"Oh, hey there, 'Belle!" Roxy greeted jovially, swinging the door with one hand, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Annabelle groaned nonsensically and entered the room, noting with slight distaste the posters of rock bands, male celebrities and photographs of Roxy's boyfriend that decorated the walls. Her collection sure had grown since she'd last been in here. Truth is, it had been too long. She had been so absorbed in her work, and other (obvious) things, to visit her friend. She belly flopped onto the bed carelessly and stared into the wall, unsure where to begin.
"…Something up?" The Head girl asked, sitting beside her and picking her guitar up from the bedside, looping the strap around her shoulder.
"…Yes. I need to talk to you about something" She admitted slowly.
"Mm?" Roxy picked a few notes subconsciously, "What?"
"Kelly"
"Really…" One of Roxy's eyebrows shot up, "What seems to be the problem?"
"I dunno, Rox. Earlier in my English lesson…"
"The Romeo and Juliet thing?"
"You know about that?"
"Just try telling the young 'uns to stop talking about it!" She laughed, "Apparently, you went proper red!"
Annabelle made a mental note to give a certain Year Eight class a berating later, "That's exactly what I want to talk to you about. It's turned my thoughts into mush"
"And this is the first time that's happened?" Roxy's other eyebrow raised.
"…No. It's not. There was… Well, my first day. The day of my makeover. The party after the Heist. The day she arrived back here. And just about every day in-between" Annabelle admitted, lowering her eyes, "It just took today to make me realise."
"It sounds to me" She paused for a moment, "like someone's got a bit of a crush" she smiled, eyes glittering cheekily. Annabelle gave an awkward start,
"On…Kelly? That can't be right, I mean, she's a girl…"
"So?" Roxy patted her shoulder, "It happens, Belle. Besides, I don't think I'm the only person who has had that suspicion"
"Damn" Annabelle cursed, "Who else?"
"Most of the Year Eights. Bianca, Celia, Lucy and Zoe. Probably the Bursar and Geoffrey. Miss Fritton and…"
"Auntie?"
"Yeah, she's gonna be pleased if it's true; Matron will owe her £40."
"They're betting over it?!"
"This is St. Trinian's, Belle. I don't know what else you'd expect!" Roxy chuckled.
Annabelle tapped her lips, thinking it through. This was a new possibility. She wasn't entirely comfortable with it, either; it did, however, make sense. If anything did anymore, that was.
"But do I? Like Kelly?" It still made her stomach flip.
"That's for you to figure out" Roxy gave a sympathetic glance when Annabelle made a face at her, "I can't answer that for you."
"How?"
"You'll just know. Trust me" She rose from the bed, "Now, if you don't mind, I have to rehearse a couple of songs"
"Ok, sure. Thanks, Rox."
"Oh, and Belle. Good luck. You're adorable together!" She grinned widely.
"I wouldn't go that far" Annabelle hesitantly returned the smile, "Seeya!"
She left the room, closing the door with a click behind her. The conversation had made her mind reel. Why did it make so much sense? She heard Roxy's guitar strum from behind the door, then the rock-chick's ropey voice sing out,
"Annabelle and Kelly, sitting in the tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
Annabelle hit the door in annoyance, and heard Roxy break into raucous laughter. Shaking her head and hiding her blush from no-one in particular, she stormed off down the hallway to her classroom.
Miles away, in a cramped hotel room, a black-haired girl slouched against the headrest of her bed, stirring a cup of coffee thoughtfully.
-----------
The last day of school before Christmas, Annabelle mused, it's gone quickly!
She was sat on the stairs, watching the sixth formers prepare for the party all around her. Roxy was barking orders to a group of girls who teetered back and forth as they tried to slot the heavy pieces of the stage floor into place. The Banned were checking over their equipment, plugging leads into the back of their amps and testing the tuning of their instruments. The chavs were in charge of the decorations on the condition they were not to have any colour bias (particularly in the gold area) and were hanging banners and streamers from the lights. Annabelle nervously fidgeted with the bottle in her hands; she had stayed true to her word and bought Kelly some particularly fancy wine, but was having second thoughts; perhaps she preferred harder drinks? She watched with half-interest as the preparations continued, feeling a little apprehensive. This would be the first time she had seen Kelly since her little revelation. She had to try not to make herself look like an idiot.
