Meant for each other?

-36-

It's been a week.

A week since Cara left and a week since Karlie had been in isolation. Today is her first day back in normal lessons. Karlie feels out of control. Her arch-nemesis got away with blaming Karlie for the explosion and her best friend has left to get better.

Only a week ago, things were going to be better. Grades, friends and relationships were all incredible: then it all sloped downhill. Karlie wants nothing more than to deal with this healthily but on a fresh Monday morning, that seems impossible. So she turns around and goes to sleep.

It's 4pm by the time Taylor realises she hasn't spoken with her lover all day. Rushed off her feet by a flow of problematic younger students and paper work, Karlie was a bit lower on her priority list than usual. She automatically feels awful but not even receiving a text from the girl is unusual and enough to raise her suspicions.

With a few clicks, it's becomes apparent Karlie hasn't been to any of her lessons, or to a detention from a couple of weeks ago. A knock shatters the silence.

"Come in," She mutters, tiredness heavy in her tone.

The door opens: it's Jess Hall. "I'm very busy Jess. Is this serious?"

"I just thought you should know that Karlie didn't attend my class just now," the new teacher says sweetly.

Taylor rolls her eyes internally- "I know. Thank you." She expects the persistant woman to leave but she hovers uncertainly by the door. "Yes?" Taylor adds, making it obvious that she doesn't want her.

"You seem tired Tay. Why don't you come to the staff room? We can have coffee..." Jess fizzles out like a failed firework: the room is suffocated by silence.

Taylor holds up a mug- "I'm good, thanks. I have to deal with Miss Kloss as well. And she's chosen the wrong day."

"Oh... okay. I'm always here if you wanna talk." Jess leaves, her desperate invite hanging in the gloomy air that surrounds Taylor. What with Karlie choosing today of all days to perform a disappearing act, the blonde could do with a break with people her age but the job calls.

The mug goes in the sink as Taylor leaves her room, locking it firmly, before striding to the girl's sleeping quarters.

The dorms are always busy after school. It's social time and the school for over privileged kids doesn't bother saying the students aren't allowed back into their rooms like many other schools. Of course, as Taylor strides through the corridors the girls quieten down but she doesn't have the energy to investigate why some younger girls are have just slammed a door as she approaches or why two of the school's most established cliques are having a war over territory. Karlie is her goal. After that, she can relax.

It's after three knocks that the blonde barges in to her students room. At 4pm, Karlie is on FaceTime, and clearly hasn't left bed all day.

"Kloss."

Karlie's smile drops as she sees Taylor smouldering at her doorway. "One second," she says ruefully to whoever she's talking to. "Yes?"

"Have you been in bed all day?"

"Yeahhh." Karlie isn't bothered by this and there's a giggle from the other end of the line.

Taylor strides over, trying not to become too angry with her lover. "Why?"

It's not a question Karlie is accustomed to answering and she falters, before informing the occupant at the other end of the call she has to go. Again, she's unsure of whether to show her vulnerability. "I was serious when I said I want to leave. And I couldn't be bothered to go to lessons because I couldn't face it."