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Messages - Katherine Dankworth
1
Since the moment they became close, Lorelei had become a grounding presence for her. They were so different yet so similar—she both understood her and calmed her down. Kate felt like they balanced each other out.
Of course, she would keep her around. And of course, she would look for her the moment she felt like she needed a little peace.
That was what Lorelei's friendship brought her. Peace.
She took Lorelei's dark hair carefully between her fingers, the faint smell of what seemed to be flowers filling her nostrils. Kate swallowed, suddenly skittish, messing up the braid and having to start all over again.
"Kate?"
"What? I mean, yes?" She stumbled over her own words, momentarily tongue-tied by a nervousness whose origin she couldn't quite place.
She thought then of the facts. And the facts were that, since the night of the bonfire, she had been riddled with anxiety, haunted by a weight on her chest that she couldn't get rid of. It was probably that, and not Lorelei Kensington's presence, that had made her feel so suddenly jittery.
A much more reasonable explanation, indeed.
"Do you ever feel like something bad is about to happen? Even if there's really no reason to think that?"
She just kept on braiding for a few seconds, taking a moment to think about what Lo had asked her. Not because she didn't know the answer, but because she didn't know how to properly talk about it.
The feeling of something obscure lurking around the corner was one that hadn't left Kate's mind since she was just a little girl, alone in the halls of Blackthorn Hall.
Yet, it was not something she liked to share. It made her feel too vulnerable, like she was freely giving away something that could be used mercilessly against her.
But then again, did she really have to hide that part of her from Lorelei?
She didn't think so.
"All the time," she mumbled softly, her throat tightening the moment she admitted it out loud. "What are you worried about, Lo?"
2
« on: Yesterday at 23:38 »
30 April 1974
Past midnight It had been a while since the last time she actually visited the South Tower. Once upon a time, it was one of the places she hung out at the most. Now, it just felt like it held too many memories. Yet, that night, not even that was enough to make her resist the temptation. After all, her music was all she had when everything else felt like it was slipping through her fingers. She snuck out of the Slytherin common room with ease—it was something she had done so many times before she could actually do it with her eyes closed. The fact that neither Lorelei nor Caius were particularly interested in reinforcing the castle's rules helped too—if her prefects had been more vigilant, maybe her little escapades would not have been possible. A bunch of music sheets in one hand and an unlit cigarette in the other, Katherine smiled openly when she first saw the piano. Her happiness, though, was pretty short-lived. "What are you doing here?" Not only had someone invaded her little sanctuary—it was one of the people she disliked the most. She couldn't fathom a universe where she and Santiago de la Cruz would have something in common. But there he was—in one of her favorite spots, at the same ungodly hour. Life really had a way of laughing in her face.
3
« on: Yesterday at 18:56 »
"Let him read his book in peace."
Kate rolled her eyes, amused. Of course Rosie would defend him against her plotting—it didn't mean she had given up. Sooner or later, she'd find a way to push Cassian McCormick into the lake.
Strangely enough, she thought about it as a way to make amends. It was the kind of trap she would set for someone she considered a friend—no use walking on eggshells around the boy.
They would get it, eventually. Maybe. Hopefully.
"Fine, I'll leave him alone." For now.
"But Eph definitely didn't take it that way, which means that Nael probably didn't either."
Ephraim needed to get a fucking grip. He never got her jokes, always walking around like he was royalty and she was just a peas—
So, exactly like she was with everyone else. This time, she did see the irony.
"What would you say to him? Are you going to try and talk to Eph too?"
"I don't know, Rosie. I'd just tell him I'm sorry. Because I am," she started, trying to find the words to explain herself. "I just wanted to piss off Cecily. You know she knew I liked him? And she gave me this smug, stupid smile at the gala when they were dancing. I guess I didn't think it through."
"Whatever. I care about what he thinks of me, which is more than most of these imbeciles can say. And about Eph—"
She sighed. It was easier to talk about Nael. She didn't think the boy would hold a grudge against her, and their friendship, despite its ups and downs, had never been truly complicated.
Ephraim was a whole different story. Katherine wouldn’t bet against the fact that she had lost him forever that night. And she couldn't quite imagine life without her best friend.
Three days in, and she already felt like she was missing a part of herself.
"I'm scared to talk to him, that's the truth. He's going to be mean or directly ignore me. And I'm going to feel worse. I don't think he cares about us being friends anymore."
"This is depressing," she said then, not letting Rosie respond to that last sentence, too scared of what she would say. "Let's talk about something else."
