I snapped up in the bed with a gasp. My head was pounding. Like I was hungover. I winced to myself and pressed a palm to it, trying vainly to stop it from hurting. Why did this keep happening? You'd think remembering stuff would be painless.
My eyes looked out into the dark of the room and latched onto the faint light shining out of Polly's laptop on the desk. I ran through the dream despite the headache pushing it away from me. I was remembering the mission. That was good. I needed to know what had happened to know what to do about it. The numbers flashed lazily back at me and I stared at it. What did it mean?! It must have been extremely important if Polly had gone against orders and copied it. But I couldn't remember why. And that Cooper guy, why had she been so mistrusting of him? He seemed okay to me when I saw him. Maybe there was something else going on. But with Polly gone I'd probably never find out.
I was slowly going through the dream again, looking over all the details so I couldn't miss anything. And I realised with a deep ragged breath that I still had it. The bloody laptop was another microchip. That was why Polly wouldn't leave it behind. That was why Emily had been sent to hack into it, and if I hadn't stopped her she would have had it. How did they know we'd copied it?
My fingers squeezed around the dog tag swinging on my neck. I was still in danger. And so was this entire school if they could track me down. I sighed. I guess it was time to come clean to Belle.
"Belle?" I brushed my hand over the bed beside me but it was empty again. I looked down panicking a little at the space beside me. Where was she?!
I told myself she was fine. Probably in the dorm with the others. I sprang off the bed and got dressed, reluctantly moving slow because I ached everywhere. I didn't care though. For a few hours like that again I'd willingly ache for the rest of my life. I still had her voice on replay in my head and every single thing she'd moaned at me was whispering through my thoughts. I couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she'd looked, how brilliant she'd tasted. I couldn't stop grinning.
I zipped myself into one of Belle's hoodies and crept out of the room and into the dorm. I dithered by the door watching the girls run around in their pjs. It was interesting how during the day the girls looked completely different to one another but at night when they weren't putting any effort in they seemed to look alike. Obviously they still had a differing attitude towards life and each other but you couldn't really see that when they were fitted out in causal pjs.
"Lost?"
I frowned at the girl smiling up at me. She'd been there earlier when Belle introduced them all. What was her name? She smiled back when I didn't say anything.
"Daniele" she said holding her hand out. I smiled at it, were they all this formal?
"Kelly" We shook hands.
"Oh I know. I've heard all the legends"
"Legends?"
"You're something of a hero here. What with saving the school over and over again"
"It needed saving?," She nodded at me, "Why?"
She grinned and let go of my hand, "Maybe you should go check out the crib. The first years are just about to have story time with Annabelle"
She pointed me down the dorm and I swallowed nervously at the thought of having to walk down past all those girls. I gave Danielle a smile and started walking. The girls looked up when I passed, partly in interest, mostly in awe. What exactly had I done to earn that respect?
"'When I could remember, I remembered nothing. But the sound of her voice singing the sun to sleep at night and her eyes watching, ever watching, over me'"
I stopped by some hammocks and glanced down at Celia's smile as she read Latin aloud from her book.
"Sounds familiar. Found any new memories yet Kelly?" I shook my head and she put her book down, "Flash is alright by the way"
"I honestly don't care" I walked off and she laughed before getting up after me.
"I don't blame you. He really did deserve that," I nodded and dodged a couple first years rushing back to the curtained area at the end of the room, "Looking for Belle?"
"Looking for a story" I mumbled back, following after the first years.
Celia skipped ahead of me and peeped through the curtain while I limped up to her.
"You'll love this" she whispered to me pulling the curtain back.
We peered in at the little alcove of hammocks and I smiled down at Belle sat cross legged on the floor with the younger girls. Tara and Tania were cuddled in either side of her and she had her arms wrapped around them both.
"That's always cute" a voice sighed behind me, a groan followed it.
"Chels, you think everything is cute" Another voice said back to her.
"That's not true. Bianca's dress sense for one? So not cute"
Celia and the other girl sighed at Chelsea but I was too busy listening in on what Belle was saying to the youngsters to care much about their little talk.
"What sto'wie we 'aving tonight Bellebelle?" Bellebelle? Cute. I smiled adoringly down at her when she smiled around at them all.
"Which one would you like to hear?" She politely replied. They shouted different stories back but in the end it was the twins who won.
"Kelly's story" they said together.
I felt myself step closer into the room but Celia held me back suddenly. I looked back at her and she shook her head.
"I don't think that's wise Kel" I peeled her hand away.
"I dont care" Belle was about to tell them about me. That meant I had a right to listen.
