Wrong Side

"Phew! Here I am again!" Ella thought as she walked past the school gate, her heart racing. It was the first day of senior year, and she hoped things would be different for once.

But who was she kidding?

Ever since she had stepped into the school, she had been through hell. She was intelligent, which made her classmates hate her.

Worst of all, in her second year of junior class, she was asked by her teacher to punish her classmates for being the only person to get an answer correct.

Soon, the hatred developed in other classes, especially when she turned down Nancy's offer, the most beautiful and wealthiest girl in school, to join her clique.

Now, it seemed like the whole school hated her. There was always something not to like about her. Some days it was her hair, other days her dress.

Even her choice of food was once an issue.

Some teachers joined the queue, fearing she was smarter than them, and always asked the most logical questions.

Now she suspected the principal was in on it too.

"Ella!" Her best friend's voice rang out.

She halted as Emily raced towards her. Emily had been her only friend who stood by her right from day one. Although at some point, she suspected Emily was jealous of her.

"Hey! Today's gonna be the start of something new," Emily whispered and squeezed her friend's hand as they walked through the hallways.

"I hope so," Ella whispered back as she struggled to feel at ease. She stared at the faces of other students and wondered what they had in store for her today.

For once, she was surprised they weren't hissing or staring at her.

"Cupcakes?" Emily interrupted her thoughts.

"My mom made them last night, especially for you. Which do you want? Strawberry or chocolate?"

"Aww, please help me thank Mrs. Andrews. Don't worry, I'll stop by your place after school."

The bell rang, and they rushed to their lockers to pick up their books. Ella dropped her chocolate cupcakes in her locker and ran off for her first class as Emily went in the opposite direction.

She and Emily had classes together for the rest of the day except for this first one.

"Look who we have here!" Nancy announced as she and her two female friends cornered Emily.

"Remember our deal?" Nancy asked.

"Don't tell me you forgot?" she added in a sweet voice.

Emily wasn't used to this other side of Nancy. Nancy had always been a bitch right from the beginning. But if she held the key to Ella's peace of mind, Emily had no choice but to trust her this once.

"No, I didn't forget."

"Here!" She handed a pair of keys to her.

"You wait here!"

Nancy left. Emily wondered if she was doing the right thing. But Nancy returned in no time for her to change her mind.

"You're such a darling," Nancy commended, handing the keys back to her.

"Ella?" Emily called out to her friend as they strolled together to the cafe during lunchtime.

"Uhmm?" Ella replied as she munched her tasty cupcake.

"Your mom sure makes the best cupcakes," Ella commended.

"I'll tell her that."

"Have you noticed anything unusual today?" Emily stammered.

"Yeah," she replied absent-mindedly.

"Really?" Emily asked excitedly.

"Yeah, it's nothing serious. Just that people aren't staring and hissing today."

"I wonder what changed."

"Seems it's working," Emily thought to herself.

"What's working?" Ella asked.

"Oops!"

"Nothing, just some wish I made for you."

"You know you're the best thing that has ever happened to me, right?"

"Sure?" Emily asked playfully.

"Of course! Cross my heart."

"Ouch!" Ella suddenly grasped her stomach.

"Something wrong?" Emily asked.

"Nah! Nothing serious. Just feeling a little discomfort there....."

"Ouch!" Ella held onto her stomach, crouching down as she winced in pain.

"Ella, what's wrong with you?" Emily asked, almost in tears. Heads turned as people started coming closer to have a look.

By now, Ella was in tears and couldn't mumble a single word.

"Somebody please help out!" Emily cried out.

Luckily, someone was kind enough to alert the school's nurse. In a few moments, Ella was bundled into the school's clinic.

Emily was about to follow them when she spotted Nancy.

"Hey!" She screamed at her.

"What have you done?"

"No! I should be asking you that. What did you do to your friend?"

Word soon got out that Ella was poisoned.

"What are you talking about?"

"I gave you her key because I trusted you. You said you wanted to make it up to her for all the years you've trolled her and turned people against her by surprising her with gifts in her locker and an apology note since you couldn't face her. What did you do instead?"

"You gave her the cupcake, not me. Besides, do you have any evidence of giving her key to me?" Nancy asked.

"Oh my God, you're so wicked!" Emily cried out.

"Congratulations! You just succeeded in ruining your friendship because she'll never believe you." Nancy walked away with her friends, giggling.

"I'll make sure you pay for this!" Emily screamed after her.

"Too late," Nancy called back.

Throughout the rest of that week, Emily found it difficult to concentrate in classes. Ella was transferred that day to a hospital, and her mom was called to school by the principal.

She felt so ashamed to visit her friend in the hospital and face her, and she knew she'd hate her for this since she had no other friend but her.

Today was the last day of the week, and she made plans to visit her at home after she heard she was discharged.

She just wanted to sort this out so they could spend some time together during the weekend.

After school, Emily threw on a pair of jeans and a plain top. She'd told her mom all that happened, and she offered to come with her.

"You know I can get to see Miss Rachel as well. It's been a long while."

"Maybe another time, Mum. Please let me do this alone."

"It's okay, baby. Be careful."

"I will. Bye, Mum."

Ella's house was a three-minute drive from her house, but she decided to walk. She just needed to calm her nerves and clear her head.

Soon, she was at her front door.

She made a cross sign before knocking.

She was about to knock again when the door flung open, revealing Miss Rachel.

"Good day, Miss Rachel," Emily greeted.

"Hey, Emily! I haven't seen you in, like, a week. You never showed up to visit your friend at the hospital. That's bad of you. Or are you guys having issues?" Rachel asked.

"That's why I'm here, Ma'am," Emily answered, looking solemn.

"Ella, you have a visitor!" Rachel called out.

