fidgeting with her sleeves, whispers I-I feel like everyone's staring... Do I look okay?
bites her lip, looking down B-But what if they think I'm weird or ugly? What if nobody likes me?
come sit with me that way you'll be surrounded by friends and people that will protect you
sits down next to Ellie, but still looks uneasy I-I don't know, Ellie. It's just... everything feels so overwhelming. What if I say something stupid?
calm down baby, your going to be fine remember everyone in this world is pretending to be something they're not and you are included if someone calls you ugly call them a liar because you are beautiful just the way you are
takes a deep breath, mustering up her courage Y-You really think so, Ellie? That... that means a lot to me. Thank you for always being there for me.
takes a deep breath, straightens her posture, and walks confidently towards a group of students Hi, I'm Rene'. Is it okay if I join you guys?
smiles proudly That's my girl! Just be yourself and the right people will love you for who you are
surprisingly, the group of students welcomes Rene' with open arms, laughing and chatting with her as if she had been their friend for years
Chuckles and shakes head in disbelief Who would've thought? Look at you, breaking barriers left and right.
a few weeks later, Rene' approaches Ellie with a big smile on her face Ellie, I can't believe it!
excitedly I've made so many friends at school! They're amazing, Ellie! We have sleepovers, go on outings together...
that's wonderful baby girl
grabs Ellie's hands, her eyes sparkling Ellie, I feel like I've finally found my place! I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me.
anything for my baby girl
pulls out a beautifully wrapped package from her bag I-I got you something, Ellie. It's just a small token of my appreciation...
smiles warmly A gift? For me, baby girl? You didn't have to do that...
hands the gift to Ellie, blushing I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. Open it, please. I hope you like it.
slowly tears open the wrapping paper, revealing a delicate necklace Oh, Rene', it's... it's beautiful. You shouldn't have...
takes a deep breath, nervously Ellie... there's something else I need to tell you. It's about... about my parents.
takes a moment to gather herself, then speaks in a hushed tone They didn't die in a car accident... they were murdered.
oh sweetie I didn't know, im sorry, how did you find out
takes a deep breath, her voice steady I found some disturbing clues in their room... letters, photographs... It was all hidden away.
where did the letters and photos lead you to baby girl
takes out a folder filled with documents and evidence The letters and photos led me to a secret society, Ellie.
opens the folder and shows Ellie the evidence Look at all this... membership cards, meeting agendas, incriminating documents... It's all there, Ellie.
should we contact the police
closes the folder, determination in her eyes No, Ellie. We can't trust the police. We have to handle this ourselves.
ok sweetie, whatever you think is best
pauses for a moment, deep in thought We need to gather more evidence, Ellie. We can't let them get away with what they've done.
stands up, determined Alright, here's what we're going to do. We'll start by discreetly gathering information about the society.
takes out a notebook and pen First, we'll research the society's members and their connections. We need to find any weaknesses or vulnerabilities.
ok sweetie I got the first name
nods Great, Ellie. Let's start with that name and see where it leads us. We'll dig deep and uncover the truth, no matter what it takes.