" shouted back Elsie.
"You don't understand-!" carried on Ann.
"I don't care about you're 'Oh my mom died' routine! It's not going to work! Ever since I came here I knew you didn't like me!" Elsie yelled. Ann's tears had realised they weren't any effect and dried up like they were in a desert. She got really angry and her tomboy nature showed.
"It's because you're a tomboy type! You wrapped all the boys around you're finger!"
"I did not!" Elsie had never been so angry in her life. "They just were friendly because you didn't become friends with me, and I was new!"
"So? You pulled the 'new girl'! That's just as bad as 'my mom died' routine!"
"There's no such thing as the 'new girl'! Would you like it if you were new and no one cared?" fired back Elsie.
"I've never been new!" returned Ann, stamping her foot.
"Yeah right!"
"Just ask Doug, my father!" Ann stated. Elsie couldn't think of anything to say, and an idea hit her. At least she thought it was an idea.
"What if we become friends?" suggested Elsie.
"Me become friends with you? What do you think?" Ann's tone was still loud and her words still flamed, but they were slowly cooling.
"Fine then! Don't come crying to me when you're alone!" And with that Elsie turned on her heel and walked away. Ann thought about what Elsie had said and decided she did want a friend.
"Um, Elsie? Could-could we be friends?" Ann asked. Elsie grinned.
"Sure!" Elsie then went and walked off with Ann, one arm around her shoulder, to the inn, leaving Cliff behind. He was still pondering what could have happened, he had been out of earshot.
"I have no idea what happened, and no idea how it ended but I guess it won't result in a war," Cliff was stirred but the last part made him chuckle. He gave Nike one stroke then walked over to the inn, where his dorm was. He passed Elsie and Ann on the way to the stairs, he didn't really try to tune into what they were saying. They were saying things, and then laughing. He guessed it was some jokes or maybe some funny fact. He just wanted to go to his room; he needed to think of what he'd do tomorrow.