Elle & Nico

One Step at a Time (1/2)

Elle sat on her bed, the afternoon sun streaming through her bedroom window, casting a warm glow over the room. Her textbooks lay forgotten on the floor as she stared at her laptop screen, heart pounding. She had spent the last hour going down an internet rabbit hole, searching for answers to questions she never thought she'd be asking.

She had taken one of those online "Am I Gay?" quizzes out of sheer curiosity. It had felt like a joke at first, a silly distraction from her schoolwork. But the result "probably gay" had hit her like a punch to the gut. She closed the laptop immediately, her heart racing, and now sat there, grappling with the flood of emotions.The events of the past few days replayed in her mind: seeing Nico in her swimsuit, the way her heart had skipped a beat, the sudden rush of warmth. It wasn't the first time she'd felt drawn to Nico, but it was the first time she couldn't deny the attraction. She had always brushed off her feelings as admiration for her best friend, but now, she wasn't so sure.Elle leaned back against her pillows, closing her eyes.

The idea of being anything but straight was terrifying. What would her parents think? Her friends? Her classmates? Nico?! She had always been seen as the "golden girl" with her reputation and 'perfect' life. The thought of shattering that image was almost unbearable.But then there was Nico. Beautiful, confident Nico, who had always been open about her sexuality. Nico had never seemed to care what anyone thought, and Ellie admired her for that. More than admired, if she was being honest with herself for once..

Elle reached for her phone, scrolling through her photos until she found one of her and Nico, taken just a few weeks ago. They were laughing, arms wrapped around each other, completely at ease. A pang of longing shot through her. What would it be like to hold Nico, not just as a friend, but as something more?She tossed her phone aside, frustration bubbling up. How could she even begin to understand these feelings? How could she face Nico, knowing what she did now? Panic clawed at her chest, and she sat up, hugging her knees to her chest.Maybe she needed to talk to someone. But who? She couldn't talk to Nico. Not yet. And her parents... She wasn't ready for that conversation either. She felt so alone, trapped in her own mind.

She stood up, pacing the room. She needed to clear her head, to think. Maybe a walk would help. So, she grabbed her jacket and slipped out of her room, heading for the front door. Her mother called out from the kitchen, asking where she was going, but Elle just mumbled something about needing fresh air and hurried outside.

The cool evening breeze hit her face, and she breathed deeply, trying to calm her racing heart. She wandered aimlessly, her thoughts a tangled mess. How could something as simple as a quiz throw her entire world into chaos? How could a single moment of seeing Nico in a swimsuit make her question everything she thought she knew about herself?Elle found herself at the park, sitting on a bench, watching the sunset. She closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the evening wash over her. Maybe she didn't have all the answers right now. Maybe she didn't need to figure everything out all at once. But she knew one thing for sure: she couldn't keep running from her feelings.She would take it one step at a time. Starting with being honest with herself. And maybe, eventually, she could be honest with Nico too.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Elle stood up, feeling a little lighter, a little more resolved. She had a long journey ahead of her, but she wasn't alone. She had Nico, even if Nico didn't know the full extent of her feelings yet. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to get her through this.Elle headed back home, a small smile playing on her lips. For the first time in days, she felt a glimmer of hope. She was scared, yes, but she was also ready to face whatever came next. One step at a time.

(Sorry for taking frickin' 10 days to post a part I actually wrote like a week ago. I dunno what's wrong with me, but I'll try to write and post more now that I have more time. I promise <3 I think..)