AFTERGLOW [TWW √]

✵Chapter Six✵

The spacious and brightly lit castle hall welcomes the many students of the two great academies of magic.
Cheerful music resonates in the air filled with chatter and excited, happy voices.
Mildred, Maud and Enid chat quietly in the corner of the room, nibbling on some sweets, Enid says it would be the perfect time to play some unforgettable pranks but Maud obviously keeps her in check.
Sybil, Bea and Clarice, on the other hand, awkwardly dance along with other girls, completely forgetting about everything and everyone.

Mildred notices that Ethel is late, but she is not worried because she knows that after all Ethel is still the same perfectionist, she must be fixing her dress, she thinks.
«Come on, Mills, why don't you go find her?» Enid tells her, with her arms crossed.
«I don't want to put too much pressure on her, her mother is enough.
When she feels ready she will show up, you are my friends I can always have fun with you too!»
Maud sighs, ready for one of her usual speeches but this time she gets straight to the point.
«We know that you love us too, but she is your girlfriend, of course you are dying to know how she is and why she is late, you are not very good at hiding certain things you know?»
Enid lightly pushes Mildred in the direction of the large stairs leading to the dormitory floor, with a silent order to look for Ethel.

Maud is right, Mildred thinks, and so she hurries out of the great hall to look for her girlfriend, whom she finds, of course, in her room.
Loud, booming music interrupts the silence upstairs.
Mildred is amazed to see her girlfriend's new outfit and look.

Her long blonde hair suddenly became very short and messy.
The sides of her head are shaved and in the middle a pointed purple crest makes its entrance.
Her dress that Mildred thought was long and elegant is actually a black T-shirt with a leather jacket that appears to be very old chock full of silver studs and patches of bands she doesn't know.
The pants she wears are far too big and decorated with chains, and instead of shoes she has big black boots that add many inches to her height.

Ethel is not surprised to see her girlfriend suddenly walk in and be amazed at this other sudden change.
«What do you say Mildred, are you ready to dance?»
Mildred can't find the right words to describe what she's feeling right now, so all she can manage to say is the usual phrase she'll never get tired of repeating.
«Yes, and you look beautiful!»
«Look who's talking!» Ethel says right back, dragging her back to the ballroom where many girls and boys stop to look at the two very different girls.
Mildred is so colorful while Ethel looks like a guitarist in a punk band.
In the distance Miss Cackle smiles happily at the sight of the two students, Miss Hardbroom on the other hand rubs her eyes in disbelief and surprise.

From the group of people who have returned to dancing quietly emerges a boy who stops in front of Ethel, confused.
Mildred doesn't think she's ever seen this tall-looking boy with brown hair and big green eyes before.
«Ethel?» The boy asks, staring at the girl dressed in black.
«Yes George it's me, and I'm not going to dance with you.
I don't know what your parents instilled in you but I am not your girlfriend and you are not my boyfriend!»
Mildred's eyes go wide and she stares at Ethel in confusion, then shifts her gaze to the unknown boy who is apparently named George.
«W-what's going on here?» She asks stuttering.
«It's a long story, Mildred, it's not important» answers Ethel, trying to hold her hand.
Mildred rejects Ethel's gesture and steps back, pointing at George.
«There are a lot of special details that I wasn't aware of Ethel, it seems very important to me!
You could have told me earlier that you had some sort of "betrothed" instead of hiding everything!»

Ethel seems to freeze, and begins to stare silently at her black boots.
«George I need to talk to Mildred, go take a walk.»
George snorts boredly and raises his hands in defeat and turns on his heel, going who knows where.

«I tried to keep this a secret because I was afraid of hurting you, Mildred!
There is nothing between me and that boy but a stupid fake relationship because of our nosy families.»
She tries to explain Mildred, restraining herself from yelling bad words to vent.
«I'm not mad about the fake relationship Ethel, I'm mad because you thought I wouldn't understand and because you tried to hide it from me!
I may not be good at following potion recipes but I'm not really that stupid.»
Ethel begins to cry silently, trying to hide her face behind the wide sleeve of her jacket.
«I know you're not stupid, I would never think such a thing!
I was just afraid that you would give up on me because of this...thing.»

«Ethel I don't want to leave you, but this can't go on forever.
Your mother will have to know sooner or later, what will happen in the future if she forces you to get married to a guy you don't know and don't want just to keep the Hallow family reputation high?»
«I don't know Mildred it's all happening too fast, I'm so...scared.»

And just at the most delicate and complicated moment between the two girls, Mrs. Hallow makes an appearance between the two.
«What's going on here!?»

And Ethel just hearing that voice feels like the whole castle has just collapsed on her.