𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐄, 𝐈'𝐌 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐘, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐬

chapter | 16

Pity Party Club

"Is she in there?" Wilhelm asked, as he walked into the girls' bathroom to find Madison and Felice camped out in front of the only closed and locked bathroom stall in the whole room. Felice nodded, her face crestfallen, as she turned to check on the unopened, soundless stall.

Before anyone could say another thing, August burst into the bathroom, his course following Wilhelm's. The uproar was to be expected.

"She doesn't want to see you!"

"Get the fuck out"

"Traitorous son of a bitch!"

August couldn't bite back at any of his fellow peers, considering everything they were saying was true. Still, he wasn't going to leave until he at least had a chance at apologising to Elodie. "I get that none of you want me around, alright, loud and clear. Is she in this one?" He asked, bypassing Wilhelm and knocking gently on the closed bathroom stall door. "Elodie? Look, I don't know what happened but I'm here for whatever you need, alright? What can I do, how can I help?"

"Leave her alone, you don't even know why she's upset," Madi snapped protectively, as Wilhelm barged past his cousin and shoved him from the stall doorway. Glaring at the older boy, Wilhelm spoke softly, with sympathy melted into his voice.

"Ellie, I know you don't want to talk to anyone right now, so this is what we're going to do. One knock and August can say his piece and you guys have a moment or whatever. Two knocks means he needs to fuck off, and leave right now. Got it?"

Silence.

One knock.

Madi's eyes grew wide, and Felice waited expectantly for another knock. Wilhelm's face had been wiped of expression; he only wanted what was best for his friend.

Another knock.

August's face fell as Wilhelm looked triumphant. "I think she's made herself clear. Get lost," Wilhelm piped up. August looked as if he wanted to argue, wanted to stay, make his cases, but he gave in easily. Maybe he was starting to realise that far too much damage has been done for him to ever truly repair his relationships with the people he had hurt.

As August took his left with a look of guilt painted across his face, Wilhelm turned back to the girls; Felice was still sitting by the stall door, while Madi was pressed against the side wall, her face matching that of Felice's expression. "You two need to take off too. She doesn't want to talk to anyone right now, and us crowding her isn't going to help".

"What?" Madi exclaimed in shock, as Felice shook her head, appearing disapproving. "You can't just kick us out, Wille, we're here friends too. What, we have to leave but you just have the special privilege to stay? You might be a prince but that doesn't mean shit here. We're staying".

Felice's expression turned to a state of shock; apparently, neither her nor Wilhelm were expecting the outburst from Madi. Heaving a deep sigh, Madi looked between her two friends to see them both looking confused and shocked.

A small giggle sounded from the stall.

All three friends looked in surprise, but none said a word about it. "I'm sorry, that was wrong. I'm not mad at you guys, I'm mad at that asshole, and her mother, and basically like everyone bar you two and Elle". Madi pursed her lips. "I think I might just head out now".

"I'll come with you," Felice agreed, standing from her place on the floor. As she passed Wilhelm, she said in a low voice, "You make her any more sad and I'll smack you". Wilhelm chose to not answer.

Soon enough, everyone had cleared out of the bathroom, and Wilhelm settled himself where Felice had taken up residence a short while ago. He didn't say a word, just sat in silence for a couple moments before the stall door squeaked open.

Elodie's cheeks were tearstained, her eyes puffy and red from the tears which had escaped moments before. Her fingernails were picked right down to the wick, and her eyes couldn't stay still; a reflection of her mind, which refused to calm itself despite the silence.

"You don't have to be here, you know. It isn't the first time she's done this, I know how to take care of myself," Elodie said, hiccuping as she spoke. She refused to meet Wilhelm's eye.

"Well, you see, me leaving you here to dwell in your hallowing despair is strictly against the pity party club rules, so I guess you're stuck with me, Miss Ellie," Wilhelm replied lightly, "To be fair, there are worse people you could be stuck with. Really, I'm a catch!"

He managed to steal a smile from the saddened girl. "I thought you were out of the pity party club," She followed, "Given that you and Simon are all good now".

"I wouldn't say we're all good," Wille said, "But we are definitely on the right track to getting better". Elodie couldn't help but be proud of her friend; he was finally making headway with his problems, unlike her.

"Do you think I should forgive him?"

The question hadn't taken Wilhelm massively by surprise, but he was definitely not ready to answer her loaded question at that moment. He hated August for what he had done, hated him for what he had taken from Wilhelm and Simon. But he was also fighting his own demons.

"I'm biassed," Wilhelm replied honestly, "I...I don't know if I would ever forgive him. But it's different for you then it is for me. It wasn't always an asshole to you, he never had a different agenda when it came to you. He wants to be in it all, wants to be a part of the royal family, which is why he kept me and Erik close. But you...I think he fell in love with you".

Elodie sat back against the stall wall. She pursed her lips, her eyes angled to the ceiling. "Love is the biggest hoax in the world. It sucks, and I barely believe in it anymore. Well, besides you and Simon. If you two don't end up together and happy I will be burning down the palace myself". Wilhelm couldn't suppress his chuckle.

"I think we should ditch this place and go track down some ice cream".

Elodie couldn't agree more. As she navigated the school hallways to the courtyards with Wilhelm by herself, her mind was refreshed of past worries and current dilemmas. However, her mind wasn't just free, it was decided.

Elodie knew how she could fix it all, everything that had gone wrong since she had arrived on the steps of Hillerska at the beginning of term. How to get away from her mother, permanently, how to fix her relationship with August and how to stay close with Wilhelm, and Madi and Felice.

She finally knew how it was going to end. 

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(1150 words)

i actually updated!

last part out either tomorrow or day after. get ready, it's going to be explosive. 

comments and votes are appreciated! have a good day!