Holding Onto Stars | Lady Lesso

Twenty-One

I spent the rest of the day resting up in my dorm room, once I was deemed well enough to get up, however, I'd been signed off from all of my classes for a few days by the School-Master. This time he had a good reason, since my leg was still hurting. It had been stitched up, but I couldn't move around too much for a while.

Hort had come to visit me a few times; I hadn't realised he was still here. He came in to bring me coffee and food and generally cheer me up, because I was bored out of my mind , the few days I was confined to my room. He just said, he'd rather I was bored than dead, and I agreed with him on that logic. 

By the time my days were up, the pain in my leg had finally started easing up, which was good news, because I was eager to return to work. I'd said bye to Hort once he could see I was going to be okay. 

The day after I signed back into my work schedule was a Sunday, so I'd have the whole day to prepare for my classes again. I decided I'd make an appearance with my colleagues though; they'd been asking how I was, according to Hort. Even the ones that had been talking shit about me over Sage's death. They'd probably realised the seriousness of the situation, since Helena had actually tried to kill me. 

I headed down to the teacher's lounge in the Good School, and when I walked in, everyone turned to stare at me. Oh god. 

'The cute one's back!' I said, trying to defuse the atmosphere. It worked; a few people laughed, and Clarissa and Emma walked over as I got my usual coffee. 

'How are you?' Emma asked. 'We've all been so worried.' 

'I'm okay, thank you.' I nodded, smiling slightly. 'Just glad to be back at work.' 

'I bet you are.' She agreed. 'Get some normality back.' 

'Anemone, I don't think my life's ever going to be considered normal.' I laughed. 

'Still, you could never call it boring.' Clarissa grinned. 'How many attempts on your life, is that, now?' 

'Hopefully the last.' Leonora said, coming over. She made eye-contact with me, her expression unreadable.

I looked down my coffee, feeling the tension fill the air, after our confrontation a few days ago. 

Clarissa noticed the awkward exchange and pulled Anemone away, leaving us alone. 

'How are you?' Leonora asked, breaking the silence. 

'I'm fine.' I nodded. 'I'm healing up, so I can start working again.' 

'That's good.' She replied. 

'Yeah.' I bit my lip. 'I'm going to go and prepare for my classes for the upcoming week. I'm so behind with everything, what with nearly dying, and all..'

'Yeah, of course.' She nodded. 'I'll see you later?' 

'Yeah.' I smiled slightly. I put a lid on my coffee, before I headed back up to the Evil school, and to my classroom. 

When I walked in, I noticed something was different. The place was neat and tidy, no dust anywhere, and my desk at the front was tidy as well, not a folder or paper out of place. I could have sworn I hadn't left it like that. I remembered the last time I was in here; Helena had drugged me, put something in my coffee. I looked at the spot on the floor where the cup had fallen before I'd passed out. It was gone, and the floor was clean. Had someone been in to tidy, while I was out of commission? 

I dismissed this thought as I got to work, and I also quickly noticed that someone had left notes from covering my classes, so I was up to speed on what my students had been learning the past few days. I smiled at the thoughtfulness. They'd been very thorough. I took my lesson plans and began editing them to suit my new schedule and the changes made. 

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It was reaching midday, which was lucky because I was out of coffee, and I needed to stretch my legs a little. I'd been sat at this desk for 3 hours. 

I stood up, but as I did, my door opened, and I instinctively reached my sword, that was leant against my desk. 

'Relax, it's me.' Leonora smiled, walking in. 'I brought you coffee and something to eat. You've been at this non-stop all morning.' 

I was taken aback by her considerate attitude. 'Thanks.' 

She put the coffee and carton on my desk. 'You're welcome.' 

I walked around the desk. 'What's brought this on?' 

'What do you mean? I just thought I'd do a nice thing. You nearly died, Katherine. I meant it when I said I still care.' She said softly, her oceanic eyes meeting mine. 

'Leonora, I'm sorry.' I started. 

'For what?' She frowned in confusion. 

'I know I don't deserve it, but I'm asking you to forgive me for not communicating with you properly after Sage died. I should have told you I needed you-' 

'Don't apologise for that.' She cut in. 'You were trying to deal with it in your own way. You didn't need to say anything to me. I should have seen that you needed me.' 

I felt my eyes filling with tears. 'I never stopped caring. And I still love you. I know that's probably the last thing you want to hear since we'll be divorced soon, but I just wanted you to know that.' 

She stared at me for a second, before she reached into her inside pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, unfolding it, and showed it to me. It was her copy of the divorce papers. 

'You never sent the divorce papers off?' I whispered. 

'No.' She said, before ripping them up. 'And I don't intend to. Because I still love you too.' 

'But- you were with Helena-' I stuttered. 

'I never had feelings for her. Nowhere near like how I felt about you.' She told me. 'I never lost hope for us.' 

'Leonora-' 

'I never stopped waiting for you to come back to me. I'll wait the rest of our lives if I have to.' 

'You won't need to.' I walked forward, pulling her in for a kiss. She kissed me back fiercely, putting her arms around my waist, pulling me close, and I gave in to the sensation. 

'I love you so fucking much, Katherine.' She said, when we broke apart. 'Don't ever do that to me again.' 

'What, nearly die or break up with you unceremoniously?' I asked, trying to put some light humour on the situation. 

She laughed. 'Both.' 

'I missed you.' I said, my voice breaking. 

'You won't have to anymore, baby.' She said softly. 

She leaned in to kiss me again, but the classroom door opened again, and we turned to see the intruder. 

Clarissa stared at us in obvious surprise. 'Oh! Sorry! I was going to ask if you wanted to join the rest of us Katherine, but I will leave you lovers to it!' 

Me and Leonora made eye contact, before laughing, as Clarissa grinned, before leaving. 

'That kind of ruined the moment.' Leonora smirked. 

'Just a bit.' I laughed. 'Come on, we should join the others.' 

'Whatever you say, my love.' She picked up my things for me, as we headed down to the teacher's lounge. 

I smiled, laughing quietly. The sound surprised me; I actually sounded genuinely happy for the first time in a long time. 

She took her hand in mine before we entered the lounge, and people stared at us, but for different reasons this time. Clarissa and Emma were both smiling at us. 

I shook my head at them, but I was also smiling for ear to ear.