Stay...Calm

Chapter 15

 Pauline was the only one whose expression was anything but blank when the news was mentioned. It would start with a subtly nervous frown, and curve lower into apparent sadness as it was told. Contrary to her brother and cousins, who would only care about sneaking in a remark. And once it was all done, Pauline would push her smile back up and try to bring up something to lighten the mood, like, "Hey, remember how Horace screamed when you walked in on him showering last year?"

That would keep up a steady, loud conversation for a little while. And Pauline would smile and laugh along as if nothing happened. From the looks of it, her fear could just be turned off like a light switch. From worried to happy-go-lucky in a second. As Pauline began to walk away with the crowd, Victorine put her hand on her shoulder and spun her around. After flinching from feeling the fluff on the bracelets, Pauline lightly said, "What?"

Victorine's eyebrows rose.

Paulien scoffed, "What?"

Victorine gave her a sideways glare. "Whatcha making that face for?"

Victorine continued to stare. Even as Pauline turned back to walk away, her gaze remained. Her head tilted a bit and she thought...

"You coming?" Asha called to her. "Lessons are starting in a minute!"

With hesitation, Victorine followed. For it was still on her mind.

Lesson time felt like a pain. All Victorine could do was glance up at Anais. She couldn't read; she couldn't learn. All she could do is glance up, glance back down out of pity, feel the urge to look, and glance up again. When she tried to listen in for anything to pick up from the main table, all she could hear was Anais's mumbling. The only thing Victorine could catch was Pauline's faux smile and Buckley fidgeting with his fingers.

Walking down the lunch, Victorine tagged along behind Pauline, much to her annoyance. She stops walking and turned around.

"Could you please stop that?" She asked, with polite sarcasm. Victorine nudged her with her fluff, and she kept walking with a scowl. Victorine took a few steps forward while biting her lip with a smirk. Right after, Victorine nudged her again. Pauline whipped around.

"Okay, buddy, are you trying to annoy me?" Victorine nodded with a smug smile. She watched everyone files in. Horace would run past Yolanda but get right back to walking once he passed her. Though they scattered a bit, everyone got to their seats in a minute.

"Y'know, we're so far away," Horace pointed out, "that if everyone else on Earth died, we wouldn't even know right away."

"I mean, the twink's not wrong," Timothy responded, receiving a glare.

"But we don't think like that," Ms.Kion said, softly.

"But it's right," Buckley chimed in. "Right, Mrs.Daniels?"

"Well..." She shrugged at Ms.Kion.

"I'm sure everyone in my town's dead by now," Lee muttered. Thelma's head whipped around and her wide eyes pierced though.

"Really?" she squeaked.
"No!" Melissa corrected. "Remember the Millers? They practically built a bunker in their basement."

"But ya can't prove that," Yolanda mumbled. "I'm sure it's the same for my town. Well, except for Jacey's grandma. Nothing kills that old broad."

"Don't go there," Jacey chimed in.

"Let's not get angry," Asha announced.

"Shut up!" Timothy said and as he started listing off the things to be angry about, counting them on his finger. Pauline rolled her eyes, the same frown as before returning. Amidst the chaos, Ms.Kion yelled,"Just...just...JUST GO TO THE POOL!"
Silence fell over for a second. Everyone looked confused. She rubbed her temple and closed her eyes.

"I know we have a schedule; I know we have plans everyday, just...go have a pool day."

Everyone glanced at each other, reluctantly. After a minute, Buckley was the first person to stand up. Followed by Pauline. Once Asha rose, Victorine followed. The quiet felt like it was solid in the air, making walking out of it even harder. To break the silence, she slipped over to Horace and pinched his arm. He glared over his shoulder.

"Ow! Watch it, 'biatch!'" Horace whined. That was enough to get a giggle and a comment out. Thelma followed behind Anais, blabbering on about...something.

"So once I was going swimming with my cousin, but she wouldn't go in the water, and when I asked her why, she wouldn't tell me. But then she turned my aunt, and started staying stuff about periods..."

"I get the picture," Anais interrupted. "I practically lived at the beach. I've been wearing tampons since I was eleven."

"Ew."

And the day went on with that diversion, and minimal talk of the argument before.