𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐄, 𝐈'𝐌 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐘, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐬

chapter | 13

False Confidence

Wilhelm contemplated hitting the 'call' button on Elodie's profile once more. The small block letters by her name read the number 14, and Wilhelm couldn't help but wonder if he was being paranoid, or overbearing. Then again, nobody had heard from Elodie in the passing hours since August had been carted away by the police, and Wilhelm was in a worried state.

He reluctantly placed his phone face down on the bed as Felice and Madison burst through the door. Simon was at their heels, which the Crown Prince had not been expecting; He had figured that Simon would want nothing to do with August's recent situation.

"She isn't picking up," Felice and Wilhelm informed the group simultaneously. Felice took a step back in confusion, her phone in hand, as Wilhelm bit his lip. "If she hasn't gone to find him, then we are going to be in for it. Do you think she's mad at us?"

"I think she's too mad at August to be mad at us," Madison replied.

As the three friends collapsed into conversation and slight argument about what they should do in order to find their missing friend, Simon hung back by the door. He retrieved his phone from his pocket and blocked out the commotion which was happening in front of him as he pulled up Snapchat. A few seconds later, and Elodie's Snapchat icon appeared on Simon's map; not to his surprise, she was at the local police station.

"Got her," Simon exclaimed, holding up his phone as Wilhelm, Felice and Madison turned to him with shocked expressions splashed across their faces. "She's at the station, which is probably where they're holding August right now".

"How did you do that?" Wilhelm questioned, as he pushed past the girls and gently took the phone from Simon's outstretched hand. Peering at the phone screen, Wilhelm narrowed his eyes as he fumbled around with the online map; Simon couldn't help but smile. "Alright, well, we shouldn't all hit the station. I need to talk to my parents, and someone should probably speak with the Headmistress..."

"I can do that," Felice offered, "Simon, if you would be alright, would you be able to head down to the station? Elodie is probably going to need someone after talking to August, and you guys are friends, right?"

"Yeah, we're friends. I can do that," Simon replied, as he looked to Wilhelm. He was worried about how his conversation with his parents would go, especially considering how they did nothing when the video was first released.

As the friends dispersed in all different directions, Simon couldn't help but acknowledge the growing anxiety which was building in his chest. While he knew Elodie's exact location, he knew nothing about August's situation; if the older boy was being carted off the prison, if he had protections inside the police force or higher up...if he was expected to walk free at the end of all of this.

Simon forced himself to remember that this wasn't about August, it was about Elodie, his friend. Elodie was the one who needed help, Elodie was the one he was meant to take care of here.

That was, if she let him.

____________

"And who are you to the detainee?" The officer on duty asked gruffly, not even giving Elodie the courtesy of looking up from his computer as he spoke.

Elodie fiddled with the gold wedding band which was on her ring finger anxiously. "Fiancée," She replied with false confidence. "We're engaged".

Now the guard looked up.

He eyed Elodie curiously, clearly looking her up and down, an action which caused Elodie a great sense of insecurity. She knew that the lie was far-fetched and would need work, but she didn't believe it was necessary for some old white guy to look her up and down in judgement. "You're a little young to be getting married, now aren't you?" He asked.

"You're a guy who works for a corrupted system which regularly breaks the law due to your bias against people apart from minority groups. You don't have any right to judge me or my life choices. Can I see my fiancé yet?"

Elodie could see the change in the guard's attitude as she spoke, but didn't care. Again, the lie was far-fetched, but she needed something that could work, and this was appearing to be it. After the guard typed up some more information into the computer, his colleague took Elodie around the back to where the interview rooms and holding cells were. Elodie couldn't lie to herself; she was thankful when she walked past the holding cells to not see August in one of them.

Soon enough, Elodie came to the interview room where August was being held. The guard had explained how he had been interviewed twice already, but how August wasn't saying a word. Elodie walked over the threshold with her confidence slowly draining out of her; August's face lit up as she entered the room.

The door closed firmly behind her.

"Elodie," August breathed, his relief emanating from his person. His hands were locked in handcuffs and forced on the table, but his stance was rather relaxed. His hair was a mess, probably from being manhandled into the car and then into this room. "They wouldn't let me call anyone, I tried to reach you I swear. I'm so sorry for everything that happened, you have to believe me".

All Elodie could do was stare. She had no idea what to say next. 

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(920 words)

me? updating one of my stories? unheard of