Celia sighed but let me go and I inched closer to the tight knit of girls surrounding Belle.
"I don't know girls, it's a long one," she was saying. They whined at her and she relented with a smile, "Okay, this is the story about last year's head girl, Kelly Jones"
They cheered and cuddled closer to her. She grinned around at them all and squeezed the twins before starting her story. I sat down on an empty table by the corner. They didn't even notice me.
The story was pretty impressive. It had me wondering if she was just dramatising it for them. But I knew she wasn't. Things Polly had said and things I remembered validated her words. I really had stolen a famous painting and had that Flash bloke flog it to Annabelle's dad. I really did become a spy who travelled the world and fought off the baddies. I had come back between missions to help them all save the school again. I had gone missing with the fear I wouldn't come back. It was all true. And my head was burning sharply with it all.
"But Kel came back!" A first year happily shouted over the upset moans surrounding my disappearance.
I looked up and caught Belle smiling at me. I shouldn't have expected to remain hidden from her. She looked down at them all with a waiting smirk and I smiled myself. I pushed the headache out of the way and stood up, slowly sneaking up on them all.
"Yes I did" I said laughing when they all looked back at me and cheered.
Belle was watching me with a loving smile and I happily returned it as I inched my way over to her. The girls moved out of my way and made space on the floor beside her so I could sit down.
"That was a good story," I told her, taking her hand and kissing it while Tara crept over to me for a hug, "But I didn't like the part where Kelly didn't like Annabelle to begin with. It seems a little impossible"
"You didn't Kel. Truth be told I think you hated belle to begin with" I rolled my eyes at Chelsea and looked back in time to see Celia smack her arm. Belle was smiling though.
"It's true. I was too much of a 'daddy's girl' for you, Jones"
"Now you really are lying" I joked wrapping my arm around Tara. She grinned up at me and I squeezed her a little before looking back at Belle.
"What's the next story Bellebelle?" I asked with a smirk when she blushed a little.
"Yeah new story!" They called around us.
Belle bit her lip, torn between giving them another story and sending them to bed. Their eager pleas got louder, and cuter, and she sighed in defeat. I squeezed her hand.
"Fine. Which story next?
"Kelly again!" I chuckled with Belle and she shook her head
"We'll be here until tomorrow if I tell that one again" They moaned at her and I could tell she was close to breaking under the cuteness.
"Why don't I tell one?," She looked up with a bright smile and nodded, "This girls, is the story of Polly the super geek"
It was easy to tell a story. It was harder trying to blend over the truth of it all. I had to keep reminding myself they were only ten. And then there was Belle and the other older girls who had sneaked in to listen to me. They didn't know any better than what I told them. And I could tell from all their beaming smiles that it was going to break their hearts when I eventually told them the truth.
"...and then the super geek jumped into Kelly's super expensive car she'd just wrecked and they drove away from the baddies"
"And then what?"
They were all enthralled by the tale, glad that it was the same one Belle had told but from my point of view. I hid the pain when I remembered what did actually happen next and I avoided Belle's eyes best I could. I squeezed Tara and gave her a little smile when she grinned up at me with a giggle.
"Well Kelly couldn't remember anything. So she left Polly-"
"Nooooo!" I chuckled
"Kelly had to come home. She had to find Belle and Chelsea and Tara and all those other girls she missed while she was away"
"But what about Polly?!"
"Polly told Kelly to tell the girls of St Trinians that she'd be back home soon"
"And will she?" I looked back at Celia's stern blue gaze and swallowed nervously before I nodded.
The younger girls were cheering again but the older ones had shared a brief look and were watching me curiously. I ignored them. Belle squeezed my fingers and I nodded and stood up. I helped her up and I kissed her before tilting my mouth up to her ear.
"I need to talk to you" I hated how regretful I sounded. Belle didn't say anything. Just nodded and turned back to the girls.
"Let me put the girls to bed first and then we'll talk"
I nodded, smiling at how responsible she was, and she kissed me, meant to be a quick peck on the lips, but I wanted more. I was probably thinking that I'd better make the most of it before she found out and got mad. I pulled her in for a long kiss meant to burn all our troubles away. If only. She didn't want to let go when I eventually relented to the girls groans. And that made me smile.
