Chapter Text
„Alright pumpkin, here we go.”, your father tells you while stopping the car.
“That’s dad, but you really didn’t have to drive me.”
“Nonsense, it’s the last day of school before you’ll be away for summer camp. I’m gotta use every opportunity to spend some time with my little girl.”
You try your very best not to roll your eyes as you gather your stuff for school.
“Not much longer and you’ll be going off to college. I can’t believe there’s only one year of school left for you. But you’ll still visit your old man, right?”
You can tell this is him trying to guilt you into staying with him over the summer but you’re done having that conversation, so you just nod and smile at him as genuine as you can.
“I’d imagine, you’d look a bit more exciting for your last day at school.”
Trying to hold back a sarcastic snort, you look out of the car’s window at your personal hell.
“I’m too tired to be excited right now. I gotta go now, or I’ll be late. See you later, dad.”, you say and take a deep breath before getting out of the car.
“Are you sure, you don’t want me to pick you up after school? You know it wouldn’t be a problem.”, your dad offers and you instantly shake your head no.
“No, I’ll be fine.”
The last thing you want is to draw even more attention to you by getting picked up by your dad in a police car. That’d just be another thing for them to annoy you with.
“Alright, well. Have fun, kid!”, your father calls after you as you’re already walking towards your school.
You turn around to quickly give him a little wave and he smiles back at you.
You’re long past the point where you felt guilty about not telling him about what school is really like for you. It’s not like he could do much about it anyways. Him reacting as overprotective as he usually is, would probably just makes things worse and they’re not worth switching schools for.
You enter the hallway and you can already tell that something is off. There’s the usual people staring at you but with some added snickering that makes you wonder what they’re going to humiliate you with today. With more awareness of your surroundings you head towards your locker, looking out for anything they might unexpectedly come at you with.
As you so far unharmed reach your destination you’re both relieved and worried when you see that they’ve once again used their unstoppable creativity to paint on your locker. There’s a drawing of what you believe is supposed to be you saying “I’m daddy’s little girl” and “I wanna fuck 11 year old Neville Longbottom”. You roll your eyes at the later statement and remind yourself that they don’t know you at all and only do those things because they apparently don’t have anything better to do. If they’d really be bothered by you they’d know that you would rather go with Hermione but it’s not like you actually want them to know anything about you so you go to your locker and open it carefully, aware of the fact that this can’t be the only thing they’re doing to you today.
You’re positively surprised and yet suspicious as there isn’t any goo coming out of your locker nor anything else out of the ordinary. You wonder what else they’re gonna have in store for you today cause this can’t be all. You don’t think they’re gonna let you go into the summer holidays this easily.
Looking around you, you see that the other students are heading off to their own classes and no one is paying any more attention to you, so you take out the stuff you need for the day and slowly make your way to your math class.
You sit down at your usual seat and take out your phone to avoid any unnecessary human interaction until the teacher comes and class starts.
Sometimes you do wonder what exactly it was that made it so hard for you to make friends in person and lost you the ones you’ve once had but then you go through the latest text messages in your unofficial online support group and you suppress a smile.
PantasticalCreature: Anyone up to watching a movie? I’m bored.
LafonBrain: Isn’t it like super late for you rn?
PantasicalCreature: Yeah, but I can’t sleep.
AllBiMyself: I see, I’m not the only one with Insomnia.
PantasticalCreature: Maybe it’s a European thing we don’t know about?
LafonBrain: That sounds highly unlikely. I think we just dragged you into the American time zone thanks to this chat.
AllBiMyself: I have no regrets.
PerryThePlatypus: I’d be up to watching a movie!
PerryThePlatypus: But I also think you should really go to bed! Sleep is very important!
LafonBrain: Mother Perry strikes again!
LafonBrain: So which movie is it gonna be?
LafonBrain: Let’s all watch Bandersnatch and the one with the weirdest ending wins!
SpAceQueerdo: Did I hear something about winning?
PantasticalCreature: Classic Queerdo. Will only join conversation when they read something about a competition or Hayley Kiyoko.
AllBiMyself: All hail our lord and savior Lesbian Jesus!
CookieMonster: Amen.
LargeMidnightPanther: Classic Cupcake. Will only join conversation when she reads the word lesbian.
LafonBrain: Classic Panther. Will only join conversation when she reads that CookieMonster has texted something.
LargeMidnightPanther: Shut it, Braniac.
CookieMonster: :p, don’t be rude!
