Darklin Academy --- All Girls' School

[Sullen Sweet Juliet]

Smiling a little, Jennifer gently lifted the childlike figure to her feet, wincing a little as another sympathy pain pricked her hands. She smiled a little wider once Selli was on her feet before she backed off, knowing that the smaller blonde would still be uncomfortable around her. "Do you want me to walk you up?" she asked softly, jerking her head in the general direction of the school. The red and purple in her long bangs scattered slightly over her face before she flipped them away.

She was cursing her empathy, now. Not only was she both frustrated and embarrassed thanks to the other girl, but her hands were twinging with sympathy pains, and she could feel another of her anxiety attacks coming on. She hardly knew the tiny blonde other than from class, and already she was bringing on an attack. Jenn sighed and ran her hands through her hair.

 

[SelliTheCookie]

Friday sighed, shaking her head to get some of the stray hair out of her face and away from the food. Selli had ordered that she go and get them something to eat, little did Friday know that the lunch line would take her almost all lunch period to get to the front of. She and Selli would probably have to eat their lunch through Philosophy and Friday hated missing a moment of that class, especially to eat. She made sure to get them both sandwiches, chocolate milk, a small bag of chips, and a cookie which was Selli’s favourite and probably something Selli would like after being so disgruntled by that Markins kid.

I’m not too fond of her either, Friday thought as she kept walking toward the Archery range. Anyone who stands out enough to ruffle Selli’s fur the wrong way can’t be good...

Friday’s eyes trailed across the Archery range, they stopped once she saw two figures. Both with blonde hair, but one was distinctively taller than the other. Her eyes fell on Selli right away who was clutching her hands oddly and attempting to stand, only to fall back over...

Friday dropped their lunches and headed for the two, reaching them in time to catch Markins’ offer to help Selli to the school. The moment Friday was near Selli, she pulled the little blonde behind her.

“What did you do?” She hissed at the taller blonde, narrowing her eyes angrily as her gaze pierced the seventeen-year-old.  

[Sullen Sweet Juliet]

The taller blonde blinked at the blue-haired girl in mild-mannered confusion. "I didn't do anything. Your little friend here hurt herself practicing her archery." Jennifer's lips thinned, her manner turning cold to match with Friday's. Even her warm brown eyes chilled and became almost glassy. "But now that you're here, I hardly think that she needs me to walk her to the infirmary." Unstrapping her gloves, she turned on her heel. "Take care, Vecestvillie," she shot over her shoulder in parting. The set of her back was tense and shook slightly as she stormed off to the school to change into her normal uniform.

 

[SelliTheCookie]

Friday glared at the blonde as she stormed off. “Royal snob!” Friday snarled under her breath.

“Ugh!” Selli cried angrily and kicked Friday in the back of the knee, causing the blue-haired girl to fall to her knees. “Friday, you stupid dog!”

Friday quickly got back onto her feet and turned to face Selli who had been behind her. The short blonde was scowling and obvious displeased. “What?” Friday snapped. “I help you and you get mad at me? I thought that’s what loyal people did, helped their master.”

“I was perfectly fine on my own; I didn’t need your help. Next time, ask for my permission before interfering, especially if it involves that girl,” Selli ordered.

Sighing, Friday nodded.

“Good!” Selli snapped. “Now accompany me to the school.” Selli started off and Friday followed close behind.

“Any reports on her reputation?”

“She’s a senior, like us. Her name is Jennifer Markins,” Friday informed. “Apparently she’s the talk of the school at the moment. She’s got a reputation of being about as friendly as blizzard; turns out she’s pretty frosty towards people and more concerned about her work than actually meeting and befriending people.”

Selli shrugged half-heartedly, visibly wincing in pain at the movement.

“I think we should keep an eye on her, she does have the potential to get to the top. Some of the other girls already fancy and admire her, seems they’ve went from tiny and stubbornly adorable to tall and nasty in less than a week,” Friday sighed.

“Hrmph,” Selli snorted. “Do you know what classes she has?”

“... No, but I will ask around if you want me to.”

Selli nodded, as she came to the door the infirmary. “I want to see if we’re going to have any more run-ins other than Archery before lunch.”

Friday nodded obediently, opening the door to the infirmary for Selli, the little blonde disappeared inside, abandoning Friday in the halls to do as she was told before class started.  

