Riverview School For Girls [GxG]

nineteen

(TW: self harm)

"Hey! No running!" Willow scolded a passing year eight, "And tuck your shirt in."

Val scoffed beside her, "Fuck me." She laughed in amusement, watching the year eight scamper away, quickly tucking her shirt into her skirt.

"Don't swear, Val." Willow rolled her eyes. They were walking side by side down a long winding corridor, the cold castle silent around them, disturbed only by their light footsteps.

Val glanced across at her friend, her brows raised quizzically, "What's gotten into you?" She asked, "I didn't think you were meant to get your period for another week—"

"Really, Val?" Willow groaned in irritation, "Not everything revolves around my menstrual cycle—"

"Then why are you acting like such a bitch?"

Willow stopped walking, and Val slowed to a halt beside her. "I'm not acting like a bitch." Willow said firmly, "I'm performing my prefect duties." She noticed Val's tie was loose, and leant forward to adjust it for her.

Val swatted her hand away, tugging at her tie distractedly, "Leave me alone."

"Your uniform is—"

"Willow." Val snapped, "I swear to god if you lecture me about my fucking uniform I will—"

"Maybe I wouldn't have to lecture you if you followed the dress code—"

"Jesus, you're insufferable." Val groaned, continuing to walk towards the dining hall, flicking her chestnut locks over her shoulder.

Willow sighed, marching to catch up with her, "It's Miss Burke." She said tiredly, "She told me off for not...fulfilling my duties."

"Fuck that." Val frowned, "You're a great prefect — which makes you fucking annoying, but, still..." She shrugged.

"Yeah, well..." Willow brushed off her remark, "I'm trying to be better."

"Why do you care anyway?" Val pushed open the oak doors which guarded the dining hall, and entered the fog of chatter and laugher, the smell of toast and bacon filling the air. "Being a prefect is like...unpaid labour."

"It's one step closer to Head Girl."

"Again, why do you care?" Val snorted, "Being Head Girl is gonna be even more unpaid labour."

"It will look good on a university application."

"Willow." Val rolled her eyes, "Wherever you apply, you're gonna get in. You already have perfect grades — why do you need Head Girl on top of that?"

Willow grabbed a plate, her eyes scanning the buffet laid out in front of her. She ignored Val's question, because she had answered it a million times before. Instead, she loaded her plate with toast, eggs, and hash browns, then scanned the room in search of her friends' faces. When she couldn't locate them, she turned to Val, "Where's Syd and Dahlia?"

Val scooped up a handful of toast, then started walking towards their usual table, collapsing onto the bench, her legs crossed beneath her, "You don't listen to anything anyone tells you, do you?"

Willow shrugged, "Not really." She joked.

"Sydney and Dahlia are at the doctor's."

"What?" Willow frowned, her fork hovering midair. "I thought... I mean, I know they left early this morning. I just assumed they'd meet us here..." She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly, "Why?"

Val sighed heavily, "God, Willow, sometimes you're so wrapped up in your own head, you forget other people exist."

"Why are they at the doctor's?" She asked thickly, ignoring the sharpness in Val's tone.