SpAceQueerdo: I’m sensing that there’s gonna be some flirting going on if we’re not gonna start that movie soon.
CookieMonster: I can’t join :( I still gotta finish some homework. But have fun!
LargeMidnightPanther: Me too.
LafonBrain: Classic Panther, leaving the conversation, when Cookie has to go.
PerryThePlatypus: Leave them alone, Laf.
PantasticalCreature: Classic Laf, does whatever Perry says.
LafonBrain: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
PantasticalCreature: sure.
SpAceQueerdo: Movie?
AllBiMyself: yes, please.
--later--
PantasticalCreature: Jfc, what kinda movie was that?!
SpAceQueerdo: I will admit that I’m slightly disturbed.
LafonBrain: It was AMAZING!
AllBiMyself: I’m not surprised that you were into it.
LafonBrain: And I totally won.
PantasticalCreature: What makes you so sure of that?
LafonBrain: oh please, he sawed his father into pieces, how was that not the weirdest ending?
SpAceQueerdo: Sometimes, I am scared of you.
LafonBrain: don’t be :p
AllBiMyself: …
PantasticalCreature: moments like these remind me why I haven’t shared any personal information with any of you.
AllBiMyself: How was you vividly describing the crush you had on one of your teachers not sharing personal information?
SpAceQueerdo: noooooo, please don’t bring that up again. I still have nightmares because of that one dream you’ve described.
You look up from your phone as you try to not show how much you’re currently trying to hold back your laughter. The last thing you need is for some idiot to take away your phone to see what you’re laughing about and finding out that you’re gay. It’s not like you’re scared they’d react badly, in fact you know they wouldn’t. After all, your school’s favourite and most popular couple is gay. But that doesn’t change the fact that you simply don’t want anyone here to know more about your life. All they’re going to do with any information is use it against you. You could save a puppy for Kiyoko’s sake and they’d still find a way to make fun of you for it.
CookieMonster: Good morning! SpAceQueerdo is right, that description was very graphic.
SpAceQueerdo: Morning? More like afternoon. And don’t you think I’ve forgotten about your obsession over Emma Watson.
LargeMidnightPanther: I don’t think any of us are gonna forget about that anytime soon ;)
AllBiMyself: Oh God. The flirting Americans are waking up.
CookieMonster: I’d rather be in my bed still instead of sitting in this hellhole.
LargeMidnightPanther: Me too.
PantasticalCreature: In your bed or in her bed?
LargeMidnightPanther: I’d prefer one over the other ;)
CookieMonster: :)
SpAceQueerdo: The amount of sexual tension in here is making me uncomfortable.
CookieMonster: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
SpAceQueerdo: If the Asexual in the room knows it, then you know it too.
CookieMonster: AllBiMyself little help here, Panther?
LargeMidnightPanther: With what?
CookieMonster: …
LargeMidnightPanther: Don’t you think it’s time we’d tell them about us, babe?
Once again you have to look away from your phone but keep your head down in hopes that your hair covers the enormous blush that is probably on your face right now. You don’t understand how a person, who’s face you’ve never even seen, can get these kinds of reactions out of you.
SpAceQueerdo: uhhhh, have you been keeping secrets?
LafonBrain: I KNEW IT! SINCE WHEN?!
PerryThePlatypus: Congrats you two!
CookieMonster: OMG GUYS STOP IT
PantasticalCreature: Is anyone actually surprised here? It’s been a long time coming.
CookieMonster: OMG! Panther was kidding! There’s NOTHING going on.
LargeMidnightPanther: You wound me, Cupcake.
CookieMonster: Stop it, please. You’re just spurring them on.
LafonBrain: Wait, so are you dating or not?
CookieMonster: No!
SpAceQueerdo: Wtf just happened?
LargeMidnightPanther: Idk, but I gotta go to class. If the Cupcake thinks we’re not dating, then I guess we’re not :(
CookieMonster: Omg, wtf, what does that even mean?!
LafonBrain: I have no idea what going on here anymore but it’s hilarious.
PerryThePlatypus: Don’t be mean, Laf.
PantasticalCreature: Yeah Laf, not everyone is as quick to recognize they have a crush on someone as you are.
CookieMonster: no one’s having a crush on anyone. You’re all ridiculous.
LafonBrain: Thanks, Frosh.
“What’s got you so obsessed with your phone, Lauronica Mars? Got a secret lover across the sea?”, Carmilla Karnstein says as she’s taking a seat next to you.
