Giovanni Aries vs. Selena Frost

[SnowQueenSCW]

OOC: CD only The following takes place at varied times leading up to the Pay-Per-View weekend and will continue on with the second roleplay.

 
I of the Storm

“The Wounds On The Inside...”

April 2nd
4:33am
New Orleans, LA

She quietly watched her wife sleep, her beautiful redhead slumbering next to her, red hair a lion's mane  of a mess – a hot mess to Selena, whose snow-white hair was still perfectly in place in a soft ponytail. A small nightlight, amber in its illumination, cast its glow into the bedroom in the back of the “Believe It” tour bus that had brought them from their home in Manhattan to New Orleans for tomorrow night's show at Breakdown, which would see her, for the second time, defend the United States Championship, this time against Tommy Valentine. She also had Giovanni Aries to worry about – the ruler of “Wonderland” having taken a particular interest in her and Owen Cruze since Retribution. A fact that had only been strengthened last week, when he had pinned Selena during their tag match, which had involved Owen and Damien Angel.

None of that really had a place in Selena's mind in that moment of late-night, however. Even with the blinds closed across the window, effectively blocking out any sight of the outside from this comfortable bedroom, Selena knew where she was. And she didn't mean the city of New Orleans – she meant specifically.

She was parked in a bus-parking-lot. Eric, her chauffeur and friend, had long since departed to rest in a nearby hotel room, as well as to call his wife and kids, Selena imagined, the notion of a spouse bringing her distracted mind back to the quiet snores that came from Deanna. In the dim light, she could see the red nightdress Deanna wore, similar to Selena's silver-white but shorter, stopping at the knees where Selena's flowed like a waterfall down to just above her feet.

For a moment, her eyes flashed to stare at the clock, just a little after 4:30 in the morning. Definitely the day now... she thought glumly to herself.  This was not how she had wanted things to be. April the 2nd was always important to her – always special to her – and she had gone out of her way every year to make it so! For her, but most importantly, for Deanna.

But here? Surrounded by empty cars and trucks and other vehicles, some filled with gasoline, others with diesel, the smell outside unmistakable... and all the more depressing for the Snow Queen. Still, Selena would not be deterred. Traditions are traditions! her mind declared powerfully. 

Without another word, mental or otherwise, Selena lowered herself to lay beside her beloved, snoring wife. Very softly, so as not to entirely wake her, Selena started to press kisses along the redhead's exposed neck and shoulder, earning the occasional sigh and, even, mew from time to time from her pet.

“Deanna...” Selena whispered as warmly and lovingly as she could. Her beloved, however, could only groan, which sounded beautiful to Selena, and turn a little towards the source of the voice, though she remained asleep. “Deanna...” Selena tried again, placing a few more kisses along the temple and forehead of Deanna.

“Hmmm...” came the slowly waking response Selena was waiting for.
“Happy birthday...” she whispered, certain Deanna, even in her sleepy-state, would hear her and understand.

A deep breath came from Deanna before she slowly exhaled. “To...you...” she half-sang, though it was clear to Selena that her wife was definitely awake enough now. This was always how they started April the second – every time for the past few years.

“It's your birthday.” Selena smiled in the custom response, leaning in to kiss her wife's lips. A soft pressure was felt in response and Selena only moved away after an appropriate time had passed for such a tender kiss.

“To me...” Deanna sang as she opened her groggy eyes, smiling and – clearly – understanding the tradition Selena had just done, opening her arms and desiring to hold her wife. That is until she saw the clock on the nightstand Selena had gazed at earlier. “It's not even five yet?” her eyes widened as she turned her head to stare at her wife in shock. “I truly hope this isn't my birthday present.” she teased. “You're usually far more careful with your selection.” she added.

“I know...and I know it's early...” Selena tried with a sigh. “I just needed to say...I'm sorry.” She stated as honestly as she could. “I swear, I would have done something far better than this – a happy birthday in a parking lot, to start, but...”

Without a word, and to silence the words coming from her wife's mouth, Deanna shot a hand out to grab Selena by the closest arm. It barely took a firm tug to pull the U.S. Champion towards her, the Snow Queen collapsing into her wife's waiting embrace. “You know that doesn't matter to me.” she stated.

