bathroom stalls » mileven

six

mike grimaced, slowly getting ready for school. he was in no mood to deal with bullies or teachers or anything really. finally finishing his breakfast, he got on his bike and biked to el's house. el lived with the byers now. mike didn't mind the distance since everyday he would ride her to and from school.

he knocked on the door, watching as el smiled, slipped onto the bike, and wrapped her thin arms around him.

"you feeling better today?" she asked as they started down the road.

"yeah. i was just having a bad day yesterday."

"i understand," el murmured, her words getting snatched away by the wind. they continued in silence until the road leading into town came into view.

"do you have a quote?" he asked, stopping in front of the school.

"not yet."

"well, i have a thing at lunch, so we can't go to the stalls then."

"now?" el asked, hopping off of the bike and fixing her hair. random strands had crossed over, making her curls look more messy than usual.

"yeah, if we can." el slowly nodded, walking closely by him to the bathroom.

"um, i don't have one, but i'll write later," she hurriedly said, widening her eyes and lowering her head.

"well, hello, weirdo." troy's voice floated through the air, reaching the couple.

"what do you want troy?" mike snapped.

"i want the weirdo to confess. you're going down, bitch," troy darkly threatened, shoving el into the locker as he walked by.

there was no easy way to say it. el snapped. she stood, tilting her head and deviously smiling as troy's arm broke again. twice. she broke his arm in two places this time. troy screamed in pain, falling to his knees.

"try me," she mimicked troy's threatening tone, suddenly walking over to his body. "try me." she pushed him backwards, seeming to revel in the pain caused.

mike watched awestruck. el suddenly fell back, slumping to her knees. if mike looked closely, he thought he could see the tell-tale red of blood. el simply pulled out a tissue and wiped it away. the blood soaked through the thin fabric, so she shakily stood and pulled him into the bathroom. turning on the faucet, she allowed the water to run over her slightly bloodied fingers.

"that was crazy," mike exclaimed.

"no."

"no?"

"not good. not right of me," el decisively said, turning to face mike.

"why? mouth breather deserved that."

"but does he though? who am i justice?" el paused. "who said i can execute justice?" she rephrased. it still didn't make sense. mike found it inappropriately adorable though.

"el, you are so freaking powerful, why not use that to change this school? make it better? put bullies down."

"mike, i can't just- take ad-advant-vantegae- advantage of people," el argued.

"it's not taking advantage! it's using what gifts you were born with!"

"gifts?" el asked, shock clearly evident in her quiet voice. "they're curses."

"how can you find it a curse?"

"i can never be normal. i will never be normal."

"who cares about normal?" mike fired back.

"i do!" el shrieked, causing the mirror to crack in her anger.

"calm down," mike back-tracked. he would never admit it, but el scared him. she was deathly powerful. she could be judge, jury, and executioner.

el inhaled, returning to a state of control. she was back to aloof princess again.

"don't test me, mike," el stated and walked out of the bathroom, having the final say.