WARNING UPSET CHAPTER!


Chapter Four

Breaking Point

After the argument, things went from bad to worst for the room-mates. Ethel was refusing to talk to Mildred and was blanking her, pretending she didn't exist. This bothered Mildred, she hated the girl when she acted mean to everyone but at the same time it was better than being ignored. Mildred knew she shouldn't have mentioned anything, it only made Ethel mad.

Mildred was coming back from an awful detention with HB which she had received after making the wrong potion. The woman had made her move slimey fresh ingredients into jars, without magic and Mildred had hated every second, all she wanted was to go and flop on her bed. She entered her bedroom and found Ethel sitting on her own bed. Mildred said nothing, only sat down to relax when she heard something.

"Yo tengo una hermana mayor y una hermana menor" the voice said

Ethel was on her maglet and was clearly watching something, but it was not the sound that made Mildred curious, it was the language, it most definitely was not English, and Mildred did not know very much about languages but to her it sounded Spanish. Ethel was engrossed in the app and did not notice Mildred until she spoke.

"Ethel?" Mildred said curiously. Ethel looked at her before turning the volume down on the side of her maglet, not wanting to fight again because it was irriating.

"Sorry, Sybil borrows my headphones and lost them again, well actually she didn't really lose them HB confiscated them" Ethel replied. Mildred remembered the time HB had vanished her mobile, she knew the feeling.

"It's okay I was just curious, that sounds Spanish" Mildred said looking more curious.

"It is" Ethel said nodding her head. "I am learning it" Ethel told Mildred. Mildred had not known Ethel was interested in languages, so she replied.

"I have never learned a language before, my school didn't teach any in primary school" Mildred replied, glad the girl seemed to be in a good mood.

"It is one of my favourite things to do, I taught myself French and German, and next on my list was Spanish, I also want to learn Japanese, but that takes much more time" Ethel replied. Mildred only starred at the girl amazed. She had never heard the girl speak another language, then again she had never had a need too in school.

"Oh...does your sisters speak any?" Mildred asked more curious now

"Esmie learned German too, but she said it was stressful so she is planning on not learning more for a while, Sybil learned for a while but got bored so stopped" Ethel replied, knowing she was the only one who actually really enjoyed learning the languages.

"I think I would be the same, I don't have the patience for it" Mildred admitted knowing she would only get distracted, she couldn't even read for long without getting bored.

"It is not for everyone, I know I probably won't even have a need to use them but I just enjoy it" Ethel shrugged. Mildred found it fascinating, Ethel being able to speak all these languages and through self-taught but she didn't say much because Maud and Enid walked in then, and they weren't interested.

Ethel was curious herself. Mildred was the first person who had showed any interest in her language learning, she didn't know why but it made her feel good, she was still fuming mad with the girl but she was grateful for Mildred's fascination.

Even so, Ethel did not consider Mildred a friend, she would never consider the girl a friend, she was annoying and clumsy and knew nothing about witchcraft, she was perfectly fine not having Mildred as a friend.


Ethel put her maglet down and stood up checking her watch, she had an hour. Tonight was going to be a Parents showroom, it was only a few weeks into the year but it had to be cancelled after everything last year. The girl felt her stomach hurt. Deep down, she knew the chances of her mother turning up were as about as likely as Miss Cackle standing on the table and singing and dancing, but at the same time she held on to that hope, she had to hope.

She went down excitedly to showcase her work. Her sisters were there too, as it was an event for all years. Ethel was surprised when she saw their mother, but by the end she wished she hadn't of come.

"This work is fantastic Esmie, I still said you should of skipped this year and gone straight to college" Ursulla told her eldest, not hugging her daughter because she wasn't the type to do that but she smiled at her.

"Sybil you have improved so much well done" Ursulla told her youngest before she got to Ethel's.

"You have a lot of improvement to do Ethel, look at the quality of Esmereda's work compared to yours, it is not even a comparison" Ursulla said harshly to Ethel. Ethel said nothing, only waited for the right moment and then sneaked out of the room, feeling the tears burning at the back of her eyes. She climbed the stairs, going into the empty corridor.

She flew into her empty bedroom and completely lost it. She picked up her notebooks, filled with years of her had work and ripped the pages out, into two pieces, three, four, ten. What was the point? She could work and work but she wouldn't get anywhere, no-one would let her achieve her dreams and she was sick of trying for no reason.

For the first time in her life, Ethel looked out the window and considered jumping. Despite everything she had never felt suicidal, she had self-harmed, but she had not wanted to die, but right now it was something she was considering. She hated her life, she hated the pain and the disappointment, she just wanted to be happy, she just wanted her mother to love her, she just wanted to be free from the constant torture.


She suddenly felt someone's arms grab her around the waist. In her awful state she had half climbed onto the window ledge, but someone was pulling her back, she fussed, not wanting help, she wanted them to leave her alone.

"NO GO AWAY" Ethel shouted as she was pulled into the bedroom and the window was slammed shut.

Ethel expected to see Esmerelda, or Sybil but Mildred was not someone she expected to see. The blonde glared at her annoyed.

"I didn't want help!" the girl yelled angrily towards the girl.

"Ethel..." Mildred said horrified by what she had found the girl doing.

"Why do you always have to butt in? I didn't want help, just leave me alone!" Ethel shouted going out and slamming the door. Mildred cried softly wondering if it was safe to leave her alone,

"You seen Ethel?" Esmerelda suddenly asked popping her head around the door. Mildred shook her head and wiped her eyes, unable to bring herself to tell the other sisters the truth.

"Mum was really mean, I hope she is okay" Sybil said and Mildred bit her lip thinking it made more sense now. Ethel had finally being pushed way to far.

"Why you crying?" Esmerelda asked convened.

"Just miss my mum" Mildred replied hoping the girls bought the lie. They did, they nodded, offering kind words, Mildred wanted to throw up. If she hadn't of walked in….She didn't know much about their homelife but she knew it was awful for Ethel, for the first time Mildred was glad they were sharing a room, so she could keep an eye on her.