4
« on: 19/03/2025 at 00:32 »
She had spent the last few days preaching about the benefits of a loveless match. How good it would be for the heart—to take away the possibility of it ever being broken, she thought. To never experience the kind of pain she had been put through ever again.
Love had made her feel like she was worthless every single time—why would she put herself through that again?
It was easier that way. Letting somebody else call the shots—settling for contentment instead of yearning for happiness.
So when she received Karina's note asking for an appointment, she felt relieved. The Headmistress could for sure take care of that topic much better than her father. Maybe she would even find her someone she could actually tolerate, even mildly like.
She patiently listened as the woman explained her reasons for having her sit there, biting her way through a chocolate cookie. Truth was—she wasn’t really listening. Kate didn’t care about reasons anymore; she only cared about her pain being taken away and replaced with the slow, grayish fulfillment most pureblood women settled for.
"I believe that you would be well matched with Jack Ellwood-Luxe."
The cookie fell from her hand. The only thing she could do was stare at Karina as she kept talking, not even blinking as she heard Ivansko's voice like it was underwater.
Not only was Jack Niamh’s boyfriend—though she guessed her friend would see Kate was in no fault whatsoever—but he was also Caius’s cousin.
The very idea of being attached to the boy forever felt like a nightmare—a quiet reminder of everything she could not have because of her own doings, constantly lurking just behind the corner.
Kate started to feel sick.
"I will write to your father and Jack's father to let them know about my proposed match. Get to know each other. And of course, you don't have to get married right away. But I would suggest committing to each other now so you have time to plan your futures."
She needed to think fast. Apply the same advice she had given Tilly. Remind herself that complaining would not get her anywhere. But if she could twist the situation just enough, then maybe—
"Oh, I don't know about Jack Ellwood-Luxe, Headmistress Ivansko. He's not exactly brilliant, and I know my father wishes to find me a match that’s shrewd. You see, I'm the sole heir of the Dankworth House. Whoever marries me would have the future of his last name in his hands," she spoke softly, eloquently. "I deeply appreciate your efforts, and I'd be really happy if we could find an adequate match for me. But maybe we could analyze other options, if it’s not a problem."
5
« on: 18/03/2025 at 14:46 »
“Boys really can be smelly. Have you ever sat next to Tommy from Ravenclaw? FOUL.”
She snorted the moment Tilly mentioned Tommy. Yes, she had sat next to him. And yes, he smelled like a dead rat.
"That's what I mean—are we supposed to be into that?"
Kate realized she was being unfair. Not all boys were gross, and not all boys were monsters. Nael was actually pretty sweet, and Ephraim was still her best friend despite the fact that they weren’t talking. Yet, it seemed easier—to misjudge all of them to avoid getting caught up once again.
As she listened to Tilly's concerns about Karina's matchmaking efforts, she couldn't help but grin. She wouldn’t have expected the Headmistress to be so involved in Matilda's love life, but now that she thought about it—it didn’t surprise her at all. It just seemed right for Karina to meddle like that.
"I mean, maybe she could find you a decent match," she said thoughtfully. "It seems impossible considering the candidates, but who knows. She has been around longer than we have. Maybe there's something we're missing—but I doubt it."
“Ephraim wasn’t horrible when we broke up. We’re still friends, we just changed. He fell for the pretty princess Matilda. And over time, I left her behind and found myself again. I can’t blame him for being confused. Besides, I’m not interested in finding a new boyfriend anytime soon. I’d rather have fun and hang out with my friends.”
Her eyebrows furrowed as she heard what Tilly had to say about Ephraim. Of course, he wasn’t horrible. He could be blunt, a little mean, even. But he was never horrible to those he cared about. Kate wondered if he still cared about her.
“Now if some of the boys want to snog with no strings attached, I can’t say I will run in the other direction.”
"There's always strings attached, Tilly. One way or another. Like, I heard you kissed Nael at that bonfire, right? And maybe you don't like him like that, but Cecily probably wants to bite your head off anyway. Or my kiss with Eph. It wasn’t precisely out of a romance novel—yet we're not on speaking terms." A pause. She didn’t feel wise anymore; she just felt sad. "It's just too messy and never worth it—no matter how good the kiss itself is."
Deep down, she knew it wasn’t even what she wanted. What she really wanted was for someone to try and change her mind, to tell her she was worth the trouble—to tell her she was enough.
But she also knew it wasn’t going to happen. Believing it could was what started all this mess.
It was easier to shut down. She had to ditch them before they could ditch her.
