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EL AND MIKES OUTFITS PICTURED ABOVE
One Month Earlier, April 18th 2022
El didn't really know when it started. When she purposely started putting herself first and the things she wanted. Maybe it was middle school or the beginning of high school but she wasn't really sure.
Her drive and passion to do what she wanted was what got her here. Valedictorian, Cheerleader and on the schools dance team. She had no desire of sticking out like a sore thumb and being the one that her graduating class paid attention too.
El didn't really get it.
Sure, she was pretty, she had long brown hair that flowed past her shoulders. Her body wasn't bad either, she took pride in what she wore, how she looked everyday because it made her feel better.
She didn't do it for anyone else but herself.
But when she had reached the peak of her "Woman hood" as Joyce called it. She had started to notice that people would look at her differently. Would stare as she walked by them, whistle after her in the hallways.
While she kinda liked the attention it also scared her. Scared her for the reason that if she were to be involved with someone who ogled her in the hallway, they would just want her for her body.
And that's not what she wanted.
She wanted something real. Something that was different. El wanted real love. Like the relationships she read about in books, saw in movies or even watched in real life.
She was sure of it.
After being almost felt up by people she was trying to tutor her Sophomore year...she was distancing herself from all high school boys.
Except one.
Mike Wheeler wasn't anything special. He was lanky, tall, nerdy and an overall dork. But she had grown up with him, watched him grow from a 12 year old who loved playing with her toys to a 18 year old boy who was...different.
Who protected her...even though they despised each other and every conversation they had would end up in El stomping out of Wills room and slamming her door shut.
But she couldn't stop herself from noticing him. Watching him. Making sure that he was okay.
The nights he would come knocking on Wills bedroom window, crawling in and sleeping in a curled up ball on the floor because his Dad had a little too much to drink at dinner.
Or when he and Will would play D&D in Wills room...El coming in with snacks and drinks for the two. Even though, they despised each other. She still watched out for him.