[Sullen Sweet Juliet]

She angrily stripped of her gloves as she stormed across the grounds and up to her dorm. She lived alone, due to her 'talent' and the fact that there wasn't a girl on campus that wanted to be anywhere near her by now. If they weren't toddling after her like kittens after their mother, then they ran in the other direction as soon as they saw her coming.

Snarling, she flung her gloves and her archery uniform into the trunk at the foot of her bed before changing back into her school uniform. She carefully affixed the little gold pin to her collar that marked her as a 'talented' student. It was small, but it was brightly polished and clearly visible against the white silk of her shirt. She sighed as she buttoned up her vest, quickly examining herself in the mirror.

With fast, practiced movements, she caught her hair up into a long braid down her back, pulling it forward over her shoulder. As the warning bell for third period tolled, she snatched up her books, slipped on her shoes, and sprinted out of her room, slamming the door behind her. She knew Lady McKenzie's reputation for scolding students that were late to her class, so she put all her effort into running through the halls, arriving breathless and windswept outside the Philosophy classroom.

Her back went stiff as she caught a familiar wave of hostility coming down the hallway, and she muffled an exasperated sigh as her hands started to hurt again. Oh... You've got to be kidding me!

 

[SelliTheCookie]

Selli stormed into Philosophy a few minutes after the bell rang, proudly making the bandage on her hand visible to everyone in the room. It wasn’t even a moment before the class was turning to each other to whisper. Friday stood directly behind her.

“Why are you two late?” Lady McKenzie sighed.

Selli pointed to the bandage on her hand, “Hello? Are you blind? I was injured today, thank you very much!”

Lady McKenzie rolled her eyes slightly at Selli’s reply, “Friday? What’s your excuse?”

“... She needed someone to open doors for her...”

Lady McKenzie sighed again, “Fine. Take a seat, but—” She added quickly as Selli went to move forward. “—not together, not this year, not again.”

Selli scowled, she pointed at an empty desk in the front and turned her head to Friday, “Sit.”

Obediently Friday went over and sat down, but only after she gave Selli a glance as she knew where the only empty seat left in the room was, as well as Selli. The short blonde’s eyes scanned the room and fell to the only empty seat as if she hadn’t known it existed. Selli smiled smugly and walked over to Jennifer, only pausing when she was right beside her, at the only empty seat.

Selli could tell the girl was unhappy about the idea of her sitting beside her, so her gaze flickered to the girl sitting directly behind her, who was watching Selli with curious eyes like the rest of the class.

“You, girl, switch, now,” Selli ordered.

The girl shook her head, she opened her mouth about to protest, but when Selli’s eyes narrowed at her she nodded meekly and picked up her things.

“Thank you,” Selli said, but there was no gratitude in her voice. She took her seat directly behind Jennifer, a little disappointed that the taller blonde didn’t want to be seated with her.

The moment the teacher’s back was to the class the students began to whisper about what had just happened. No doubt there would be talk about how even Selli didn’t like the unfriendly Jennifer.  

[Sullen Sweet Juliet]

Jenn couldn't help but give the girl that Selli forced to sit beside her an apologetic smile. The brunette took one look at the gold pin on her collar and practically cowered back in her seat. The tall blonde sighed, despite an answering pang of fear and bent to pick up her books from the floor. As Lady McKenzie started to write on the board and explain the day's lesson, the tall blonde did her able best to ignore the class around her.

At one point, a ball of paper, surprising from such a well-mannered class, bounced off the side of her head. She took only a moment to pick it off the desk and set it aside before returning to her work. Her shoulders tensed at the flickers of hostility and apprehension coming off the class. A tic was starting in her jaw as she gathered up her things.

"Lady McKenzie... I need to be excused." Her voice was tight and forced as she got to her feet. Seeing how tensed the girl was, the teacher merely nodded.

Jenn bolted. That was the best word to describe how she ran for the door and out into the hallway.

 

[SelliTheCookie]

When Jennifer left, Selli got to her feet. Her chair making the loudest sound in the room as it scratched the floor, using her chair for help Selli climbed on top of her desk. Her arms were folded across her chest and her eyes were shut as she let out a long, deep, sigh.

“Selli, get off the desk,” Lady McKenzie sighed from the front of the room.

Selli opened her eyes, casting a piercing glance at the teacher; the gaze was so cynical that Lady McKenzie actually flinched away in fear from the crazy little blonde on the desk. Selli turned back to the rest of the class, her gaze not any kinder.

