A Song for Elodie

Chapter Six

"Okay, children, that's a wrap for today. Make sure to practice those last few bars for the chorus at home. See you next week!"

Elodie stashed her music in her bag and headed out the door, 'Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)' stuck in her head. Humming softly, she looked up and found her path blocked by Layla and her gang.

One whole term had passed since the video had been posted on social media, and still, Layla and the girls had not moved on. The rest of the school couldn't care less, because things like that were old news.

"Hey, Elodie, or should I say The Screeching Cat!" Layla burst into cackles, as did the rest of her posse.

"Leave me alone, Layla," whispered Elodie, trying to edge past her.

"You know what, I don't think I want to," sneered Layla, menacingly taking another step towards her. "You think you're so perfect." She shoved Elodie to the ground, scraping her elbow on the hard asphalt. Elodie tried to get away but Khloe pulled her satchel off her shoulder forcefully.

"Oh, Little Miss Popstar's been doing her homework has she? Learning a new song," smirked Josephine. "Whoops-a-daisy!" The sheet fluttered to the ground in pieces.

Elodie started hyperventilating, and her palms began to sweat. She didn't know how to get out of this. They were surrounding her now.

Layla stared her down. "I suggest you run. We're going to bash you till you're just a pile of slop...oh wait, you already are!" She threw her head back and laughed, as did the other girls.

"I don't know why you bothered coming to this school, Elodie," grimaced Sarah. "No one likes you. You're just an ignored pile of slop on the ground." She grabbed Elodie's shoulders, just as Genevieve seized her wrist roughly. Layla punched Elodie in the nose and blood poured down her face. The rest of the girls circled her cackling like a coven of witches.

"LEAVE ME ALONE, LAYLA!!" screamed Elodie. She wrestled herself out of and ran past Peyton, past McKenna, and to the sanctuary of the girl's bathroom.

"Elodie!" yelled Audrina, and began to follow her, ignoring Layla's screeches of "Don't follow her Audrina! You know the consequences."

###

Audrina entered the bathroom to the sound of loud, gulping sobs. A couple of drops of blood stained the floor. She looked in each of the stalls until she found Elodie in the last one, mopping her nose with a long stream of toilet paper.

"Are you okay?" asked Audrina cautiously, kneeling in front of her.

Elodie raised her head out of her hands, face and eyes blotchy and red. "What do you think?"

"I-i..." hesitated Audrina.

"You hang out with them every day, and see them bullying me, and what do you do?" demanded Elodie.

"I'm sorry, I know it's wrong..." began Audrina.

"Audrina, hanging around with them is just as bad!" yelled Elodie. "Why do you still mix with them, if you know it's bad?"

Audrina hesitated.

"Don't answer, I know it's for your own popularity," snapped Elodie. "Just leave me alone. I don't need your false apologies right now."

"But Elodie..." stammered Audrina.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" screamed Elodie, the bathroom ringing with the shrillness of her shriek.

"I'm sorry," whispered Audrina, covering her mouth with her hands.

"It's not enough," was all Elodie could say. She hurried out of the stall and ran to class.

Audrina slowly leant against the wall and sank down to the ground, ashamed of herself. How was she going to get out of this mess?

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