Elsa stared at the pattern on the carpet, she sniffed at the blood that was oozing out of her nose. A tiny woman with brown hair and a skinny face handed her a rag- the blood was going through way too many Kleenex.
"Thank you," She squeaked through a swollen throat.
"You welcome dear." The woman smiled kindly and left, leaving Elsa to cringe in the large chair. She stared up at the principal's door- knowing that Hans and Marco were inside. She looked over at Pitch and Wesely who were staring at her. Wesely's glasses had broken when Elsa threw him and Pitch's face was purple with a black eye- one of his back teeth had fallen out.
Elsa would like to think that she had gotten the bloody nose from the fight- but she hadn't. She was dashing through the hall with Marco when Anna had stopped her. Elsa thought back to the recent occurrence.
Anna had stopped her, looking at her with huge- angry eyes.
"Why Elsa? Why didn't you tell me?" Anna had said through gritted teeth.
"Because I love you Anna, you couldn't know because-" Elsa had stopped, if she continued her nightmare would play out the way she would have thought.
"Because of what Elsa? What did this to you? What happened to you- Elsa you were so happy, we were so happy what went wrong?" Anna had begged for an answer through tears. Elsa's lungs stopped working- her nightmare was becoming reality.
"I... I can't tell you." Elsa spoke through tears. Anna had glared at her- the pain of three years boiling down on Elsa. And then Anna had slapped her- hard- across the face. Hard enough to bloody Elsa's nose and leave nail marks on her cheek.
Elsa shook her head and grabbed at her temple with her free hand, the other still holding the rag to her nose. She knew that she deserved it- Anna had very right in the world to hate Elsa. Elsa was going to be sick- her little sister that she loved more then life itself was probably back at her apartment by now- writhing in hatred.
"What are you thinking so hard about manic-depressive?" Pitch's voice waking her up from her day dream. Well wouldn't you like to know? Elsa looked away from him, Pitch smirked- sending his amber eyes ablaze.
"Yeah- what you thinking about white-out?" Wesely chimed in, his voice cracking from a be-lated puberty. Pitch rolled his eyes- suddenly becoming hostile with the boy.
"Fuck Weasel boy cant you shut your fucking mouth?" Pitch spat at the boy with broken glasses- Wesely cringed and backed away- still staring at the shadowy boy with rage.
"Go fuck yourself Walking-dead!" Wesely spat back at him- at this the Secretary at the office was on her feet- yelling at Pitch and Wesely for the third time in the last 20 minutes.
The door to the principal's office opened- Hans walked out- his eye swollen and his lip bleeding, Elsa hoped that his jaw hurt. She never once looked at him, the anger boiling at her top. Jack followed- limping from the ribs that were more the likely broken- but he insisted that they were just bruised. Then Marco came- he of all of them was in the worst shape. His face was covered in bruises, one of them were Hans had kicked him hard enough to split open his skin and break his nose. His ribs were defiantly bruised from the kicking and his knuckles were bright red.
Elsa looked up at him- sadness and guilt curled her skin. Marco leaned down to whisper at her.
"I will see you in an hour okay?" Marco's words where gentle yet exhausted. Elsa nodded and Marco placed a quick- barely noticeable - kiss on her forehead before leaving the office after Hans, followed by Jack who looked back at Elsa and gave a thumbs up. Elsa laughed at him under her breath- shaking her head and flashing a 'thumbs- up' back at him.
.:*:.
Elsa sat back in the chair- her nose had stopped bleeding but it was swollen and the nail marks stained her skin. She looked up at the principal- he was a younger man and was obviously exhausted.
"So- Elsa Aren, your a junior correct?" Elsa nodded - gripping at her sleeves. "So, I've been told that Marco De'James made the first altercation- followed by an altercation by Jack Frost and Blake Pitch." Elsa nodded again- her silence obviously a new to the principal- he stared at her for a moment.
"Elsa how long has the bullying went on?" The principals words were new. Since when did it matter?
Elsa shrugged- she had spoken to the Principal a handful of times before everything with Hans happened- once to ask permission for the cheerleading to ride in the same bus as the football players, and another to help him prepare for a beginning of the year rally the cheerleaders were in. Elsa shivered at how long ago that felt- her nails dug into her own skin at the craving for that feeling again.
"I see that you're an excellent student, teachers say that your always acing the tests and never have had a grade below a B." The man looked up at her again. "You've had one fight before if I remember correctly?" Elsa nodded- sophomore year she had a pretty good brawl with Courtney. "And I have many witnesses telling me you have scars on your arms- that I should get you to a counselor?" Elsa bit her lip, she shook her head.