“I know...” Selena tried. “But 22! That's a big number! An important one!”
“That's what you said about me turning 21. And also when I turned 20.” Deanna laughed. “I could get 20 for sure – but 22? Come on!”
“Wait? It's two twos!” Selena reasoned. “And isn't it good luck to roll two of the same number in a game?”
“Which game?” Deanna asked, not too sure about Selena's reference.
“I...I actually thought you'd know.” Selena shrugged as Deanna spooned her. “Not really my thing...”

She was certain she had heard that rule somewhere, in some game. Maybe it was in that dungeons and dragons game that their eldest, Elsianna, was so found of playing with her friends. Selena had been spending a lot more time with her daughter, given Elsa's condition. 

At the mere thought of that, Selena's gaze turned slightly towards the door that lead out of the bedroom and to the main hall that was the walking length of the bus. She didn't have to be able to see through the door to know what was on the other side. First, she had spent years travelling on this bus. She knew every part of it inside and out. The only person she could imagine knowing more about it than her was Eric, himself, because he drove the damn thing. But I've had sex in it! Selena thought, a bit smugly for her own amusement. He better NOT have done that in here...

Quietly, Selena wiggled against the woman she had had the aforementioned 'sex on the bus' with, the smaller Frost saying nothing as she held the wrestler. The other reason Selena did not need to see through the door that separated the two wives from the rest of the bus, and easily the most important reason, was because she knew who was in the pull-out futon, no doubt trying to sleep as best as she could.

“I wouldn't want anything crazy now anyway.” Deanna's voice seemed to rip through Selena's thoughts. “We have something much more important to look after.”

It was true – except the 'something' Deanna mentioned was a 'someone'. 

It had sure as hell had been a hard near-month for the Frost family following the assault on 'the heir', Elsianna. Hard to believe it was nearly four weeks since Aaron Stanton (no one believed it was anyone other than him) had sprayed their darling daughter's arms with aersol and lit them on fire, causing massive third-degree burns across both Elsa's arms. The sight of her baby there in that hospital, arms heavily bandaged and, only seven years old, needing painkillers to help her get through the pain, a fact that terrified the Snow Queen to no end, given her own history.

What if she's like me and gets addicted to the painkillers like I did to NX? And to drinking? What if I just allowed my daughter to taste that – like it was with me... that's all it takes... 

Those thoughts had plagued Selena day in and day out ever since it happened last month – even distracting her from doing her job in SCW. She had failed her teammate, Owen Cruze, by being so distracted, letting Giovanni's trolling antics get the better of her and cost her and Owen the match. But how could it not concern her? There Giovanni was, a walking-talking 'Reefer Madness' cast member with a bit of Rocky Horror Picture Show thrown in for 'shock-value', talking about 'freedom' and 'liberation' and making it sound like some kind of addict's drug-trip.

And I'm an addict! Selena sighed to herself quietly, hoping Deanna didn't hear her. 

She couldn't let such thoughts get to her now. Yes, the loss – her first in 2019 – stung a little, moreso because she wanted to expose Giovanni's delusions once and for all, the bad blood between her and the Mad Hatter having existed since last August – but her baby had needed her to focus. As the doctor had predicted to both Selena and Deanna, Elsa would need them for guidance and healing. That had certainly been true in the past few weeks, with the Frost wives alternating being with Elsianna every day. If Selena wasn't working with SCW, she was with Elsianna, reading to her, changing her bandages, applying ointment – and soon, now that they had the clearance from the doctor, taking their daughter to school and staying with her the whole day, helping her to write notes and and fill out her assignment booklet.

It was a bit strange and certainly going to be seen as weird to the other kids, but Selena was actually excited about that particular aspect. Up till now, Elsianna's dungeons and dragons friends, like Osana Embers, had been dropping off homework every day at their house – living in the same neighborhood as the Frosts. But Elsa had started to miss going to school and seeing them more often. Yes, she had loved travelling with Selena last week and this week to Breakdown and house shows, but... Selena sighed. She needs more than just 'motherly love'... she thought. She needs to be with people her own age that will accept her and be there for her...

The Snow Queen knew this because it was something she had begged and yearned for throughout her tormenting years in Nome. To have someone her own age, her own generation, to confide in, hang-out with, feel safe with. Fortunately, Elsa had that now. Selena had not.

“How many thoughts are going through your head?” whispered Deanna as she squeezed her arms around Selena's waist. “I can almost hear the gears working inside there.”