I moved back and kissed her hand, "Don't be long"
I walked away breathing heavy, the headache growing stronger. I tried to stop thinking about everything but it didn't matter anymore. The damage was done. Some of the girls, mainly the geeks, noticed my pained expression as I walked past and kept asking if I needed help. I shook my head and rushed out of the dorm. My chest was alight with the pain rushing through it with all my panting, ribs aching under the quick pressure of my sharp breaths. I couldn't help it. I couldn't stand the pain but I couldn't think long enough to figure a way out of it. It was like the world was sitting on top of me, breaking my lungs so I couldn't breathe. It felt like I was having a panic attack.
I pushed myself off the corridor wall, kicked open belles door and staggered towards the bed, stopping short when I realised somebody was already sat on it with Polly's laptop propped up on their knees. My body tensed ready but I couldn't attack. Not when I wasn't certain it wasn't one of the girls. But this was way too familiar and I didn't like it. I was thrown bloody images of Emily and it pushed me into stepping back for the light switch.
"Oi who said you're allowed in-"
"Oh shut up Jones" It couldn't be! Could it?! I lurched backwards for the light and nearly fell to my knees when I saw her.
"P-Polly?!"
"Duh" she glanced up from the laptop and threw me a grin. I felt like I was gonna throw up.
"But..you..the fire...you're dead!"
She snorted, "So are you," I stared shocked at her and she sighed, "Do I look dead?"
I looked her over. She might as well be. She looked like the way I did last night. Bloody and covered in dark soot. Only a thousand times worse. Her lip was split and a deep gash was slowly dribbling blood across her forehead, and a matching cut was slashed down her left cheek. Dried blood caked her neck and stuck to her hair, mixing violently with the ginger. Her jacket was torn, her shirt ripped and filthy, and I could see blood on the shredded skin underneath the torn fabric. I winced while I looked at her. She looked terrible.
Polly got fed up after my silent studying dragged into minutes and held a bleeding hand out to me. I wouldn't take it so she laughed and stood up to me.
"Don't freak out"
I blinked and then gasped with pain when she hugged me. A strong warm body breathed against mine and it actually surprised me. I slowly wrapped my arms around her back, still a little worried I'd gone insane and hallucinated her. But that definitely felt like Polly. I let out a laugh.
It really was her! She was alive!
I squeezed her tight and span us in a circle. It probably hurt her, I know it did me, but she laughed with me, happy like me to have our best friend back.
"Christ, don't you do that to me ever again!" I told her as I set her back on her feet. She shrugged back at me.
"Now you know how I felt"
"And yet I didn't get this much of a hello" I smirked holding her up when she staggered a little in front of me. I sat her down on the bed and watched her heavy breathing.
"Polly, what happened?" She was about to reply but another voice cut over her.
"I would like to know that too"
We both looked back at Belle and the others stood in the doorway. I guess our laughter had drawn them over. I glanced back at Polly and she shook her head. We couldn't tell them.
"Burning building, shot at, car chase" I shrugged.
Belle glared at me and I knew she was hating me for keeping Polly a secret. I looked away from her. Polly glanced between us and smiled a little at the awkwardness before she coughed and nodded at the other girls.
"Can someone get me Lucy and matron? Only I feel like I'm bleeding out over here"
The girls rushed out of the room for help but Belle stayed behind. Polly nudged my shoulder when she locked the door behind the others. Belle turned back to us and quickly marched up to Polly. I stood up between them when she looked about ready to smack the geek.
"Calm down Belle-"
"Why didn't you tell me you'd found her?!" She shouted over my shoulder at Polly, "I thought she was dead and you let me think she was!"
"Belle-" she shoved me away and I stumbled down beside the bed. I braced my arm across my ribs when the fall rattled them. Damn she was pissed.
Polly sighed and stood up, bending down a little to offer me a hand up.
"Because, would you have really believed all this without solid proof it was real?" She said as she helped me up.
I pulled her behind me when Belle went for her again. I grabbed her wrists and pinned them in my hands.
"Get off me Kelly!" She screamed trying to throw me off.
"Just stop belle! It wasn't pollys fault, it was mine. I was the one who went away-" she tried yanking her hands loose but i tightened my hold on them, "I was the one who got in trouble. And I was the one who broke my promise to come back. Polly didn't. If you want to be mad then be mad at me"
I let her go then and she smacked her fist into my shoulder before she collapsed against me crying. I held her against me as I glanced back at Polly. She was smiling at us, happy I guess to see us together again. Even if we were fighting.
"Is this a bad time to ask about my car?" I laughed and shook my head at her. Trust Polly.
Annabelle peered back at the geek once she'd calmed down and I swear she looked like a shy first year. She wiped her eyes and stepped back from me.
"I'm sorry Polly" Polly waved a dismissive hand at her.
