Not So Élite

Chapter 11

"What do you mean I failed?" Cynthia sat across from Azucena, "I worked my ass off all year, kept my position as second in the class, and studied for that test. How the hell did I fail and end up 4th?"

"Cynthia," Azucena sighed, "You weren't second this year. Nadia was. You were right behind her and she was right behind Lucrecia."

"Right, right," she shook her head, "Little Miss Perfect took my spot. But how did I end up 4th? There's no possible way my grade could've dropped that much."

"You completely failed your test, Cynthia. You did worse than 70% of students and I have no idea how, when usually you're in the top 5% of the school," Azucena explained, "It dropped your grade enough to allow Marina to take your spot."

"Marina? The same Marina who's pregnant? Who was caught with drugs? Who ratted out Miss Perfect's not-so-perfect brother to save her ass?" Cynthia was becoming fed up with everything, "Here's my question, Azucena. The one thing I'm not understanding. How is Marina still here, but Lu is being suspended and Martín fired?"

"Cynthia, are you questioning my abilities as the school director?" Azucena carefully asked her.

"Yes, I am. Because if Lu is being suspended, Martín is being fired, I'm being moved down, and Nadia's brother is being punished, then why is she still here? Don't you see that she's ruining the school's reputation?" Cynthia stood up and pointed her hand to the door, signaling to a nonpresent Marina who was probably by her locker. 

"I understand that you are upset by this, which is why I will not give you any sort of punishment for being so rude," Azucena stood her ground, "But Marina is above you now, and you cannot change it. You wouldn't have accepted the scholarship, to begin with."

"You're right, I wouldn't have accepted the scholarship," Cynthia stood and grabbed her bag, "But give it to someone who deserves it. Not to Marina. She doesn't care about any of this, she'll use it as an excuse to leave home and do whatever she wants."

"Cynthia, what I say goes," Azucena sighed at the difficult girl.

"Don't make the same mistake that all of us made. Don't trust her," Cynthia left the office after that, not caring how she looked as she walked to the bathroom quickly. She passed Nadia and Lu and decided to tell them the news.

"Looks like none of us got the shitty trophy," Cynthia bitterly remarked.

"How? You were right behind me," Nadia asked, confused at Cynthia's attitude.

"Marina took the rug out from right under us," she chuckled, "And now, she's going to fuck up more lives outside of this country."

"Cynthi," Lu grabbed her hands, "I thought you were friends with Marina."

"I was, but she just destroys everything in her path. And I refuse to be destroyed by her," Cynthia pulled her hands away and said one last thing before leaving them, "She really screwed us all over. Like the hypocrite she is." 

- - -

The phone rang a few times before Carla answered, "Cynthia?"

"Carla, I know Marina stole the watches," Cynthia told her.

"How did you know about the watches?" Carla asked from the other side.

"Your father told my father, who called me and tried to get me to help you," she explained, "I wanted to stay out of it, but not anymore. I don't care how much I hate him, he's still my blood."

"Wow," her friend was surprised, "What brought this change?"

"Marina ruins everything she touches, but I won't let her ruin any of our lives. Not if I can do anything about it,"  Cynthia paced the length of the locker room, "Now, which watch is the one your father needs back?"

"The red leather one."

- - -

Cynthia and Carla walked together to where Marina would be, seeing her with Samuel. Carla slammed her books on the table as Cynthia said, "Can you give us a moment? We need to talk."

Samuel packed everything up and left them, no questions asked, while Marina refused to look at them, "You too, Cynthia?"

"It's not just your family and Carla's family that would sink," Cynthia sat in the chair next to her, "You forget my family contracted your family to build the hotel. I'm at risk, too."

"Yes, you and your corrupt family," Marina shook her head, "I thought you hated them."

"I do, but I hate sellouts more. I won't let you sink us all that easily," she rolled her eyes while Carla took over the conversation. Cynthia leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, smirking as Carla grilled her.

They finished talking to her and left, not once looking back at her. 

"I never thought I'd see your business side, Cynthia," Carla remarked.

"She can't destroy us all. We are a force to be reckoned with, and she fucked with us," Cynthia looked down at her phone and texted her father, "She won't get away with it. Not while I breathe."

"Scary," the two laughed and kept walking down the corridors, "I love this new side."

- - -

Cynthia sat in her seat next to Guzmán, ready to take her exam, when Lu walked in and claimed she had the right to sit for the test.

"Nadia, we're leaving," Nadia's father barged into the room, Azucena right behind him, "I'm taking you out of here immediately. Let's go."

"Excuse me. Yusef, let's talk," Azucena begged him, "I never meant to offend you. Don't make her pay for it."

Things quickly escalated, Yusef grabbing Nadia and dragging her out of class as Guzmán, Ander, and Cynthia followed after Azucena. 

"Don't grab her like that," Cynthia tried to help as she walked out after them, "You'll hurt her!"

"I feel sorry for her! For her and your son!" Azucena yelled after him, the three students right behind her, "To be a woman or a homosexual in your family must be hell! Poor Omar!"

Yusef froze and slowly turned, furiously marching towards her while Nadia tried pulling him back. Cynthia stood directly in front of Azucena to protect her as Ander defended his mother and best friend, "Hey!"

Yusef pushed him away and pulled Cynthia to the side by her arm, causing her to stumble and Guzmán to grab her before she fell, "What? What are you insinuating about my son?"

Nadia grabbed her father and dragged him away, while Guzmán hugged Cynthia and glared at Yusef. Cynthia was breathing quickly and rubbing her arm, which began aching due to Yusef's tight grip.

"Go back to class," Azucena grabbed her son's shoulder and pulled him back, "Let's go."

"You too," she gently pushed Guzmán and Cynthia apart, sending Guzmán back to class but keeping Cynthia outside.

"Is your arm okay?" Azucena pulled Cynthia blazer off enough for her to take her arm out and see the forming bruises.

"I've had worse," Cynthia managed to smile at her.

"You didn't need to do that, Cynthia," she sighed as Cynthia pulled her blazer back on and fixed her hair.

"You're like my mother, Azucena," Cynthia rolled her eyes, "It's really no big deal. I'm fine, as long as you're fine."

"Very well, thank you," Azucena gulped, "Go back to class."