Elle didn’t answer; instead, she leaned her head down and started splashing water on her face.
A stall flew open.
Elle’s head was shoved hard into the sink, the faucet hitting the top of her head. Elle’s hair was pulled back and she stood, looking in the mirror to see Cassandra standing behind her.
“Chloe, run!” Elle screamed.
Elle’s head started to throb, but her adrenaline kicked in. She grabbed for the hand behind her head and started to dig her nails in. Her other hand went for Cassandra’s hair, and she started to pull as hard as she could. When she heard Cassandra scream, she used all her body weight to shove Cassandra from behind, knocking herself loose.
Elle flew around and immediately felt dizzy. She wasn’t able to move fast enough before Cassandra ran forward and jammed her into the sink, making Elle fall to the ground.
Cassandra stood over her, just like she had years ago. “Nero is not here to protect you now.” She rammed her foot back and kicked her in the stomach.
Elle tried to fight her eyes from closing.
“He dumped your ass because you are fucking nothing but a waitress.” She rammed her foot back into her stomach.
She felt the puddle of blood soak under her face just as her tears on the pillow had done.
“This is for Sebastian.”
Light switch off.
* * *
Chloe’s hands landed on the bathroom door before she swung it open. Her legs ran as fast as she could with the image of Elle’s face in her mind. Chloe’s brain couldn’t think, yet her body knew what to do.
In what felt like a split-second, she was in the cafeteria, heading straight for the other side of the room to the table that held the only people in this whole entire school who would help.
Chloe hadn’t spoken a word to any of them in months, let alone the one who clearly had destroyed her best friend, but that didn’t matter anymore.
“Nero!”
The whole table stood at her words, and Nero’s worried face looked her in the eyes. When she saw his eyes—the visible pain and worry—she wondered whom had ended up destroying whom.
“Elle. Bathroom,” she got out between short breaths.
Nero flew out of the cafeteria and they all followed behind. He ran down the hallway until he pushed through the girls’ bathroom door with them all following.
When Chloe saw the pool of blood and Elle lying helpless on the floor, she didn’t know if she would survive this time, or if she even wanted to. She leaned back up against the wall to steady herself. The whole thing played slowly before her. No, Elle.
Nero fell to his knees beside Elle’s limp body. “Elle?”
Chloe covered her ears when Vincent started kicking the stalls in, yelling obscenities and looking for the person who had done it. She started sliding down the wall, her legs unable to hold her body while Leo took out his phone and dialed 9-1-1.
Nero rubbed Elle’s hair out of her face. “It’s going to be okay. I’m here, baby,” he crooned to her.
Chloe finally made it to the floor and gripped her legs to her body. Why couldn’t I help her? Why did I leave her? She heard Amo’s voice trying to comfort her. Why do I always just stand and watch?
Vincent came to stand over Nero and Elle. “No one is fucking in here.”
Nero didn’t take his eyes off Elle, still rubbing her head. “Tell me who did it.”
Chloe squeezed her body tighter. Why can’t I cry for her? What’s wrong with me?
Nero turned to look at Chloe. “Fucking tell me!”
Do something right! “Cassandra,” she whispered.
“Amo, make sure she fucking understands.” Nero went back to crooning to Elle.
Her view became blocked by Amo’s body as he sat down in front of her. She now stared at his face, yet she was seeing past it at the same time.
“Chloe, tell them you saw nothing. You don’t know who did it,” Amo spoke to her.
I saw nothing. I don’t know who did it. I saw nothing. I don’t know who did it. I was in a car wreck; that’s all I know. I was in a car wreck; no one hurt me…
Chapter Forty-Four
Beep…Beep…Beep…
Nero sat in the waiting room with his crew and Chloe, waiting to hear from the doctor. Not like they’re going to tell us shit. We’re not family.
The last few months had been pure torture on him. That night, now months ago, he had talked to his father, yelling at him because he had known his dad had said something to her. In response, he had reminded Nero of what had happened to his mother, asked him if he wanted the same fate for Elle. So, Nero had let her go for good.
At first, he’d stayed close by her, something in him secretly hoping she’d give in and talk to him and it would make him change his mind. Then, when she’d made it a point of ignoring him, not even looking at him, avoiding his face, he had backed off, giving her the space she needed because he couldn’t take her not being able to even look at him.
Nero had watched her from afar at that point. She had kept working and adding hours on, despite him paying for her school. He had spent every fucking night the past few months following her to work, watching her from his car and then following her back home to make sure she made it there safely.
The worst part of it all was watching her turn into someone else. She didn’t look or act the same, and it was all because of him. I fucked her up. He knew it was all on him.
Elle wasn’t alone, though; Nero had changed, too. He couldn’t sleep without seeing her, so it was better not to sleep at all. Nothing tasted good to him besides fucking strawberries, and eating fucking strawberries was painful. Before Elle, he had fucked every girl who looked his way; now, he couldn’t even look at them because it wasn’t the girl he wanted to look at. He had several offers to go to prom, turning them all down. It had gotten so ridiculous that, when a girl came up to him, he just waved them away with his hand.