A life less ordinary ||~~Elax/Elmax~~||

I swear...

"Are you nervous?" asked Nancy as she stood leaning against the frame of El's door, watching the slight girl trying to choose an outfit.

El looked up and nodded with a slight grimace. "What if people don't like me...and they think I'm weird...what if I can't answer questions and the teachers think I'm stupid...what if I get lost...what if..."

"El, stop! You'll be fine, ok!?" Nancy said, holding El's shoulders gently and looking into her eyes to try and reassure her. "Just take a deep breath, and I'll help you choose an outfit to wear."

A few minutes later and El had on a cute skirt and top, and Nancy had helped style her still short hair. "Good?" asked Nancy, stood behind her at the mirror.

El had a big grin on her face, she turned and gave Nancy a hug, "thanks Nancy."

"My pleasure Ellie, can't have you going to your very first day of school ever without a killer outfit" Nancy replied, winking. "So, what's the plan for this morning?"

"Um, Lucas and Dustin are coming here and they and Mike will ride to school. I'm going to leave in 10 minutes and meet Max on the way, and Will will meet us there."

"Wait, Max lives in the wrong direction, why don't you just meet her at school?"

El looked at Nancy defensively, "because for my first day I want to walk with my best friend...from tomorrow we will meet on the way or at school" she explained

"Ok" replied Nancy, laughing slightly. "Actually, do you want a lift to Max's house then?"

"Really?" asked El, Nancy nodding, "that would be great, thank you so much!"

"Hey, I came home especially for today, it's not every day my little sister starts school, right?" El just grinned, excited now.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Go grab Max then" said Nancy.

El jumped from the passenger seat and ran to Max's front door, ringing the bell impatiently. "Woah there!" said Max when she opened the door, grinning at El's barely suppressed excitement, "what's the big occasion?" she asked innocently.

El's face fell slightly and she suddenly looked unsure of herself, "well...er, school?" she stuttered.

Max frowned for a few seconds, causing El's face to fall further. Thinking that she'd had enough, Max started laughing, "gotcha" she said playfully.

El looked unimpressed and whacked her on the arm, "not funny, I really thought I'd got it wrong."

"Sorry" replied Max still smirking. "Anyway, enough fun for me, we'd better get going, don't want to be late on the first day." El nodded and followed Max out, watching as she locked the door and followed her.

Nancy watched as they walked off together smiling and joking around. She was glad that El had found a good friend like Max, some of her best memories were of her and Barb just walking to school together, talking in each others' rooms, stuff that might be considered boring to other people but Nancy treasured those times, knowing she'd never get them back. College wasn't the same without her either, they'd made so many plans about where they'd go, what clubs they'd join, what classes they'd take, Nancy was finding it hard going. As she was about to pull away a knock on the window made her jump. Winding it down, she said "hey?"

"Hey, I saw you dropping off my sister's friend" Billy said.

"Oh yeah, El, my sister" she replied warily. Having previously dated a wannabe player, Steve, she knew this guy's type.

"Wow, good genes must run in the family, I thought she was pretty hot, but you..." he said, with a lecherous grin, pleased with the compliment he'd given her.