Annabeth's POV:

I sighed in exasperation at my friends, while we were seated around the small living-room table.

Elodie had just run away, looking troubled. She had now impacted literally everyone in the room, except for Sophie of course, she apparently really couldn't care less about her old bully.

I understood her hate toward Elodie, I really did, but I found it a little bit mean towards her since it was years ago. Though I wasn't the type to let go of things easily either, in the end.

I stared around me. All the room was panic, with Percy asking everyone if there would be a possibility in having blue Mallowmelt, Biana worried about Elodie telling everyone we were not human, Piper telling the teal-eyes girl it would be okay. And if that wasn't enough, Keefe was begging Sophie with his puppy eyes to go buy another Bat-Man shirt.

"Guys, stop." I told all of them, sick of their overreacting. My voice was firm, and I couldn't help but smile when everyone turned to me. "You're all way too stressed out, and most of you aren't even freaking out about the fact that Elodie just stormed out of here."

Sophie cleared her throat.

"Yeah, but don't worry, she's going to come back. Remember how I told you I reacted when Fitz told me I was an Elf? I needed air, and I ran away. It risked my life." Sophie explained, looking over to the door Elodie had just exited.

Her boyfriend tucked a loose strand of hair behind the blonde girl's ear.

Just a look at Piper and Biana, who were seated next to each other, I could tell they were both holding in a squeal. Okay, Sokeefe was cute, I'll give them that.

"Don't worry Annabeth, I was like that too. You don't have experience with this kind of stuff because it was so young when you took off, but most people are kind of shocked when someone goes to tell them 'Oh you see, your life is a lie, and you have to move away now! Also, people want to kill you and stuff!'" Percy told me, taking my hand, apparently oblivious to the fact Piper and Biana were about to explode into squeals.

I rolled my eyes, though the squeeze I gave his hand betrayed the happiness I felt right now, sitting next to my boyfriend.

Sophie's POV:

I swung Keefe's hand back and forth while he skipped over to the break area outside.

Our friend group had split up to find Elodie, in hopes of calming her down, but I didn't really want to meet up with her or anything. I knew I was being rough on her, but I just couldn't forget what she had done to me all that time.

FLASH B ACK

"Leave me alone Elodie!"

Those were the words that managed to escape my tight throat in a hoarse, desperate scream.

I was now crouched in front of the one and only Elodie, my wrists being held tightly by two of my bully's minions. If I told them they were squeezing on my hands too hard, which would probably leave bruises later, they would tell me I was a good for nothing crybaby, and I was just a little freak.

Which was probably true. Who would want a weirdo like me after all? Maybe Annabeth, but she had just run away a few days ago, leaving me to deal with my problems alone.

I sobbed, not knowing what Elodie would do to me. She would never do this while my best friend was here, with Annabeth's awesome kicking skills.

"Aw, is the little nerd crying?" Elodie asked tauntingly, fake-pouting. "If you want to get out of this without receiving so many kicks you'll die, you better let me win the next Spelling Bee, got that? I can't let my parents think I got beat by a little seven year-old. I'm one year older than you, so you better listen to me, got it?"

The last part had come out in a hiss, which made me cower even closer to the wall behind me.

Elodie's two friends holding me snickered at me, making me feel even more helpless. They sashayed away from me, making their way toward the exit of the dark alley. I dropped to the floor as I felt my throat tighten and more tears started to form in the corner of my eyes.

"I won't let you win." I told her, my hoarse voice barely above a whisper. Maybe I was hoping she wouldn't hear me.

Elodie's head snapped back at me.

"You WHAT?" she yelled, running over to me and snatching the front of my shirt to lift me up slightly. It didn't weigh much, but my neck still burned from the tight sensation of my collar pressing around it.

I took a deep, raspy breath.

"I won't let you win the Spelling Bee." I yelled at her, pressing my feet against the ground as I took her chubby hand off of my sweater.

Elodie rolled her sleeves up.

"You're gonna regret that. Hold her." she snarled, ordering her friends to take my scrawny arms.

I closed my eyes, preparing for the familiar pain I was about to experience. Though I wasn't ready for what hit me.

A blinding pain ran through my cheek, and I could see hints of red color my vision.

I felt yet another hit right in the chin, buckling all of my teeth.

"Please." I murmured, before doubling over in pain. Elodie had just kicked me in the stomach.

I gasped as anger filled my whole body, making my whole body shake. All the bundle of emotions I was feeling was impossible to sort through.

Without even thinking, my mind turned a dark red as I heard screaming. The arms holding my own slipped, and all I could feel was myself falling down. I didn't remember hitting the ground, all I felt was a blurred vision, and a sudden emptiness in my stomach.

My bruises ached as I felt consciousness slip away, but all I could feel was myself retreating to a safe darkness.

Keefe's POV

I was sitting on a bench with Foster's beautiful little head leaning on my shoulder.

