Iɴ Tʜᴇ Eɴᴅ Iᴛs Hɪᴍ & I | Mɪʟᴇᴠᴇɴ Oɴᴇsʜᴏᴛs (Sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀ Tʜɪɴɢs)

Not Pretty

(Age 15/16)

El stared at the bathroom mirror. She ran her fingers through her curls and sighed. She had plain brown eyes and plain brown curls that were always messy. "Not pretty." El told herself as she looked at her reflection.

Mike had lied, she wasn't pretty. The girls at school were pretty, beautiful even. They all had long blond or brown or red hair and stunning blue, grey or green eyes. Thats what El wanted, but she could never have. El was plain, boring.

Mike deserved someone better. He deserved someone who was beautiful. She didn't deserve him. Tears filled her brown eyes as she gazed at the mirror, "N-not pretty. Not e-even close." She decided and hurriedly wiped her eyes before going into the basement.

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"Mike, why do you love me?" El asked as she and Mike laid across the couch together. Her head rested on his chest, listening to the soothing beating of his heart as the question came into her head.

"El I love you to the moon and back," Mike replied and ran his fingers through her hair. "You're amazing and kind and sweet and badass and caring and bitchin'... and you are absolutely beautiful."

El shook her head, "You could do way better than me, Mike."

"What?" Mike asked, shocked, "El, I don't deserve you. I can't get a girl who is more amazing and more gorgeous than you are."

"Not pretty." El mumbled and closed her eyes.

"What?"

El took a deep breath and released her feelings, "All the other girls at school have long, blonde or red or brown hair. They all have pretty eyes instead of boring brown ones like me. They're popular and everyone loves them. They don't deal with bullies and everyone wants to be with them."

She took a shakey breath and continued, "I don't deserve you Mike. You deserve a girl who is pretty and has long hair and beautiful eyes and is... And is normal and not from a lab and doesn't have a number as her name! I'm not pretty and you deserve someone who is!" She didn't realize it, but she had started crying.

Mike pulled her into his chest and hugged her tight. "El, stop," He whispered against her ear, "You're the most beautiful girl in this world. You're a fairytale princess, alluring, amazing, mesmerizing. I love your curls," He twirled one of her curls with his finger.

"I love your soft eyes, I always get lost in them." He ran his thumb across her lips, "I love your lips, I would kiss them all day if I could." He pressed a soft kiss against her lips.

El shook her head, "I'm not pretty Mike. Stop lying to me. Friends... and boyfriends don't lie."

"I'm not lying El." Mike sighed, "You are absolutely beautiful and perfect and I will do whatever I have to do to make you see that."

"There isn't anything you can do Mike. I still don't get why you're dating me..." El mumbled.

"I'm dating you because I'm absolutely in love with you... and I'll find a way to show you. I promise." An idea was forming in his head, and all he would need was a pad of post-it-notes and a pen.

The next day (Day 1)

El woken up the next morning with Mike's arms wrapped tightly around her. She rolled over so she was facing him and ran her fingers through his dark hair. He stirred slightly, a smile playing on his lips. He buried his face in his pillow and pulled her close, making her giggle.

"Mike, let me go." El groaned, pulling away from Mike grasp. "I want eggos."

"No!" He whined, "Don't leave me!" El briefly saw pen ink smeared across his hands.