Disguised In Lavender

Part 24

From the library to the school was about a five or six minute walk and the time ticked by ruthlessly for both Tae and Lauren. Neither spoke but it was clear that they begged Dalla wasn't waiting for either of their lovers anywhere below. A creak of the door beside Tae made them both shoot upright, breath catching at the thought of being caught. Thankfully, Ann stepped through with JK's hand holding the door open behind her, Lauren let out her breath. Tae ran into his boyfriend and hugged him tight, whispering the news in his ear as a terrified expression crossed the younger's face. Ann walked straight for Lauren who didn't even move before the trainer had her hand on her jaw and pressed their lips together.

The sound of choking laughter came from both boys, wide eyed with surprise as Lauren relaxed against her. "Gosh, and here I was thinking we'd just float up on a cloud." Ann muttered with her lips only inches from the older girl's who still had her eyes closed comfortably. "I didn't mean for this to happen, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Tears pricked her eyes again as she pulled back and gazed longingly at Ann, how much Lauren would do to keep her. That just wasn't possible, anyone would know that at Winchester a relationship couldn't compare to your identity. "Don't leave me Lauren, oh please don't leave me." Ann choked out, slipping her hand into Lauren's and squeezing the soft muscle between her thumb and pointer finger.

A dream come true wasn't enough to express the burst of happiness in Lauren's chest when she heard those words. She broke into a tearful smile and gently lifted their intertwined hands to wipe away Ann's tears that dampened her textured cheeks. "They're cute." JK whispered loud enough for both of them to hear and turn around in laughter, the silent bitterness broken. "Shut up, you ruined it." Tae reprimanded jokingly as he hit his boyfriend on the chest with only enough force to make him stumble backwards. "It'd be so much nicer if we could just stay up here." Everyone slowly fell back into thoughtful silence at Lauren's idea, no one seriously considering it but it did sound nice. Ann was the first to take a slow breath and untangle her hand from Lauren's, drawing attention to her. "Well, how're we going to face the music?" She may have asked the entire group but her starry blue eyes were locked onto Lauren who bit the nail of her thumb uneasily. "Go out there and kiss Dalla, just do it." Tae snapped his fingers to express his idea but was instantly shoved by Ann and Jk in unison. "You do that and we're really through." Ann pointed a finger at Lauren who lowered her hand with a laugh, rolling her eyes at the grotesque idea.

Face the music, that was how it was explained, but walking back down the crowded stairs wasn't like walking into a classical buffet. The heavy clang of rigid metal meeting the group's boots was more like charging into a mosh pit. Lauren's hammering heart wasn't helping either as she tried to keep her eyes straight ahead at the door with peeling paint. Tae had the idea to not do anything, no one would know but no one would not know either. If they chose to believe Dalla then that was their problem, Lauren and Ann, nor their friends, wouldn't deny anything.

Just as they suspected, when the four made their appearance in the hallway, Dalla was already standing there with her arms crossed smugly and smirking. "Sorry about your boots, they didn't look too expensive anyway." The stinging remark from Lauren made her face fall as she realised what was happening, the girls around her snickered. "At least I'm not fucking my trainer in the middle of the quad." JK made a disgusted face at the pure overstatement, Ann clenched her jaw but didn't say a word as the crimson heat rose in Lauren's cheeks. "And when was the last time anyone wanted to be seen even near the quad with you?" She snapped back, losing her calm in furious waves but she tried to relax the muscles back to stoney cold in her face.

A tall girl with a high black ponytail split into separate braids elbowed her friends and whispered something with her eyes locked on Lauren. Dalla turned back towards her and seemed to regain a second wind of tortuous confidence. "What? Looking for your next pretty victim to assault?" Now it was Ann's turn to absolutely gape at Dalla's words, Lauren simply pursed her lips and lifted her chin. This was nothing she hadn't heard before, it still hurt but she could console herself in the fact that it wasn't someone she cared about speaking. "Listen here you inconsiderate slut." Tae tried to leap at Ann to hold her back but he only stumbled over his own feet as she strode forward until Dalla had to creep back.

"Don't you dare say anything like that again." The trainer threatened even though she was about a head and a half smaller than Dalla, her voice was grim. "Or what?" Lauren felt her stomach clench at the Brunettes spitting tone and unraveled as a hand was placed on Ann's shoulder. The trainer glanced over at it and poked her tongue into her cheek before slowly letting her inky eyes pierce Dalla. "Or you'll be lucky to have a poop scooper position at this damn barn. I'm going to ruin you, Dalla Simmerman." Lauren couldn't even understand the threat but her rival obviously did because her hand flashed away with the click of purple acrylics. Ann took a slow breath and turned to face Lauren with a shadow of panic masked by the hatred shadowing her eyes.

No one stepped in Dalla's way as she sputtered something about 'ignorant stable hands' and shoved her way back to her locker. Ann was visibly shaken and leaned against Lauren for support, laying her chin on her shoulder to comfort her in her own shock. The rider glanced over at JK who had his hands balled into fists and his jaw clenched in fuming rage. Tae was whispering over his shoulder and gently running his hand down his sides. "I feel sick." Ann mumbled frowsily, pressing her palm to her forehead and letting Lauren lower her to the cold ground. Tae crouched down beside her too but JK stayed standing, obviously too worked up by the glares he shot at anyone walking by. "She thinks-"

Lauren interrupted Ann with a shake of her head, carefully feeling her temples for a fever and pursing her lips. She tried to stay calm but her hands were shaking as she sat back beside Ann and took a slow breath. "I say we go to the cabin after school, I can wait to see how Madge reacts to all this crap." Tae glanced up at JK who swept a hand through his hair but nodded at the idea, the cabin being his main place. It was only a short while from the Lavender field and lake but it would be Ann's first time hearing of it at all. "How're we supposed to go to class after this?" Tae layed a gentle hand on Ann's shoulder as she pulled her knees up to her chin, gazing pleadingly at Lauren. "With your chin up." She breathed darkly, pushing herself upright and dragging Ann up beside her.