“Just thinking about Elsianna.” Selena stated honestly. “And you.”
“Well, keep me out of it.” Deanna said off-handedly. “And it better be pleasant things about our daughter. I don't want you moody.”

With a sigh, Selena turned around on the bed to face her beloved wife. “What about you?” Selena asked. “I know taking care of Elsianna has kind of put a kibosh on our plans – and with today.... but...surely I can do something for you, right? We're in New Orleans! We can take go out! We can-”

A pair of soft fingertips pressed against her lips, effectively silencing her as Deanna's eyes – now fully awake – gazed into hers. “Selena...” she spoke slowly. “I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about Elsianna. And I know it's the same for you. It's okay. It doesn't have to be epic every year.”

“But...” Selena tried.
“Minx...” the redhead insisted. “It's okay. I know you would have done something to make my heart melt or make me weak in the knees – you always do. But you don't have to. You make it sound like it's a goal – an obligation. And I don't want that, especially now. The best gift you can give me...you're doing right now for our daughter. And besides...” she added with a playfulness. “Considering how we get after such... events... I rather not be the cause of you losing your title after you worked so hard to get it.” She finished the tease with a kiss to the nape of Selena's neck.

Despite the sincerity in her voice, Deanna's words did little to make Selena feel better. She understood. Of course she did. Their snowflake had to come first. Her health, both mental and physical, so fragile at this time – yes, she needed to be the top priority, even if it made greedy David – always wanting attention in his two-year-old mind – jealous and whiny...

But, had she not felt guilty about not being able to give her most to SCW last Breakdown? Had she not felt guilty for letting herself get distracted so easily? Yes, she had. She felt bad for letting Owen down. Because he and SCW also deserved her best when she was there.

And so did Deanna...

Yes, Deanna was fine with how things were – and understood about the focus being on Elsianna. But that was the golden heart that was her redhead! That was just her being the wonderful being Selena had fallen in love with. Did she not deserve Selena's absolute best at being Deanna's wife? Just like Elsianna deserved the best of her 'mommy' and SCW deserved the best from its 'Face'?

Biting her lower lip to keep quiet, the platinum-blonde refused to simply accept Deanna's answer this time. No. The redhead had never asked for much. Only to be loved unconditionally. 

Well, Selena had let conditions get in her way of giving her best to everyone. And, now, especially Deanna.

It's time to change that... she stated, already beginning to put the pieces of her plan in place.


*****************************

Three days later

She had both loved and hated the four days that had passed – with both emotions being intense in their feeling in the continued aftermath of her little snowflake's incident. That's what Selena had concluded to name it – for the platinum-blonde refused to call it an 'accident' or whatever the hell Wentworth Stanton was claiming it was in his reports. At the mere thought of his name, a sadness, deep and strong, gripped her, the young woman fought like hell to push it away.

No time to remember that. she forbid herself from remembering yesterday's events, despite the papers she felt as she held her arms against her, the pieces of paper tucked into her leather jacket pocket. Only love right now...as you promised.

And she had certainly shown and felt that – keeping her promise to giving 'the best' she had towards every aspect of her life: Wife, mother, wrestler – though part of her, a certain 'ghostly' voice, was laughing at such a notion. 

But she had tried. Gods, she had tried. First, as a wrestler, she had retained the championship she held (she still refused to call it 'her title') in a rather strong, wrestling match. No run-ins, no drama, just pure wrestling. Sasha had seemed pleased with it, still pushing the 'supreme' trend she was going on (which Selena absolutely loved). 

Next as a mother, in the past three days – SCW quickly granting her time off from the house shows to take care of her injured daughter, provided the Snow Queen returned for Breakdown and the Pay-Per-View – Selena and Elsianna had spent a good portion of time together:

- In the burn clinic, the child being tended to by nurses, doctors, and especially by Selena. I hope she doesn't hate me for that...
- And now, today, at Elsianna's school, the doctor having earlier allowed their child to take up class again and be with her friends.

Selena Frost had been so over-the-moon at this, that she had begged Deanna to let her take Elsa to school and watch over her, helping her write and answer questions and such. She couldn't help it, nor could she hide her jubilation when Deanna had said, 'yes', albeit throwing in a 'Just behave.' and 'Don't embarrass our daughter'. Worth it! she stated. Totally, worth it!