"Who's there, Mum?" Ella screamed back from her room.

"Come see for yourself."

"She'll be here shortly," Miss Rachel replied, leaving her outside.

This was all shades of weird for Emily.

On a normal day, she wouldn't have to knock. She would just turn the doorknob, walk in, wave at Miss Rachel if she was around, and then dash straight into Ella's room where they would spend the whole day watching movies, talking about boys, or doing homework.

And then there were these specially made pancakes that Miss Rachel loved serving whenever Emily came around.

Now she was beginning to understand the meaning of what Nancy had said.

It seemed she had used her own hands to destroy her friendship.

She felt her eyes sting, but she quickly wiped off every trace of tears when she heard footsteps behind the door.

A tired and pale-looking Ella stepped out, and Emily suddenly felt sorry for her.

Immediately, Ella spotted Emily, and she could swear she saw her countenance change.

"Hi," Emily started. This was so hard for her. Talking to her best friend was never this hard. Though they had some fights during the years, it never got to this extent.

"Hi," Ella replied after some minutes of what felt like her contemplating.

"Won't you invite me in?" Emily asked with a worried look on her face.

"I've never had to invite you in before, have I?" Ella replied plainly.

"Please, I've had a rough week. I took over your position with all those stares and gossip directed at me."

"Don't tell me you believe all that they are saying?" Emily cried.

"I haven't been in school for a week, so I don't know what people are saying," Ella replied coldly.

"Why are you sounding this way? I know you're angry at me for not coming to visit you at the hospital…"

"I never asked for any explanation," Ella cut her off.

"Or, is your conscience not clear?"

"Ella, please hear me out first before you judge me, okay?" Emily pleaded.

Emily's plea was met with silence.

"Can we just go in?"

"I was busy, Emily. There's nothing to talk about," Ella concluded and turned to walk away.

"Ella, I didn't poison you!" Emily screamed after her. This time she let the tears flow.

"Oh, wow! Now your conscience is eating you up!" Ella turned back, prepared to face her.

"Please, believe me!" Emily pleaded.

"You're the only one who has my key, Emily!"

"You're the one who gave me the cupcakes!" Ella screamed at the top of her voice.

"I've been your friend for years now, and you don't trust me?" Emily wept.

"No, I don't trust you! I don't even know who to trust anymore."

"I know you've been jealous of me. Just because you didn't get an offer from Nancy to join her, but I did."

Emily flinched at the mention of Nancy.

"Ella, I would never poison you. I can never do such a thing. You're like a sister to me."

"Well! I thought so too. But now I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Who knows? You might have been bribed," Ella concluded.

"You of all people know I'm not like that," Emily countered.

"Can you prove your innocence? Do you have any evidence?"

Emily suddenly remembered Nancy's words again. Truly, the entire story would make no sense to Ella right now.

"See?" Ella mocked.

"Are you coming back to school next week?" Emily asked, wiping her tears.

"After having close contact with death?"

"Hell no! I need some time alone," Emily replied.

"She's not coming again," Rachel's voice startled them both.

They both looked at her, shocked.

Ella was the first to speak.

"What do you mean, Mum?"

"Could it be what the principal must have said?" Ella thought aloud.

"What did the principal say, Mum?" Ella turned to Rachel.

"Ella, let's talk inside. I was looking for the right time to discuss it with you."

Rachel went inside, and Ella followed suit, jamming the door and leaving Emily outside, who then thought it was best to leave and let them have a moment.

"Mum, please say something," Ella pleaded with her Mum.

"We're moving," Rachel finally spoke.

"What?" Ella exclaimed in shock.

"Mum, I've lived here all my life. Please don't do this to me," Ella begged her Mum amidst tears.

"Mum, I could switch schools instead, please."

Rachel remained silent.

"Mum?" Ella called out to her.

"Ella, please listen to me. We just need to leave."

"I thought it would be better moving here in the first place, but it seems nothing changed," Rachel got up and paced the room.

"Mum, what are you talking about?"

"You won't understand, just do as I say," Rachel moved to cup Ella's face in her palms.

"Then make me understand!" Ella yelled.

"Young lady, keep your voice down."

"I'm very sure if Dad were here, he would have understood how I feel," Ella said, walking away.

"Are you saying I haven't been doing a good job raising you all these years?" Rachel asked tearfully.

This softened Ella, who stopped abruptly and turned back to meet her Mum.

"Mum, please, I didn't mean it that way," she tried to explain.

"Just that…"

"I don't even know what Dad looks like. You've refused to talk about him. You always avoid the topic each time I bring it up," Ella said, crying.

"Mum, is it that you never loved Dad? You don't even have any pictures of him."

Rachel moved forward and hugged Ella, and they both cried in each other's arms.

"Listen to me, Ella. You're special."

"There's something special about you," Rachel repeated.

"And it needs to manifest. Not here!"

"We need to go back home."

"And where's home, Mum?" Ella looked up at her Mum with those priceless eyes.

Those eyes.

Rachel was more than convinced she was doing the right thing.

Covington!"

Ella repeated as she scanned their neighborhood with disgust.

It looked a lot worse than their former neighborhood. It seemed more like a place where the less privileged lived.

Well, who said she wasn't less privileged now?

I mean, her mum had abandoned her well-paying job in a quest to move. All because of her!

Ella sighed as she stormed inside their two-room apartment.

"Mum? Is this where you call home?" Ella cried, only that there were no tears left again to cry.

"Gabriella, please don't start this again," Rachel replied quietly.

"I don't like it here! Things were supposed to get better, not worse."

"Go to bed. You have school tomorrow."

"Yeah right! School!" Ella muttered and rolled her eyes, going to bed grudgingly.

She woke up the next morning feeling scared and anxious.

The idea of school always sounded scary to her, especia