The Masks We Wear

Chapter 6| It's Okay

"But I wonder what would happen if you say what you wanna say...And let the words fall out."

~Sara Bareilles 

{ E L E N A ' S     P O V }

I heard it before I saw it. The sound of screams, sobs, and more. 

Curious, I inched towards the direction of the sounds, until I reached a door. Slightly opening the door, I peeked my head through, and expected the worse. 

The scene was more horrifying  than I thought it would be. 

And the victim, in this scene was...

Scarlett. 

"You don't matter to this world! You're a piece of trash, nothing but a burden to your parents! Your brother hates you, and no one in this lifetime will ever love you!" A guy with black hair and and piggy eyes screamed. 

A beat passed. 

"Well? What do you have to say for that?" Another guy shouted, with high expectations of agreeing to his statement. 

Do something! My brain shouted at me. 

I can't! I wanted to move, but it was almost as if my body was frozen. 

Scarlett lifted up her head from the floor. She looked at them, her eyes filled with sadness, anger, desperation...

And determination. 

She said one word, two letters that changed everything. 

"No." She said. No off the ground, she shakily got to her feet. That single word was strong, not weak like what I anticipated. 

I watched the gang of guys look at her. Their expression was astonishment, then confusion. 

Then anger. 

"Well, well, well. It seems as though little Scar finally stood up for herself." The biggest one, and ugliest one may I remark said. 

They approached her stealthily, grinning and cracking their knuckles. My head frantically turned to Scarlett. 

The little piece of hope that had gathered in my stomach faded away. I looked her face for one moment, and knew it. 

Her face lost all the bravado she had before. Her eyes, once shining with determination faded into sorrow. 

As if that's what triggered me, my body unfroze. 

"Hey!" I shouted out, entering the room. 

I stopped, inches before their faces. I urged my face to look neutral, expressionless, cold, unworried. 

"E-elena. What a-are you doing here?" One of them stuttered. 

They were incredibly tall. Much taller than I was. But I knew I held more power over them. 

"Oh nothing much." I purred. "However, I did hear our lovely mention to himself that he was going to go clean up this room next. Just though I'd give you guys a warning." 

Their faces shuddered. 

Our janitor was not someone to take notice of lightly. He was a former sumo wrestler, retired now. Of course, he wasn't able to physically harm the students who were caught doing bad things around the school, but rumor says that his punishments are almost as mentally dreadful if he did it physically. 

"T-thank you so m-much, Elena." One muttered. Then, they picked up their backpacks, and fled the room like a pack of mice. 

After making sure they were finally out of earshot, I willed myself to look at Scarlett, the first time since I countered the guys.