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1.
Elle never thought this was going to happen. I mean, she did have a reputation to uphold. (Even in Seattle.) But at this moment, she didn’t care. The bell rang, and she could barely hear it from the closed-off closet she was sitting in. They weren’t doing anything crazy; they just sat in the janitor's closet taking up each other's time. Talking, laughing, and the occasional elongated look.
This has become her weekly routine with Dustin. After they kissed at their homecoming, she had ignored both him and Miles until Dustin pulled her into the very space they were currently sitting in and confessed. Everything. And ever since that random Thursday, they couldn’t get enough of each other. They concluded that they had to stay quiet about this. In the meantime, at least, neither one wanted to face the consequences of the most hated LA girl dating the school's activist. “If you’re making me watch Clueless, we’re watching Pulp Fiction.” Dustin stated smugly, “You’re saying that as if you haven't made me watch that ten times. I said I liked it!”
Elle responded, hitting his knee with her own. The steps of the students outside grew, rumbling the closet from the inside. “Oh crap,” Dustin said while shuffling his stuff into his bag, mentally scolding himself for emptying it showing Elle his latest obsession. “Did the bell ring already?” Elle shot up, “Perfect. I’m going to be late.” A very important part of their weekly routine was their exit strategy. Elle was meant to leave about five minutes ago, just in time for the early crowd to be leaving and for the crowd that wouldn’t care that she was leaving a closet. “Just be.. Inconspicuous?”
“Could you tell me what part of me gives you the idea of ‘Inconspicuous’? I’m wearing an almost all-pink outfit.”
Elle said, leaving him with a stare that would send shivers. Dustin laughed it off. “Would you rather we leave together?” Elle scoffed, opening the door slightly and shimmying her way out.
She turned fully around before running into Kimberly. “Hey, Elle.” Thankfully, they got back to good terms. Almost had to since Kimberly started dating Liz and they are– “Did you just leave the janitor's closet?” Elle almost froze in the very busy hallway. “What? No. I was in my class. Y’know, School.” She picked up her pace. Kimberly, falling behind, speed-walks up to her. “Elle, were you skipping class? Is Seattle finally changing you?” Kimberly crossed her arms over her chest and leaned down in front of Elle. “Seattle could never change my sparkling personality and honour roll attendance. How dare you–”
“Hey, Elle-A.”
Dustin had caught up to them. This made Elle realize that he had left the closet too early and could get them caught. “Kimberly.” He said, nodding at her. “You’ll never guess where I saw Elle leave from.” She heard Kimberly saying, the volume of her voice slowly fading as the two of them approached the class they shared.
2.
Still reeling from the incident earlier today, Elle decided to play it safe. They all headed for their table in the cafeteria and when Dustin sat next to her, she made a really sad excuse. “Wow the light is really hitting my eyes.” She said, while tossing all her stuff onto the tray in front of her. “ Liz, switch with me?”
Elle looked at her with pleading eyes, “But I’m sitting with my girlfriend.” Liz said while weakly motioning towards Kimberly. “And It’s literally raining outside,” Kimberly said dryly. Elle shuffled on her feet. “Well, the light reflecting from the water droplets can actually be very damaging if you let it.” She slapped her tray back on the table and sat down.
“She doesn’t want to sit next to her boyfriend.”
The table went cold. “What? It’s a joke.” Kimberly said. Everyone looked over to Dustin, who stayed relatively quiet. Dustin “Ha ha,” mocked between bites of his sandwich.
“We aren’t,” Elle said quickly. “Dating. I mean.” The tension was thick before a new person joined the table. “How are my favourite love-birds!” Miles said, addressed to Liz and Kimberly. Everyone looked at him, and he could tell it was the wrong time.
“Wait, why was that so bad to say? It was funny.” Kimberly doubled down, “I’m not saying it's not funny; I’m just saying it’s not true.”
“I think they got that, Elle-A.”
Dustin said, taking another bite of his sandwich. “What happened?” Miles asked, sitting down. “I made a joke, and Elle got super defensive about it.” Elle scoffed, “I’m not being defensive.” She was. But again, still upset about this morning. “Oh my god, are you dating someone and that's why you’re mad? Because you like, don’t want anyone else associated?”
