St. Văduva's School for Prestigious Girls

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞

The clock ticked as loudly as a gunshot, reverberating in the small space. Kanani sat on a stool next to Temperance's cot, both glaring at the ground. Temperance held an ice pack to the back of her head while Kanani rolled herself back and forth on the stool.

Her head was in excruciating pain, throbbing first dully then sharply, and circulating between the two sensations inconsistently.

Who the fuck tackles someone for bringing up a name? And what did she mean by, "Why the fuck do you know that"?

Her head hurt too much to think too heavily about it. If she was lucky, this fall might have shifted her tumor and killed her right then and there. But as the ticking of the minute hand cut away at her nerves, it seemed that Lady Luck had never quite been on her side.

Ottilie towered before them with her hands on her hips beside the school nurse, who wrung her aging hands nervously. Ottilie looked like she was ready to kill, with her sharp eyes alternating between the two.

"Two incidents. Two incidents with you two, and Temperance, this is the beginning of your second week. I haven't the foggiest about what is causing these fights, so I'll need some sort of explanation. Now."

Temperance shrugged, unsure as she glanced up at Ottilie. But the dean was not interested in the girl with the ice pack. Instead, she stared daggers at Kanani.

Kanani's eyes could have bored holes into the floor with how intense her gaze was. And then that glare locked onto Temperance.Fiery anger burned in iridescent green eyes, nearly capable of incinerating Temperance, and yet there also remained a sliver of sadness, only visible through the formation of her brow.

Temperance managed her most ferocious glare right back, probably not succeeding if her fluttering lashes were anything to go by.

Kanani broke eye contact, huffing. "Fuck if I know."

Ottilie pinched the bridge of her nose. "That cannot be your answer for everything." She glanced at Temperance briefly before she moved in closer to the girl with the box-braids and the two conversed in harsh hushed tones. Kanani, even when whispering looked like she was snarling and on the cusp of tearing someone's throat out.

The older woman took Ottilie's distraction as her cue to scurry over to the injured patient, her white hair permed and glistening. Temperance's aching eyes trailed over to the desk to remind herself of the nurse's name. Sophia Daisy. The daisy flower decor on the eastern wall should have been an answer enough if she thought about it.

"Here, dear," Sophia coaxed, her accent that of Mary Poppins'. "Remove the pack and let me have a look."

Temperance winced as she moved the pack away from the soreness of her scalp. Sophia gently prodded at the back of her head and Temperance hissed through clenched teeth. Kanani snickered under her breath, and Temperance cast a glare her way.

"Not to worry, dear. Looks like a proper outward bump. Let's have a look into those eyes, shall we? Make sure you're not concussed."

Temperance placed the ice pack back over the injured spot and faced forward as Sophia came around and shone her pen light that hung around her neck into Temperance's sensitive eyes. She gave her minimal instructions — look at her nose, look up, look down, look to either side. Apparently, it was good enough, because Sophia switched the light off with a grin. "Perfect, I don't see any issues with your pupils. How do you feel?"

"Like a bull ran me over," Temperance answered honestly.

Kanani's wheels skidded as she came to a halt on the stool, swiveling around with vengeance as she focused on her target. "I'll show you a fucking bull, you little—"