The Forest Heart

Rosila Part 2

Raven dropped the book she had borrowed off in the library on her way home. She needed to fill Clair in on everything about the princess's visit to their class. She wandered over to the stairwell quickly, feeling herself bouncing with excitement.

"Raven!" Raven paused at the top of the stairs to glance around. Her happy giddiness turned into a hard knot in her stomach as Rosila's lap dogs hurried over to her.

"Yes?" Raven asked nervously glancing around. She wondered where their leader was as Rosila seemed to be out of sight. Honey and Ginger paused to catch their breath, smiling at each other.

"We wanted to talk with you. It's about Rosila." Honey told her as Raven fidgeted. Ginger nodded seriously as her curls bounced on her head. Raven realized they were waiting for her to say something and swallowed hard.

"Oh?" Raven ventured as they bounced in unison. She realized that the twins in sync behavior was creepy as all hell.

"Let's be honest with each other. Rose is a bitch, and nobody likes her. The boy's only like her because she is pretty, and the adults only pity her because her mother is a whore. If the three of us work together we can get her out of our lives for good." Ginger told her as Honey nodded.

"We did always like you best." Honey added, looping her arm through Ravens. Raven frowned at the two of them confused.

"You do?" Raven asked. She was always pretty sure that Honey and Ginger actually liked to bully her more than Rosila did and never did any physical harm to her because Rosila didn't allow it. But Rosila wasn't here. Raven felt her gut tighten as Honey pulled her down the stairs smiling her fake smiles and nodding. Rosila's fake smiles were better.

"You are nice to everyone while Rosila just bosses us around. She says she isn't interested in dating, but then I see her around with Tanner all of the time!" Ginger hissed as Honey nodded.

"So, you like me better because I would never end up dating the most popular guy in class?" Raven wondered as she considered it. She had always gotten the vibe that Tanner stalked Rosila and tried to pressure her into dating him. Not the other way around. Rosila was eighteen now and considered an adult. Free to marry and start a family or work. This would be her final year in the class alongside Raven and a few others.

"Exactly. So, we were thinking if we help each other out, we could get rid of Rosila at the ball. If she marries a foreign prince she will leave and never come back." Ginger growled bitterly as Honey nodded. Raven followed them as they wandered into the woods, away from the village and farmland. Any time she tried to pull away, Honey would tighten her grip making Raven flinch.

"That will leave Tanner to us." Honey giggled as Raven chuckled with them nervously.

"So then how do I help Rosila snag a prince?" Raven asked unsure. She already had decided to avoid them at the ball as much as she could. Were they asking her to not go at all?

"Oh, that's the easy part." Ginger assured her. Raven frowned confused as Honey twisted her arm painfully, forcing her down into the ground. "We simply make you the ugliest of them all." Ginger giggled as Honey sat on her, forcing Raven down into the mud and roots.

Raven began to panic trying to force herself back up, so she could run away. The fabric of her skirt caught in the bushes as the mud beneath her gave her no leverage. Honey still had her arm in a grip, pulling it back so Raven couldn't use it or get good enough leverage. It felt like she was going to try and pull it out of the socket.

"Oh, shut up. We are doing this for you." Honey hissed as she scooted forward so that most of her weight was on Ravens rib cage, causing her to take shallow breaths. Raven tried to scream, only letting out a deflated squeak into the mud. No one would hear her cries for help.