What felt like hours later, the school bell rang, echoing down the School's empty halls. Instinctively, Annabelle hopped off the stairs and made her way towards the corner of the room where she could see the stage clearly, just before the reams of children began to pour from the first floor into the large space of the cleared foyer, filling the room with excited chatter and gossip. The staff arrived shortly after, Miss Fritton and Matron bringing the crates of alcohol between them. The Emo of the Banned, Beth, took the mic in her hands and cried,
"Good evening, St. Trinian's!" The crowd screamed in appreciation, and she smiled; a rarity for the depressive girl, "We're gonna kick it off with Up and Away, because frankly, it's our best song and if we sing it later, most of you will be too pissed to care" Even Annabelle chuckled at that, it was nice to see someone typically bad-tempered and pessimistic so upbeat. The drummer counted them in, and then the famous Banned of St. Trinian's burst into song.
"What's all that noise, coming down?
Tryin' to kill my buzz, tryin' to spin me around"
Annabelle tapped her foot to the tune, mouthing the words along with the Banned. They had written this song during her reign as Head Girl, and it brought back a wave of nostalgia. She suddenly felt a sensation near her ear; the sound and vibration of clicking fingers, annoying snapping her concentration from the party. She turned her head to see Kelly, decked out in the full St. Trinian's uniform, smiling like an idiot,
"Don't you think I make a good school girl? Oh wait; I did!" She laughed over the music, "These guys are great, aren't they?" She motioned to the singers on stage, and Annabelle nodded her agreement, not quite able to tear her eyes from Kelly's attire,
"Why on earth are you wearing that?"
"Don't know. Just thought I might" She purred teasingly, pressing herself a little closer to Annabelle, "So, anything decent to drink in this place?"
"Oh!" Annabelle started, "I forgot." She extended her arms shyly, "I picked this up for you."
Kelly took the bottle from Annabelle's hands and ran her eyes over the label, "Bloody hell, Annabelle, this must've cost a bit!"
"Oh, not really…"Annabelle played with the ends of her curls, "I didn't really know what to get… I'm sorry if it's not your taste"
Kelly laughed, "If it's alcohol, it's my taste."
"Good" Annabelle gave a noticeable sigh of relief.
"Seriously though, thankyou. I didn't mean for you to go out and buy me something this posh."
"No problem"
Kelly yanked out the cork, "It almost seems a shame to drink this stuff, let alone straight from the bottle." She brought the neck up to her lips, "Ah well. Cheers!"
"And I remember when flirting ruled every night
there was a moment when the world was feather light,
do you remember those nights we flew through the crowd?
And baby when nothing in this world could get us down!"
Seven hours and countless bottles of booze later, the fire of the party started to simmer out. Most of the children had been sent off to the dorms, cheering and singing in drunken voices. The Banned were packing up their kit and Roxy was helping Miss Fritton carry the girls who had simply dropped off to sleep to the sofas.
Annabelle herself had attempted to watch the amount she had drank, fearful of doing something stupid whilst under the influence, and was merely tipsy. Kelly, on the other hand, had gone all-out, and was leaning back against the wall where she and Annabelle sat, laughing like a maniac, trying to tell a story but only getting in two or three words before breaking into laughter again.
"Kel, isn't it about time you went home?" She glanced up at the clock. Two in the morning.
"I guess so." Kelly groaned, giving up on her story and fishing around in her bag for her car keys.
"You're not going to drive, are you?" She gave her friend a cross look, "You're scary enough behind the wheel without alcohol"
"I'm not walking home." Kelly pouted stubbornly. Annabelle sighed. It's funny how alcohol could make one's personality do a complete 180.
"I'm not going to let you." She hissed, forcing the keys out of her hands. A drunken Kelly was the only Kelly she'd ever dare backchat.
"And I doubt your hotel will let you in, looking like that" Miss Fritton was standing over them, eyeing Kelly.
"You're all so meeeeean. Must be a Fritton thing." Kelly crossed her arms, stropping.
"Where is she going to go, Miss?" Annabelle asked.
