Thin As Water

2.

"Miss VanGrayson. Right on time." The Headmistress stood to shake Lilian's hand.

"Hello, Ma'am."  Lil tried to keep her voice as calm as possible; she was going to have to get used to talking to this formidable woman, and the sooner, the better.

The Headmistress smiled kindly. "Do have a seat. And please remember, you are not in trouble, so continue to breathe."

Lil couldn't help but smile at this as she did take a seat before the desk.

"Now, we are just waiting for-" The Headmistress was cut off by a knock at the door. She went to open it, glanced at her watch, and rolled her eyes.

"Two minutes late, Miss Jamison. I told you it'd be the cane next time."

"Aw Headmistress, you wouldn't cane your favorite student." 

Lilian was torn between awe and laughter. She simply stared at the door as Hazel entered.

Hazel grinned, the freckles on her nose looking even darker after the summer. "Nice to see you too, Lil. You catching flies?"

Lil closed her mouth but continued to stare at her friend. Hazel smirked. 

"Every meeting of last year, I was exactly two minutes late. Even if I got there early, I'd wait in the office until exactly two minutes later."

"But why?" Lil asked faintly.

The Headmistress closed the door, looking amused at the interaction. "Miss Jamison said that since she was Head Girl for a second year, she should be allowed a two minute grace period. However, Hazel, you are not head girl any more, and as such, the grace period has expired."

Hazel put on a pout. "Please ma'am, I promise I shan't ever be late again. Please spare me." She dramatically threw herself down before the Headmistress.

The Headmistress rolled her eyes again. "Well, I suppose just this once. Shall we begin our meeting?"

Hazel grinned and sat down next to Lil. "We shall."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The minute Hazel and Lil left the office, after a half hour meeting about policy and reviewing the training, Lil slapped Hazel's arm. Hard.

"Ow, hey! What'd I do?" Hazel rubbed her sore arm.

"Hazel Jamison, do you have a death wish or something? Why would you talk like that to the Headmistress?"

Hazel smirked. "She called me Hazel."

"What?"

"When I was messing with her. She called me Hazel, even though she said at the end of last year that she wouldn't do it anymore. Just you wait, a few months from now and she'll probably call you Lilian."

"Really?"

Hazel laughed. "Headmistress isn't actually that scary, she's really quite friendly once you get to know her."

Lil nodded slowly. "I suppose that makes sense. You would have to put on an act for that, wouldn't you?"

"Right. You will too. You know that I did. If I were actually that strict all the time, well, poor Raven."

"Poor Raven what?"

Hazel grinned. "Well, look what the cat drug in. Heya Rave. Hi Skie!"

Skie dropped her bag and ran to give Hazel a hug, then Lil. Raven followed at a more relaxed pace, looking amused.

"Hi guys, how was your summer?" Lil asked the two sisters.

"It was really fun! I did a theatre camp and Raven did...nothing." Skie grinned cheekily.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Raven actually went camping with Hazel for a week and also drew enough to fill half a sketchbook."

"Take note, do not let that girl around fire. She-"

"I swear to god Hazel, I did not even come close to setting your hair on fire."

"You did what?" A familiar voice asked.

Lil spun around. "Daisy! I thought you weren't getting here until tomorrow!"

Daisy grinned. "I wanted to get here when you did. This is so exciting, Lil! You're finally Head Girl."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Don't get too excited, Daisy. Rooming with the Head Girl is anything but fun."

"It might just be possible, Raven Sophia, that Daisy is just a bit better behaved than you."

Raven pouted as her friends and sister burst into laughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There we go. Bed is all made." Lil smoothed her blanket one more time. She and Daisy were getting settled in their dorm room which, because Lil was now Head Girl, didn't have an adjoining suite. 

Someone knocked at the door and Daisy opened it. 

"Lily? We're gonna get dinner with Mother and Dad, are you ready?" James poked his head in the room.

"Yeah, I can be ready. I'll be back in a bit, Dai."

"Hello, Daisy." James acknowledged his sister's friend with a nod.

"Heya James." Daisy barely kept from rolling her eyes; she knew James was only acknowledging her because Lil was there. Not that her own older sister would do anything different for Lil.

Lil followed her brother out of the room, pausing as soon as the door was closed, knowing what was coming.

"Remember, Lilian. What Dad doesn't know-"

"Can't hurt him." Lil rolled her eyes.

James grabbed his sister's chin and looked into her eyes. "We'll be fine. So don't let anything slip."

Lil pulled away. "I won't."

"Good girl."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a very relaxed and laugher-filled family dinner, the VanGraysons regretfully departed to East Hill Private Academy once more. At the doors, Lilian was swept up once more in her father's strong arms. She relished the feeling of safety in his embrace, and held on as tight as she could.

James took his turn next, hiding his face in his father's shoulder so that the emotions on his face wouldn't show. "When will you be back?" He asked in as steady a voice as possible.

Lil gave James a look; she'd get yelled at by him if she asked that question. James ignored her.

"I'll be home for Christmas."

"Promise?" Lil couldn't help asking.

"I promise, Tigerlily. Ready, dear?"

Mrs. VanGrayson gave her two children a tight smile, patting James on the shoulder and pulling Lilian into a one armed hug, ignoring how her daughter's shoulders tensed. "Be good, understand?"

"Yes, mother." Brother and sister spoke in unison.

"Good, I'll see you soon." Their mother spoke in a light tone, but the look on her face said otherwise.

"We love you very much. I'll see you in four months." Their father's tone was much warmer, and Lil relaxed some. Four months wasn't such a very long time, after all.

Yes, she could get through four months just fine.

AN: Sorry for the delay, my life (and many others) were turned upside down by the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus. Remember to please stay safe and wash your hands!

And please leave a comment :3