the Academy Rules (a RPDR high school AU fic)

12.

Adore P.O.V.

If it weren't for the dark red lipstick stain on my collar that I'd been trying to hide all week, I would almost think that Tuesday in the English classroom was a dream. Part of me wishes that it was a dream, but every time I look in the mirror and try again to tuck my collar into my sweater to hide the damning evidence I'm reminded more and more of exactly how real it was. I gave in, and did exactly what I told myself not to do, and now I have to live with it. End of.

Sunday evening, I'm trying to act as normal as possible around most of the people in our dorm who seem to have gathered in Laganja and I's room, despite it being one of the smallest in the whole hall. In the corner of the room, I can see the long, red trouser-clad legs of somebody who seems to be leaning out of our window. The person turns around and I realise it's just Katya trying to have a smoke without setting off the fire alarms. Trixie and Pearl sit next to her, and Violet Chachki seems to be sleeping with her head in Pearl's lap. My eyes are drawn to the bottle-blonde figure of Jinkx, who's taking a swig from a hip flask, probably because she assumes no one is looking. Ivy has her back turned and is talking to Ben, while Alaska and Laganja are arguing about something or other. I could swear Willam and Courtney were here a minute ago, but they seem to have disappeared...

There are more people in our hall that I've met, like Ben's roommate Darienne, and that kinda creepy girl Sharon, who I met once when I was late back from dinner. The hallway was dark and she pretty much jumped out at me, dressed like a halloween witch. So you could understand why I'm a little freaked out by her. There's also Kim, a sophomore who joined all the way from Korea at the same time as I joined, and her roommate Naomi, who I haven't met but I've heard a lot about (apparently her legs are amazing). There's a few other people who I haven't met yet, but hopefully I'll have all year to meet them. Courtney was telling me that the rooms are sometimes changed after the first semester if roommates aren't getting along or there are any problems with boarding halls, but usually everything stays the same. 

Speaking of Courtney, I suddenly hear the door crash open and turn to see Courtney quickly come into the room, letting the door slam behind her. Her face is red, like she's been crying.

"Court? You okay?"  I stand up and rush over to her. Everyone else who turned to look when the door opened has gone back to whatever they were doing before. 

Courtney doesn't say anything, just sniffles and runs over to me, burying her head in my shoulder and knocking me on to my bed.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask again, in a softer voice this time, as Courtney slowly raises her head.

"....No." She says quietly, shaking her head and sitting down next to me.

"What is it?" I place my arm awkwardly around her shoulder.

"You just... you know when you care so much about someone, and you put so much time into them and you do so much for them and you really want to be with them but then they just act like you're no one and nothing happened and it's all nothing and you mean nothing and..." She trials off, and starts quietly crying.

"Willam?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh?" Her eyes widen. "How- how did you know about that?"

"I just... do?" I really don't think breaking the news to Courtney that everyone knew about her and Willam hooking up while she's in this emotional state would exactly be a good idea.

"Well... you're right..." She manages to tell me between quiet sobs. "I... just..." She lowers her voice and looks around to make sure no one is listening. "...I really like her, and.. and I guess I thought we could be more than just... this. But Willam wasn't interested. I guess she really doesn't feel anything towards me..."