Well it's been a little over a year since my last update...I'm not dead I swear.
I've been reading over my stuff recently to help motivate me and I awakened my motivation to keep writing this story so here we go!
Hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 29: Bitter Alliances
Bianca walked into the living room the next morning, baffled. Fixing her glasses, she scanned the room, lifting a pillow and replacing it with a frown.
"What's wrong with you?" Patricia asked with a frown, and Bianca looked over at her.
"I haven't been able to find my sketchbook," she admitted, confused. "I could have sworn I left it in my room but..." Bianca shrugged, and with a reluctant sigh, took a seat at the table.
"Do my eyes still look like an albino rabbit's?" Amber asked, finally looking up from her mirror. "These late nights are really playing havoc with my beauty regime," she complained as Patricia also took a seat.
"Has anyone seen Alfie this morning? I hope he's okay," Nina sighed. Fabian and Patricia both glanced to Bianca, who had her tablet out and was working on it instead, not paying them any heed. Alfie then walked in, and Fabian glanced up, smiling.
"Here he is," he chuckled.
"Alfie, how are you?" Amber asked, lowering her makeup sponge.
"How did you do last night?"
"Did you find anything?" the group started to bombard him with questions as Bianca tried very hard not to pay attention to them. However, despite the confusion over her missing book, and trying to pay attention to the coding on her screen, she found her attention drawn back to Alfie as he produced a bottle of a yellowish liquid from his blazer pocket. Immediately the others praised him as Fabian took the bottle.
"What about the other thing?" the brown haired boy asked carefully, looking around.
"The demisphere? I looked everywhere but I couldn't find anything that looked right," Alfie sighed heavily, joining them at the table.
"Maybe it's not down in the cellar after all," Patricia considered.
"Unleash the power and light the way, to the demisphere hidden below," Nina recited, frustrated. Bianca bit her lip, and stood up, grabbing a piece of toast and walking out with it and her tablet, but stopped as she stepped into the hall.
'Just please, keep her safe. Keep her secrets safe,' the voice echoed in her head, and she almost dropped her toast when putting a hand to her head.
"No," she whispered to herself, breathing heavily as pain throbbed through her head. It grew worse as she stepped away from the doorway, and she stopped again, closing her eyes and missing Alfie storm out and back to his room.
"Bianca? You alright?" she looked up as Mara approached, having noticed her actions from the top of the stairs. The brunette's head lifted sharply.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Bianca smiled, and found the pain started to fade. "Just a headache," she shrugged as Mara watched concerned.
"Do you want me to get Trudy?" the shorter girl offered, but Bianca shook her head quickly. She offered a weak smile, and fixed her shirt as she skirted around Mara.
"I'm okay. Just gotta get to school and see if I left a sketchbook there," she told her, and Jerome, who had been stepping out of his room, stopped abruptly, paling at her words. "I haven't been able to find it and it's kind of important," Bianca told her. "I'll see you in class," she said, and left before Mara could even get a sentence out. The girl watched her, concerned, as Jerome stepped back, trying to ignore his guilt as he glanced to his bag, where her sketchbook was currently sitting.
Drumming her fingers on the desk, Bianca's eyes drifted to the clock continuously through class. While logically the clock was moving at the same speed as ever, to her it felt as if it was taking an infinitely longer amount of time to get through the class.
Since realising she was missing her sketchbook, Bianca had been on edge. She had no idea how long it had been missing for, and while most wouldn't think anything of what was written inside, it was still important to be kept hidden, especially from someone like Victor or his group.
The minute the bell rang, Bianca was up and out the door, ready to spend her free period searching for it. After dropping her books into her locker, she turned, and immediately bumped into Alfie.
"Sorry," she apologised, as he murmured the same. She then tilted her head, her glasses sliding down her nose as she studied her friend's expression. "What's up Alfie?" Bianca asked curiously. It wasn't normal to see him so worried.
"It's uh," Alfie shook his head, and forced a smile. "It's nothing, I'm fine B," he insisted, and her brow arched.
"Alfie...you don't really look fine," she told him bluntly, and his smile faded as he sighed heavily.