“You...” Selli scanned the room slowly; everyone who met her gaze suddenly grew paler and uncomfortable under the loathing stare. “Are...” Selli closed her eyes again and straightened herself up to her full height, “All...” She let them hang, everyone hushing to complete silence as they waited for her final word. “IDIOTS!!!”

Selli leapt off her desk, and kicked it over, sending a few easily frightened girls fleeing out the door with shrieks of terror. Everyone that had been sitting around Selli got up and backed away.

“I’ll drown every last one of you in the bathroom!” Selli hissed darkly, kicking over another desk. Most of the students had fled by now, but those that hadn’t found themselves under direct attack of Selli’s desk kicking until finally it was just her and Friday in the room.

Friday was shaking her head as Selli flopped down into a sitting position. “What was all that about?”

Selli looked at Friday as her stomach growled. “No one fed me lunch!” Selli whined. But Selli lied, she didn’t know why she had suddenly acted out on her whole class, but she knew it had something to do with Jennifer and how they treated her...

Suddenly, the angry face of the headmistress, Lady Carlina, as she walked with Lady McKenzie who was going on about what a troublesome student Selli was flashed across her mind.

“Uh-oh,” Selli jumped to her feet. “I think I should start running.” Selli’s gaze fell on the window.

“Selli...” Friday said slowly, getting to her feet. “Hopping out of windows—especially from the second floor—is not a good idea...”

Selli threw open the window, “You worry too much! Besides, I’m small enough that I can follow the ledge until I get to a drain pipe or something. People do this all the time!”

“Yeah, fictional people who don’t feel pain,” Friday sighed.

Selli wasted no time getting onto the tiny ledge, with her back to the grounds below, she used her hands to guide her further across the ledge, and before she disappeared out of sight of the window she gave a final wave to Friday.

Standing practically suspended on the second floor made her realize something... “I really hope no one looks up,” Selli sighed. “You’d probably be able to see up my skirt...”  

[Sullen Sweet Juliet]

The tall blonde continued to run, only stopping momentarily at her dorm to drop off her books. Her heart was racing and her breath was coming in quick pants; not only from her mad dash to what she hoped was safety, but from her incoming anxiety attack. Collecting herself somewhat, she didn't run, but did walk quickly to an empty wing of the school, across the courtyard from the philosophy classroom. It was normally used by the 'talented' students for practicing where they wouldn't be disturbed. Jenn, on the other hand, used it as a place to cool off where the emotions from the rest of Darklin's students wouldn't affect her. As soon as she was in the empty wing, she felt her anxiety level drop like a stone, and she sank onto a windowsill with a relieved sigh.

Turning slightly, she glanced out the window; first at the clear blue sky above, letting her eyes travel down to the wing of the school across the courtyard. Her eyebrows rose a little as her gaze lighted on the figure of the tiny blonde climbing out the window of the philosophy room.

 

[SelliTheCookie]

Selli continued to slowly edge her way along the narrow ledge that kept her from falling, she sighed as Friday’s words finally dawned on her. This was a stupid idea.

But it was too late to go back now, it was either continue forward or jump... Selli looked over her shoulder at the ground below where the tiny figures of other students looked like ants against the green grounds of the school, it was then she noticed the crowd forming below her... Selli went back to focusing her attention to the wall, taking a shaky breath.

Jumping... bad idea...

But the idea of the half the student body watching her made her feel tempted to jump down and beat most of them over the head with the nearest blunt object. Selli did not want to hear about this for the rest of the year!

Selli shook her head, stubbornly continuing to edge closer and closer to the nearest classroom. She could feel the wind start pick up and she pressed herself closer to the school. She squeezed her eyes shut. Don’t fall! Don’t fall! Don’t fall!

Selli could feel the wind pick up and she suddenly really hated her small and thin body structure. Despite her best efforts the wind threw off her balance and she shifted her weight to try to regain herself, but her foot missed the narrow ledge and with nothing on the side of the school to actually hold on to Selli found herself falling down through the air and toward her little admiring crowd that were probably just waiting for the moment she would slip and fall to her death.  

[Sullen Sweet Juliet]

Jennifer shot to her feet, suppressing a yelp of fear as the tiny blonde slipped. The feeling of anticipation from the waiting crowd was so intense that she felt cold chills working up her spine. Biting her lip, she forced herself to turn away from the window. Maybe if she didn't see Vecestvillie hit the ground, she wouldn't feel as much in the way of sympathy pains. Maybe not watching would make Selli stop before she hit the ground. Maybe if she looked away, the crowd would make a move to catch the tiny blonde. Maybe...

