The gorgon and the siren: The Fairies Curse

Chapter 5: Anxiety

A/n: Omfg This is so fucking long gods damn what the fuck was i thinking (1837 words) Anyways, buckle up and enjoy.

The next morning, Y/n sat up in her bed after another near-sleepless night, plagued by night terrors, looking at the aquarium beside her. Kirby lay sleeping inside- Clawdeen, Draculaura or Frankie probably dropped them off in the middle of the night.

She looked next to the aquarium to see the drawstring pouch leaning against it. She hesitated- debating taking one of the plants inside. On the one hand, the gods had told her to do so... on the other- she trusted Draculaura, she wouldn't do anything to her... right?

She bit her lip in thought, before carefully opening the pouch and removing the herb, carefully putting it in her mouth and swallowing. She winced before closing the pouch and putting it to the side.

"That did not taste right." She muttered.

"Oh, great you're awake. Y'know you were keeping me up last night." Barker spoke, looking up from her bed.

"Sorry," Y/n murmured.

"Yeah right." Barker scoffed, opening her mouth to say something else until she noticed Y/n's demeanour "Are you okay?"

"Why do you care?" Y/n asked, her back slouched as she played with one of her pillows "You don't like me much."

Barker paused, before standing up and moving to sit next to Y/n on her bed.

"Well, you're right about that." She hesitated "But- it makes it harder to insult you when you're upset... which you seem to have been for a few weeks now."

"Well- I'm fine." Y/n said quietly.

"You're not. I can see it." Barker stated "Look, I don't like you- I probably never will. But you clearly need to talk... it might be easier for you to talk about it with me rather than with your little friends or Boyfriend."

"It's nothing Barker." Y/n stated.

"It's something though, isn't it? Don't think I didn't notice you sneak out the day those new students first showed up- then the screams following. You've been acting differently. But I don't think you notice it." Barker said arms crossed.

"Just leave me alone Barker." Y/n hissed.

"Fine. But don't say I never did anything nice for you fish breath." Barker snapped standing up "Y'know just because-"

"Barker. I already told you to leave me alone." Y/n spoke a dangerous tone in her voice.

"Aw, look at you, you die once, refuse help when offered and all of a sudden think you're so scary. Well, I got news for you fish-"

"Back off!" Y/n yelled, a splitting headache developing, the world slowly turning crimson as her gills became more apparent, her ears sticking out becoming more webbed as her hands followed the same process, growing webbing, her nails becoming longer.

Barker's eyes widened as she took a big step back.

"Woah, overreaction much?"

Y/n took a deep breath, calming down slightly as her heart pounded in her ears.

"I'm sorry, I- I don't know what came over me," Y/n spoke before quickly hurrying out of the room, taking deep breaths, and making her way to the library. She sat down between two bookshelves, bringing her knees up to her chest and closing her eyes.

What was happening to her? Why does she constantly feel so... upset? And why had everyone else noticed it before she had? She hit her head against the bookshelf, causing it to shake.

She heard a thump from beside her- she looked over to see a book had fallen from the shelf, carefully picking it up she'd noticed it was an old fearbook- one she'd yet to read through.