The Elites

16 | aftermath

Chapter XVI: Aftermath

I guess some people don't learn their lesson. She knows everything, Celeste. And, he helped her. How foolish of him. I guess we need to teach him a lesson.

Where is his sister right now?

Sent by Madeline at 3:15 A.M.

***

THERE WAS SOMETHING about Scarlett's death that didn't settle with me. Something that made me feel restless and uneasy. It wasn't until I stepped on the same ground as Harrington Preparatory when I knew exactly what it was. Scarlett wasn't dead. She just couldn't come home; I didn't know when she'd come home, but I did know she was in that position because of the Elites. It was never her fault.

They pushed her and pushed her until she saw that going into dangerous boundaries headfirst was the only way she'd survive. For months on end, I wished she stayed in England with me — she would've been safe with me. But, she chose the glitz and glam over her safety, over me. I still love her, I always will. I guess that's why I enrolled myself to Harrington because a large part of me wouldn't rest until I completed what she started. Maybe only then would she come back home.

During the early months after Scarlett's 'death', my mother would ship me off to all different types of doctors and therapists, spending a vast amount of money and time in convincing me that my best friend was dead, but I knew otherwise. They were all liars, they just wanted me to be in pain. That was also probably the Elites doing. They needed to make everyone in Scarlett's life suffer. I wasn't going to let them.

If Scarlett was dead, how come she was still messaging me? Nevertheless, although I couldn't visit Scarlett, her messages were enough for me to know she was okay. I didn't stop watching the recording, I kept replaying it, trying to understand everything that happened during the Winter Formal in Junior Year. Granted, I didn't actually see the interactions within the powder room.

I did see Scarlett drunk smile on her face, which showed she was giddy and excited, as she sauntered through the crowd of people, gathering the Elites. The footage was all over the place, different scenes and locations but watching her wild auburn hair and the bright grin on her red lips, had my stomach churning and my throat constricting.

All eight members of the Elites walked through the arched passageway, leading to a hallway — the only location that didn't have cameras. They'd entered in flocks at different times. Scarlett and Akari, followed by Celeste and Madeline. Then, all four boys — Zane, Elijah, Kaito and Bentley. About half an hour later, they all left in the opposite order as they'd come. However, only one person never left that place. Scarlett. In fact, she didn't leave the room at all.

Around fifteen minutes later, the Queen of Harrington and her blonde associate re-entered but, in less than thirty seconds, they'd left. Celeste had tears streaking down her face, her lips pursed together, whilst Madeline consoled her, arms wrapped around her best friend as she quietly, and secretively, led her out the venue. I didn't know what happened in there, nor will I ever know, but what happened was their fault — it was all their doing. Maybe if they weren't so wicked, people wouldn't be telling me that Scarlett was dead.

I couldn't bear to watch the entire footage, but I'd seen enough. I saw her challenging Celeste's position. I saw her teasing Bentley. I saw her take the drugs from Kaito despite the fact that she'd been drinking recklessly all night. I saw the red and blue lights reflecting off the mirrored panels across the wall of the Harrington Hotel as the paramedics rushed to the foyer where Scarlett laid unconscious at the bottom of those marble stairs. I had seen it all. And I hated it. I hated them.