The tall blonde steeled herself, bracing back against the wall next to the window and staring up at the ceiling. Even from across the courtyard, she could sense the Vecestvillie girl's fear and shame.

 

[SelliTheCookie]

Friday had a bad feeling. The moment Selli had climbed out that window, Friday had a really bad feeling.

This is that stupid Jennifer’s entire fault, Friday thought bitterly as she stormed out of the classroom and toward the stairs. Friday wasn’t stupid, she knew there was something about her that Selli couldn’t help but love to hate and Selli didn’t like sharing and her fit had proved that the only one that was allowed to make Jennifer feel threatened, was Selli.

“Did you see?!” A girl loudly gossiped with someone she walked with as they passed Friday on the stairs.

“Yeah, little Selli’s really off her gourd this time. Scaling building sides? What next?!” The other replied.

“Who knows, but you know that chick that can control winds? She’s outside right now; I think she’s going to make Selli fall...”

Friday felt a cold chill run down her spine. She stopped only two steps from the bottom and looked out the window that took up half the wall on the main floor. She could clearly see Selli’s crowd of admires as they stood a little ways from the window and looked up, there was one girl in the front who had a smug smile on and had her hands in the air. A moment later she gestured that everyone step back and the whole crowd took several steps back in unison.

It wasn’t until Friday saw the tiny little figure that she knew to be Selli hit the ground and lay perfectly still in a broken crumpled heap that she realized just what had happened... just what could have been avoided...

Friday hadn’t noticed that she had moved until she was on her knees at Selli’s side.

“Selli?” Friday asked. Afraid to touch the little blonde in case she hurt her, afraid to brush some of her long hair out of her face in case the little blonde really was... dead. “Selli?” Friday asked again.

There was a really long silence, no one in the crowd said anything, but Friday doubted they cared very much.

“Selli?” Friday said one last time, louder now.

The little blonde didn’t move, but a tiny groan escaped from her lips. Friday nearly began to weep tears of joy.

Selli wasn’t dead.  

[Sullen Sweet Juliet]

Jennifer stifled a cry as she felt the Vecestvillie girl hit the ground. The pain she felt was muted because she was far away, but it was still enough to send her to one knee, holding her chest. Underlying the wracking pain was a definite smug satisfaction from someone in the courtyard below.

Fighting to her feet and abandoning rationality, Jenn climbed onto the windowsill and pushed the window open. She saw Friday run across the grass and kneel beside the broken form as the tall blonde crouched on the sill. Her cold brown eyes picked out the source of the smug satisfaction; a tall redhead with the figure and poise of a fashion model. Snarling slightly to herself, she leapt out of the window and landed on the ground below, ignoring the fresh wave of pain shooting through her ankles as she hit the ground.

The empath immediately targeted the redhead, sprinting across the grass toward her. Still snarling, the tall blonde landed a nasty uppercut on the girl's perfect jaw, knocking her backwards. "You b***h!" she yelled. "You couldn't have helped her instead of knocking her off the sill?!" Though the other girl was still on the ground, Jennifer started to launch herself at the redhead again. She found her arms caught and held by two other students, one of them the prefect from her dorm building.

 

[SelliTheCookie]

Friday had spotted Jennifer sprinting across the lawn, her eyes narrowed slightly, half expecting the taller blonde to join the smug looking crowd of Selli-haters. But Friday blinked in surprise when Jennifer attacked the girl that had her arms in the air as Selli fell.

Friday felt her lips pull back into a small smile; maybe Jennifer wasn’t so bad after all.

At the sudden onslaught of commotion, Selli let out another groan. Friday looked at her in alarm.

“It... hurts...” Selli mumbled.

Friday knew that Selli needed medical attention, but she didn’t trust anyone in the crowd enough to go get help and she certainly wasn’t going to abandon Selli. That’s when Friday’s eyes trailed to the prefect holding Jennifer, prefects weren’t known to be kind to any student, especially ones who acted out in violence. But sometimes they over looked things if the student did something to help... Friday hated to admit it, but since Jennifer seemed willing enough to help Selli, then Friday was willing enough to help her.

“Jennifer,” Friday said calmly as the girl looked over her shoulder at Friday. “I need you to go and find a teacher... now. Selli needs medical attention and moving her without an adult’s say-so might not be a smart idea.”