Ella slammed the door behind her and leaned against it, breathing hard. Her hands were shaking, and her heart was pounding so loud she could hear it in her ears. She had meant to stay calm in front of Kayla, to show strength, but once again her emotions had betrayed her.

Nothing was working. Nothing.

She pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes, fighting the tears that were threatening to spill over. “Why won’t she just listen?” She said in a whisper while she was holding the door handle.

“Why does she have to make everything so difficult?” Ella asked herself as she was trying to understand what...