You lock your phone so she can’t see who you were texting with and roll your eyes at her remark. Hoping that she’ll leave if she realizes that you have no interest in talking to her whatsoever, you busy yourself with talking out the books you will need for your following math class.
“No the usual talkative Laura Hollis today, I see. I wonder what’s gotten that cute little face of yours so bunched up?”, she adds on and it takes a lot for you to not just yell at her or preferably even, punch her in the face. As if you wouldn’t instantly recognize her girlfriend’s handwriting.
“What do you want, Carmilla?”, you ask halfheartedly, still avoiding eye contact with the devil’s lover.
“Just here to give you this.” She takes out a letter and holds it out to you.
You take a quick look at it but instead of taking it, you pick up a pen and start doodling on the corner of your notebook.
“What? You don’t wanna know what’s in it? What happened to your undying curiosity?” Carmilla starts using the letter to fan air at you.
“You might want to be a bit more careful with that. What If your girlfriend finds out you’ve been sending me love letters?”, you answer as calmly as possible.
Carmilla lets out a cold laugh. “Oh trust me, she knows she’s got nothing to worry about. Especially not because of you.”
You swallow and ignore the slight stabbing pain that goes through your heart as she says it.
“By the way, I don’t even know what’s in here. I’m just the messenger. And I’m also supposed to tell you that if you don’t open it, Lawrence will lock you in the boy’s changing room again. So you might want to go back to your annoying noisiness.” She interrupts your doodling by holding the letter directly in front of your eyes and then putting it down on your table.
You take a deep breath before picking up the letter without sending Carmilla another glance. Just as you’re about to open it, your teacher enters the room. “Hollis, Karnstein, I hope whatever important matters you think you need to discuss during my class can wait until it’s over.”
You nod silently and throw the letter into your bag as Carmilla slides her chair back to her own table.
You pay as much attention to the class as you possibly can but your mind wanders back to Carmilla, the letter and the fact that as of tomorrow you’ll be out of this place and at the music camp you had dreamt of going to since you’ve first heard about it two years ago. It’s still unbelievable that you father is letting you go there since it’s barely still in the state and well, a camp close to a forest. This will also be the first time you’ll be away from home for longer than a week and not spending it with you relatives.
You take a deep breath to bring your focus back to math instead of buzzing about escaping your life for a couple of weeks. There’s roughly another three hours left of your day at school and you’re too scared that they might figure out where you’re going this summer and somehow ruin that for you too. As soon as the bell rings you gather your stuff and try to leave but unfortunately, Carmilla abandons her stuff to be quick enough to grab you before you get out.
“The letter.”, she says and stares at you. “Whatever is in there can’t possibly be as bad as being shoved in the boy’s changing room.”
“Why would you even care?”, you spit back and rip your arm out of her grasp.
“Just open it. You don’t even have to read it. Just open it and I’ll tell them you did so they’ll leave you alone.”
You laugh and shake your head in disbelieve while using as much force as possible to rip open the letter, hopefully destroying whatever in written inside it. You read the words that bring the bullying you’ve had to go through for the past three years to a whole new level and it takes all of your strength to not just break down, punch Carmilla as hard as you possibly can or both. You bite the inside of cheek until you can taste blood, take a sharp breath and then grab you stuff and hurry out of the classroom. You should know better by now but you’re trying really hard not to cry so you don’t see Danny Lawrence standing by the classroom door and before you know it, you’re hitting the ground face first. There’s a numbing pain going through your skull and for a second you’re glad for it cause it makes you forget about the letter that is still in your hands. For some reason your grasping onto it even as you, not for the first time, gather your stuff from the floor. You hear a lot of people laughing but you brain is still hurting and you’re so used to being laughed at, this is hardly worsening your situation. What it worrying you though is the drop of blood you see on the ground right in front of you as you try to get back up as graciously as possible. As you’re standing, you bring your hand to your forehead and mentally curse at the warm wetness you’re finding there. You don’t know how bad this is yet but you already know that your dad is probably going to kill you and might not let you go to camp unless you come up with a really good excuse.
You decide that it’s probably better to go to the bathroom first instead of the school nurse, but just as you’re about to leave, Ell Sheridan, the school’s most popular blonde, stands in front of you and smiles.
“Oh no, clumsy you. Does it hurt, let me see?”
She takes a step towards you and grabs your shoulder so you can’t back away.
