{1.06 | Mombie Dearest | part 2}
"You helped Penelope trap us?"
Elara shook her head at Hope's question, leaning back against the pommel horse. Her ponytail had been taken out, and her gentle curls fell around her face. Hope leaned against the other side of the object, the back of her shoulder brushing Elara's.
They spoke quietly, wanting to keep the conversation somewhat private. "I helped Penelope distract Rafael, which is all I was supposed to do. I didn't know she was going to put a barrier spell on the gym-- especially with me in it."
She felt Hope turn her head towards her. "Why?"
Elara opened her mouth to answer, but she stopped herself when she noticed the other werewolf facing them from the center of the gym. "Tell you later, Prince Charming's coming."
Rafael approached the two, hands on his hips. "So, you can slay a dragon, but you can't get us out of here."
"Only Penelope can undo the spell," Hope explained. She pushed herself off of the horse, turning to face Rafael and Elara. "Or the twins could siphon the magic."
"Sounds great! Except we can't contact them," Elara pointed out, leaning her side against the equipment. "They're at the party already."
"And Lizzie probably thinks I'm standing her up right now," Rafael added.
Hope leaned forward ever so slightly, whispering. "Her ego could use a little bit of deflating."
Elara silently agreed, shrugging her shoulders.
But Rafael verbally disagreed. "I'm not that guy, okay? I don't just forget about people."
"Relax. It's only been 12 hours," Hope pointed out. Landon hadn't been gone that long--
"It's not that!" Rafael exclaimed. "Look, it has only been six weeks since..." he trailed off.
Elara's expression hardened as she made the connection. Although Hope had seen her cry (twice), Rafael didn't need to see her vulnerability.
"Your girlfriend died," Hope finished for him. "Cassie."
The blonde lowered her head, watching the floor. The subject of how Rafael had triggered his curse had only been mentioned once between them. It was a sensitive topic for the both of them, but Elara had offered a little advice in accepting it. She hadn't been keen on explaining how she did. Rafael didn't push her to tell.
"It's crazy, but I feel like..." Rafael took a deep breath, walking closer to the girls. Hope stepped around the horse, planting herself next to Elara. "Like I cheated on her, or something. So, if I can do right by Lizzie, maybe that can..."
"Fix what happened in the past?" Elara guessed, lifting her head. "It can't, Raf. What happened was awful and terrible and life changing, but your actions today can't change what happened or how you feel about it. Lizzie is not Cassie. You can't make yourself like her because you think it'll make you feel better. In fact, if you force it, it'll probably make things worse."
Elara wasn't patient, and that showed whenever she gave advice. Rafael scoffed softly.
"Like you aren't doing the same? Acting violent in order to make up for what you did. Or didn't do."
He didn't know. He couldn't have. Only three people knew how Elara triggered her curse, including herself, but Elara knew there were rumors.
Elara shoved herself off of the pommel horse, narrowing her eyes up at Rafael.
Hope interjected, placing an arm between the two, "this isn't about her, Raf." Size-wise, they were bigger than her, but Hope knew she could take both of them down if needed. While Hope gently placed her arm against Elara, the blonde didn't push back. She let Hope create some space. "It's right to mourn your girlfriend, and she's right. You can't pretend to like Lizzie to make yourself feel better. That's not doing her any good, or yourself."
Rafael's jaw clenched as he looked between the girls, then he rolled his eyes and walked away.
When she felt like he was far enough away, Elara let out a sigh. If there weren't hard feelings between the two before, there had to have been some after the altercation. She completely understood why Rafael was distraught about Landon leaving. They were family even though they weren't blood-related, and Rafael could possibly never see him again. He lost Landon.
But Hope was doing what she thought was the right thing. It just didn't help that Rafael was losing his brother in the process.
"This is going to be a long hour, isn't it?"
"Probably," Hope answered, crossing her arms against her chest. "It might go by a little faster if you tell me what's going on between you and Penelope Park."
Elara had to bite back a nervous laugh as the tri-brid turned her head towards her. She felt Hope's gaze on her, the same gaze that made Elara want to spill all of her secrets.
"To start," she began, huffing softly, "I have decided that I hate Penelope Park and will be punching her in the face the next time I see her." Hope shrugged next to Elara in agreement. Penelope Park was hard to get along with.
Taking a deep breath, she continued, "she revealed something... life changing, and we made a deal that if I helped her out with a few things, then she would provide me with more of that life changing information. Today, she used me to distract Rafael while she put up the barrier spell. And I'm pretty sure she trapped me too because she thinks I'm interested in dating Josie."
A second of silence passed before Hope spoke. "Are you?"
She laughed softly. "That's your question?" Elara mused. Noticing Hope's serious expression, Elara cleared her throat. "Anyways, nope. Absolutely not. We're Platonic. With a capital 'p.'"
