Chapter 10.
Brookelle.
They asked the headmaster if we could visit Bubbles at the hospital. He told us we couldn't unless it was a holiday, school rules. They asked if we could be told information about her state every now and again. How annoying. He said she was in a coma, and the doctors aren't sure she'll remember much when she wakes, but it could be recovered later. If she remembers I'll probably have to kill her again. Boomer's awake, and he has so many broken bones, he's in a cast from head to toe. What an idiot. The doctors estimated they would be back in a couple of months. At least they're out of my way for a while.
I listen for someone during lunch. There, I found him and that same girly voice. They're laughing. Shouldn't I be hurt by this? Feel it, feel the pain. Feel that heartbreak. Feel that betrayal.
"Feel nothing," I heard my mother's voice say. It was in m head.
I stood up, with my cane, and walk towards his voice. He was literally right next to me. "Boa?"
The chatter stops, but only for a moment before Boa said, "not now."
"What?" I spat, wanting him to change his answer, not believing what was coming out of his mouth.
"I said, not now."
I couldn't believe my ears, his tone with me too? "Pardon me? When have I ever come second to you?"
"I'm just in the middle of a conversation. I'll talk to you later, okay?" He told me, I doubt he even looked at me when he said it.
"What the fuck?" I muttered under my breath before turning to leave.
"That's your sister?" That girl voice that I recognized asked him.
"Yeah," I slowed my pace.
"She's so annoying."
"I know, that's why I tried to stay away from her these past few years. You should have seen her when she was younger, man, so fucking annoying and dramatic…" What? What just happened? "... she used to freak out if you put her in some small space..."
I rushed away before I could hear any more. I bumped into someone and they spilled their lunch all over the place, I think some even got on me.
"Watch where you're going! Are you blind?" The boy shouted.
"Yeah."
"Oh, look at that. It's Brookelle," he said, mockingly. What? Who is this?
"Who are you?"
"You mean you don't remember the kid who beat the fuck out of you?" Oh.
"No, I'm sorry. You have to be more specific. Were you the one who Bunny beat the shit out of after?" Instead of a reply, I got food dumped on my head and as an encore he poured a sticky drink on me.
Ew. This is revolting. I bet the whole cafeteria's watching now. This is so embarrassing. Why isn't anyone helping me? Where's Boa? Buttercup? Blossom? Bunny? Butch? Blake? Where are all the security guards? Laughter. I heard laughter. This sound was so loud it swallowed my thoughts.
I turned, and walked away as fast as I could, bumping into people. They shoved me away, "ew!"
I heard camera shutters and people saying, "this is fucking going on the internet."
"She deserved it." I wanted to feel that feeling when you're trying to hold back tears, or that aching feeling in your chest when you're sad, but all I could feel was embarrassment and the heat on my face. I ran into the wall and I couldn't find the door. I kept on feeling for a door. Where is it? Where is it?
"It's to your left, dumbass!" Someone yelled from across the cafeteria. The laughter grew. I should've been crying, I should've been angry, I should've felt something other than this stupid humiliation.
I finally found the door and opened it as fast as I could and zoomed out. I bumped into walls and tripped over things, but I didn't care, I just wanted to get away from that suffocating room. What the hell is on me? I put my hand on my head and wiped off as much of the food on my head as I could manage.
I arrived at the corridors and counted the doors I passed until I reached my dorm room. I burst into the room and went straight for the shower with my clothes on.
No. This can't be happening. Is this real? This isn't real. This isn't real. This isn't real. I repeated in my head until the water ran cold.
I got out of the shower and stripped my clothes off rinsing myself again and then going over to the sink. "This is real," I whispered slowly.
I collapsed on the cold tiled floor of the bathroom naked and I shoved myself against the wall. Recollecting the event. Oh god, that was embarrassing. The tears finally decided to show up and I cried. I covered my mouth to stifle the sound. Can anyone hear me? Aren't they all in class right now? I didn't want to take my chances. I sobbed into my hand.
After a long time of crying and just staying seated on the cold floor, shivering, I heard Bunny enter our room. I wrapped a towel around me and another on my hair. I opened the door and approached my closet, as if nothing happened. "Brookelle, where were you?"