“You tell one person about that letter, and you’ll see the things we’ve done so far were nice in comparison.”, she whispers to you with the fakest smile plastered onto her face. “You’d better head to the nurse with that.”
She raises her hand and pokes the area around the cut in anything but a soft way. You flinch and close your eyes because you don’t want her to see the tears forming in them.
“Better get away from her, babe. You don’t want to get her blood on you, do you?”, Carmilla says and wraps her arms around her girlfriend’s waist, effectively bringing some distance between you and your bully.
“You’re right, babe.” Ell turns around to kiss Carmilla and you can feel yourself vomiting a bit in your mouth. “But”, the devil itself adds on, “Mister Vordenberg!”
You can feel yourself getting more anxious over what’s about to happen as your math teacher answers from his classroom.
“Laura fell and she’s bleeding but she won’t let me take her to the nurse’s office.”
You consider making a run for it but you know it’s a lost cause.
“Oh well, Fräulein Hollis. Let me see. No, this should most certainly be looked at by someone professional. Please Fräulein Sheridan, if you would be so kind.” Vordenberg pushes you as gently as an old man can towards Ell who just smiles at him and nods as she replaces his hand on your lower back with hers to guide you through the hallway. Too busy trying to come up with any proper excuse to make this whole scenario as harmless looking as possible, you first don’t realize that Carmilla is tagging along, walking behind her girlfriend like an obedient dog.
“What exactly do you have planned, Ell?” She asks as soon as you round a corner and are out of Vordenberg’s and most of your classmates’ sight.
“Getting us out of class, duh. And poor little Laura here to the nurse, right.”
Her hand leaves your lower back and she forcefully pinches you in your side. You suppress a whine and just walk a bit faster. Shortly before you reach your destination, you hear Carmilla speak up again.
“We really gotta go inside with her? I mean, you’ve made your point clear and she isn’t stupid. There’s no reason she’s gonna blab so let’s just go to class.”
“I’m throwing this whole pity fest to get us out of class. If you don’t wanna miss your precious music lessons then go head and get lost. I don’t need you for this.” Ell answers harshly and Carmilla starts to frown. You find it more difficult to believe that those two are in love with each other but what do you know.
After a short knock on the door, Ell pushes you inside. It takes a short moment but then Carmilla is once again trailing after her.
“Oh no, you poor thing.” Nurse Cochrane says to you and for the first time since you’ve entered the school building you don’t feel completely awful. “What happened to you?”
You open your mouth to lie to her but Ell beats you to it.
“She tripped over her own feet. I guess we all can’t wait for the summer break to start.” She answers with a fake laugh.
Cochrane nods and starts tending to your cut. “Thank you for bringing her in, but you won’t need to stay. I’ve got it from here Miss Sheridan and Miss Karnstein. Go back to your classes, please.”
“Let’s go, Ell.” Carmilla says quietly, already turning to head out but Ell just ignores her.
“Is there really nothing more we can do? We’re just so worried. Are you sure she doesn’t need to be picked up, or something?”
You would’ve snapped your head up if Cochrane wasn’t holding it so tightly right now.
“I mean, I’m sure Miss Hollis is going to be fine after I got this cut properly cleaned but since it’s the last day and I suppose you won’t be missing much anyway, you could go home if you wanted to.”
“I-“ You start but once again get interrupted by Ell.
“Well then you should definitely go home and rest. You don’t want to spend the first week of the break with a headache, right? Don’t worry, I’ll even call Officer Hollis for you. I’m sure he won’t mind picking you up.”
“No!” You say a bit too quick and a bit too fast and by Ell’s reaction, you can tell that this might be exactly what she wanted. “No, I’m fine, really. My head doesn’t even hurt anymore and I- um, I don’t want to miss any classes.”
“Oh don’t worry about that Laura. Your wellbeing comes first. You share today’s classes with Carmilla anyways. I’m sure she won’t mind sending you her notes, right babe?”
Carmilla just blankly stares at you and for a short moment you wonder if she remembers how much you always hated it whenever your dad went into his overprotective mode as soon as you’ve gotten a little scratch.
“Of course.” She answers clearly, yet free of any emotion.
“Perfect, I’ll call your dad. Be right back!” Ell answers enthusiastically and leaves the room.
There’s a moment of silence as you and Carmilla just stare at each other until Nurse Cochrane clears her throat while sticking a band-aid on the remains of your cut.