The question looming in the air lets Liz add on, “So were you with him today? Is that why Kim saw you leave a closet?” “You were in a closet with a guy?” Miles leaned in, also adding on. “Yeah, Elle. Who was in that closet?” Dustin asked, turning himself towards Elle. She glared at him, cursing him out with her eyes for putting her in this situation.
“Well,”
Elle took a deep breath. “Yes, there is someone–That I won’t disclose. As to protect their identity from your claws.”
For once, Dustin was actually shocked; he was partially surprised that she even revealed that, and partially happy that she’d want to tell people they were dating. Even if no one knew it was him. Overall though, he was slightly peeved that she didn’t come up with a bogus lie that would never sound real.
“Wow,” Liz stared, “Honestly was not expecting that answer.”
“So if you'll excuse me, I have to meet the Victor Kiriakis to my Vivian Alamain.” Elle picked up her tray once again and stormed out. The rest of the group was left in so much of a shock they didn’t notice Dustin sneaking off next.
3.
“Do you know how lucky you are?” Elle said to Dustin through their lockers. “I had so little time I said the only Days Of Our Lives characters I could think of! And they’re not even a good couple. She just trapped him in a marriage.” Elle rambled on as they walked to the only class they shared. “Oh also, we can’t sit together today.”
“Why?”
“Because what if they find out you’re Victor?” Elle said seriously, “So you’d rather sit in the corner of a classroom with Liz asking you who your boyfriend is, instead of sitting with your boyfriend?” Elle nodded furiously at Dustin's words. “Then I guess we’ll have to one-five-one-seven," Dustin said, moving past her in the empty classroom.
“Hold up, was that pager code? Did you learn pager code?”
“I barely looked. I must’ve picked it up from one of our closet conversations about annoying girls in LA who only speak in codes.” Elle slapped his arm, “I am the girl from LA who only speaks in codes.” Dustin rubbed his arm where she hit him, “Fine, then one-five-seven. Since You’ll be so far from me today.”
“I think after this performance I can risk sitting with you,” Elle said, holding on to the same arm she had slapped moments prior. “Really? Should I write home about this?” Dustin said, leaning against their shared table. Elle raised her arms to wrap them around his neck. Leaving soft pecks on both his cheeks before leaning into it fully.
Dustin let his arms melt onto her sides, both taking in the fact that they’re just allowed to do this whenever they want. He had the lingering taste of Diet Pepsi on his breath that in any other case would’ve sent Elle Woods running, but the fact that it was Dustin made it endearing.
Their growing confidence with the art of making out in public spaces made the two separate for a moment, locking eyes; Dustin pushes a strand of her hair behind her ear. Dustin leans back in, but Elle hesitates. “What's up?” he whispers. “Let’s maybe stop the in-public stuff for the time being.” She backs up fully, smoothing her outfit. “To be continued?”
She said, placing her hand in the space between them to initiate a handshake. Dustin looks down and then back at her face before slapping his hand in hers for the most exaggerated handshake possible.
4.
Elle sped-walked down the sidewalk as Dustin skated slowly beside her. For a while, they don’t speak; they just exist together for a moment. When Dustin moved in front of her, he’d look back to share the glance between them. A soft smile confirming everything they were feeling.
The purest form of young love.
Dustin gets off his skateboard and walks up next to Elle. “Honestly, for keeping the secret as long as we have, I’m surprised most days aren’t like today,” His arm snaking around Elle’s shoulder. “I think we can tell them. Soon.”
Elle gives him a confused look, “Do you know how annoying Kimberly’s gonna be when she finds out her ‘joke’ was right?” Dustin laughs, actually laughs. “Well, I know Liz will be happy. She’s been wanting this more than I have.”
“How bad did you want this?” Elle asks him. Dustin stops them before turning to her, “Stupidly bad.” They stay frozen on the sidewalk for a beat before Elle hears a honk of a car and a familiar voice yelling out her name. “Elle!”
Elle, without thinking, shoves Dustin back. Pushing him into the insanely well-placed bush behind him. A yelp escaped his mouth as he disappeared. Elle whipped around to see Liz, by herself in her car.
“Do you need a ride? I don’t start until four.”
“No! No-no-no. Go on.” Elle responded trying to hide Dustin’s body.
“Really?” Liz questioned.
“Really!” Elle confirmed enthusiastically, “This is all well-needed cardio! Too many tots, amiright!” She continued, pumping her arm in the air.
