Unordinary: New Student

39: Poor Elaine

Stephanie's POV

I sat in the armchair, my eyes closed, listening to Seraphina clattering around in the kitchen for a second before I heard her footsteps coming out and approaching me. "Water?" Sera nudged me with a cold glass. 

"Thanks." I murmured as I took the glass of water with ice cubes from her, focusing on the refreshing coldness of it as I sipped it. 

Sera headed over to John next, another glass of water in her hand. She stopped in front of the couch for a moment, her eyes fixed on John. She brought the glass to her lips, drinking the water in it slowly. Then she lowered the glass and placed it against John's neck. The effect was immediate.

"HOOOLY SH*T!" John cried, bolting upright at the touch of the glass. "C-COLD!" He turned to look at Sera. "W-what the-" Then his injured arm shifted, causing him to wince in pain. "Ah, f*ck!" With a scowl on his face, John sat up glaring slightly at Sera while steadying his arm. "Hey, can't you see I'm injured?"

Sera just sipped her water calmly. "It's okay, Elaine will be here soon."

"Elaine?" I interjected, giving her an inquiring glance. 

"Yeah, I called her so she could come heal you both." Seraphina replied. "So John, want some water?" she asked John, holding out the now half-empty glass of water.

"You drank most of it," John pointed out, but took the glass anyway. He gulped the water down.

Seraphina crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing as she got to the point. "So, what happened out there?" she asked, addressing John as well as me. 

I probably shouldn't tell her about what John's hiding. I thought, a slight frown pulling at my lips. It's not my secret to tell. "We just got into a fight." I said aloud.

With a nervous expression on his face, John agreed with me. "Yeah, it's just what you'd expect, right? The school Ace leaves and everyone targets her weak friend."

"You know that's not what I meant." Sera replied flatly. "I've never seen you break down before. After two weeks, the first thing you say to me is, 'Don't look at me right now'? That's not right!"

John flinched, before putting an innocent smile on his face. "But I'm fine now, see? I just didn't expect you back so soon!" I sighed. John, we all know you're not fine. I thought sadly.

"aNYwAy, what about you? Where have you been?" John tried changing to subject. "You weren't online, and-"

"Don't change the subject." Seraphina cut him off. 

John looked genuinely frustrated this time. "What do you mean? I was worried that something had happened to you! You disappeared without saying anything!"

Sera sighed. "My parents cut my internet, but I convinced them to let me come back early. So, I'm crashing at your place." Her gaze turned colder again. "Now, explain."

John paused, his whole demeanor falling for a minute then pulling back up. He put on a somewhat wistful, troubled look. "I just had enough of the bullying, alright? And I really didn't want you to come back and see me so defeated. But whatever! You're back now, so everything can go back to the way it was." I understood the full meaning in those words.

Seraphina looked a little shocked and also disbelieving, but before she could call John out again, the doorbell rang. "That's probably Elaine," she said. As she moved to the door to answer it, John and I shared a glance and sighed with relief. Interrogation time was over. For now.

After a moment, Elaine walked in, looking happy for some reason. "So why did you call me here-?" She broke off abruptly as she saw John and me. "What are they doing here?!?!" She screamed.