"Nah don't be Belle. I'd have reacted the exact same way if it was me"
"Still, I'm sorry" Polly rolled her eyes and dumped herself back on the bed.
I watched her wince badly when she shifted too fast. I turned back to face her. I was frowning, trying to piece it all together. But it just wouldn't fit.
"Polly, no offence but how are you not dead? I mean that bomb-"
"Was built by a five year old I swear" she mumbled over me while she clicked on her laptop.
"It blew the place apart pol! You should be dead!"
"And yet here I am. It's a miracle" she said cynically, too busy staring down at the computer screen to read our shock.
"Polly!"Belle's voice rode with mine with the shout and Polly sighed.
"Fine. I got the laptop and was on the fourth floor when the bomb detonated. I realised what had happened and ran. Some guy bumped into me, said he'd lost his daughter. The bloody bastard knocked me out when I said I'd help-"
"Young guy? White hoody?" She nodded and I felt my right hand curl into a fist.
"I woke up shortly after and my laptop was gone. I heard you shouting, Kelly, and I tried but I couldn't get to stairs had collapsed. I tried going around but-"
"The second bomb?" She nodded and ran a finger across the cut on her cheek.
"Walked straight into it" We stared at her. That was impossible!
"But you're alive!" Belle cried out in disbelief.
Polly rolled her eyes again. How could she be making such a little deal out of this?! If I'd cheated death Polly must have just rigged the entire game. She shouldn't be here.
"Why aren't you dead?" I snapped bluntly. She chuckled and then gasped when it upset her torn body.
"Call it luck?" She panted pressing a hand to her side.
I noticed the large patch of stained fabric under her shaking fingers and I quickly knelt beside her and peeled her fingers away before I lifted her shirt up. Belle gasped behind me and I stared up at Polly. I never noticed just how pale she was before. But now I was close enough to see past the soot? She looked like death.
Polly smiled at me and patted my shoulder.
"Got some of that magic come back to life shit for me, Kel? Only this hurts. A lot"
"Belle, go get the matron. Now" She didn't need telling twice, she bolted straight out of the room.
Polly looked down at the deep gash when I pressed my hands over it, trying to keep the pressure strong.
"Guess that'll scar huh?" I looked up at her and shook my head.
"Stop it"
"Oh lighten up kel, it's just a scratch"
"Polly I can see your bloody ribs. It's not just a scratch!"
"I've had worse. And you have too. So," she tipped my chin up and tapped my cheek, "Chill. Out."
I muttered under my breath and she laughed, making more blood ooze out over my hands. I pressed harder and told her to stop moving. She ignored me and pulled her laptop up beside us.
"It's a good thing you found this, we're going to need the list I copied"
"Is this really the time pol?!" She smirked
"It's the best time. Now pay attention," she tapped a code in and tilted the screen around so I could see it. The numbers weren't flying around anymore but falling in a thick list of names and addresses. So I could guess she'd just tapped in the code i'd been looking for.
"The microchip? Was stolen from mi7 last night" I glanced up at her,
"How do you-"
"I checked my voicemail, my team were shot and the microchip was stolen. With us off the grid the board of directors didn't feel safe. They shut all missions at home down. Kelly," I looked up at her, that was the first time she'd said my name, "We're the last agents left"
"Meaning?" She smiled and took hold of one of my hands.
"It's you and me kid. Ready to kick some ass again?" I shook my head. I didn't want that. At all. Polly sighed.
"I know you want to stay here but we have a -"
"I have a duty to belle first. I won't put her through all this again" I said firmly trying to ignore the way her eyes had started to dull a little. She was going to pass out. I could see it happening. And if she did that I couldn't be all that certain she'd wake up.
"Kel, please help me with this. It's one last mission"
"We could die" I reminded her. She laughed and more blood spiked over my fingers. Where the hell were the girls?!
"We already have haven't we?," I rolled my eyes, "Just think about it yeah?"
I frowned and looked up at her when her voice leaked exhaustion. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was turning shallow. I held my breath waiting for her to do something. But she didn't. She wasn't moving.
"Polly?," I shook her arm, "Polly?!" I stood up and leant over her, trying everything I could think of to get her awake.
"Please don't hit me for this" I muttered before sharply slapping her good cheek.
She feebly stirred and that was enough for me. I straightened up and hauled her over my left shoulder, turning quickly to get her to help. My body screamed at me to get rid of the pressure weighing it down but I ignored it. I'd lost Polly once already. I'll be damned if I let it happen a second time.
"Kel.." She groaned and I pushed myself into running with her.
"Stay with me pol" Please stay with me.