"You all probably know me as the Elise Hale who was always with Hannah Morret, but I'd bet on my life that none of you ever knew me as the girl who had often sneaked out with Arden Walker and even kissed him behind the oak tree by the abandoned school yard."

There was a rustle in the auditorium, and I knew that Hannah was definitely giving me a grim look by now. That was basically an A-class crime in her eyes.

"Arden, before being a hero, was known as the school nerd just because he walked in on ninth grade with thick rimmed glasses." I snorted in disdain. "Pathetic, right?"

There was silence in the whole auditorium. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Even the teachers were staring at me as if they never knew about this reality.

"But because losers don't get to climb up the ladder, Arden wasn't able to show his true self. Everyone else had labeled him as an outcast right there and then. Everyone had confined him into his predicament, and made it seem like trying to get out if was a sin."

A short pause.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

"Because of that, I kept Arden my secret." I swallowed the lump in my throat, all my guilt crawling inside me. "He didn't mind. But I did. I cared and worried about so many things. I was stupid. I held onto my reputation so dearly as if it were my lifeline. I chose my standing on this imaginary popularity ladder over true happiness. I chose my image over Arden Walker's bright, bubbly personality, and over his big, selfless heart."

"I didn't deserve him," I confessed, and I truly meant it. "He didn't deserve this. All of this. And he definitely didn't deserve Hannah Morret's fake sympathy and all of you sucking up to her drama just for the sake of it."

Gasps echoed through the whole auditorium, and Hannah was definitely killing me inside her head. The faculty member by the side seemed like he was pondering over taking me away from the podium.

But that wasn't going to happen. Not today. Not at this moment.

"I just don't get it why everyone is too hung up on following Hannah. Aren't you all tired? And what? When we all get out of here, do you think it will matter? Or is it your pride to bully someone because you get this accomplishment of being acknowledged as high and mighty? I just don't get it."

I took a deep breath, feeling the pulses ringing in my ears, and suddenly, I lost all the words as tears blurred my vision.

That was my cue. Everyone would probably hate me for this.

Who was I? A hypocrite who had the gut to call out others when I, myself, had been the same — one with them all along.

I stepped down the podium, wiping my tear stained cheeks, but before I completely exited the area, I heard unexpected scattered claps replacing the silence of the wide auditorium. Until they were loud enough to to replace the sound of my heart beating violently against my chest.

And maybe, just maybe, I had done something to set things right.

I couldn't care less what I'd face tomorrow, because this moment was my one shot.

All I had was this one moment,
And now it's gone.

But I could at least hope that its aftermath would linger, even just a little longer.

I'd never forget you, Arden. I'm sorry, and thank you. For everything.

— ✿ —
One Moment is highly inspired by Anatomy of a Misfit written by Andrea Portes. please check it out, especially if you have liked this story.

whatever interpretations, lessons or realizations (if there are any) that this book has, I'd leave it up to you. thank you so much for reading! ♡

all the love,
katy.