The Quiet Kind Of Beauty -Marauder Era

Chapter 32

Clara was going to throw up. It was happening again; the voices cracking the walls she had built so carefully in her mind, her head as swimming with layered phrases that she couldn't decipher. She was dizzy, there was a persistent knocking clanged inside her head, and the sheets were too warm, the dress on her body too tight, the sunlight too bright --

Everything around her became ten times more prominent than before.

The Healers had called this a panic attack.

She tried the breathing exercises they had showed her. In through the nose and out through the mouth. Over and over again until the oxygen mingled with her blood and set her racing mind at ease. The pain in her chest subsided gradually, until all that was left was a hair-raising sense of worry.

She was furious with Aaron, but she also felt the need to protect him.

I just want to leave the past in the past, she thought miserably. I'm trying to move on. Can't you see that?

Clara didn't know who she was aiming the question towards.

She pursed her lips and neatly refolded the slip of parchment, sliding it under her mattress just as the door opened and Lily walked in.

Lily froze in her tracks, still dressed in her pajamas, and stared.

Clara straightened after a moment, clearing her throat. "Good morning," She greeted awkwardly, raising her hand to give a hesitant wave. Was she still shaking a little bit? She hoped Lily didn't notice.

"What are you doing awake?" Lily chastised, crossing her arms over her chest.

Clara blinked. "What?"

"It's eight in the morning!" Lily exclaimed, raising her eyebrow. "And you're still in your dress!" She sighed as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing, and walked towards the brunette.

"You need to change," Lily declared firmly. "And then you're going back to sleep."

As she spoke, Clara became acutely aware of the scratchy sequins against her skin, and the tightness around her waist.

"I'll change," Clara acquiesced slowly. "But I'm not tired! I slept last night, and I feel fine. Besides, I'm an early bird anyways,"

Lily rolled her eyes. "We'll see what you say when you're in comfier clothes,"

Clara also rolled her eyes, and pulled away the sheets from her body. As she stood up, her dress pooled around her knees. It was dishevelled; there were wrinkled creasing over the once smooth material, and a dirt dusting the hemline. The sight made her a little sad: too briefly was the warm illusion of the party destroyed. With a sigh, she continued towards her trunk, rummaging around until her hands found a pair of soft, pale blue baggy pants and a white tank top.

Stifling a yawn, she turned around to face Lily. "Where are the bathrooms?" She asked, only for her to quiet suddenly.

Lily was staring wide-eyed and slack jawed at her.

"What?" Clara asked, raising to cross her arms over her stomach self-consciously.

"Is that a tattoo?"

Clara froze.

She wasn't wearing anything over her shoulders.

"Oh. Oh." She gulped. "Oh no,"

"What do you mean 'oh no'?" Lily whisper yelled. "When did this happen? You have a tattoo - "

Clara shushed her rapidly. "Lily - Lily no, they're not tattoos!"