ROTBFTD : Broken & Beautiful

23

Elsa pov 

I stepped out of the hospital, feeling a mix of emotions as I was finally being discharged. But my joy was short-lived, as I remembered I had to attend a funeral at school. Melissa, the popular girl who had made my life a living hell, had passed away. I couldn't help but feel a sense of irony as I made my way to the school.

As I walked through the hallways, I was struck by the sea of black clothes that surrounded me. It was a somber reminder that I was indeed at a funeral. I glanced around, taking in the solemn faces of my classmates, when my eyes landed on Melissa's locker. It was adorned with flowers and photos of her, a poignant tribute to the girl who had once ruled the school with an iron fist.

I continued on to the drama hall, where the funeral was being held. As I entered, I was taken aback by the sight of all the students lined up, each holding a rose. The coffin was in the center of the room, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of unease as I approached it. I placed my rose gently on top of it, my eyes scanning the room for familiar faces.

That's when I saw Melissa's parents, sobbing uncontrollably as they mourned the loss of their daughter. My heart went out to them, despite everything Melissa had done to me. No parent should ever have to go through the pain of losing their child.

As the funeral came to an end, I stepped out into the bright sunlight, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. That's when I saw Jack waiting for me outside. 'Hey, where is everyone?' I asked him, assuming that the rest of our classmates would be milling around.

'Oh, they all went home,' he replied casually. 'But your sister Anna made some cookies for you. They're in the box.'

I took the box of cookies from him, and we drove to my house in silence. As we pulled up to the curb, I felt a surge of excitement and nervousness. I hadn't seen my mom in weeks, not since I'd been hospitalized. I hoped she was doing okay.

I got out of the car and walked up to the door, ringing the bell. But there was no response. I knocked again, calling out, 'Mom, are you there?'

Just as I was starting to get worried, an old lady walked out of the house next door. 'No one's there, dear,' she said, eyeing me curiously. 'Why do you ask?'

I felt a sense of trepidation creeping over me. 'I live here... or at least, I thought I did.'

The old lady's expression softened, and she walked towards me. 'You're Elsa, aren't you?'

I nodded, feeling a sense of unease. 'How did you know?'

The old lady took a deep breath before speaking. 'Well, your mother stopped taking her medication most of the time after you left. She would often talk to herself like a stranger, and one night, I saw her lying on the ground with pills in her hand. I called for help, and she was taken to the hospital.'

I was shocked, tears welling up in my eyes as I asked, 'What happened to her? Where is she now?'

The old lady's expression was sympathetic. 'The doctors said that she needs help to overcome her addiction. She's currently in rehabilitation.'

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. My mom, the one person I had always counted on, was still struggling with addiction. And I had been too caught up in my own problems to notice.

I thanked the old lady, my voice shaking with emotion, and we left to search for my mom. As we drove away, I couldn't help but wonder what other secrets my family had been hiding from me.