Definitions of an Insult
I'm bored. So I wrote a oneshot about Cornelia and Elyon. I was really (to put it mildly) angry when I found out that Caleb and Elyon were going to be a couple. It's not that I don't like Elyon (okay… Maybe I dislike her a little), but she's already a freaking princess! She doesn't need Caleb! And while Cornelia and Peter are cute together, still…I just love Cornelia and Caleb.
With that being said, this isn't about Cornelia and Caleb's relationship. Cornelia finds out that Elyon and Caleb are interested in each other… and stuff happens. Kind of a study on their friendship. I felt like writing a really bitchy Cornelia so I made up a little back-story to her. And we even learn a little lesson! Yay!
I put in a quote from Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. Bitchy Cornelia reminded me of the character Sophie. (It's a really good book if you haven't read it)
Make sure you review! Enjoy!
"With Sophie, it was always all or nothing. You were either with her - or, more specifically, following her - or against her. There was no in between. So while being her friend was often hard, being on her bad side would be much, much, worse."
- Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
"Bitch!"
Cornelia never though she'd call her best friend such a hateful word. But she never thought she'd ever find Elyon and her recently ex-boyfriend, Caleb, making out in a broom closet, either.
Some things just change. Quickly. Very quickly.
She didn't wait for an explanation, simply because she didn't want to hear one. She couldn't hear one. She was too angry/sad/confused/hurt/all of the above. As she stormed away angrily, the slew of bitter, nasty phrases circled through her head. Things she used to call other girls behind their backs; words she and Elyon would whisper over late at night. Curses scrawled across bathroom stalls in pink marker, hate letters taped across lockers, and milkshakes dumped down shirt fronts. Punches thrown (off of school grounds, of course), hair pulling, kicking, screaming. But the words. It always came back to the words.
Of course it was the words. Most girls were babies when it came to violence. Roughing it up might break a nail. But they could whip up insults in a second and still look pretty the next day. Cornelia had once took pride in being the queen of emotional, physical, and verbal abuse in the social hierarchy at school. It was just who she was. People were always jealous of her. When the looks got annoying, she'd just open her mouth, and the next thing she knew a girl was in tears. It was simple. Easy. Amazing.
But the top got lonely. So she dragged Elyon along for the ride. Poor, sweet, Elyon. She'd never really done anything. She was just too innocent. Too vulnerable looking. Way too easy to control. Though they had a fairly normal friendship, Cornelia admitted that she'd use the girl for this weakness. Because lets face it: it's a lot easier to hurt people and not feel guilty about it when you have someone cheering you on. Elyon was that girl.
They'd have sleepovers and go to movies, but things were always different. Maybe someone looked at her current boyfriend the wrong way over the popcorn and soda, or maybe some chick who thought she was all that had the nerve to scuff her brand new shoes. Whatever the reason, their get-togethers would be interrupted at least once by a verbal throw down, maybe even a good punch here and there. Cornelia always came out on top, and Elyon was always there, quietly looking the other way, ready to forget everything or laugh about what an idiot that girl was, depending on the Queen Bee's mood. Sometimes Cornelia wondered why she even wanted to be her friend, but the reason was simple.
She was Elyon's free ride to popularity. By sticking around through all the guilt, she was automatically accepted as one of the "golden girls" of the school, let into all of the best parties and prime cafeteria spots without question. Other people's suffering was a small price to pay when you'd always be guaranteed a place in exchange.
And, of course, there was the fact that they cared about each other. That's what friends did. But Cornelia was always so sure all of the other reasons outweighed this fact. Why wouldn't they?
She used to do all of these things without a thought. So what changed? Why was she so nice now?
Well, W.I.T.C.H came along. Cornelia suddenly found herself having to bond with these girls who she never would've even looked at under normal circumstances. These weird, hyper, funny, dorky girls. Girls she found she actually liked. That she actually cared about, once she gave them a chance and stopped focusing on all of their negative points. Girls she shared magical powers with. How could she not like them?
So slowly, after realizing to see the good things in people, especially other girls, she learned to stop being so mean. To even compliment people. To be nice. Everyone appreciated the change, especially Elyon. They could be like real best friends now. No more punishing other girls for just existing, no more keeping track of who to hate and who was 'okay', the list constantly changing.
But then, of course, Elyon found Cedric. And it all went downhill. And Cornelia swore that she'd be kinder than ever, for Elyon, because she never really treated her right.
And now she was treating Elyon the same way she had always treated those girls. Poor, sweet Elyon. Innocent Elyon. Her best friend, Elyon.
Best friend. Cornelia had never known what the term truly meant until she became part of W.I.T.C.H. Elyon had never gotten a chance to see the way Cornelia treated her best friends. And it certainly wasn't making them stand by and helping her with her dirty work, crushing everyone in her path.
No. It wasn't that at all.
So with a heavy heart, Cornelia turned on her heel and began walking back down the hall.
I'm sorry I said that. I'm the… bitch.
I'm sorry. But he's my ex, Elyon. How could you?
We're best friends! Why'd you--
But no. None of those would work. They were all something the old Cornelia would say. Spitting the words out, pretending to mean it, always making it about her and how she felt. No one else ever mattered.
But they should've. All those girls should've mattered to her. Elyon mattered to her. So she wouldn't scream or slap or insult. She wouldn't make the blow up about herself, either.
But then what else would she do? She didn't know what else to do. This was new territory. Who knew being nice could be so hard?
She sighed to herself as Elyon came running down the hallway. She was just going to have to wing it.
"I'm so sorry, Cornelia! I know what Caleb meant to you and I never should've--"
"No, Elyon," she smiled, putting a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I called you that. I just… I wish you would've told me. Instead of showing me."
"I wanted to, really! It's just… I was afraid. Remember in eighth grade when Shannon kissed your boyfriend at that party and you broke her wrist?"
"You thought I would break your wrist?"
"No. I thought you'd go all Earth Guardian on my ass."
"Oh. Well… I'm okay with it. Now. Just next time you decide you like one of my boyfriends, tell me first."
"Okay, Cornelia. As long as you don't break my windows or dump a milkshake down my shirt."
"I won't. Friends always come first over guys, Elyon. Especially best friends. Don't you know that?"
That's it! I hope you liked it! :)
Did you learn your life lesson? You can tell me if you did in your review. If you want. I don't know.