"Let's take her back to our place, she can stay the night and sort herself out." Miss Fritton motioned to the fully sober Geoffrey, who was sipping orange juice, "Start up the engine, there's a dear."
The car ride was a blast; Kelly, Annabelle and Camilla sat in the back of the car, singing enthusiastically to a song none of them knew which had come on the radio, while Geoffrey groaned and tried to concentrate on the road. After arriving home and literally dragging Kelly up the stairs, Annabelle sat on the floor of her room, with Kelly stretched out on her bed.
"Why did you get so drunk, Kel?"
"I did have a reason" Kelly rubbed her chin, "But I forgot."
"Well, at least you haven't thrown up yet…"
"Are you kidding? I can hold my alcohol like… an alcohol holding thing."
"A barrel?"
"Thassa one!"
"You're going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning" Annabelle grinned, reaching up and poking her in the ribs. Kelly squealed, then looked at her seriously,
"Sooooo? This is supposed to be my va-ca-tion. I can do whatever the like I hell."
Annabelle shook her head, "You're getting your words mixed up."
"That's a sign I should try and sleep it off." She sipped at the glass of water Annabelle had poured for her, "Where do I sleep?"
"Well, that's the only bed I can see, so there." Annabelle nodded at her bed. Kelly shrugged and placed her glass on the bedside table, then pulled the covers over herself.
"Wait. Where are you going to sleep?"
"I don't know. I think I have a sleeping bag somewhere."
"Sillllly Annabelle." Kelly chastised, patting the bed, "You'll sleep up here."
"With you?"
"With me."
"You don't mind?"
"I don't mind."
Annabelle hesitated for a moment, Roxy's words echoing in her head. Sighing, she let temptation get the better of her and clambered into bed next to the older girl, hoping that she would be too drunk and tired to notice her thumping heart. Kelly roped an arm loosely around her waist, eyes fluttering closed. Annabelle's mind swam. She was close enough to smell the drink on Kelly's breath as it steadied, the spy gradually dropping off to sleep. Suddenly, something clicked. This felt oddly right, as if everything she had wanted for the last two and a half years was right besides her. She could have slapped her forehead there and then. No matter how stupid and cheesy it sounded to her, it was true.
She was completely and utterly in love, and there was no denying it anymore.
"…Kel?" She whispered. Kelly opened her eyes slowly,
"Yeah?"
"I… I should tell you something…" Annabelle could barely breathe. She wondered vaguely what she was doing, and whether this was a little rash.
"Do you?"
"Yeah. Kelly, I think…" She looked Kelly in the eye, and remembered how utterly pissed her friend was. There was a hazy look in her big brown eyes, a look of half-consciousness. She sighed; there really was no point yet. After all, Kelly would most likely have no recollection in the morning. "You know, I'll tell you tomorrow."
"Promise?"
A pause, "Promise."
"Mmmkay"
Annabelle let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding, and closed her eyes. Sleeping would be difficult tonight, she decided, and Kelly would probably freak in the morning when she realised they were sharing a bed. Suddenly, her thought-train was interrupted by a force around her waist pulling her across the bed, then a soft, damp fluttering over her lips. Her senses froze, willing herself not to open her eyes as Kelly kissed her gently, not sure whether to respond or pull away. Do something, Belle! After dawdling for a few seconds, Annabelle decided to risk it and kiss back, but Kelly pulled away suddenly, leaving her sourly disappointed. Her eyes opened to see her friend looking decidedly asleep on the pillow, her breathing slowed and eyes shut.
Drunk off her bloody head. Annabelle sighed inwardly, still shaking from the surprise kiss. She reached out a hand and tucked a few stray strands of hair behind Kelly's ear, then settled down on her pillow, desperate to fall asleep and not dwell on her thoughts too much. I'll tell her tomorrow…
After a few minutes, Kelly opened one eye, smiling as she saw Annabelle with her eyes clenched shut, a blush spread over her cheeks. God, I'm a good actor. Like I'd ever get that pissed.
Yes. I HATE this chapter. Glad I can get on with the next one now, though
The song is Up and Away by the Banned of St. Trinians (but you should know that!) and it doesn't belong to me. Duh. Like I can sing.