Hope nodded, subtly shifting closer to Elara. At this point, their arms were pressed against each other's, and either the taller girl didn't notice or didn't point it out.
Elara glanced towards Rafael. She wanted to walk over and confront him on calling her out on her hypocrisy, but she knew that wasn't the smartest idea. One, she was being a hypocrite. Elara was the perfect example of someone trying to change the past with their current actions. Two, Rafael had already been heated. He was upset with Hope for sending Landon away and grieving over the death of his girlfriend. Despair made people act out.
A sigh left her lips. "You didn't have to side me, Hope. Rafael was right."
"I know," Hope replied. Elara looked down, shooting her roommate a confused look. Hope simply smiled. "But I agreed with your point. Plus, friends look out for each other, don't they?"
A moment passed as Elara paused. Was this the moment Hope had been wanting? A chance to convince Elara to be friends? It was strange. She still didn't understand what Hope wanted or what Hope's game was.
She blinked. Maybe there wasn't a game. Maybe Hope genuinely changed her mind, but Elara couldn't know unless Hope told her. No matter how much she wished she could, she couldn't read the tri-brid's mind.
Then Elara remembered their time together testing Landon. She remembered the few, heartfelt moonlit conversations the two shared. She didn't need to be able to read Hope's mind to know she had been genuine then. Her own issues were attempting to stop her from seeing that, and Elara was letting them.
But she didn't have to. She wouldn't. Not anymore.
"Yeah," Elara breathed out, a small smile reaching her lips, "they do."
~-~-~
"One more minute."
The blonde paced back and forth in the center of the gym, her fingers twisting the ring on her middle finger. The hour had gone by painfully slow, and Elara knew with every passing minute, Josie's disappointment in Elara grew.
Josie had asked Elara to go to the party because she wanted her there. She even tried to use one of her no-questions asked tickets, and Elara wasn't there.
All because of Penelope Park.
Elara's plan was simple. Step one, convince Hope to go to the party. Step two, sprint back to the dorm and change into the black jumpsuit she planned on wearing. Step three, go to the party. Step four, if possible, punch Penelope Park in the face. Step five or four, which was interchangeable with step four if she couldn't do it, apologize profusely to Josie.
Final step, have fun. If that was possible at that point.
Elara huffed, making her way over to Rafael and Hope, who were absorbed in their own discussion. The two sat on the floor next to the doorway. She managed to catch the end of their conversation.
Hope's jaw clenched. "Family is always and forever."
"Yeah, you're right," Rafael agreed. "He's not my blood, but he is my brother. If anything, maybe you should try doubling down on friends to make up for the family you don't have."
"Woah, okay," Elara interrupted. The two on the floor turned to look at her as if just then noticing her arrival. "Just because you're angry with her for doing what she thought was the right thing does not mean you can be an ass. Watch it, Raf."
She sympathized with how he felt. Really, she did. She lost her own brother, who wasn't related by blood, and knew exactly how Rafael was feeling, but Rafael crossed a line.
"Time's up," the blonde declared, clapping her hands together. "Don't you have a date to disappoint?"
The werewolf sighed, climbing to his feet. He walked out of the gym without a second look.
Elara turned, ignoring the slight ringing in her ears, and extended a hand towards Hope. The tri-brid looked up at her sullenly. Rafael's words had hit their mark like an arrow to a bullseye. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.
"C'mon, Andrea, we've got a party to get to," Elara beamed. The expression was strange on the blonde. Elara wasn't known for being happy, and Hope had never seen her smile that wide before.
Hope rolled her eyes in annoyance, but she did grab Elara's hands, letting the blonde pull her to her feet. "I didn't tell you my middle name so you could tease me with it."
"No, but it did make you smile a little bit," she mentioned. Her eyebrows lifted as she waited for Hope's response.
Hope shook her head. "I'm not going."
Elara tugged Hope out of the gym, her grip unintentionally tightening. "Yes, you are even if Rafael is there. I'll take care of him if he tries anything."
Hope's lips tilted upwards in a reluctant smile. "You don't have to do that."
"I do, and I will. Friends look out for each other, don't they?"
Hope blinked, her face becoming unreadable. She seemed to think for a moment, and Elara opened her mouth as if to take back what she said.
"Yeah, they do," Hope echoed, stopping Elara from speaking. She smiled widely. "So... party?"
"Party!" Elara exclaimed. "Race you to the room!"
She couldn't help but laugh at Elara's enthusiasm. The werewolf took off, running down the hallway with her duffle bag on her shoulder, and Hope shortly followed. It was childish, of course, but it made Hope happy.
And step one and two of Elara's plan was complete.