"N-No, I don't know what you are talking about." Elsa stammered nervously- only causing the principal to raise an eyebrow and stare at her worriedly. He really was a good guy, he had this thing with the kids she'd never seen in a teacher- she used to be one of the girls who would have traded him in for her father.
Elsa shivered at her own nerve consuming irony.
"Let me see them then," The principal propped his elbows on the desk- holding his hands out and Elsa stared at him- she shakily brought her sleeves out to his hands. "Sleeves." the principal speculated. Elsa gulped- stammered and took her hands away- pulling the blue fabric of the long sleeves up to her elbows and setting them back in the principal's grip. She stared at her horrific scars, the dark purple lines that dominated her paper-white skin.
The lines created ladders that she had wanted to climb up and out of- out of this hole of depression, away from the world of liars and rapists.
.:*:.
Elsa looked out of the office- staring at the abyss that lead from the principal to her car. Alone. She looked around nervously- Maybe Hans went home? She prayed to everything that she knew that Hans had gone home. Elsa took a deep breath- staring at the floor and back out into the hallway. Carefully she took the first step- looking only once back at the administrators and then taking off. She was short- not really short- but short enough that if she ran through the halls nobody would care. It was easily 8 o'clock and everyone had left.
Almost everyone. Elsa's thought only sparked her running. Then- her world came to a spiraling stop, she looked up- right into the ginger hair and the dark endless eyes. She looked straight up into the pale skin- bruised from a recent fight and a white smirk covered in evil.
"Elsa... its been awhile since you've found yourself like this hasn't it?" Hans stepped forward- Elsa moved back, keeping the distance between them as long as she could. "And I see it seems you have almost forgotten about me..." Hans chuckled and shook his head- a notion that sent cold stroke fears up her spine. "Stupid slut don't you see that I am the only one for you?"
Elsa still backed away- she knew if she turned to run Hans had a better chance of catching her from behind, if she screamed there was a good chance he'd kill her. She stared at anything except for him- searching for a weapon, a defense mechanism- anything. Despite her pleads with the universe, there was nothing.
Hans closed in on her- coming close enough to touch her if he wanted to. She tried her hardest to steady herself, but fear had dominated her skin again, the fearlessness she had felt before was now gone, devoured by Hans's presence.
"Hans... please, stop this." Elsa knew her pleads would remain unheard but she let the trembling words slip out her breath. She tried containing the tears but her skin was crawling and her head was pounding. Hans closed the gap between them, taking her jawline in his hand, sending her skin ablaze with the toxic. Hans turned her shoulder- slowly he was pressing her to the wall. Her heart sped up- and Hans's hand found its way into the hook of her jeans. He started sliding a hand down, and a spark in Elsa had finally had enough.
"Get off of me!" Elsa pushed at his shoulders- lashing out with her arms again- landing a blow on his cheek and turning to come out of his cage he had locked her in. "GET OFF OF ME!" Elsa yelled and she could see the anger searing through Hans's eyes. She knew he was worried about people hearing her- and that gave her the only clue she needed. His hand under her jeans forced itself inside of her roughly.
"Shut the fuck up you little whore!" Hans half-whispered half-yelled in her ear.
"NO! GET OFF OF ME!" Elsa lashed out again, Hans's free hand held both of hers above her head but she still struggled, finally she sucked in for air and let out a scream. Hans stared at her- frozen in what seemed like terror.
"You little-" He couldn't finish- he heard the administrators coming down the other hallway. "This isn't over." Hans glared at her and dropped her hands- sprinting away fast enough so that they didn't see him.
Elsa was shaking uncontrollably, her knees gave out on her- the tears streamed off her face in a hurry and she found herself kneeling on the floor while a bunch of staff teachers began to come ask her what the ruckus was about. Elsa held back the sobs- shaking her head and refusing to answer, while the principal came to help her to her feet- she didn't have the strength to walk to her own car. She was guided back to the office- begging Marco over the phone to come and get her.
She couldn't bear another lonely trip through the halls of Fallen High School.
.:*:.
"Just tell me what happened Elsa," Marco spoke from the driver's seat. Elsa gulped- her gaze fixed on the window of the motionless car. She stared at her apartment building as if it was a safehaven, trampled on by the presence of her sister- who needed to know everything. Elsa bit her lip, how could she ever tell Marco? She moved her legs- bringing them close together. She sat up straighter and looked over at the emerald force that stared back at her. The tears began clouding in her eyes again- and she lost her voice within them.