"Weren't you at the cafeteria during lunch?" My voice croaked, I cleared my throat. Shit. She can't know I was crying. No one can. I swear she was there, though. I pulled out a set of clothes and slipped them on.
"Oh, yeah." So, she was there.
"Why didn't you help me?"
"I didn't think you'd be happy if I did, you usually don't like it when people help you," she mumbled.
"I don't like when people help me when I don't need help."
"Did you ask for help?"
"No."
"Did you need help?"
I contemplated my answers; yes, "no." I am not weak.
"Then why are you complaining?"
"I'm not complaining, I'm just asking," I retorted putting away both of my towels, letting my wet hair soak the back of my shirt.
"It sounds like you're complaining."
"Bunny?"
"Yeah?"
I was just checking it was you, "nothing."
"You're very conceited, selfish and stupid." Wait, what?
"What?" I asked.
"You're so selfish, you never think of anyone else's needs. You're so stupid with what you're saying, like, think before you speak. Use you're brain. And you think you're better than everyone else. It's just these things and being mean to your friends, your only friends, might I add, it's getting on everyone's nerve. You need to care a little more." She ranted. I didn't know what to say, "and now I guess you're quiet because you're mad and ignoring me." Where is this coming from? When have I ever ignored anyone? I'll admit I get irritated easily but I don't ignore people. That's childish.
"I'm not ignoring you, I just don't know what to say."
"Because I'm right?" She asked.
I don't know. Is she? "I guess."
"I guess?" She asked harshly.
"Yeah, you're right. I am conceited, selfish, stupid and I get mad easily," I accidentally made it sound sarcastic.
"Am I? Or are you just saying that because I'm making you?"
If I could, I would roll my eyes, "No, you're right. I'm a bad person."
"Brookelle, I'm being serious." I cringed at her speaking my name, especially my full name.
"So am I."
After a short break she said, "awh, Brookelle. Can we just hug it out and forget about this?" I stiffened once again from my name. Forget about this? What? I'm so confused.
She tried to hug me from behind, but I didn't hug her back. "No, you were kind of mean," I whispered. She let go of me.
"That's why I'm saying sorry and forget about it." You never said you were sorry.
"Uhm, no," I said in a low voice.
"Wow, you know what, whatever, bye." She slammed the door shut behind her.
I'm so confused.
Buttercup.
Flashback.
A few days ago.
"The only way to make Brookelle weak is to make her feel weak," Boa told us.
"What do you mean?" Bunny asked.
"I mean, you're making her powerful just by fearing her."
"What do you suggest we do?"
"Degrade her."
"Why are you helping us?" I asked.
"Because no matter how much I love her, I will always hate her and she deserves what's coming for her."
End of Flashback.
I asked about that girl Boa's always with, he told me it was "all part of the plan". Boa got some girl to be his in a few moments and made sure Brookelle would hear them when they spoke. He was able to get her to say things he wanted. That cafeteria incident was not planned, at least not by me. The look on Brookelle's face had never changed the entire time, I did see a slight blush, but that was it. I felt awful just watching and not doing anything. "We need to help her," Blake said, already standing up.
"No," I told him.
"But everyone's laughing at her."
"Just let her deal with this on her own." He sat back down and we watched her rushing through the crowd being pushed by other people. I shook my head and turned away. I couldn't watch anymore.
"It's to your left dumbass!" I heard the door open and close as the laughter grew.
"How pathetic."
I made eye contact with Boa. He had an evil smirk on his face and it gave me chills. "Should we have done something?" Butch asked. No one answered him.
I think we all felt guilty.
That is until we were all reminded of why we were doing this, why we hate her and what she's done to us. "She never did anything to us," Blake spoke for Butch and himself.
"She tried to kill Bubbles and hurt Boomer as well."
"But she didn't mean to hurt Boomer, Boomer just tried to save her."
"Where are you getting at?"
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that Butch and I don't exactly want to get into any of this, and I think you two should stop as well. She was just humiliated by the whole school, I think that's enough." Something clicked in me when he said that.
"Do you know what she's done to us?" Bunny snapped.
"Yeah, but I think you all are even now. Maybe you three need to just talk to one another," Blake reasoned.
"Talking to her is useless, when has she ever listened to anything we've said?" Bunny raised her voice. When did she start to hate Brookelle more than me?
