Could You Love Me? || Ms Venable

III.

.･:*:･･:*:･.
"God hath given you one face, and you make yourself another."

(Hamlet, act 3 scene 1)
.･:*:･･:*:･.

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I wondered if I should get changed. I was wearing my night dress, and slippers. I mean, I shouldn't bump into anyone, not at night. After debating with myself, I decided to pull on a shawl above my dress.

Pausing at the handle of my door, I questioned myself. I was going to break a rule. A rule Ms Venable had set for us. What was I doing? Where was I even going to go? The library. I wanted to read, and loose myself into a world that didn't involve my own. I opened my door and stepped corridor.

My room was at the very end of the girls corridor, so no one should have heard my door opening.

Walking carefully, I wondered through the empty pathway. When I arrived at the library door, I slowly opened it, avoiding the creek. When I was in, I sighed in relief, picked up Hamlet from earlier and sat down on the armchair. Inhaling slowly, I opened the book and lost myself between the words.

"Ms Aldean, why are you in here?!"

My head snapped up and I jumped. Ms Venable was standing in front of me, wearing a dangerous expression. Fuck.

"I-I'm so so sorry Ms V-Venable" I stuttered like crazy, standing up and putting the book away quickly.

"Why is it that you think it is fine to break the rules?" Her voice was so cold that it almost made me shiver.

"I don't k-know, it won't happen a-again" My cheeks burned red.

"You're right, it will not happen again"

We both turned at the noise of approaching footsteps, and I internally groaned when I saw it was Ms Mead. Great.

"I heard voices" Her beady eyes narrowed at the sight of me, "Why is she up after hours?"

Ms Venable's gaze fell back onto me.

"I do not know"

"Can I punish her?" My heart stopped when I saw Ms Mead look hopeful as she spoke. Ms Venable's expression didn't change one bit, and paused before replying.

"Yes. One night in the basement should do it"

No no no no.

Ms Mead smirked slightly and started to walk towards me.

"I'm sorry okay? Please don't do this" I begged, looking into Ms Venable's eyes. Then I saw something in her expression. Could it be....guilt??

"You should be grateful it's not anything more. If it were any other the others, they'd be caned at least ten times" And that was true, I knew that from past encounters, of anyone broke a rule for the second time, they'd be dragged to the basement and all we'd hear would be screams. But why was she letting me off? I thought the incident at dinner would have given me a strike, and then this! Lost in my confused thoughts, I realised Ms Mead had clamped my arm and had started to pull me into the corridor, down the stairs, and into the basement.

*

I'd lost track of how long I'd been here. My right arm was cuffed to the wall and I sat in an uncomfortable crouch. The smell was musty and the room was cold and gray. Maybe it had been minutes, maybe it had been hours.

Finally, the door opened, revealing a tall slim figure, otherwise known as Ms Venable. She entered, towering over my crouched position. 

"You may leave" She states, unshackling me. I sighed in relief, standing up bit then stumbling. I was so dizzy.