Farah Dowling WRITOBER 2O22

I licked it so it's mine

You were surprised that Farah had even shown up that evening.

She didn't seem particularly happy to be attending, and she was staying in a corner, next to the drinks table and to Ben and Saul, apparently having a lively discussion with Andreas and his current girlfriend.

You suspected that Ben had to insist to the point of exhaustion to convince her to come.

It was the fifth anniversary of the victory over Rosalind, and Alfea was hosting the recurring celebration. You knew these parties were Queen Luna's idea and you knew that Farah was keen to forget all about her old mentor and thus hated any kind of commemoration; but you were happy to see her there.

Only the faculty and important guests from the Other World attended, and it was nice to be able to watch her for once outside school, without the scrutinizing gaze of your students upon you.

You had been working at Alfea for a bit more than three years now, teaching Metamorphosymbiosis, and in all that time you had never mustered the courage to invite her out for lunch, or dinner, or for a drink. You didn't know why; you knew she liked women and you weren't so shy, usually. Besides, she had been only kind and warm and welcoming with you. But at the beginning you hadn't wanted to risk a healthy work relationship for a silly crush, and then the crush had developed in something so unfathomable that you had been frozen with fear at the mere thought of messing up in any way.

You did not want to let this evening pass without sharing a few words with her, though. It was very late, the formal celebration had become more of an informal faculty party after most of the guests had left, and you were slightly drunk.

You walked towards her and, as you got closer, you noticed the she seemed ready to explode at any second.

"You are just a big old namby-pamby, Farah" was saying Andreas, while Saul gesticulated with his hands behind the Headmistress' back to convince him to shut up.

Ben, who you'd have thought would be terrified, was looking quite amused by the whole thing.

"I am not... oh, I don't even want to repeat it" said Farah indignantly.

Saul was practically jumping to be noticed, but Andreas didn't take the hint. "Right, so you're just a prude with a stick up her ass? Afraid of a little mingling, are you?" he said with a broad smile on his face.

His girlfriend placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him a step back – there were only a few centimeters between him and Farah, and the Headmistress looked positively murderous.

You wondered how much she had had to drink, because normally she would shrug off a ridiculous taunt like that with a simple sarcastic answer.

"What you are suggesting is not mingling. Besides – no one would want to play with me. You've got it the wrong way round" she said angrily, gulping down what was left in her glass. "I am not afraid of people. They are afraid of me."

"Oh, nonsense" interjected Ben, who had noticed you listening to the conversation. "She is not afraid of you, right, my dear?"

"Ben, don't drag me into this argument, please" you hissed while Farah snapped, her face reddening: "You're supposed to be on my side, Ben!"

"But I am on your side! I'm sure she would be happy to play, and a bit of fun would do you both good" he pressed, grinning. Andreas was sipping his beer, Saul looked like he was about to throw up.

"You can't be serious, Ben. She is a former student. It would be highly inappropriate, not to mention she looks like she'd rather eat dirt."

"I don't even know what you're talking about..." you tried to say, but Ben was already answering, "Almost every available person at this party is a former student, Fa! And she wants to play a game" he added looking at you. "Don't you?"