A/N: I doubt anyone even checks for new Pretty Girl chapters anymore, but I just recently got a very enthusiastic review that made me feel all cuddly inside. And I realized even if I move onto different fandoms and pairings, Pellie and Pretty Girl are the things that started me, so I'm not gonna just drop it. I present to you, ladies and gentlemen, the final chapter of Pretty Girl. Ever. So don't ask for more.

This chapter is dedicated to L neils, who gave me a great review and inspired me to finish off the story.

"What happened to you?" Paige asked. I swallowed quickly and pulled down my sleeve.

"It's nothing," I said. I grabbed my backpack off the sink and headed for the door. Paige grabbed my arm roughly and pulled me back.

"Ow! Paige, what are you doing?" I said. She was pressing the fabric of my shirt directly into the cuts, and it hurt.

"I want to know the same thing. What did you do to your arm?" she demanded.

"Nothing!" I said.

"Show it to me!"

"It's nothing!"

She grabbed my wrist and pulled up my sleeve. She stopped fighting me, but didn't let go. She just stood there and stared. I tried to step back, but she still wasn't moving.

"Paige, let go of me," I said. She didn't move, just kept staring like I was a freak show. I couldn't help it. I started to cry.

"Ellie," she said softly.

"Don't!" I said loudly, squeezing my eyes shut. "Don't use that voice, don't act like you actually care!"

"Of course I care, Ellie," she said, stunned. I shoved her back.

"No you don't, or you wouldn't make me do it. You wouldn't be all pretty smiles and nice words to everyone in the school except for me! You wouldn't hurt me, and you wouldn't make me hurt me!" I shouted. She just wouldn't stop staring. I pushed past her out of the washroom, and didn't trust myself enough to let myself look back.

"Hey, you've reached Paige. I'm not here, so leave a message." A long beep, then silence. I hung up, then dialed again. "Hey, you've reached Paige. I'm not here, so leave a message."

Click. I reached over to my bedside table for the compass and placed it on the bed in front of me. Dialed again, listened, and hung up. I still felt that vague flicker of hope that had been living in me for the past day. She was there. The east door, just like she promised. That was why she wasn't picking up, it had to be.

I scrambled to my feet and changed quickly into the red and black skirt I was wearing that first day and a long-sleeved gray shirt. I was practically giddy, and I didn't bother to tell my mom where I was going as I left. I ran to the school and settled myself at the east doorway. And waited.

The second I sat down I realized I was slipping deep into denial. There was no way she was showing up, not after what I said to her. Because even though it was her fault I hurt, it wasn't her fault I hurt… myself. And I had to realize it after that happened. Of course. She wasn't coming for me. I had had her, and then I blew it. She was perfect, and now she was gone, and she was beautiful, and now she wasn't mine. I wondered if she ever really was.

A pair of light brown shoes appeared in front of me. I raised my eyes from the pavement and slid them up a pair of legs, a torso, a neck. Paige stared down at me, looking nervous.

"You still came," she said. I nodded. If I spoke, my heart would explode and I'd die from just being with her. She sat down next to me.

"I had this big extravagant things planned, but I guess there isn't much point in that. You don't seem to be in the mood for sweet and romantic," she said.

"Why are you here?" I asked. My voice sounded thick and wet even to me, and I knew I was about to cry again.

"Because I love you. And I'm not really sure what that means for us. I've never had a girlfriend before. But I know it doesn't mean letting you fall apart," she said. She pushed up my sleeve without hesitation and slid her palm across the scars, down my arm, and laced her fingers with mine.

"You're wasting your time, Paige," I said. I untangled our fingers and crossed my arms.

"No I'm not," she said, reaching for my hand, but I snapped it back.

"Stop," I said. She glared at me.

"Ellie, you're not getting rid of me. I'm not sure how I'm gonna help you, and I'm not sure if I can, but I'm going to find someone who can. You and I are together in this, okay? We're together, and I'm going to stay here for you, and if you wanna crash and burn, then I'm going to be right here with you while you do it. You're not alone anymore, Ellie, so stop trying to convince yourself you are. You have me, so deal with it," she said. She was fuming. Livid. Pretty. I leaned over and kissed her. She moved to touch my face, but I pulled away and leaned back against the wall.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. She wrapped an arm around my shoulders and settled me into the crook of her arm. I started to cry.

"I can't do it, Paige. I can't stop," I said.

"Don't say that. You can, and you're going to. You're okay, Ellie," she said. She kissed my hair and rested her head against mine. And softly, she whispered, to me, to herself, to everything, "We're okay."

-Fin-

A/N: Now that Pretty Girl is complete, I would like to take this time to thank some people. First and foremost, my reviewers. You guys are so awesome, and I wouldn't have done even two chapters of this story if not for you guys. So thanks. Second, Firevega21, who has been my beta for almost the entire story. Third, I feel I should thank the creators of Degrassi and whoever wrote 'Whisper To A Scream', because that episode was just SO Pellie that it hurt. And I also thank Lauren Collins and Stacey Farber for having fantastic chemistry and for being pretty. Even though I hate SeasonFour!Paige. Also, thanks to anyone who read this far in the author's note. You have incredible stamina, because I know this is godawfully boring. Thank you. -- KinseySix