I smiled down at her. I couldn't believe she had fallen asleep while we were waiting for class to start again.

I wished she wasn't so cute when she slept, with her blonde hair flowing onto my shoulder, and her head snuggling against me.

"Woah, easy Foster." I told her, right as her head snapped up from her position.

She frowned at me.

"How long have I been out for?" she asked me.

"Fifteen hours." I told her sadly.

Foster's shocked expression made me crack up.

"Nah, just a few minutes. But seriously Foster, I could even feel how tense you were in that dream of yours. Did something happen?" I asked, concerned.

She simply looked away, telling me she didn't want to talk about it.

Sophie's POV:

I turned back to Keefe.

"I have to go to the loo, I'll see you later." I told him, smiling.

He frowned at me.

"Don't you want me to go with you?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Keefe, if there's something you're not telling me..." I started.

His eyes widened when he realized how that sounded.

"You know what I mean, just waiting for you in front," he hissed, running a hand through his adorably dishevelled blond hair.

I simply smirked at him.

"You know Keefe, it's alright. I completely-"

Keefe apparently decided to play along, and clutched his chest in mock hurt.

"Foster! How dare you think I would ever hide things from you! You know my deepest darkest secrets, for your information!"

Several heads turned towards us, a few laughing their heads off.

"Keep it down, literally the whole school is going to hear you." I giggled at him, as if it would stop people from looking at us.

Keefe shrugged.

"I've always been the kind to like being the center of attention." he told me.

I rolled my eyes at him, though I was amused, and walked away to the restroom.

I didn't actually have to go, but I just wanted to go clear my head in the bathroom, where no one would be able to see me. Of course, Keefe's presence usually made things better, but I didn't want anyone else than him seeing me crying.

I opened a random stall, and walked inside.

Something was weird though, I felt like I was being observed. Somehow. I shrugged it off, and I sat on the toilet seat. Nowhere better than clearing your thoughts on a cold, white and closed toilet.

Suddenly, I heard a loud and sad sniff coming from next door. I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to hear what was happening.

"Of course you're human Elodie, everything's going to be alright. They're just lying to get revenge for what you did to Sophie." I heard them muttering to themselves furiously.

I sighed. Elodie -of all people- was there. And she wasn't doing very well apparently.

"Elodie, it's going to be alright." I reassured her, putting a hand onto the green wall that separated the both of us.

Elodie seemed to gasp, and almost falling to the floor.

Though it was exceptionally hard to try and comfort her after all she did to me, I tried my best to be as honest as possible.

"Elodie, come on. I'm getting out, and so are you." I told her as I walked out of the cabinet.

"What do you want? I thought you hated me." Elodie rubbed her eyes, walking to me.

I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't get me wrong, I kind of do. Who can blame me after what you did to me? But, I'm doing this as the person who's gone through the same situation as the one you are in right now." I started.

Elodie looked up at me with her big green eyes.

"How do you know what I'm going through?" she asked, her hoarse voice barely above a whisper.

I rolled my eyes at her.

"I was living with humans before. I was brought to the elvin world when I was twelve." I explained, my voice probably telling her it was obvious.

Elodie buried her head in her hands.

"But at least you knew who your dad was, mine couldn't even care enough to come and see me." she complained, pity in her voice.

I snorted.

"I only learned who my biological mom was a year ago. I don't even know who my real father is, and I'm actually happy about that, and my mother is a big jerk who talked to me without even saying anything." I told her.

I wasn't sure why I was confiding all this onto her, I hadn't even told Keefe that I found out Oralie was my biological mother, but I knew Elodie wouldn't tell.

Elodie frowned at me with her perfect eyebrows arching.

"Then you have it worse than me? I mean, with your heart stopping and stuff." she whispered shyly, biting her nails, making a crunching sound.

I laughed.

"Don't compare yourself to me, think of your situation. I know it's hard, but you'll find it really nice with the ones you belong with." I instructed.

She nodded absent-mindedly.

"Thanks Sophie, I'm really sorry for all the things I did to you by the way. I was just so jealous of you." she said hesitantly, looking down at her shoes.

"How could you be jealous of me?" I asked, giggling at the thought.

Seriously, I was literally the freak of everywhere I went. First in the Forbidden Cities, then in the Elvin world. Who would want to be me?

"Well, for one, you've got that amazing mind of yours. And, I have to admit, you're really pretty, even at that time you were good-looking. Plus, my parents always compared me to you, so it wasn't the best thing for my attitude." Elodie bent over the sink, and put some water onto her face.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"But you had so many friends, and you were the queen of the school." I pointed out.

Elodie looked up to my brown eyes.

"Sophie, behing you!" she screamed.

• • • • • • • •

A/N:

So sorry for the last update, I'm just super stressed about this presentation about Centaurs I have to do in Latin!

Any of you got some random pointers to make an amazing 8th grade presentation?

Anyway, have a great day/night!

~Ellie

Wordcount: 2220