"Please," she stopped as Alfie looked around, speaking quietly. "Just drop it, okay?" he asked, and no sooner had she nodded, did he walk away. Bianca frowned, resting a hand on her hip.
"Okay, that's not normal," she declared to herself. "Can't we just have one quiet day?" the girl complained to herself, shaking her head and walking down the corridor, her focus now torn between her missing book, and concern for her friend who was acting weirder than normal.
"What's up with your face?" she looked around as Garnet approached her, a delicate eyebrow raised. "Still no sign of your sketchbook?" the redhead guessed, and Bianca nodded.
"I've no clue where it could be. I thought it had to be in the dorm but..." she gave a light shrug of her shoulders. "Nothing," she sighed.
"I've not seen it anywhere either, sorry," Garnet patted her shoulder. "Can't you just get a new one? You said you didn't have any coursework in it," she commented, and Bianca shook her head.
"I have another for my coursework, I just wanted it for what I used it for," she told Garnet, who snorted.
"Mysterious," she said mockingly, and Bianca rolled her eyes in good humour. "Bet it's full of embarrassing stuff, like pictures of your boyfriend," the taller girl teased, jabbing her lightly with an elbow. Despite her worry, Bianca couldn't help but laugh, her cheeks warming.
"Is that all you can come up with? I thought you were an artist too, have some imagination," Bianca retaliated.
"I'm just saying, you're the world's biggest shut in, and somehow I'm the single one of the pair of us," Garnet complained, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Though I guess I can be thankful that Miss. Popularity has also been single since King Jock broke up with her," she added, seeing Amber walk by with Nina and Fabian.
"Hey, be nice," Bianca scolded her lightly, not liking anything cruel to be said about any of her friends.
"Okay, okay," Garnet raised her hands in defence, and laughed. "For someone so quiet, you're very defensive of your friends," she teased, and Bianca rolled her eyes again.
"Yeah yeah," she grumbled.
"I do hope you will be a much better guardian; a much better friend, than my Keeper," Bianca flinched, putting a hand to her head, as pain throbbed through it again. She reluctantly grabbed the painkillers on the table, and took a gulp of water with them, hoping the pain would fade.
"Your headache still bad sweetie?" Trudy asked as she walked by, not missing the action.
"It's just stubborn," Bianca replied with a grumble.
"If those don't help, let me know," the housemother told her, watched as Bianca nodded, going back to her sketch. She then went back into the kitchen, and Bianca alternated between drawing, and rubbing her temples as her headache didn't fade. In the corner of her eye, she saw Victor setting up a ladder, snapping at Amber and Patricia as they almost walked into it. She sighed, but as she turned back to her drawing, another jolt of pain ran through her head, making her drop her pencil. Giving up on her work for the evening, Bianca put her things back into her bag, and stood up, just as she heard Nina's voice ring out.
"Victor, come quick! Amber's fainted!" the stricken voice echoed through the hall, and Victor climbed down, having been examining the chandelier in the hall.
"She's been on another one of her fad diets?" he asked as he walked up the stairs.
"Oh, I feel terrible, my heart is racing, and I have a fever," Amber wailed. "But I'm really cold and faint and-oh, my ankle hurts a lot!" the blonde listed off the things wrong, and Bianca folded her arms. Amber was laying it on too thick for her liking. Her gaze was drawn to the chandelier, and her eyes widened.
"You, go and get Trudy now," Victor ordered Nina, who nodded and rushed down the stairs. Victor helped Amber to her feet, and as soon as they'd gone through to the bedrooms, Nina stopped. She glanced to Bianca, looking hesitant.
"Clue in the chandelier?" Bianca guessed, and Nina sighed.
"Please Bianca, don't say anything," the American pleaded, quickly scaling the ladder.
"When do I ever?" Bianca muttered.
"Demisphere..." Nina murmured. "Demisphere!" she reached the top, and fiddled with the bottom of the chandelier. A panel came loose, and a piece of paper fell to the ground. "The riddle!" Nina gasped, before looking up and spotting a curved piece of metal inside. As she worked it loose, Bianca scooped up the old paper. After putting the cover back on, Nina only managed to get back down from the ladder and hide the clue in her bag before Victor appeared again.