Oh is it? Came the familiar voice of her demons. As a wrestler, you failed to show up to House Shows. As a wife, you STILL haven't made it up to Deanna for doing nothing on her birthday – Twenty-two IS a big number. And as for your daughter... do I even have to-

Quickly, Selena clamped down on the thoughts, refusing to finish that train of thought by going into the last of the three promises. Instead, she focused on what she had done the second she had returned home with her family from New Orleans. Help her daughter.

“Got it alright, snowflake?” she asked gently as she watched her, the platinum-blonde sitting on one side of the table in the cafeteria, and her daughter sitting across from her. 
“I think so.” Elsianna nodded, grasping the fork that was sitting beside her salad. “Just feels a little tight and itchy.”

Selena nodded, watching her child do her best at such a simple action as feeding oneself. Despite herself, Selena could not imagine herself being so... not useless but – limited – for so long as her daughter was. The Snow Queen could barely keep her composure in extremely enclosed spaces, her claustrophobia rearing its ugly head and the lack of control only adding to her anxiety. And on top of that - despite her meetings with A.A. (which she wished in that moment she had never done) - she still did not trust herself fully around any alcohol.

But those were things she was, at least, partially in control of now. To be in a situation similar to her daughter's? The wrestler did not believe she could be as strong as her.

You can't. mocked Sirus - the phantom laughing and mocking just behind Selena's ear in a deadly whisper. Here she is trying every day to get stronger and back to her independence – never showing any emotional or physical scars she may have... and here you are cowering to blackmail. You DON'T have any control!

Closing her eyes and breathing slowly, Selena did her best to silence that voice.

“Are you sleepy, mommy?” Elsianna asked, her fork full of lettuce and cucumber, and her head tilted to the side.
“Sleepy?” Selena asked in surprise, her eyes flying open. “No, not at all. Why do you ask?”
“Because you had your eyes closed like you were about to take a nap.” the child answered bluntly.
“Oh.” Selena replied with swift understanding. “No...mommy was just...thinking.”

She rolled her shoulders back with a shrug before reaching out to place her hands on the table in front of her. She wore a comfy, dark red sweater under her jacket that kept the tops of her shoulders bare, blue jeans, and her hair was in its iconic braid. There was no denying who she was and, while a few students were fans and wanted to say hello, the Snow Queen and “Face of SCW” had been there enough in the last few days and in the past that the people were kind of getting use to it – the starstruck nature losing its way. Selena preferred it that way. She wanted this time to be for her and her daughter, giving Elsianna all the love and support she needed to recover.

As opposed to that other promise you made when she was first in the hospital? You know, where you promised to stick it to the- 

“Mommy...” 

Elsianna's voice interrupted the Snow Queen's dialogue, the platinum-blonde's sapphire eyes focused back on her daughter, particularly on the dark purple gloves that covered her hands and forearms elegantly. Were it not for her struggling to clutch a fork to eat a salad, unless a person knew of the child's injuries, they'd have no idea. That is until Elsianna, upon seeing that she had her mother's attention, quietly reached up with one gloved hand and pulled down a bit of the other glove, exposing the skin underneath...

Before Selena's eyes was series of ropy-looking scars. Some had no pigmentation, while other parts of them were still red and other colors. At first glance (as Selena had not seen them this morning for Deanna had been the one to do the ointment application while Selena had packed Elsianna's bag and fed Oberon at home), the Snow Queen saw either white or dark colors taking up the course of skin Elsianna was showing, and had this design not been burned into her baby's arms, Selena would have regarded the shades of colors and shapes as something artistic.

Except the family responsible aren't artists... they're sociopaths! she thought darkly.

“Do you think these will ever go away?” came Elsianna's innocent question. 

Breathing slowly and deeply through her nostrils, Selena did her best not to spout out the first answer she thought of. 

“I...am not sure.” she settled on. “The doctor told us that, when you're older, we can get a surgery done to cover the scars.”
“Cover?” the child asked, her hands reaching to scratch the skin.
“Please don't scratch.” Selena politely ordered. “Do you need more ointment? Or...” her voice hitched in her throat.

Painkillers? Came the haunting voice in her head, completing the thought that Selena was unable to finish or say aloud. 

“The ointment, please.” Elsianna replied, earning a sigh of relief from her mother. 

