Priceless Treasure to Worthless Eyes

Chapter 5 - Korbian

Terezi trudged through the school gates sadly, absent-mindedly clicking her cane alongside of her.

"Well, if it isn't Little Miss Sunshine!"

The scent of ink filled her nostrils. It was Vriska. She tried to turn the other way.

"Oi! You ignoring me or something? 'Cause I missed yesterday?" Vriska called, walking fast behind her.

Terezi gave up trying to get away and slowed her pace, allowing Vriska to catch up to her. Terezi's bag hung low on her back and she sighed from exhaustion.

"Dude, what's wrong?" Vriska was worried now. That was the thing about Vriska. She was normally loud and rude and obnoxious but when you showed her something was really up she was sympathetic as anything. The greatest moirail in the universe.

They walked in silence along the side of the school and entered through the side door from the track. Halfway there Vriska took off Terezi's bag and carried it for her. It wasn't the bag weighing her down, she realised. It was her heart.

They got to a dim, empty hallway and Vriska deposited her belongings in her locker, sitting her moirail's things on the floor for her to take out any books she needed for her morning classes. Terezi put her back against the lockers and slid down to the ground. Vriska squatted down next to her with her hands on her knees, waiting for an explanation.

"You heard about that kid with the mutant blood?" Terezi asked.

"N'aw yeah, caustic character."

"I fell in love with him yesterday."

Vriska's pupil dilated.

"Dude, no way! You're a real player you know that!"

"Yeah."

"Did you tell him?"

"Yeah."

"What did he say?"

"To..." Terezi sniffled, fighting back the tears. She didn't want to cry again.

"To?" Vriska urged gently.

"To never talk to him again." The floodgates opened.

Vriska put her arm around Terezi's shoulder. She felt in her pocket and pulled out a fresh handkerchief and handed it to the sobbing girl.

"Then he just doesn't deserve you. Come on Terezi, you're a bit too rash. Waltzing up to some old crab and saying you love him-"

"Well, I didn't say that. I wanted to be at least friends. But then I said something about his blood colour and it triggered him I guess."

"Funny guy. Terezi. Look at me." Vriska twirled Terezi around on her bum and planted her other hand on Terezi's right shoulder. She stared into Terezi's sightless eyes.

"People can turn out one of two ways. There's the ones sitting on the park bench in utopia, feeding little bread crumbs to the birds and there's the birds. And judging from how this asshole-"

"Don't call him an asshole!" Terezi interrupted angrily.

"Sorry. This- mutant blood of yours couldn't see you were ready to be the best bloody matesprit a troll could have, I'd say he was the latter."

"But Vriska, he's everything to me."

She snorted. "You only know his name - which is farther than I've gotten honestly but that's not the point - and that he's a cranky old guy with mutant blood! I wouldn't get too attached just yet."

Terezi didn't know what to say to this. Her heart still ached for Karkat. She knew only his head ached from her violent cane-drubbings yesterday.

Vriska checked her watch.