k-12: the shadows

❥

crybaby

crybaby ran down the halls, her shoes clicking on the floor and the sound bouncing off the walls.

the sound intensified, filling her head.

good.

she wanted something else to think of, and distract her from what had just happened.

she had kissed alexis.

this was bad.

she burst into the girls' dormitories, breathing out a sigh of relief when she saw that the other girls were settling down ready for naptime.

"angelita," crybaby hissed, landing on her friend's bed with a thump. "i have to talk to you."

alexis's bed, the one next to crybaby's, was empty. that meant that- thank god- she'd stayed in the bathroom.

"what's up?" asked angelita, her eyebrows furrowing in concern as she noticed crybaby's unusually animated movements.

crybaby bit her lip, and began to toy with her fingers. "not here. as soon as the lights go out, i'll meet you in the tunnels, okay?"

angelita simply nodded in return, and curled up under her covers. crybaby did the same with her own, her stomach churning.

the dorm door creaked open, and miss daphne's voice barked "lights out now! silence until recess."

gradually, the overhead main lights and then all the fairy lights were dimmed. crybaby could hear angelita shuffling around in the bed next to her, and waited a few moments before doing the same.

"uff," angelita grunted as she landed roughly next to crybaby on the linen floor below them. "so what's up?"

crybaby took her time, shifting around and making sure she was sitting comfortably before answering.

"i kissed alexis."

angelita raised an eyebrow in surprise. "is that a bad thing? it's what you wanted, right?"

crybaby began to chew on her lip. "i thought it was. no, it was- it is- but it went all wrong. she didn't kiss me back, and now i don't think she'll want to speak to me again," she said sadly.

"i'm sure that's not true," angelita frowned. "she's one of us, she won't just ignore you for the rest of time."

"elita... i'm really scared," crybaby admitted. "i feel so much for her. fucking this up is terrifying."

angelita's frown deepened, and she took a moment to develop what she was thinking into words before she spoke again.

"just... do what you think is best," the dark haired girl spoke carefully. "if you're really that attracted to her, then do something about it. and if not, then maybe just let it fade. i don't know, i've never been in love before."

crybaby looked up sharply.
"in love? is that what you think this is?"

angelita just shrugged. "i don't see what else it could be."

an uncomfortable feeling settled in the pit of crybaby's stomach as she realised that maybe angelita was right.