6
« on: 18/03/2025 at 13:39 »
"Infertility?"
"No. It's complicated. My mom died when I was very young, and my father was never able to remarry," she explained, knowing damn well that wasn't the full story. She thought about just leaving it at that—she had been instructed since childhood to keep her family secrets buried, and if Ephraim told a member of his family, then it was over. But then again, he was her best friend, and she wanted him to know her. "She's not really my mother, you know. His dead wife. It's been an open secret for years. Maybe that's why he didn't get to remarry."
"Octavian is my uncle."
Ephraim's flat voice told her he didn't see the joke, and she sighed. "Sorry."
"It's Ephraim Owain."
"That's a pretty name," she said, both trying to compensate and being truthful. "Mine is Grace. I wonder who picked it—it doesn't seem like the kind of name my father would like. He doesn't even use it."
7
« on: 18/03/2025 at 00:22 »
"I'm not going to apologize."
Kate raised her eyebrows, though she couldn’t say she was surprised by Eira’s bluntness. It was one of the characteristics they shared—one of the things she liked about her.
It forced her to think—was an apology what she really needed from Eira?
Being forced to confront her feelings was one of the things Katherine hated the most—because most of the time, she couldn’t even identify them, much less be sure of how valid they were. Was she mad? Jealous? Did she hate them, or could she let it go?
She had told Rocío she shouldn’t have freaked out. She had told Caius it wasn’t about the kiss. But she had also told herself she didn’t want Eira around—and she wasn’t sure about it not being the case still.
But then again, where would she be if the people she had hurt didn’t show her a little kindness? Rosalie was her friend because she was able to see past all her bullshit, and Nael had forgiven her just three days prior for something that happened at that bonfire—something one could argue it was way worse than a kiss.
Her eyes softened just a little, her demeanor shifting from absolute tiredness to a certain receptiveness she didn’t feel like Eira deserved until a few seconds ago.
"I thought you and him were over and done. I didn't think you'd care that much."
"He’s still my—" She stopped herself, deep down knowing she couldn’t even call him her ex. It hit her then and there—she didn’t have any rights over Caius Ellwood-Luxe, and it made her heart physically hurt. "I don’t know, Eira. I should’ve told you how I felt. I should’ve told him, too."
"I was just scared of—well, this. I think a part of me always knew he was never going to love me back. And I thought, if I bottled it up, if I convinced myself enough—then I would stop feeling it and it wouldn’t break my heart. Funnily enough, hiding it was what led me to blurting it out in front of the whole class and humiliating myself forever."
"A few weeks of distance will be good for everyone," she said finally. "That includes you and me. I’m not—I’m not done with this friendship. And my brain knows I have no right to be mad, and I don’t hate you. But right now, seeing you makes me think about you kissing the boy I’m still in love with, and it kills me, and my heart tells me the complete opposite of what my brain does. I—I just need a little time, and then we can really talk it out."
They had a lot to talk about. And of course, she wished she could be the bigger person. She wished she could just tell Eira no one owed anyone anything and move on. But for now, all she could offer her was the promise of their bond not being over and the plea for more time—she just wished it was enough.
Once the storm had finally subsided, Katherine would be ready to finally face what needed to be faced in order for them to keep each other around. And probably, Rosalie would be too—the person she thought Eira had hurt the most.
And maybe they would discover their friendship was not hopeless after all.
8
« on: 17/03/2025 at 16:17 »
She hadn't regretted being disrespectful to Isabella Pickering, even when they first gave her detention after the game.
It had all been a shitshow—from the costumes to the obvious preferences—, and saying it out loud shouldn't have been a crime. Especially after even Karina herself got in a fight with the referee in front of the whole school.
But alas, it seemed like it didn't matter how right she was; it was still punishable to yell at a referee what the fuck she was doing.
The only thing Kate could hope for was that it wasn’t enough of a big deal to write to her father about it.
"This smells like shit," she complained out loud, for everyone to hear—including Tala.
“Oh, come on.”
She stared at Rocío, amused by her reaction. It would only occur to her—to enter detention with a cigarette between her lips.
"To be fair, I think the fact that you can't smoke at detention is common sense." She walked past her, leaning in just enough to whisper in her ear. "But I wouldn’t mind if we sneak to the rooftops later."
Winking at her friend, she continued her way over to the dirty cauldrons—the task that seemed the least terribly gross. Still, she felt like she was about to throw up.
"This is disgusting," she mumbled. "And I just did my nails."
