I sniffled, the desperate sting of tears in my eyes, as I plunged my hand deeper into the worn fabric of my bag
The school washroom smelled of bleach and cheap soap, a quiet panic tightening in my chest
Where was it?
Chelsea's ice cream order receipt
I patted my pockets, ran my hands over my blazer, searching for the crinkled piece of paper that held my freedom and if it wasn't found — held my doom
My fingers trembled as I came up empty
Think, Juniper
Think
My mind raced, trying to retrace my steps
The ELITE's room, my locker, and then here
I had to have dropped it somewhere. A cold wave of dread washed over me. I needed to check my locker again
"Puppy! Puppy!"
The voice cut through the air, sharp and menacing, before Chelsea's silhouette appeared in the doorway
She was an elegant hunter, followed by her minions, Piper and Diane, who moved behind her with sick grins on their faces
"Where's my ice cream? Don't tell me you ate it" Her voice was a low snarl, each word dripping with venom
"I... I didn't...eat it, I swear" I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper
"I just... I can't find the receipt. I had it earlier….on my way here….."
A blinding flash of pain bloomed across my cheek
The sound of the slap echoed through the washroom, and for a moment, my vision blurred
Chelsea's hand shot out as she yanked my shirt, slamming me against the tiled wall.
Her hand was raised again about to strike but the shrill ring of the school bell pierced the air
"It's time to submit college applications" she muttered, her eyes narrowing as she turned to look at her clique
"Let's make this quick" my breathe caught in my throat
I had thought they would leave me after the bell rang but they decided to quicken my punishment
I barely had a moment to gasp for air before I was shoved to the ground
The first kick landed in my side, sharp and ruthless
Then another
Another
Each blow was a cold, unforgiving hit that pushed me closer to unconsciousness until finally, the world dissolved into darkness
••••••
A slow, throbbing ache brought me back to awareness
"Shit" I cursed and jolted, pain glaring in my ribs and a dull pain behind my eyes
My head felt heavy, and the concrete floor was cold beneath my cheek then it snapped to me
The college application form!
Panic cut through the fog in my mind
I scrambled to my feet, my muscles protesting with every movement
Grabbing my bag, I bolted toward the classroom bumping into students on the way who stared at me like dirt
Then I saw the door to the class…just a few steps away
Just as I was about booting through the door, it opened from the inside
Ms. Valeria, my English teacher stepped out, a neat stack of forms in her hands.
"Good day, Ms. Valeria. I'm sorry I'm late….can I still submit my form?" My question cakes out in fits of pants and breathlessness
She didn't answer right away
Her eyes, usually so warm, scanned my bruised face, lingering on the angry red mark on my cheek
A flicker of something—disappointment, concern, I couldn't tell, crossed her expression before she turned on her heel
"Juniper, my office" I gulped at her cold tone but shuffled behind her as she stalked to her office
Her office was a small, cozy space, a sanctuary of old books and the scent of ink
She closed the door behind us, a soft click that sealed us off from the rest of the school and gestured for me to sit
"Why didn't you show up earlier? And what happened to your face?" she asked, her tone gentle but firm
"Those bruises…..did this happen on school grounds? Have you filed a report?"
I forced a strained smile
"Ms. Valeria, calm down. It's fine. Really. I broke a few... rules and got punished. Things just got a little out of hand"
Her frown deepened but she said nothing, her gaze unwavering
After a heavy silence, she finally sighed
"I need your help organizing a few score sheets. It'll make up for your late submission" a sigh left my lips at the fact she wasn't rejecting my form
"Sure" I replied quickly grateful for the change of subject
"Where are they?"
"By the next table" I glanced at it and sweet broke out on my forehead seeing the pile of papers
I stood and walked to it
This is gonna be a looong day
Two Hours Later
I stretched, a low groan escaping my lips as I stood, my back stiff from bending over the tables
"Ms. Valeria, I'm done. Where should I place them?"
"Leave them there" she replied, smiling softly
"Thank you Juniper"
I returned the smile, grabbed my bag, and stepped into the hallway
My phone buzzed in my hand, and I froze…..a missed call from Chelsea, an hour ago
Panic surged in my chest, a cold, sickening feeling
She had told me to meet her after school and I had totally forgotten
I walked faster, then broke into a jog toward the ELITES' private building—a luxurious structure of glass and steel, a mansion away from the main school wing
My stomach churned with every step as I climbed the carpeted stairs and pushed open the heavy doors of their lounge
Their laughter echoed from the living room, a symphony of cruelty
Every time I stepped into this place, a memory resurfaced, sharp and painful
The day it all began
FLASHBACK
I'd been walking down the hallway, headphones on, lost in my own world
Everyone around me suddenly stilled, a silent air as they hid behind lockers or slipped into classrooms
Great, I thought. They're disgusted by me again
Then...SLAM
I hit the floor hard, the rough tile scraping my knees. Before I could even gasp, someone grabbed me by the collar and flung me across the hallway
A blaring pain exploded through my back as I slammed against the row of lockers
I looked up….and froze
The ELITES
The school's infamous elites
They were a beautiful, terrifying force of nature
Wealthy
Untouchable
Dangerous
And I had just pissed them off
"Go clean the ELITES's suite" Chelsea Rogers, their second-in-command, ordered
"Your punishment continues when I return"
Barely able to walk, I made my way to their floor. I cleaned robotically, my mind spinning, trying to guess what else they'd do
I didn't notice them return
"Sit on the floor puppy" Chelsea commanded
I scrambled to obey, my heart pounding in my ears
She handed me a small cake box
"Eat it"
Confused but too afraid to say no, I shoved the piece of cake into my mouth
Then I tasted it
Pineapple.
No. No, no
I was severely allergic
A hot, prickling sensation began in my throat, and my airways started to close
I coughed, a desperate gasping sound, stumbled out of the room, and fumbled blindly in my bag until I felt the small plastics bottle
yes! My pills
Uncapping it as quickly as I could, I threw 2 pills into my palm and practically slammed them into my mouth
I swallowed them, my chest heaving as the constriction slowly eased
Behind me, I heard Chelsea's cruel, triumphant laughter with a hint of mockery
"Wow, you didn't die? That's a shame"
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I ran away, the sound of her laughter echoing in my ears
PRESENT
A sharp shove to my back snapped me from the memory
"Where's your mind at, bitch?" Chelsea sneered
"Getting bold now, huh?"
I kept my head down, refusing to meet her gaze as my vision blurred again but I wouldn't cry
Not here
Not in front of them
"I need a dress picked up at Couture. Drop it off at this address" she said, tossing a small card at me
"And don't show up in your uniform like last time….you looked pathetic"
Laughter explodedaround the room, a chorus of mockery.
"Y-yes" I mumbled, backing slowly toward the door
"Wait, loser" Andrew called out, his voice laced with a wicked gleam
"You're finally growing up huh, Mason?"
"Huh?" I turned, confused, and was met with a sudden freezing shock
SPLASH
Ice cold water drenched me from head to toe
My uniform clung to my body like a second skin, the thin material offering no shield from the cold or the lustful gazes of the group
"Nice view" Mason leered, stepping closer, his eyes roaming over my figure shamelessly
I stepped back, my heart thudding frantic against my ribs
He reached out, his hand wrapping around my arm
I flinched but it was too late
The second he grabbed me, a loud slap echoed through the lounge
I whimpered, a small involuntary sound of pain
I shoved him away with a burst of energy and bolted, adrenaline and fear surging through me as I escaped the building and into the cold evening air.