Love Left To Lose

No Snacking On Me, Okay?

A few days have passed since the Zeta party incident. Neither addressed the evening's events in detail, other than Carmilla saying she had a headache and insisting that she didn't remember anything. Laura was skeptical, but there were bigger issues to deal with.

The attacks on campus are increasing in frequency, and the floor dons, Summer Society, and Zetas are in agreement that until the attacker is caught, students should have 'escorts.' They are, however, accepting volunteers to go hunting with the Summer Society and Zetas.

"Absolutely not," Carmilla says, opening the door to their room after a floor meeting with Perry.

"Why not?" Laura asks.

Carmilla sits down on her bed. "Cupcake," she says softly but firmly. "Lophiiformes is after you. In the past semester, you've had a fireball lobbed at you, caught my centennial flu, got food poisoning from a magically altered animal, strangled by lophiiformes, and almost drowned by a mermaid. You're in enough danger, and now you're going to purposely put yourself in more danger?" She shakes her head. "No."

Laura pouts. "Not even if you're with me?"

Carmilla rolls her eyes. "No amount of pouting and eyelash batting will get me to change my mind, babe," she answers. "I refuse to enable your weird hero complex this time."

The tiny girl narrows her eyes. "Why the sudden change in your tune?"

Carmilla raises her eyebrow quizzically.

"If this had been like, a week ago, you wouldn't be fighting me on this..." A light bulb seemed to quite literally go off in her head. "Is this because you overheard what Danny said to me at that party?"

Carmilla doesn't answer.

"B-But you haven't said that you remember anything from that night," Laura stammers.

Carmilla scoffs. "Just because I haven't brought it up doesn't mean I don't remember it, cutie."

Laura stands up. "So, what? You thought you could just tell me that I shouldn't help find whatever's attacking people, and that's that?" She whirls away, waving her arms while her voice grows more shrill. "Why couldn't you tell me you remembered stuff from that night, and that you hear what Danny was saying to me?"

She starts pacing before another light bulb goes off.

"Is it because you said you love me?"

Carmilla averts her gaze and remains silent.

Laura sits back down on the bed. "Carm, is it because you said you love me before we fell asleep? Because––"

"––I don't want to talk about it."

Laura looks like she's about to continue pressing but thinks better of it. "Do you at least want to talk about what Danny said?"

Carmilla sighs. "She's right. I've been putting your life in danger and not thinking clearly because... Well, because it's you. And it's going to get you killed." Laura's eyes widen. "I'm not saying I'm going to just accept lophiiformes's offer. But I can't keep saying yes to everything you want just because you're the one asking."

Laura mimics strangling Carmilla. "You're not putting my life in danger. None of you are responsible for what happens to me. I'm responsible for what happens to me." She stands up and heads towards the door.

In a flash, Carmilla is in front of her. "Where are you going?" Carmilla asks sharply.

Laura gives a huff. "I'm going to join the Summer Society and the Zetas and find whatever's been attacking people," she growls. "Get out of my way."