“So Miss Hollis, do you want to tell me why you’ve tripped over your own feet?” She asks while looking between you and Carmilla.
Carmilla raises an eyebrow while looking at you, almost as if she dared you to tell the truth but it’s been three years since you were able to read her like a book and if those years have taught you anything is that you can’t even trust the people you thought you knew best.
“I guess I was just lost in thought. And I’m naturally clumsy, so…” You shrug and weakly smile at Cochrane. “But this won’t hinder me in any way, right?” You ask as you point to your forehead.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Like, if I had plans for the summer, this wouldn’t stop me from them, right?” You know you sound a bit too hopeful and that Carmilla is still in the room and probably caught on to it but you just want to know for sure that they at least didn’t ruin your whole summer.
“I’d refrain from lifting heavy things until the cut is properly healed but other than that, you should be just fine.” She answers with a smile and you let out a relieved sigh.
“Could you, by any chance, convince my dad of that?” You carefully ask and the nurse starts laughing.
“I suppose Sherman is no less worried about the ones he cares about now than back when he was attending this school as a student himself.”
“Maybe even more.” You mumble but it doesn’t go unheard and Cochrane starts laughing even louder.
“I’ll tell him, he’d better take the advice of an wise old lady who remembers his young reckless moments that had gotten him into this very room all too well.”
Just as Nurse Cochrane gives you a reassuring pad on your shoulder, you hear your dad’s footsteps quickly coming towards you, accompanied by his voice.
“Laura! Thank god you’re alright.” He says a bit too loud and a bit too relieved and it makes you wonder what story Ell must have told him over the phone for him to arrive in less than five minutes. The all too bright smile she appears with in the doorframe tells you that she might as well had been describing your death.
“Dad, relax. I’m fine. It’s just a small cut.” You try to reassure him and send Cochrane a pleading look.
“Are you sure? Maybe it’s a concussion. I think I should get you to a hospital.” He takes you face into his hands and starts looking at your face in different angles as if he could x-ray you and immediately tell if you’re hurt.
“That might not be a bad idea, Officer Hollis. You can never be too safe.” Ell adds on from behind him but thankfully your dad doesn’t give her too much attention. You don’t specially talk about the things she torments you with every day but he does know that you’re not her biggest fan.
“That really won’t be necessary, Miss Sheridan. I think we all know that it takes a bit more than a small little cut for Laura to be tied to a hospital bed. Am I right Sherman?” Cochrane cuts in and winks at you.
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right, Laura?” Your father asks you hesitantly. “If not I can always cancel-“
“No!” You quickly cut him off. “I’m sure, dad. I feel way better already and I can lay down as soon as I’m home and by tomorrow I’ll be as healthy as always, right?” You smile at Cochrane, who nods in approval.
“Certainly. Now, you two” She points at you and your father. “drive home safely and you” She looks sternly at Carmilla and Ell. “get back to class. Sherman, I’m sure I can rely on you to make sure they won’t dawdle on their way back there?”
Your father giggles and you might be scarred for life by that sound. “Of course, have a nice day Nurse Cochrane.”
You hop off the couch Cochrane had you sit on and hold back a snicker when you see Ell’s disapproving look as she realizes that it’s going to be rather difficult to skip class if your dad will literally escort them back to the classroom.
“So Carmilla, haven’t seen much of you for quite some time.” Your dad begins and now Ell isn’t the only one who’s regretting this escort arrangement.
“Well, you know, school’s been keeping me busy, sir.” She answers without looking at him.
“It’s also been some time since you’ve called me sir.”
Carmilla just shrugs and stays silent.
“Though I must say I’m quite glad I haven’t seen Will at the station for some time either. You’re keeping your brother in check?”
“He’s been less rebellious ever since Kirsch got him on the football team, sir.”
Your dad just nods and after that more or less failed attempt of small talk, you continue to walk in silence. You’re surrounded by some really awkward silence and you hope your dad doesn’t try to talk about it later because you don’t know how to explain this whole situation to him.
“Well then, I’ll see you around kids. Have fun in class and a nice break.” Your dad says as you reach the classroom. Ell heads inside without really recognizing that something had been said at all and Camilla just mumbles out a quick thank you before following her girlfriend.
You keep walking and you can feel your dad staring at you.
“Wanna talk about what just happened there?” He asks you with curiosity in his voice.
“I’d rather just go to bed and lay down for a while.”
“Well then” he nods as if he’d understand “we’d better get you home then.”