“Okay, don’t get lost,” Liz said before driving off, very confused but unbothered to ask any more questions.
Elle exhaled deeply before turning back around to a struggling Dustin. She grabbed his arm and pulled him up. Twigs sticking out from jacket pockets. (and jacket holes) “Are you okay? And, wow–This is really making me want to buy you a new jacket. Could we go shopping? I feel like I could kill it shopping for men.”
“I get shoved into a bush and the main concern is the state of my outfit? I’m fine but what a wild response to seeing Liz right after we talked about telling everyone.” Dustin said, brushing off the leaves from his sleeve while Elle picks off the bigger things.
“I panicked? Now is too soon. Maybe I can draft up a letter to announce it.” Elle said looping her arm with his to get them moving again.
“Why stop at a letter, do it in song form.” Dustin joked,
“Oh my God, thats brilliant.”
+1
They reached Elles room and made themselves at home. Elle searched for her Chemistry book while Dustin placed one of his jackets on the chair at her desk.
They laid out everything at the foot at the bed and sat looking at it. They look at each other both about to say something,
“What do you wa–”
“Do you have any–”
The silence afterwards feeling more like tension than deafening unease, Elle grabs Dustin by the collar of his shirt pressing her lips into his. Their quickening heartbeats filling the room, only separating for the occasional small giggle that runs from both of them.
The concept of having each other still being relatively new makes it all the more exciting. Dustin raises one of his hands to the nape of her neck while the other stays on her crossed leg.
Elle, still having her hand around his collar, lets go and allows her hand to slide down above his chest. They let the early nerves drift away and settle into a more comfortable state with each other.
Out of nowhere, they hear three small knocks on Elle’s bedroom door. They both look towards the knocks still in the same position.
She runs through the possibilities of who it is in her head. It couldn’t be Madison because they made a deal that she’d return in the summer, it wouldn’t be her father as he got his first plastic surgery since being here and he went out to celebrate, and it couldn’t be her mother because she went wi–”It’s me, Liz.”
Shit.
“You never called me and you were walking in a pretty sketchy place. Just wanted to make sure you were okay.” She said from behind the door.
“I’m doing just fine, Liz. Thank you!” Elle yelled out.
“Can I come in? We haven’t talked one on one for a while,” Liz asked, “Elle? Can I?”
Elle looks at Dustin before once again, shoving him aside and pushing him into the closet portion of her room behind a rack. Elle pushed the front strands of her hair back and opened the door. “HeyLizwhatsuphowareyoudoing?” She said, trying to lean against the wall.
Liz, baffled, pushes the door the rest of the way open and walks in. She takes a seat on the edge of her bed before speaking. “I just wanted to stop by, check on my friend.”
“That’s like, so kind. But maybe we could do this, perhaps another time?” Elle said approaching her.
Liz looks back and sees the books organized on the bed, “My bad, I guess thats why you didn’t call.”
“You know me! A worker bee if you will. Just constantly studying.” Elle tried to cover her tracks, swinging her arms in front of herself nervously.
“Or, is that why you didn’t call?”
Elle was confused before following Liz’s eyeline towards her desk. Dustins jacket laid out over her chair. Elle in this one moment was grateful for the collective outfit choices for Seattle teenagers. As that jacket could belong to literally anyone.
“Oh my God. Is he here right now?”
And that was the thing that slipped Elles mind. Liz immediately started searching the room as Elle tried to block off the closet area. Liz noticed and pushed past her to where she found a pair of boots by heels. With legs attached.
Liz walked up towards it to pull apart the clothes to reveal the man behind them. Only to find her friend Dustin. “Are you kidding me?”
“Surprise?” Dustin said.
Liz turned towards Elle. “Are you kidding me?” She repeated
“Surprise?” Elle restated. “Please don’t freak out. It’s very new and we’re telling people soon.” She continued.
“I want to say I’m shocked, so I will. I’m shocked.” Before anyone could respond Liz interrupted herself, “I mean, I knew it was coming but so soon. And oh gosh, Kim’s joke today at lunch!” Liz turned to Dustin, “You are Victor!”
Dustin started to move his way out of the closet and towards the door. “Well, I’ll take this as my cue to go. Liz, I’ll see you. Elle, four-three-five.” He finished before slipping out.
“Tell me everything.” Liz said before they ran towards the nearest sitting area.