Miss O'Connell | B.E

Ⅻ

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Divine pounded on the dark oak door, the aged wood rattling beneath her fists. The hallways had grown dim, the sun setting early at five in the thick of winter, leaving her standing in the shadowy corridor of the teachers' dorm halls. Her hand hammered repeatedly, echoing in the quiet. The hefty stack of homework was bundled in her arms, all filled to perfection. She'd powered through it in just under two hours, and now her hand throbbed painfully from the endless writing.

When no one answered, she knocked harder, frustration building. Already seething from the countless math problems, she could feel her temper rising. She could strangle Billie, of course she would never, it was just a word of expression. The door shook under the force of her blows, but still, no answer.

"I'm going to kill her," 

Divine let out a frustrated yell, kicking the door with her foot. Just as she prepared to pound on it again, the door clicked open, revealing a very irritated Billie, wrapped in a towel. Billie's eyes widened when she saw Divine standing there, her expression only getting harder.

"McClelland, are you stupid?!" Billie hissed, grabbing Divine by the collar and yanking her inside. Divine stumbled over her own feet as Billie slammed the door shut behind her.

"I was showering, Divine! Jesus Christ!" Billie shouted, as she tugged on the collar of divine's tight tank. Divine, no longer angry, was now distracted by Billie's nearly naked state of dress. "You could've gotten yourself caught, you dumbass!" Billie continued, throwing her hands in the air, her frustration taking over her actions.

Divine's lips curled smugly from ear to ear as she watched the shorter woman lash out. She barely registered a word Billie was saying, far too occupied—and if she were to be honest with herself, she liked riling her up.

"My bad," she replied dryly. Billie's face hardened, ready to launch into another rant, but before she could, Divine banged the thick stack of homework onto the dining table that stood in the center of the suite, sliding it toward her. Billie jumped at the impact, eyes snapping to the pile of papers.

"All done," Divine said, flashing a toothy sarcastic smile, her siren eyes slanting upwards. Billie froze, wide-eyed, staring at the pile in disbelief.

"How...?" she stammered, stunned.

Divine snickered, at the look on her face rolling her eyes, Billie really did fail to understand the level divine sat at. "You just love underestimating me, Miss O'Connell." She scrunched her nose, a teasing look as she twirled a curl around her finger.

Billie shot her a look, raising a brow. "Divine, I told you not to fucking call me that when we're alone."

Divine paused for a moment, realising she was letting the situation get out of hand. She shrugged, unsure how to respond. "Sorry," she mumbled, staring down at the gold bangles on her wrists. She absentmindedly twisted them around, running her fingers over the shine.

Billie sighed, trying to steady herself and not ruin the moment. "It's fine, I suppose I do underestimate you... I'll check the work in a second. Let me put some pajamas on." 

She looked divine's taller frame up and down before walking past her, off towards her closet, which stood tall opposite her grand bed. She paused in front of the doors and let her towel drop to the burgundy carpet, pooling at her feet. Divine nearly choked on her own spit. 

Now, in the perfect lighting of Billie's suite, Divine could finally take in the full sight of her—far better than the flickering candlelight the forest cubby had allowed. Billie's long black hair fell to one side, revealing the tattoo Divine had noticed from before, that ran elegantly down her spine, starting from her neck and ending just before her tailbone. It made Divine wonder what kind of life Billie had led before becoming a teacher. Divine's eyes, of course, drifted lower her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she drank her milky skin in. She was like a fever dream.