"Maybe he's right, Bunny. I think today was enough," I told her, changing my perspective to a neutral one. Her head whipped to face me and I flinched from her sudden movement.
"Obviously, you're all on her side," she glared.
"Bunny, we're not on anyone's side."
"Whatever," with that, she grabbed her lunch, tossed it in the bin and left.
"Is this my fault?" I asked.
"What?"
"Did I just turn her against Brookelle?"
"No, you didn't. She must have just held all her anger inside and it's all coming out now," Butch comforted.
"She was probably the only one who really loved Brookelle and I just turned her against Brookelle," I muttered, shocked and disgusted with what I've done.
...
After classes ended, Bunny ran out of the classroom. "Is she okay?" Blossom asked me.
I turned to face her, "I'm not sure, she's really mad at me."
She put a comforting hand on my shoulder and smiled her amazing, rare smile. She's been so much happier lately. "Don't worry, I'm sure it'll pass."
"I'm not exactly worried for me, I'm worried for Brookelle." I muttered, but I don't think she heard me.
"Come on, let's go. I heard what happened in the cafeteria, I want to make sure Roo's okay," she took my hand and we walked to the corridors.
"You did?"
"Yeah, It's awful what those people did and they had the audacity to call her pathetic," she growled, "it's such a pity none of us were there to help her."
"How did you know we weren't there?"
She laughed, "don't tell me you guys were there and did nothing," she eyed me. When I didn't respond she stopped in her tracks, letting go of my hand.
"Were you there?" She whispered. I didn't answer, she already knew, "what the fuck?" Blossom' eyes darkened, I was immediately scared, she hardly says bad words and I've never seen her angry, she's always so calm, "Buttercup! How could you watch and do nothing?"
"I don't know, I feel awful for not doing anything."
"No wonder Bunny's mad at you."
I wanted to tell her she was there too, but I didn't, "I feel really bad about it," I told her looking down.
"You should, what the people did to her was terrible but how you just watched and did nothing was worse," she spat walking ahead of me.
"Blossom, I'm sorry," my voice cracked.
"Why are you apologizing to me? I wasn't the one who got humiliated," she growled, quickening her pace until we reached the dorm rooms.
Through the door, Blossom and I could hear Bunny and Brookelle. "Wow, you know what, whatever, bye," the door opened and slammed behind Bunny. "What are you doing here?" She grouched.
Blossom's face softened, but her voice was still stern and upset, "We came to check up on Brookelle, I heard what happened in the cafeteria. It was awful. I'm surprised-"
"Leave."
"What?"
"She doesn't need you, she just told me she hated all of us."
"Bunny," I started, "we heard you criticizing Brookelle in there."
"I only did that after she said those mean things about us."
"Are you serious?" Blossom asked, from the sound of her voice it sounded like she believed her and was actually really hurt by this.
"Yeah, she told me you were an ugly, bitchy, uptight nerd with no feelings and that no one likes you," Bunny told her.
Blossom looked at her shoes and kept shifting her weight, "well, I think I'm going to go, I'll meet you in our room," she told me.
Once the door to our room was shut, I whipped my head to Bunny, but she was already at the other end of the hall. "Bunny!" I called, rage was filling me up. I grabbed her arm and she shook me off her, "Bunny! What is your problem?" I shouted, as she kept on walking away. "Why would you lie to Blossom like that?"
She whirled around and I almost bumped into her, "what lie? I didn't lie to her."
I looked at her, "ugly… You said Brookelle said Blossom was ugly."
Her eyes widened and she muttered something under her breath, "so what? I don't know what Brookelle's definition of ugly is."
"We both heard what Brookelle had to say about Blossom," I told her referring to our eavesdropping on the Strice siblings. "I know Brookelle wouldn't say such a thing about Blossom, especially since it's not true," I defended.
"Do you live with her? No. I know her better than you."
"What's wrong with you? Why do you hate her so much? What did she do to you?"
"She's done plenty of things to me, I just never realised how manipulative she's been until you helped me realise it."
"What are you talking about?"
"She uses people. She makes people do things for her."
"She's fucking disabled, she needs people to do things for her because she fucking blind!" I yelled, frustrated with her.
"She can do things for herself! Do you know how well of an actress she is? She's pretended to be helpless this whole time!"
"So, she's a brilliant actress. That doesn't mean you have to hurt her and turn everyone against her!"
