"You ungrateful bitch. I keep a roof over your head, and this is the thanks I get?"
"You could have killed her," I retort, trying to muster up confidence that I don't possess. "What if she goes to the cops, Dad? That bruise on her face is enough to...
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"We need to see if he's okay," Jose declares, eyeing Rob's motionless body.
"You mean check if he's still alive?" Shenae asks. She's in tears. Cordelia and Wesley are, too. "What if... what if he's dead?"
"Good riddance." Elowen paces the floor, holding the gun at her side. Despite the weapon in her hand, she looks just as frightened as the rest of us.
"You just shot somebody, and that's all you have to say?" Cordelia glares at our captor. "Are you that heartless?"
"I'm heartless?" Elowen exclaims. "Let me ask you all something. Does anyone here know my last name? Anyone at all?"
"You're Elowen McCurdy," Declan answers, clutching Cordelia to his chest, "and we used to be friends."
"We used to be friends, too," Effie adds. "What happened to you, Elowen?"
Our gun-wielding classmate scowls, her face contorting in rage. "Yeah, well, all my so-called friends ditched me."
"That's not true," Effie claims. "You ditched us."
"As soon as boys took an interest in you, you checked the fuck out, Ef," Elowen spits back. "You became shallow, just like Miss Popular over here." She turns on her heel and points the gun at Cordelia. "And you, Miss Popular, never missed a chance to make me feel like crap. What was your nickname for me in fourth grade?"
Sobbing, Cordelia shakes her head. Declan hugs her tighter. "I d-don't remember, okay?"
"Yes, you do!"
"Elowen the Elephant!" Cordelia cries, burying her face in Declan's shirt.
I cringe. Elowen isn't a tiny girl, but that's just harsh.
"Okay, stop pointing the gun at her," Declan says. "Please."
"And you, Declan." Elowen lowers the handgun, but her eyes are locked on the terrified couple. "You forgot all about me as soon as you hooked up with her. You and I used to make fun of people like her, remember?"
"I know, and I'm sorry. I should have tried harder to stay in touch," Declan replies.
"You're only saying that because of what's in my hand." Elowen chuckles and points her weapon at Shenae. "As for you—"
"I never did anything to you!" Shenae shrieks, holding her knees to her chest. Black mascara tracks decorate her face like tiger stripes. "I don't even know you!"
"Earlier this year, we were assigned a project in English," Elowen reminds her. "Bet you didn't know we were in the same English class, huh? We were supposed to be partners, but you joined another group. I ended up doing the project alone."
"That's why you're mad? Because I wanted to work with my friends?"
"I overheard you, you conniving bitch! You told them that you didn't want to be partnered with 'a lazy, fat fuck' like me. Then you all laughed!"
