“You don’t want to be like her, do you?”
Stunned was the only way to put it when those words came out of her mouth. And looking into Cassandra’s eyes, Chloe believed her. Cassandra’s eyes showed her how committed she was to being the most popular girl in school. It was almost as if she were daring Chloe to get in her way.
Frightened at what her best friend had become, Chloe shook her head and held the scissors out before Cassandra harshly grabbed them from her. Instant regret filled her when the metal no longer touched her skin, and she began praying Cassandra was only going to use them to frighten her.
“Now, bitch, think again next time you turn your back on me.”
Chloe watched in shock as Cassandra took Elle’s ponytail in her other hand and started cutting it off. Hearing Elle cry as Cassandra snipped away, the tears started to brim her own eyes.
What have I done? was the only thing that went through her mind.
“A girl like you doesn’t need long, pretty hair like this, anyway,” Cassandra told Elle as she waved Elle’s own ponytail in her face.
Sitting up once they’d released her, Elle began to cry into her legs, holding them tightly in front of her.
Chloe could barely hold it together when Elle looked up at her with a now butchered haircut and tears.
“Sorry,” she managed to get out quietly without breaking down with her.
Running out of the locker room to follow in her best friend’s footsteps and leaving Elle there on the floor bawling like that was the hardest thing she had ever done at that point in her life.
I’m so sorry, Elle …
Little had Chloe known, she was going to leave Elle in a much worse condition just a few short weeks later behind the school. She hated the part she had played that day, though, and she still apologized to her every time she noticed how long and pretty her strawberry blonde locks were getting. The length had been fully returned to her, and Chloe noticed how protective she had become over her hair, not even wanting a trim.
Cassandra was pure evil from that moment forward, along with her brother Sebastian, and after what had happened in the cafeteria, they were one word: F.U.C.K.E.D.
Brrring.
Watching the students swiftly leave the classroom to go home for the day, she waited anxiously for Elle to return safely.
However, she wasn’t expecting Mr. Evans to be the one to enter the classroom first.
Taking a seat at one of the desks in front of her, he seemed like he was almost careful about it.
Seeing him closer than she usually did, she could tell why almost every girl at the school was secretly in love with him. He certainly didn’t look like any other teacher here with his short, kempt, dirty blond hair and beard. His eyes matched perfectly, seeming almost golden. Not to mention, he was clearly built under his well-dressed clothes.
“You’re not running out the door to leave?” Mr. Evans asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“N-no, I-I-”
“Are you shaken up after what happened earlier?”
Oh, gosh. Chloe shoved her hands to her face, not wanting to talk about this with him. The last thing she wanted to do was run her mouth about Cassandra.
See, Mr. Evans was new this year and had no clue how this school worked yet. The Ross’s practically owned this school, and the teachers all looked the other way when it came to them. As a result, talking about it with him was only going to bring more danger to her.
She needed to think of an out quickly.
Elle abruptly entered the room, concern apparent in her voice. “Chloe, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine, El—” She looked up and her eyes grew as wide as her stomach. Elle had something stained all over her clothes. “Are you okay? What happened?” Standing up, she went over to her.
Elle glanced at Mr. Evans. “Um, I accidentally spilled paint on myself in Art. What are you all talking about?”
“I was just passing by and saw Chloe in here by herself, so I was making sure everything was okay. Usually, the kids are practically one foot out the door before the last bell even rings.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. She’s my ride, and I just told her we would meet up in here,” Elle told him as he walked up toward them.
“How come you met up here and not in your Art class? The Art class is all the way at the front of the school by the outside door,” he asked curiously, but by his facial expression, it seemed like he already knew.
“I guess we didn’t think about it like that. I’ll see you in the morning, Mr. Evans. Come on, Chloe; I need to get ready for work.”
Feeling very uncomfortable with where this conversation was going, she gladly followed Elle out.