"She deserves what she's getting. She tried to kill Bubbles!" She yelled and her face morphed into one that was meant for people she loathed, "Or have you forgotten?" She asked through clenched teeth.
"Of course not!" I shouted back, then I lowered my voice, "but that's Bubbles' revenge, not ours. Brookelle tortured me and I felt like letting her get humiliated by the whole school was enough of a revenge for me. How much more do you want her to suffer?" I asked her, genuinely curious.
"I want her dead," she turned to walk away, my eyes widened and I quickly stopped her.
"You don't really mean that, do you Bunny?"
"Of course I do."
"What happened to the Bunny who would protect Brookelle from any harm? Who wouldn't let anyone near her because she was afraid they were going to hurt her? What happened to the girl who was so kind and caring? What happened to that girl who loved Brookelle?"
She looked at me with disgust, "she realized it wasn't love she felt towards Brookelle, but fear," and with that our conversation ended.
I made my way back to the corridors. There were two doors, either I could comfort Brookelle or Blossom. I knew there was only time for one of them tonight. I chose to go to my room, being the most convenient. Then, tomorrow I could go to Brookelle with Blossom.
Bunny.
Boa and I made a plan, since this little hate group for Brookelle had gone down to a party of two. We had two things planned for her currently. The first one is to ignore her. Easier said than done, because she is my roommate. The second would happen tonight, Boa just had to find someone willing to do it.
"Bunny?" Brookelle called. I didn't answer her. She slouched on her bed and sighed with her arms folded. "Bunny?" There was a silent pause, "Bunny, why are you so mad at me?" She waited for me to answer but I didn't. I stood up and she flinched, sitting up right, "where're you going?" I slammed the door shut behind me.
"Are you ready?" Boa asked as he stood in front of me, outside of our room.
"Yeah." I paused for a moment before asking, "is this wrong?"
He looked at me, and put both of his hands on my shoulders, "Bunny, listen, she's done so much worse than what we're doing. Just get the two away from here. There's already people at the party and a lot of people are going, so no one should come in."
I nodded, "who's doing it?"
"That guy, Lucas."
"He wants to help us?" I asked slightly surprised.
"He's never liked Brookelle, anyways." I nodded and knocked on Blossom's and Buttercup's door, "later," he was out of sight just before the door opened.
"Bunny," Buttercup growled.
"Buttercup, I'm sorry I snapped at you yesterday. It was wrong of me and I feel really bad for being so mean to you and Blossom," I glanced at Blossom when I said her name, "I'm so so sorry, and I just want to forget this all happened. Can you both forgive me?" I was genuinely apologizing because I did miss my friends.
Buttercup sighed and exchanged looks with Blossom, they shrugged, "I guess we're alright, then."
I smiled sweetly, "Great!" I hugged them both, "there's a party at one of the DA year 12's room. Do you guys want to go?"
"Uh, I'm not really feeling it," Blossom said. I frowned but smiled again.
"Oh, come on, it'll be fun. We haven't been to a party for a while," I tried to convince.
"You guys can go, but I kind of want to stay here."
"Are you still mad at me?"
"No."
"Then come on, we all need to get our minds off of all these things that have happened these past few months."
"I guess. Is Brookelle coming?" I glared at the name.
"No, she said she was really tired," I lied.
"That sucks, my drinking buddy's not going to be there," Blossom pouted.
"It's okay, we can still have fun just the three of us," I lightened the mood.
"It's not going to be the same walking in a party without all of us there," Buttercup muttered, glancing at the empty bed next to hers.
...
Buttercup was right. When we got there, it was like we weren't as godlike as we used to be. All of us together complimented one another, now, with only three of us, we were just a couple of pretty girls. We left after Blossom finally passed out on the floor and Buttercup was stumbling. It was 4AM, I think that was enough time. I lifted Blossom up and dragged her back to their room with the help of Buttercup. Buttercup tripped on her way inside and fell. She didn't get up, she passed out. I laid Blossom on her bed first and then did the same with Buttercup.
I closed the door to their room and listened for sounds in my room. I didn't hear anything so I opened the door, Brookelle laid in her bed, facing the wall, sleeping. Did he do it? I shrugged, maybe he chickened out. I plopped on my bed and fell fast asleep.
