Curiosity Killed The Cat

Selfish Guilt

Laura slumped down into her chair and buried her head on the desk. It wasn't her fault what happened but that didn't mean she didn't still feel guilty. Carmilla seemed like a complicated individual who clearly had trouble mixing with people. She'd hate to be held responsible for making her worries worse. After all, she understands what it's like moving somewhere where no one would speak to you, engage or want anything to do with you.

'I just feel so bad,' she said turning to her friends.

'Laura we did what we could, Carmilla's just got to handle the rest herself.' Perry picked up the half empty water glass and placed it on the cabinet.

Danny folded her arms and leant on the wall bowing her head. 'Nothing would need handling if I hadn't been so focused on stupid revenge, I wish I could just reverse this whole day-

'Well we can't reverse time but what do we say we just pretend today never happened and watch bad sci-fi in the student lounge? LaFontaine commented trying to lift the solemn mood that blanketed the dorm.

'Ooo I baked some flapjacks yesterday I'll bring those.' Perry excitedly reached for the door handle with Laf close behind.

'I think we'll meet you there,' Danny said observing a stressed Laura and sitting down, 'There's something I need to do first.'

—————

Danny watched Laura run hands through her hair and slowly spin side to side on her chair. She had that adorable bunched up expression that either meant she was angry or thinking really hard about something. Not wishing to interrupt if she was lost in thought, Danny got up and made her a hot coco, she looked as though she needed it.

'Thanks,' Laura said taking the mug , 'Not just thanks for the coco but I mean but thanks for telling Carmilla the truth...well what you could at least.'

Danny moved closer up the bed making herself inline with the desk and the small girl that sipped coco in front of her. It was lucky Laura's chair was higher than the bed or she would have been taking down to her.

' The way she looked when she prowled towards you...it worried me,' She gently rested her hand on Laura's arm, 'I'd hate to see you hurt Laura.'

Laura smiled now noticing the shimmering glint in Danny's eyes. They reminded her of emeralds thrown into clear water.

'Well I don't think Carm would have hurt me.'

'What do you mean?'

Laura poised her arms into a fighting position, crossing her hands to cover her face.

'I'm a brown belt in Krav Maga remember?!'

Danny chuckled. 'I'm really glad I ran into you.'

'Me too, I mean not run into myself obviously- but you.' Her cheeks began to stain pink again.

Danny repositioned herself, sliding a hair band off her wrist and scraping her hair into a pony tail. Laura watched her auburn locks fall neatly behind her head. She'd always struggled with high ponytails, it would always fall out into a mess or the band would snap. She remembers once asking her Dad to help her tie it up before school, but he'd been working on an invention in his garage and managed to smear oil on the tips of her hair. She never did get that perfect ponytail.

Maybe she could ask Danny to help her -no that would be silly, hair tying is supposed to be easy, she'd hate for Danny to laugh at her- oh but Danny wouldn't laugh she's always been so understanding so she's probably-

'Laura!' Danny clicked her fingers in front of Laura's face making her jolt back into reality.

'Sorry was I day-dreaming?' She rubbed her blurry eyes.

'What were you thinking about?'

Laura tilted her head to the side trying to think of a response that would sound the slightest bit sane.

'Uh...hair' she fumbled.

(Never mind)

'Hair? Oh was it because I was tying mine up?'

'Yeah, I've never quite mastered high ponytails' she smiled.

Danny fiddled with the bands on her wrist. Rubber bracelets with SUMMER SOC printed on them, once used in an event to recruit more members.

'Well I could help you, only if you wanted me to at least.'

'Oh well I-guess I- might be um-

'Forget I said anything, it was a stupid suggestion.'

'No, no,' Laura gathered her words,' please show me.'

Danny got up to stand behind Laura's chair. Producing another band from her wrist she gathered Laura's hair to the side. It felt soft to touch, elegant locks of honey.

'You have to make sure to get all your hair together first, then find the middle of your parting and slowly bring your ponytail up depending on how high you want it, I'd tie the band usually three times around but it's up to you, like... there.'

A neat ponytail fell behind Laura's ears. She ran her hand through it and looked in the mirror to see the result.

'Wow you did a really good job, thanks.'

'Any time- oh I missed a bit.'

Both Danny and Laura reached for the strand of hair that ran down her face. Laura's eyes widened when she felt their hands touch, she tried to quickly move away and apologise but she noticed that Danny didn't try to react. She just stayed there smiling softly. Danny's eyes began to close and she leaned in. Laura could feel her breath on the back of her neck.
Her nervous tension had seemed to cut off all sense of reality and she couldn't process what was happening. Danny's lips were inches away from her own when her consciousness suddenly kicked in.

'I don't wanna do this now,' she said, her voice a dry whisper.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that- it's just- when Carmilla addressed you as my girlfriend I just thought- oh never mind, that was selfish, I don't want to push you into anything you don't want.'

Laura's shaking began to level again.

'I like you, but I'm not... I'm not ready for a relationship right now, I'm sorry.'

Danny paused and sighed a deep breath.

'No there's no need for you to apologise, I understand, it was wrong of me to assume.' 'I- I should go now, I might join LaFontaine and Perry in a while but I'm gonna go back to my dorm... um see you around Laura.'

She left leaving a guilty, confused and dazed Laura to remain in her chair. Surely with this much emotion and worries zooming through her mind, her head was bound to explode.