Chapter 10 : Elodie Strikes Back
The next few days passed in a haze of humiliation and exhaustion. I did everything they asked without a word of protest. Every time Rachel, Teresa, and Felicia came at me with their demands—whether it was fetching snacks from across the street or handing over my lunch money—I did it without question. Even Ivy had joined in, laughing along with them as she took my pens and notes.
Every task drained me, leaving me more fragile than before. I stopped sleeping, too tired to keep my eyes open during the day. My scores continued to drop, my homework undone or done sloppily. I’d never felt so out of control.
My mom had stopped being a comfort. She barely came home, and when she did, her words cut through me like knives. "I’m disappointed in you," she would say, the words heavy with her frustration. “Why can’t you be more like your perfect self again?”
But none of that mattered anymore. The only thing that kept me going was the quiet, small relief I found in Elodie. Our private sessions were the only moments I felt I could breathe again, the only time I could still pretend that I was good at something.
Elodie’s progress was astonishing. The more I helped her, the more she thrived, and every time she thanked me, it gave me a fleeting sense of pride. I wanted to tell her what was happening, spill everything—how I felt like I was breaking apart under the weight of their cruelty. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t let her see the cracks in me when she was finally shining. She deserved that, at least.
Still, Elodie wasn't the kind to sit idly by.
***
It was a few days later when it happened.
I was walking toward a spot near the back of the schoolyard, trying to avoid the buzz of conversation from the others. I’d barely gotten a chance to pull out my notebook when they came up to me again.
Rachel, grinning, leaned in close. "You got the stuff, Serena?" she taunted.
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. They didn’t deserve my words anymore. They had already made their point, and I had learned to shut up and obey.
"She’s probably too tired to think," Teresa said with a sharp laugh. "You know, it’s almost funny how desperate she is to stay perfect. Pathetic."
Felicia joined in, her voice dripping with disdain. "I don’t know why you don’t just give up pretending to be perfect. We own you now, and we know exactly how weak you are."
I lowered my gaze, trying to steady my breath, but my hands were shaking and fidgeting uncontrollably. A part in me screamed to just leave, to run, but I stayed. I had learned by now that doing what they wanted was the only way to survive.
But then—
A sudden voice cut through the air, sharp and unyielding.
“You’re not going to talk to her like that anymore.”
I looked up in shock to see Elodie standing there, her posture straight, eyes hard with fury. She was staring directly at Rachel, her fists clenched at her sides.
Rachel blinked, caught off guard, but the shock only lasted a few seconds. “Oh, and what? You’re going to be the superhero and stop us?” she sneered.
Without another word, Elodie took one long step forward, her hand shooting out to grab Rachel’s hair with surprising strength.
"Let go of me!" Rachel shrieked, trying to wrench herself free, but Elodie’s grip only tightened.
“Don’t think you can get away with this anymore,” Elodie said, her voice cold and measured. Her usual reserved demeanor was gone, replaced with something sharper, fiercer. "You’re nothing but cowardly bullies who gang up on people."
Rachel’s eyes flashed with anger, but Elodie didn’t back down. She pushed Rachel back, causing her to stumble into Teresa and Felicia.
"Hey, what the hell is going on here?!" Teresa shouted, but Elodie didn’t stop. She took another step, this time shoving Felicia away as well. The force of it sent Felicia to the ground, and she gasped in surprise.
“Apologize,” Elodie demanded, her voice like steel, demanding attention and obedience.
Felicia, who had always been the most vocal, was silent for a moment. She looked up at Elodie, stunned, unsure of how to respond.
“Apologize,” Elodie repeated, her tone unwavering.
Rachel’s face twisted in anger, but she knew better than to push Elodie any further. They were so used to bullying others, but they had never encountered this side of Elodie. She wasn’t backing down, and they could see it.
After a long, tense silence, Rachel muttered a half-hearted, "Fine, whatever. Sorry, Serena."
Elodie didn’t let her off that easily. “Say it like you mean it.”
Reluctantly, Rachel’s eyes narrowed as she finally grumbled, “Sorry.”
"Good, and see that you’ll not do that to her again," Elodie said, turning her back to them. She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, her voice softer now. "Let’s go, Serena."
I could hardly believe it. I didn’t even realize I had been holding my breath until Elodie led me away from the scene. I had expected them to retaliate, but they didn’t. They just stood there, watching us go.
For the first time in a long while, I felt something close to relief. But there was also something else—a flicker of terror. I was scared because Elodie was finally starting to find her place. Her grades were improving rapidly, and the other students, especially the teachers, were beginning to notice her potential. She was climbing the social ladder, and I—well, I was only falling further.
I guess it’s time to lay down this hard-found piece of friendship.
