ROTBFTD : Broken & Beautiful

15

Elsa pov 

The hallway buzzed with the end-of-class chatter, but all I could see was Melissa, her face twisted with fury, standing in front of my locker. My heart hammered in my chest, a cold dread washing over me.

'Why are you so excited about this election?' she spat, her voice dripping with venom. 'Do you think your little Fae fairy will protect you at all cost?'

My throat constricted. I tried to stammer a response, but the words wouldn't come. Melissa's group of girls, like a pack of wolves, surrounded me.

'What's wrong, Elsa?' one of them sneered, pushing me against the locker. 'Scared we'll tell everyone the truth about you?'

I fell to the ground, my breath catching in my throat. Melissa leaned down, her gaze burning into me. 'Now you know what it feels like, huh? To vote for me? Not so smart now, are you?'

They tossed my registration form, the one with Fae's name on it, into my locker. Then, with a sickening thud, they locked me inside. One of them grabbed my phone from my pocket and opened my group chat, the one with Fae and the others.

Melissa's eyes scanned the screen. 'Where is Fae?' she demanded.

'She said she had work at school,' I choked out. I couldn't believe they were actually doing this.

Melissa typed a message, her fingers flying across the keyboard. 'I've got to work at school too. You guys go hang out without me.'

She dropped my phone into the locker and walked away, her laughter echoing down the hallway. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring the world around me. My chest felt heavy, as though a huge weight had been placed upon it.

I stumbled to the bathroom, my mind a jumbled mess. Pulling the box cutter out of my backpack, I traced the sharp edge against my palm. It was a familiar comfort, the burn a dull ache compared to the throbbing pain in my heart.

Back at home, Jack's mom was watching TV, a warm smile on her face. 'Oh Elsa, you were supposed to be here earlier. He told me that you texted that you had work to do, so I figured you and your sister were hanging out with your friends.'

I managed a fake smile, forcing out a weak 'Okay.'

'Would you like anything to eat?' she asked, her voice kind and concerned.

'No thanks, I think I'll go to bed,' I mumbled, escaping to my room.

The water in the shower felt cold, even though I had turned the dial to the highest setting. I stood there, letting the water cascade over me, trying to wash away the pain.

The bathroom mirror reflected back a stranger. My eyes were puffy and red, my face pale and drawn. I felt so alone, so utterly lost.

As I slipped into my pajamas, a memory surfaced, bright and beautiful, like a beacon in the darkness. I was nine, my sister four. My mom had been struggling with money, so Christmas had been a little bleak. But then Dad had surprised me with a beautiful dress, the kind I had always dreamed of.

He had hugged me tight and whispered, 'You'll always be my beautiful daughter.'

The memory brought a tear to my eye, a tear of bittersweet longing. My dad was gone now, but his words echoed in my heart, a reminder of the love that once filled my world. But now, I felt empty, stripped bare of everything I held dear.

I couldn't live like this anymore. I couldn't bear to face another day filled with this gnawing ache.

Reaching for my phone, I started typing a suicide note, my fingers clumsy and numb. I wanted to leave a message for everyone who loved me, a message of forgiveness and love. Maybe then, they would understand, maybe then, they would know.