Reversal (School For Good And Evil)

Infatuation and Spite

Tedros's POV:
Tedros had never cared much about appearance. It wasn't that he actively chose to ignore it, it was just never something that appealed to him, a fact his friends were always incredulous about. Even when they were all whispering about the new student - Sophie, like pathetic gossipers, his head wasn't turned. That was why it was so surprising when he noticed someone. Truly took them in, not disregarding them like all the others. She was beautiful, if a little unconventional, with her bug eyes, and greasy hair. But Tedros could see beyond the lack of showers, the too sallow skin, the hunched posture. He could see right through to the princess within. And he hated it - because she wasn't a princess.
She was a witch.

Agatha haunted his every waking moment, and she even appeared regularly in his dreams - featuring as some long-lost damsel, or helpless maiden. But that wasn't her. Just a figment of his imagination. From what little Tedros had seen of the girl, she was consumed by a fiery rage. It wasn't extremely noticeable, in fact it seemed to lurk beneath the surface of her skin, a snake, coiled and patient, waiting to bite. Instead of repelling him, however, this unique trait only drew him closer. Closer. Until-
"What do you think you're doing?" She hissed, as Tedros accidentally bumped into her.
He blinked, exiting a trance. How had he arrived there? He had no memory of moving, only of thinking of her and there she was, glaring up at him, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
He stood there, dumbfounded for a second, until he realised she was waiting for a response.
"Oh.. erm, hi,"
Tedros felt his face flush, and his neck crawled with the tickling sensation that usually indicated he was being watched. Indeed, when he turned his head, their classmates, were openly staring, whispering about how a prince such as him was talking to that witch. Even the Nevers looked concerned, their unwashed faced scrunched up in confusion.
"What do you want, Tedros," she spat, and his stomach sank.
Agatha wasn't happy to see him, she didn't welcome him into her open arms, promising him that it was a mistake, one big mistake, that she was in the wrong school, she was really Good, and Tedros hadn't fallen for some Never he had communicated with a grand total of twice in the halls and their shared classes.
He stumbled away, embarrassed, cheeks full of the rising blush of shame.
It was all a mistake.

Agatha's POV:
"It was a mistake, Sophie," Agatha hissed for the third time, trying in vain to reassure her friend that she hadn't put Tedros under some sort of love spell.
"But Aggie, the was he looked at you! Any fool could have seen that it was love,"
Agatha gulped, pushing down whatever feelings arose at that word.
"I promise you, I did not spell him," Agatha reassured. "Besides, who would even want the affections of that miserable oaf?"
But before the sentence was even out of her mouth she knew; Sophie. The girl in question turned a delicate shade of pink as she failed to come up with a reply - quite unlike her. Sophie must be truly infatuated with him, if she could not respond with even a mildly biting comment.
"Sophie, I don't know why you feel you need the validation of some useless boy. You don't need him. You could run a kingdom all on your own, without his help,"
Sophie turned, what looked like envy twisting her face into a gruesome snarl.
"Just because you have accepted you'll end up alone doesn't mean that the rest of us have to,"
Agatha recoiled, feeling the words like a blow to the chest.
"And also, I wouldn't be alone, would I? I would have you, curled at the foot of my throne like some ungrateful dog,"
Sophie drew in a ragged gasp and Agatha felt the first few tears form at the corner of her eyes, which she frantically wished to disappear, to plague someone else. Anyone but her.
"You just want to keep me all to yourself. Well guess what, Agatha? I don't need you. I never have. In fact I wish you would just leave me alone,"
She stared at Agatha, as if trying to emphasise her point, heartbreak and betrayal reflecting in her eyes from Agatha's own.
"Forever,"

Agatha turned and ran, far away from everything.
Sophie's cruel words.
Tedros's blushing fantasies.
The School itself, threaded with prejudice, and hate and despair.
Her own body, she realised - for Agatha had not moved an inch from her spot in the grass.

Sophie turned on her glittering heel and walked away; without looking back.