“Yes, but you don’t get to see him.”
Elle looked down at the ground. “Why are you doing this?”
“I know you’ve had it pretty shitty in here, Elle. I’d hate to see it just as shitty out there.”
Elle looked back up at Mr. Evans and nodded. She headed out the classroom door and started walking to her next one.
She continued the day and couldn’t help picturing what Nero had written in her mind. The light switch in her head started to flicker, wanting to come on.
When the lunch bell rang, she knew she would have to see Nero, and seeing him right now was something she wasn’t going to be able to take until she had control. She wanted to think this out, sleep on it and decide if she wanted to go down that long, hard road again.
Yes.
No.
They got halfway to the cafeteria before Elle couldn’t go any farther. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
“Uh, Elle, are you sure?” Chloe asked her.
“Yes.” Elle and Chloe hadn’t gone to the bathroom at school in years. They would hold it in no matter what because the scariest place on Earth was the girls’ bathroom.
Elle practically ran in and went straight to the sinks. She ran the cold water and stuck her hands under.
Chloe stayed right by the door. “Are you okay?”
Elle didn’t answer; instead, she leaned her head down and started splashing water on her face.
A stall flew open.
Elle’s head was shoved hard into the sink, the faucet hitting the top of her head. Elle’s hair was pulled back and she stood, looking in the mirror to see Cassandra standing behind her.
“Chloe, run!” Elle screamed.
Elle’s head started to throb, but her adrenaline kicked in. She grabbed for the hand behind her head and started to dig her nails in. Her other hand went for Cassandra’s hair, and she started to pull as hard as she could. When she heard Cassandra scream, she used all her body weight to shove Cassandra from behind, knocking herself loose.
Elle flew around and immediately felt dizzy. She wasn’t able to move fast enough before Cassandra ran forward and jammed her into the sink, making Elle fall to the ground.
Cassandra stood over her, just like she had years ago. “Nero is not here to protect you now.” She rammed her foot back and kicked her in the stomach.
Elle tried to fight her eyes from closing.
“He dumped your ass because you are fucking nothing but a waitress.” She rammed her foot back into her stomach.
She felt the puddle of blood soak under her face just as her tears on the pillow had done.
“This is for Sebastian.”
Light switch off.
*
Chloe’s hands landed on the bathroom door before she swung it open. Her legs ran as fast as she could with the image of Elle’s face in her mind. Chloe’s brain couldn’t think, yet her body knew what to do.
In what felt like a split-second, she was in the cafeteria, heading straight for the other side of the room to the table that held the only people in this whole entire school who would help.
Chloe hadn’t spoken a word to any of them in months, let alone the one who clearly had destroyed her best friend, but that didn’t matter anymore.
“Nero!”
The whole table stood at her words, and Nero’s worried face looked her in the eyes. When she saw his eyes—the visible pain and worry—she wondered whom had ended up destroying whom.
“Elle. Bathroom,” she got out between short breaths.
Nero flew out of the cafeteria and they all followed behind. He ran down the hallway until he pushed through the girls’ bathroom door with them all following.
When Chloe saw the pool of blood and Elle lying helpless on the floor, she didn’t know if she would survive this time, or if she even wanted to. She leaned back up against the wall to steady herself. The whole thing played slowly before her. No, Elle.
Nero fell to his knees beside Elle’s limp body. “Elle?”
Chloe covered her ears when Vincent started kicking the stalls in, yelling obscenities and looking for the person who had done it. She started sliding down the wall, her legs unable to hold her body while Leo took out his phone and dialed 9-1-1.
Nero rubbed Elle’s hair out of her face. “It’s going to be okay. I’m here, baby,” he crooned to her.
Chloe finally made it to the floor and gripped her legs to her body. Why couldn’t I help her? Why did I leave her? She heard Amo’s voice trying to comfort her. Why do I always just stand and watch?
Vincent came to stand over Nero and Elle. “No one is fucking in here.”
Nero didn’t take his eyes off Elle, still rubbing her head. “Tell me who did it.”
Chloe squeezed her body tighter. Why can’t I cry for her? What’s wrong with me?
Nero turned to look at Chloe. “Fucking tell me!”
Do something right! “Cassandra,” she whispered.
“Amo, make sure she fucking understands.” Nero went back to crooning to Elle.