Have Fun
“Maxine, I was wondering-”
Her sentence died in the air when she realized nobody was listening.
Because Maxine’s dorm was empty.
She glanced around - as if Maxine would materialize, because Victoria expected it. She didn’t, of course - nor did she end up just being in a corner, huddled up with a laptop. That wasn’t uncommon either.
No, she just… wasn’t here.
Victoria blinked. Slowly.
Well, she supposed, if Maxine wasn’t here - that was… her own business. No need for Victoria to get involved.
No need at all.
...But still, this was concerning. Maxine hadn’t said anything about meeting up with Kate for tea, or any plans she had. Sure, she could make plans without Victoria, but…
But she didn’t.
That was worrying.
...Alright. It was fine. She’d visit Kate - she and Max were probably having tea. She could ask Max about the party then.
She was just at Kate’s.
Nothing to worry about.
When she opened the door to Kate’s dorm, she certainly wasn’t ready for the image that stood before her.
Kate had her hair down for the first time Victoria had ever seen - and she was standing on top of her bed with a girl that looked vaguely familiar, sticking what looked like plastic stars onto the ceiling and arguing.
“Kate - it is not only apparent, but self-evident, that you should start and end with a downward stroke.”
“Doesn’t seem apparent to me, Brooke - why wouldn’t you draw it down, then up, like a check mark?”
“Because that’s idiotic, you absolute pillock - why would you draw an x like a check mark. They are literal opposites.”
“Why wouldn’t you draw them the opposite way, then?”
“Because you slash down. It’s common sense.”
“It’s common dumb.”
“You’re dumb.”
“You’re dumb!”
“You’re both complete idiots.” VIctoria said - effectively ending the debate. Kate glanced over, and instantly went beet-red - while the girl Kate had called ‘Brooke’ turned to her, and raised an eyebrow.
“You didn’t knock.”
Victoria ignored her.
“Where’s Maxine?”
“Who?” Brooke said - while Kate’s face fell, a little.
“I… don’t know. We… had a fight.”
Victoria glared at her.
“Alright, good to know, but I wasn’t interested in a record of events, thanks.”
Kate’s face hardened again.
She’d always been annoying.
“...Who are you?”
Victoria glanced at the girl - Brooke - who was now looking at her in a very piercing manner.
“...So neither of you know where Maxine is?”
Kate shook her head. Brooke didn’t say anything.
“Wonderful. Why do I even try?” She muttered, turning to leave.
“Bitch.”
She stopped cold.
“...What did you just say?”
She turned around.
The girl - Brooke, Victoria had reason to remember her name now - was looking right through her.
“I said ‘bitch’. See, I like to find words for people - it helps me. And it’s entertaining. I’ve never seen you before - I’ve decided that you’re bitch. I’m quite proud of it.”
Kate had dawning horror on her face. Brooke was looking right through her - one of her hands was still full of plastic stars.
Her gaze was very cold.
Victoria pushed down the raising lioness in her chest, and whipped around.
“I don’t have time for you right now. I have to find my friend.”
“Ah - you don’t have time for me. Of course.” Brooke hummed - and Victoria could just hear the sarcasm dripping from her voice.
She whipped around - just in time to see Brooke stepping off the bed, hands in her pockets.
“You don’t want this fight, gutter girl.” She hissed.
Brooke looked right through her.
“I don’t?”
And she raised a single, cold eyebrow, eyes glinting like flint.
Victoria snapped.
She saw red.
And then Brooke was on the floor, a bright red hand mark across her face and a cut from one of her rings scraped across her cheekbone.
A drop of blood trickled from the cut.
But Brooke just kept staring at her.
Victoria sneered.
“Don’t reach above your station, freak.”
She crouched, and gave Brooke a wide, predatory grin.
“You think I don’t know about you? The little freak girl? I eat people like you for breakfast, hun.”
She leaned in.
“You’re nothing. Nothing but a freaky little girl with cuts on her arms - and hey, now you’ve got a matching one on your face! Well, maybe not matching - after all-”
She stood up - and the smile slipped from her face like a mask coming off. She glared down at the girl - Brooke - and let vitriol seep into her tone like an old friend.
“The one on your cheek isn’t from you, is it?”
Finally - finally - something flashed across the girl’s eyes. Flitted across her pupils like a shadow - and then vanished like smoke.
She turned to Kate - whose face was twisted in horror and rage.
And helplessness.
“Have fun. I’m finding Maxine.”
She slammed the door behind her.