"What are you doing?" Victor demanded, leaning over the railings to glare at her. "Where is Trudy?" he asked.
"I was just looking for her-"
"I give you one simple instruction, and instead you just loiter in the hallway," Victor snapped as he walked down the stairs. "What is going on?" he demanded, glaring at her suspiciously.
"It was my fault Victor," Bianca spoke up, earning his glare. "I got in her way," she told him.
"Well Miss. Winters is no longer in your path, Miss. Martin. Go and get Trudy now!" Victor snapped, and Nina hesitated, knowing Bianca had the riddle for the next part of the puzzle. "Now!" he raised his voice, making her jump.
"Yes, Trudy, I'll go get her!" she rushed off, and Bianca sighed as Victor stomped back up the stairs. Trudy quickly rushed from the kitchen, and Bianca walked in as Nina whirled around.
"Here," she held it out to Nina, who grabbed it quickly. She then paused, and sighed lightly, smiling at the girl.
"Thank you," she said, and Bianca gave a small shrug.
"No worries," she answered, turning and walking away without another word. Nina clutched the paper close, relieved that Bianca had been there to help cover for her. She watched as Bianca lifted her bag, before going back to the paper, missing Bianca's confused expression. She put a hand to her temple, realising that her headache was gone.
"Guess those painkillers were better than I thought," she murmured, heading upstairs to get some homework done before supper.
"You're obviously feeling a lot better, Amber," Trudy commented as she walked in to put a fresh jug of orange juice onto the table. "After your fainting episode," she added.
"Yes, I'm better. Thanks Trudy," Amber beamed up at the caring woman. "It was terrible. And terrifying. And also frightening," she sighed dramatically, and Trudy put a hand to her head, smiling.
"Bianca too, how's the head?" Trudy asked the girl finishing her own food.
"Better, thanks," Bianca murmured, sticking to as few words as possible, unlike Amber. Her gaze moved to Jerome, when he stood up abruptly, having finished inhaling his food.
"Thanks Trudy," he pushed the plate into her hands.
"Where are you going?" Alfie asked, unable to hide his suspicion.
"Places to go, people to see," Jerome replied, handing Trudy his empty glass before rushing out. Bianca watched as well, frowning, before turning to Alfie, who was still staring after his best friend. A small pain hummed to life in the front of her head, and she looked back down at her food.
"So, Mick, are you joining the school pom-pom squad?" Patricia asked with a smirk, directing the attention to the blond boy still at the table, wearing a t-shirt that read "Mara I'm Sorry".
"No...why would you think that?" he asked slowly, confused.
"Wasn't that your cheerleading audition piece earlier?" Patricia asked him innocently, and stood up, mimicking the moves she'd seen him perform to Mara in an attempt to apologise to her. Mick's face flared red as most either giggled or looked a little confused.
"Very funny," he muttered, tossing his napkin onto the table and getting to his feet. "Amber, we're on kitchen duty," he said quietly.
"Be with you in a sec!" she called back, looking a little alarmed at the idea.
"Lost your appetite, Alfie?" Fabian noticed the boy still staring at the door.
"Yeah, was delicious, thanks Trudy," Alfie stood and walked out, passing Trudy his plate as he did. Trudy frowned after him, before tossing Amber a towel. Bianca drummed her fingers on the table, suddenly very uncomfortable.
"Would you like to swap chores with me?" Amber asked Mara, placing the towel in front of her.
"Why would I want to do washing when it's your turn?" she asked, baffled, handing Amber back the towel.
"Look. I know stuff," Amber told her in a matter-of-fact voice that Bianca was well accustomed to by now. "Lots of stuff. And I know you just need to get into that kitchen and sort it out. The guy is crazy about you," Amber pointed out, putting the towel down again. Mara shook her head stubbornly, ignoring her treacherous heart and warm cheeks.
"No, just crazy," she argued, passing back the towel again.
"Then you're perfect for each other," Amber told her bluntly, and Bianca hid her smirk. "Now just go. I know you want to, and I've just had my nails done, so everyone wins," she ordered, and Mara finally took the towel, smiling at Amber before getting up and walking into the kitchen.