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as I stretched in my bed. I could hear the shower running. I went to my mirror and made myself look decent before leaving for breakfast. I met up with Blossom, Buttercup, Butch and Blake. "Hey," I said before sitting down.
"Where's Roo?" That's the first thing that came out of their mouth? That's their first thought when they see me? Is that all I am? A part of Brookelle? An accessory?
"She was showering so I went ahead." We waited for Brookelle to arrive, but she never came. Maybe I should've waited for her. "I'm going to go get her," I told them, curious to what she was doing.
They nodded, "I'll come with you."
"Same." Blossom and Buttercup crumpled their things and threw it in the bin, following close behind me.
We arrived at the room and the water in the shower was still running. "Wasn't she showering when you left."
"She was," I said slowly, as I suspiciously walked towards the door. I knocked on it, "Roo?" There wasn't an answer. My mind was thinking the worst things. "Roo?" I called again, slamming my fist on the door, shaking the piece of wood that blocked me from getting to her. "Brookelle!" I yelled this time as I tried to unlock the door.
"Move," Buttercup commanded. I listened and Buttercup kicked the door opened, chipping part of the wall with it.
Brookelle was sitting on the shower floor, her back against the shower wall. The water tapped on her bare skin, and I'm sure the water was freezing after this long of being in there, I could see her Goosebumps. Her head was tilted to the side and resting on the wall, her legs were relaxingly bent in front of her and her arms were resting on her side. Her hair was long enough to cover her breasts and the position she sat in managed to cover her lower area. Her eyes were opened, staring blankly straight ahead of her. There was this faint pink colour that mixed with the clear water. It was coming from her arm, both of her arms. She had a tiny, silver, sharp object in her hand.
Blossom was the first to advance towards her. "Brookelle!" She yelled shaking her limp body. She looked for a pulse, "she's alive." Buttercup took two small towels and wrapped it around both of her arms and then wrapped a large towel around Brookelle's body. I couldn't move. My body wouldn't move.
I did this to her.
"Bunny! Help us!" Buttercup yelled, snapping me out of my trance. I helped Buttercup lift Brookelle off the floor and she took the rest of her weight once Buttercup was standing; she was the strongest. We ran while Buttercup carried her like a baby. Blossom and I opened the doors for Buttercup to go through and pushed anyone who was in our way. I looked back at Brookelle. The blood was already going through the wrapped towel on her arms. Brookelle's head was limp and dangling on her body and her white hair was still wet and made a trail behind her.
We eventually arrived at the nurses' office, dragging the attention of so many people as we passed by them. Buttercup set Brookelle down on one of the beds and Blossom explained to the nurses what happened. They unwrapped the towel of both her arms and it looked worse than before. There was blood all over her arms and the cut looked like it was starting to become infected. The cuts were so long and deep; they both started from her wrist and ended half way to her elbow, traveling diagonally.
My emotions were starting to finally catch up to me and I burst into tears as Blossom, Buttercup and I were pushed out of the office. "This is all my fault!" I cried. Blossom had tears streaming down her face as she hugged me. Buttercup just stared at me with squinted eyes, tears threatening to escape the green-eyed girl.
"What did you do?" Buttercup asked through clenched teeth. I ferociously shook my head. "What did you do?" Buttercup asked. She ripped me away from Blossom's embrace and slammed me against the wall. She held me by the collar. "Tell me what you did!" Buttercup demanded, a tear escaping her. She tightened her grip and it only made me sob harder.
"Buttercup," Blossom said, trying to calm her down.
"What's going on?" Boa asked making his way past people. Buttercup threw me on the ground like a ragged doll and whirled around to face him.
"You did this to her! You wanted this!" Buttercup punched Boa on the jaw. "You did this to her!" She turned to me, "Both of you!" I didn't realize there was a crowd until they started murmuring.
A nurse walked outside of the room and it became hushed. The nurse flinched from the amount of people that surrounded the door. "Who brought her here?" Blossom, Buttercup and I raised our hands. "Okay, come in. The rest of you should leave."
Buttercup went in first and then Blossom. As I was about to pass through the threshold, Blossom stopped me. "I don't think you should come inside."
I furrowed my eyebrows, "but she's my friend too."
She looked at me, "I don't think so." Those words were like a jab to the heart, I took a few steps back before Blossom closed the door.