Reaching down to the floor, Selena’s hand gripped the black knapsack that she had been carrying with her all day, a source of supplies for her and her daughter during these 'school days'. Unzipping it with relative ease and grace, the Snow Queen dug around inside the contents, a little less gracefully, until her hands brushed against the smooth texture of the plastic, lotion bottle. Pulling it out, she held it up to her daughter’s eyes, earning a smile and a nod from Elsa, her child smiling before her eyes shifted left to right around the cafeteria. 

It was the middle of lunch, and many other children were still in the room, some of them grabbing lunch from the staff that was providing it over the counter – I'll bet there is some kind of 'mystery meat' on the menu... - or devouring their own that their parents had, obviously, made. It didn't really matter to the Snow Queen. She could see the collage of colors that decorated the variety of lunch boxes. Some of the designs were from TV shows, some from video games, some were just basic, like solid colors or scenic backgrounds – Selena recognizing one having a picture of the Eiffel Tower, the place where she had proposed to Deanna years ago. 

It was truly a rainbow of colors to the eyes of the Snow Queen. However, despite this and the temporary memory of proposing to her wife, Selena gave her head a swift shake, a strong reminder that her primary concern, in that moment, was on the nervous glances that her daughter was making as she looked around the room. It wasn’t hard to figure out what it was that was causing the child such discomfort. 

She didn’t want anybody to see her arms. See the damage that had been done to her. 

Quietly, keeping her weight on the balls of her feet and in almost tiptoe fashion, Selena moved around the table to sit beside her daughter on the next chair. “Place your hands under the table.” she whispered to her child, an order that was quickly obeyed by the younger Frost. Quick to figure out what the plan was, the young child removed the gloves from her hand to reveal the fully exposed skin and scars, the multicolored roping scars now on full display in their design. The Snow Queen could see their marks, like a web or a twisted river running down every inch of her child's forearms, hands and fingers. It was enough to make her weep for her beloved snowflake, but she dared not, lest she create unwanted attention on her Elsianna. 

Instead, she took the ointment bottle and opened the lid as quietly as possible, squeezing a bit of its contents out onto her hands, before rubbing it gently across the sensitive skin of her oldest child. “As for the feeling.” She explained, her eyes focused on the task at hand. "Do you feel that?"

A sad shake of the head was her only answer, yearning a sigh from the platinum-blonde. 

“I don’t know that either. I never had to deal with something like this before.” she admitted. “The doctor says even if you can’t have much feeling in your hands and arms again, you can still do so much with them.” She offered. “But I will be with you every step of the way to help you regain full mobility, okay?” 

“Mobility?” Elsianna asked, confused by the rather large word. 
“It means full movement.” Selena explained. “Being able to do everything that you could do before.” 
“But..." Elsianna looked away, as if she was watching all the other children in her school - all with perfectly good hands. "I won’t ever feel anything again?” 
“I don’t know.” Selena gently tried as she moved on to the next arm with the ointment, finishing it up faster than the first, having settled into a quick routine of application. 

The child remained silent for the rest of the task that her mother performed. And when it was finished, Elsianna was polite enough to offer a quiet, and adorable to the Snow Queen, “Thank you”.

“You’re welcome, little one.” Selena replied, quickly sliding the seven-year old's gloves back onto her daughter’s hands and giving her forehead a gentle kiss. “Whatever happens,” she promised, “we will figure it out and overcome it. You, me, mom, David, and Amiliah.” 
“What about Oberon?” Elsianna asked in alarm, earning a roll of the eyes from her mother. 
“And, of course, Oberon. Now, did you understand what was being said the last class? About multiplication and division?” 

Turning back towards her bag, Selena looked for the binder that held the notes that she had taken from Elsa's last class – notes for her daughter. But when she felt said daughter’s hand, once more, on hers, she felt a difference. This time, the hold was in an iron tight grip, the platinum blonde shot her head up in alarm. “What is it?” She asked quickly, her eyes only locked on her small child. 

But Elsianna's eyes were not on hers. Rather, they were forward, to the blonde-haired boy that had just walked into the room. 

Following the child's gaze, Selena quickly saw him too, and her mouth dropped open. For there, standing in the doorway, with the most shit-eating grin on his face, was Aaron Stanton. 

“What the he-?” Selena caught herself quickly, not wishing to curse in front of her daughter. 

Speaking of which – Selena turned her head and watched as, before her eyes, her daughter, who had been so strong through this entire month of pain and rehabilitation, shriveled in on herself, growing smaller and smaller before Selena. “Please...” she was practically cry-begging in fear. “Don't let him hurt me.” 