"Come on guys," Nina said as soon as Mara was out of the room, and all but Bianca who were still at the table got up and rushed off, up the stairs. Bianca rubbed her forehead as the pain lingered, and she pushed away her half-eaten food. She stood up, and walked out, before hearing shouting down the hall. Frowning, she ignored the laughter from the kitchen as Mick and Mara got into a water fight, and walked down the hall. She knocked on Alfie and Jerome's door, and immediately their raised voices stopped. She pushed open the door, and looked from one to the other.
"So who's gonna be the one to tell me what has gotten you two acting weird?" she asked, looking from Alfie to Jerome.
"B," Alfie rushed over, pulling her into the room, and shut the door.
"Alfie, don't," Jerome warned, clutching multiple pieces of paper in his hand.
"What is going on?" Bianca demanded, frustrated at the lack of answers as her headache continued.
"He's working for Rufus," her frustration turned to horror as she looked up at Jerome. He refused to meet her gaze, guilt gnawing at his stomach.
"Please tell me he's joking," her voice was quiet and laced with unconcealed fear. He didn't answer, and Bianca looked to Alfie, who looked just as horrified as she felt. "Jerome, he's insane, you can't trust that guy!" she pleaded with him.
"He's a total nut job!" Alfie agreed. "He kidnapped Patricia!" he added, and Jerome rolled his eyes.
"Yeah right! I think we'd have noticed if he'd kidnapped Patricia," the taller boy dismissed. "At the very least, it would have been quieter around here," he muttered.
"That's not funny!" he finally looked at Bianca as she grabbed his arm. "He did kidnap her. At the time of the school play. He's not someone to cross, ally or enemy. Please, listen to us," she pleaded with him, and his gaze wavered.
"I-" in his distraction, Alfie snatched the paper back from him. "Hey!" Jerome growled at him, and Bianca recognised the drawing on one of the papers.
"Alfie, what the hell!" Bianca gasped. "Why did you draw the pieces?!" she demanded.
"I can't let you do this," Alfie declared, backing away.
"Alfie, give those back," Jerome warned him, moving slowly as he pushed past Bianca. Alfie bolted out the door, and Jerome followed him down the hall. Bianca went to follow, before the pain in her head returned full force, and she stumbled, hitting the wall and sinking to the ground as she put her hands to her head. She just about managed to register Victor storm away, papers in hand.
"B!" Alfie spotted the girl on the ground, and ran over to her. "What's wrong?" he asked, crouching beside her. Jerome was on her other side in an instant.
"It's nothing, just a headache..." Bianca dismissed it, but as she tried to push away, her spinning vision finally swallowed her up, and she collapsed.
"Get Trudy," Jerome said to Alfie, their fight temporarily forgotten. He looked down at Bianca, whose expression was scrunched in pain as he supported her.
"Jerome..." Bianca mumbled, her eyes still closed tightly as she reached out and grabbed his shirt. "Don't trust Rufus. He'll hurt you," she pleaded with him, and he didn't speak. "You need to drop this, before it gets worse," her cryptic warning made him frown.
"What are you hiding?" he asked quietly, before hearing footsteps.
"Oh my goodness," Trudy rushed over. "Bianca sweetie, can you hear me?" she asked.
"M'wake," Bianca mumbled, her eyes finally opening just a crack. "What happened?" she asked.
"You fainted. Is your headache still bad?" Trudy asked as she and Jerome helped her to her feet. "Let's get you to bed, then I'll call the doctor," she decided.
"No, I'm fine. Please Trudy, no doctor," she pleaded, looking up at the woman she was leaning on. Trudy hesitated, before sighing.
"Alright, but if it's still bad tomorrow, I'm calling the doctor," she warned.
"Fair deal," Bianca grumbled.
"You okay B?" Alfie asked as he reached her, and she nodded. He gave her a weak, worried smile, before walking on past and into his bedroom. Bianca sighed, and she looked around at Jerome. Her worry was still obvious, and after a moment he looked away, returning to his own room.
Hope you liked it!
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