Fangirl

Chapter 11 Phillip

I deliberately showed up at the very beginning of Potions. I didn't feel like smiling at everyone and answering pesky questions. I had a task to do, and that was the only thing I kept my attention on.

Everything went as I had planned. The professor, first of all, puzzled over the seating arrangements and I was ready. Except that the sight of Martha knocked the ground out from under my feet a little. She looked — how can I put this right... She looked like death warmed over.

Paler than usual, though I didn't know there was such a degree of transparency. Skin like diluted milk, blue veins outward. The eyes are the same, only there's a grid of red veins covering over. Deep shades under the eyes and a distracted look. She'd lost weight and looked like a ghost.

From the looks of it, she'd been sick all vacation. I should take her to a physician immediately if she hadn't been to one yet. I hope it was nothing serious.

It was hard to pull myself together, but I did manage to read the seating list. I'd been a little more worried about reactions before I saw Martha. Now I didn't bother at all, needing to figure out what was wrong with her right away.

'Are you sick?'

'I'm fine now.'

What does that mean?

I could see her dulled gaze, but even so she was diligently watching everything I did. I realized what she meant by 'I'm fine now'. For such an extraordinay person, that was just fine. I was confused by her obsession, but....

And then I realized what had happened to her!

No way! Is she completely insane?!

I asked questions to confirm my own hunch, and I was right. Martha's condition had nothing to do with illness, unless, of course, her obsession could be described that way.

The longing had nearly sucked her dry. I had heard of such a thing, but I had never seen it, and I would never have believed that one could drive oneself to such a state in a week.

What an idiot!

I didn't do much more than that. I told her to eat well in exchange for our continued time in the library. I was going to ask her to do that anyway, but she pissed me off to the point of fury! Torturing herself like this! I'm not even dead!

I felt better in the dining room. Martha was eating and staring at me. So much better. It was the same as always, and I liked it.

'Listen, you've done a great job with the seating.' Kirill distracted me from thinking about the girl. 'But thanks for Lida, I appreciated it.' My friend smiled broadly. I knew he liked the girl and saw no reason not to help.

'Why am I sitting with him?' Maxim jabbed his thumb at Gregory, who was stuffing his mouth with chicken pie.

Gregory intercepted the fist with the still poked finger in his direction and turned it so that it was pointing upwards.

'You see, he's quite happy with my choice.'

'You bet.' Maxim said, massaging his dark, curly head. 'I'm the one who has to control the dosage, or something will burn or explode.'

Gregory, whose mouth was already occupied with five juliennes, tried to make an innocent grimace and spread his hands as if repenting.

'It's exactly what I'm hoping for, that we'll get through the semester without accidents.'

Maxim, retching, exhaled deeply. A couple of the girls who kept Grishka's company the previous two semesters screwed up. One serious fire and one explosion with injuries. Luckily, the injuries had been to Grigory himself — he had managed to cover his partner with his arm, and so he was nursing his arm back to health for the next week.