And it was in that moment, her gloved arms wrapped around her, that Elsianna appeared every inch of a frightened, seven-year-old child. Gone was the confidence and the strength that she had had to try and overcome these injuries. The desire to step up and grow stronger from the experience. In less than a second, the sight of this boy had stripped her daughter clean of that, leaving behind a frightened child that just wanted to be kept safe.

Selena had not seen such fear in her daughter since...since...

Malcolm Scythe?  

The doors opening did not give her time to answer her own thought. For coming out of the same doorway as Aaron, even standing behind him, was a familiar-looking suited-man. And when she saw him standing there, Selena was immediately up on her feet-

“Stay here.” she ordered sharply to Elsianna before marching towards the pair of men - well one child and one man. Only a few people noticed any of what was going on, too wrapped up with their lunches and lunch time games. However, the suited man noticed Selena first and offered her a swarmy smirk of a grin. 

“Mrs. Frost...” Odin-dammit. His voice is like snake-oil... Selena thought as she heard the offering of Wentworth Stanton. “I had rather hoped that we would run into each other again soon.” 

“What the hell are you doing?” Selena whispered in a hiss, carefully making sure that only the other adult before her heard her. “You told me that you were transferring your son out of the school. That he would not be here to bother my daughter again!” 

“Do you see him bothering her?” Wentworth smugly replied with a shrug. “Besides, after our last conversation, I’ve given things some more thought.”
“What things?” Selena's eyes narrowed.

“I gave you twenty-four hours, didn't I?” stated disgusting man before her. 
“I never agreed to anything!” she harshly replied. 
“Which is your mistake.” Wentworth stated simply. “I don’t like to be kept waiting. So, I decided to change my original proposal. I decided that this school is, in fact, ideal for my son.”

The suited man looked around the room, though he stood his ground as he did. “In fact, given the recent string of events, it seems to me that the only thing that needs to change for his well-being is your daughter.” Stanton grinned wickedly. “Therefore, I am motioning for her to be removed from this school and placed into a school more suitable to her.” 

Selena's eyes widened at the daring gesture of this man. “You can’t do that.” she stated. “All of her friends are here. She’s one of the top students in her class. This place is the best place to challenge someone of her abilities and you know that! 

“Well...” offered Stanton. “Be that is it may, there is a certain standard that students must maintain. Not just the students, but also by their parents. And while my son may or may not have a few...” he chose his words carefully. “troublesome qualities, they pale in comparison to yours, don’t they?” He grinned wickedly. “Now, are you you going to sign what I gave you, or do I have to come back here and change things further?” 

The threat was not lost on Selena but before she could give a scathing reply, a sense of horror dawned on her as she realized that there was suddenly a lot more free space between her and Stanton. Not because he had moved and not because she had moved, either. No, the new addition of 'free space' had been because someone else had moved out of the way. 

Where’s the boy? She thought in alarm, immediately spinning around to stare into the rest of the cafeteria room, her eyes going straight to the spot she had ordered Elsianna to stay. 

The same spot where Aaron was now standing... 

She could not hear any words being said by him, though that could have been because her mind was screaming NO! NO! GODS, PLEASE, NO!!! over and over again, but in that split-second, Selena saw the boy reach into his pocket and pull something out. 

Before she could even take a step towards them, Aaron held the item out to Elsianna, who remained glued to her chair, trying to make herself as small as possible. 

Like a pigeon hiding from a hunter. 

With a flick of his thumb, however, a flame burst forth from the object Aaron was carrying, which now appeared to be a mere plastic cigarette lighter. At least to Selena it was. 

Elsianna on the other hand seemed temporarily transfixed by the flame as her frame began to tremble more and more as Aaron held the flame closer and closer to her body. The platinum-blonde recognized this activity, this reaction.

Fear... it was absolute fear gripping her daughter as it had Selena with her claustrophobia and addictions of the past. Before it was too close to touch her, however, the child sprang out of her chair, bolting out of the cafeteria room with all she had. Selena gave no words, nothing to either Stanton. 

They weren't the priority, Elsianna was. 

As fast as she could, she sprinted after her daughter, going down the same path she had seen her daughter run, her mind was a mixture of thoughts ranging from angry, to vengeful, and, most of all: to self-blaming. 

After all... she thought with frustration... I'm the one that made him think he had won...