ROTBFTD : Broken & Beautiful

9

Elsa pov

Today was the day. Election day. The air buzzed with nervous excitement as I walked towards the basketball court, the school's makeshift polling station. Posters of candidates adorned the walls, their faces plastered in hopeful smiles. This year, my classmates were electing the new Student Council president, and the race was tight.

Fae's words echoed in my ears, "Remember to sneak in the crowd, and you have to reach out my desk next my poster, and then vote without getting caught by Melissa." I'd agreed, a small thrill coursing through me. It was risky, but I was determined to vote for Fae. Melissa, the reigning queen bee, had been campaigning aggressively, and I knew she'd be furious if she found out I didn't vote for her.

I navigated the throng of students, my heart pounding in my chest. Finally, I reached Fae's desk, easily identifiable by the swarm of students surrounding it. I slipped in quietly, my eyes quickly finding hers. She winked, a triumphant smile playing on her lips.

"You did it," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the din.

I exhaled, a wave of relief washing over me. "What about Melissa? What if she finds out I didn't vote for her?"

Fae's smile widened. "Don't worry. I got a duplicate of your voter sign. She won't know the difference."

My anxiety eased. I was free to vote for Fae, guilt-free. I marked my ballot and dropped it into the box, a sense of satisfaction blooming inside me.

As I turned to leave, I bumped into Anna, Jack, and others. 

"Hey, Elsa!" Anna greeted, her face flushed with excitement. "Do you guys know when they'll release the results?"

"Nah," Merida sighed, her voice laced with frustration. "I really hate this whole thing. And there was this one girl who kept staring at my hair. Talk about judgmental!"

Flynn chuckled. "Just try to ignore it, Merida. Let's just get out of here."

"Yeah, let's go guys," Jack agreed, already heading towards the exit.

I followed, a strange mix of excitement and apprehension swirling within me. I had done my part. Now, all I could do was wait and see who would be the new Student Council president. The tension was thick, but I couldn't help but feel a sliver of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Fae would win. And maybe, just maybe, the school would finally be ruled by someone who actually cared about the students.

My fingers trembled as I reached for my locker combination. The metal door groaned open, revealing two envelopes nestled amongst my textbooks. The first one, a simple white envelope, bore Jack's familiar scrawl. My heart skipped a beat.

'Hey Elsa,' it read, 'You seem to be quite alone, ever since I had met. If you had anything you can tell me, I really miss you.'

- Jack

A wave of guilt washed over me. Jack was trying to reach out, to be friends. I knew I shouldn't have pushed him away after I moved in with him, fleeing my dad. He'd been so kind, so welcoming, but I'd been so scared and confused, I'd built up walls around myself, pushing him away with my silence.

Without thinking, I reached for the second envelope, a pale blue one with delicate script. It was from Melissa. My breath hitched.

'Meet me at the gym after class. 

-Melissa.'

My stomach twisted into knots. Melissa, the head cheerleader, the most popular girl in school. What did she want? And how did she know I didn't vote for her in the school president election? Surely, she wouldn't be so petty.

The envelopes felt like lead in my bag as I walked to class. My heart pounded in my chest as I found my seat, trying to ignore the whispers and stares. Jack sat down next to me, a small smile on his face.

'Hey, Elsa,' he said softly.

His voice was a balm to my nerves. But then, a voice, sharp and mocking, cut through the air.

"Hey, why are you sitting next to the ugly, muted girl?"

The words pierced me like shards of ice. I wanted to disappear, to crawl under my desk and never come out. Jack stood up, his gaze unwavering.

'That's none of your business," he said, his voice firm.

The girls fell silent. The bell rang, and our class began. But even as the teacher droned on, I felt a tremor of unease. I knew things weren't going to be easy. Jack was trying to be kind, but I was trapped in a web of my own insecurities. And Melissa's message, it hung over me like a dark cloud, threatening to engulf me.