“Well,” Karen said. “Why don’t you try gong to Kellies house.” Mary Elise perked up, the idea made sense, as she stood up to exit her room she paused realizing the flaw in her plan. “Umm do you know where she lives?”
“No I thought you did.”
Mary Elise frowned, as she opened her mouth to say something she paused. Taking the ring off she sighed. “Crap I don’t know where she is either.”
“How come you took the ring off?”
“Umm I was worried we would actually turn into crap.”
Karen wrinkled her nose shivering slightly at the fate they had avoided. “Okay that’s just gross,” she grumbled. “Look you should talk with one of them soon. Until then just be careful what you say, or do, or think for that matter.”
Mary Elise nodded as she nervously looked out her window. Cautiously scanning the neighborhood fear began to overwhelm her, she could almost see the girls coming for her, hiding behind bushes or lurking in shadows. Glancing at Karen Mary Elise realized that as long as she stayed at her house, she wouldn’t feel safe. “Karen,” she asked timidly. “Can..um...can I stay at your house tonight?”
“Sure but why?”
Mary Elise blushed slightly as she looked back towards the outside. “Listen I know this sounds crazy but I don’t feel safe here. I...I don’t get along with them and they don’t exactly have the best opinion of me either. I’m worried that something might happen if they come here.”
Karen looked her friend over curiously. She knew Mary Elise was depressed, perhaps suicidal, but she had never seen the girl look so fearful. Whatever had taken place between her friend and those girls was serious enough that Mary Elise feared for her well being, and the well being of others. Sighing she realized she would have to mediate whatever took place between them. “Sure Mary,” she said. “You can stay at my house tonight, but I need you to tell me everything that happened okay.” Mary Elise breathed a sigh of relief, hugging Karen tightly and thanking her. Quickly she gathered an overnight bag before leaving her home for Karen’s.
As the two girls entered school that morning Karen found herself dreading what she was going to have to do. Mary Elise had told her every detail of the fight. Karen was shocked, dismayed and frightened by what Mary Elise had to say. Clearly Mary Elise had lost her temper and acted like a psychopath towards Lisa and the others. What worried her was how Mary Elise had hoped either Katie or Kellie would end her life. She had known about Mary Elise’s prior suicide attempts but she had really thought the girl was past that. Karen now surmised that when she realized she couldn’t patch things up with Claudia it had pushed her over the edge. Now she was the one that was going to have to patch things up between the girls.
“Mary Listen,” she said quietly. “I’m going to try and talk with them first thing. I want you to stay away from them as much as possible okay? Your scared right now and considering that ring of yours, your fear could cause some major problems that Inthink we both want to avoid.”
Mary Elise nodded timidly, hugging her friend. “Thanks Karen,” She’s whisoered. “Don’t Thank me yet,” Karen grumbled. “You kind of acted like an ass. Still, your my friend and I’ll always have your back.”
“You know you don’t have to call me an ass,” she smirked. Karen frowned before breaking into a grin. “Hey someone had to say it,” she grinned. “And who better than me.”
“That’s why I’ve always liked you Karen,” she said. “you call bullshit when you see it.” Giving Karen a friendly wave Mary Elise now cautiously made her way inside. As Karen watched her go she sighed heavily. Trying to get through to the others was going to be difficult. She hoped that whoever she ran into first would be levelheaded. If things went poorly and she couldn’t patch things up she worried about the chaos that would rain down on everyone.