"Elsa..." Marco set a hand on her shoulder, the truck's three front seats merged into one and he brought her close to him. She stuffed her face in his shoulder- inhaling the scent that calmed her nerves. "Just tell me, you can tell me anything you know that right?" Elsa nodded into his shoulder- and responded with body-rocking sobs. She was stuck on the fence- jump into Marco's arms and feel the wrath of Hans destroy her, or sink back into the utter deception she had lived for three years.
"Hans." Elsa's mouth moved without her consent- his name was bitter on her lips- stung her throat but slip between her teeth before she could swallow. Marco gripped her tighter- her sobs drowning out the pounding thoughts in her head. Marco caressed her protectively- she looked up to see tears fall from his eyes too- tears of anger, tears of sadness.
"He'll never do it again I promise Elsa." Marco pulled her closer to him- his arms wrapping her like a blanket. "I'm here now, I'm not going to leave you. Ever."
Elsa cried harder then she ever had before- clinging to Marco, knowing that her nightmare just might be over now.
.:*:.
Elsa and Marco walked through the hall hand-in-hand, stopping at her gym class she was way late for. After a night spent sleeping in Marco's truck Elsa's back was stiff but her heart was at full capacity. He kissed her forehead.
"I love you Frostbite." Marco smiled against her skin.
"Love you more." She smiled back and disappeared into the girl's locker room. The room was barren- void of all life. She walked through the rows of lockers, finding hers and touching its surface with familiarity. A noise came from the back of the room and Elsa turned stiffly- pressing herself against the locker in terror as she watched Hans walk out of the shadows. Her heart quickened- a million miles a minute, a thousand bets per second- her hands trembled.
"Hans- what are you doing in here?" Elsa' words shook in the air around them, but she didn't need an answer.
Hans took her hand like he had so many times before. "Oh Elsa, why don't you come with me?" His words sent memory rushing through her veins, and she suddenly turned submissive again- beaten, betrayed, alone. He dragged her into the bathroom that lead off the locker rooms and proceeded with mocking her.
"You made a mistake, stupid girl." Hans snatched her face in his hand and she pulled away with anger. "Now you've become a fighter haven't you Elsa?" Hans glared at her- picking her up by her shoulders and forcing her against the wall- her head hit with a sickening crack. She felt the blood rush through her ears, a droplet finding its way up her throat. She choked on the blood, gasping and coughing,eventually stabilizing herself. The ringing in her ears deafened her. Suddenly there was pounding at the door.
"Who's in there? Are you okay?" The voice was worried, a female's voice. She wanted to scream for help- but her fear clotted nerves sealed her mouth shut.
"Shh.." Hans whispered in her ear- His face staring hers down. He ripped at Elsa's pants which found there way to the floor- Hans found his way inside of her and proceeded with what Elsa had memorized- the painful aginy of trying to disconnect herself from reality sunk in. She opened her mouth- the blood dripping from her lips. She tried to speak.
"Help.. me" The words were so quiet she doubted the air around her had even moved, but Hans was furious- grabbing her by her hair and throwing her head into the wall again. Elsa tried to scream but her throat was constricted.
"If you don't tell me what is going on right now I'm going to go and get the staff." The girl was wiggling the knob with frustration. Hans forced into Elsa painfully- her body rejecting Hans's erection. Elsa' heart stopped working- jumbling her thoughts with madness and depression.
"Now, tell her that your just fine..." Hans barked into her ear quietly. Elsa found her voice again- about to comply with his demands, fearing what the boy could do to her. But she was distracted by the mirror- she stared at it with dismay. Who is that girl? Suddenly unable to recognize the broken face- the face of pure agony. She looked into broken blue eyes- filled with tears. Is that me?
She looked at Hans, the man she hated and loathed- stared at the knob again. Her head swirled with anticipation.
No. No more.
"GOD- JUST HELP ME!" Elsa screamed at the girl- who began to frantically try to pry the door open.
"Fucking whore-" Hans ripped Elsa off the wall and held a hand around the back of her neck- turning her around- facing the mirror. He grabbed her hair from behind- forcing her ribs into the counter and her breath to stop. His elbow dug into her back- causing her to arch and her ribs to become crushed in the counter. With her last droplet of breath she screamed- hearing multiple pairs of people forcing the door open- Hans's switchblade was at her neck.
"Shut the fuck up! Take it back Elsa- take it back now or you're dead." Hans glared at her and Elsa stared at the mirror that was inches away from her view. She stared at the ghostly white face.
"I'm already dead!" Elsa yelled with a cry of pain. Elsa glared back at him- and seven girls poured into the room- gasping and yelling at the sight- pulling Hans away from Elsa who cowered and fell to the floor.
"I'm already dead..." She whispered as the world around her fell to the floor.