Morgan and Eryon already seemed ready to begin—or not begin—at the same station, but she didn’t even bother to say hello. Her mood was already bad enough without topping it off by being forced to play nice with firsties.
"If we finish early, do we get to leave?" Unlikely, but she figured things couldn’t get worse—so she shot her shot.
Maybe she could find a way to convince the two little kids to do her part, but that would have to wait—Tala was still watching.
9
« on: 17/03/2025 at 14:42 »
Katherine Dankworth Apothecary
10
« on: 17/03/2025 at 14:38 »
“Come in, Miss Dankworth.”
Katherine wasn't an idiot—she already knew Tala Bellestrom didn't really like her job. Or at least, she did not like having to deal with kids like her while doing it.
So, while she was always polite to those who were above her, she did not bother trying to suck up to the Head Nurse. She was perceptive enough to know it wouldn't work, and she was not in the mood to waste either hers or Tala's time.
"Thanks," she said simply, entering the room and taking a quick look around.
“Would you like a cup?”
Tala's gesture implied that she was not really up to preparing her some tea, but Katherine didn't really care. The offer was made, and she could really use the calming effects of a hot beverage.
"Yes, thanks." She sat, deciding it was better to just cut to the chase and ask what she wanted to ask. Whatever reasons she had, they were not necessary to provide. Tala wouldn't care, and she wasn't comfortable sharing them either.
"I was wondering if you could teach me to brew the Dreamless Sleep Potion."
11
« on: 17/03/2025 at 14:06 »
Katherine Dankworth Role: Mentor Thread 1: Thread 2:
12
« on: 17/03/2025 at 13:27 »
Working with Ren Al-Sayeed was the last thing Katherine wanted to do. She didn't even understand why he would apply to such a program—he always made sure to rub in her face how much smarter he was.
(He had never done such a thing—but for Kate, it surely felt like he did.)
She found him in the Potion Storeroom, one of her least favorite places in the whole castle. It was a subject that just didn't speak to her in the way other branches of magic did. She found it both boring and unnecessarily difficult.
"Sorry, I'm here until nightfall. Even I need to get my sleep, Katherine. I'm sure you understand that, right?"
"I don't, actually. When I have things to do, I just stay up," she said, sitting beside him, the deep circles under her eyes confirming her words. "Didn't take you for a crybaby, mentee."
"It's okay, though. I'm supposed to be an apothecary too."
She didn't even know anymore why she had applied for that stupid position. Right—she didn't want to have to work with plants. And of course, she didn't want to be a nurse. But still, in retrospect, even being a nurse sounded more interesting than this.
"I'm supposed to brew a ton of Calming Draughts. Scooch, I need more space to work—we can tell Julia this counts as mentoring time."
13
« on: 16/03/2025 at 21:26 »
“Is that something they actually do? Arrange a marriage? Ivansko mentioned something about it. She wanted Ephraim and I to get engaged, AT THIRTEEN, then marry when we come of age. Like, is that normal?”
Tilly's innocence on the matter was refreshing, and Kate was more than happy to burst her bubble.
"Oh, yeah. Of course they do it," she said, putting down the fork and leaning her face against her hand. "I've always known at some point I was going to have to find a suitor. Not here—of course. You can have a boyfriend here and have your fun—even if you already have a match. And of course, finding a boyfriend here is not some kind of... husband hunting? Gross—we're all like fifteen, and these boys don't even shower."
She took a sip, trying to find the right words. It felt like a teaching moment—like it was her responsibility to teach Matilda the real ways of the world.
"A match is like a contract. You want someone handsome—you don't want ugly kids—smart enough to read a map. Someone who can give you your liberty one way or another. Either because he's a pushover or because he doesn't care enough about you to boss you around. Love is never a part of the equation, Tilly—get those ideas out of your head if you have them," she explained, twirling a lock of hair around her index finger. "You have to let your grandmother think she's choosing for you—then manipulate the situation enough to be the one who's really picking. Like—if my father were to engage me to someone too dumb, I wouldn't say I wouldn't be happy with an idiot because my father wouldn't care about my happiness. I'd plant the idea of this boy not being smart enough to be head of the house—reminding him he thinks I'm too dumb to do it, even if I know I'd be great. And then—boom. He changes his mind, see?"
It didn’t feel useful to bring up the fact that Katherine was more than ready to go against all of it if she thought things with the boy she was in love with could work out. Kate had always been a person of unreachable highs and unfathomable lows—either she wanted to risk it all, or she didn’t see a point in resisting.
The conviction she held so strongly mere seconds ago, she now dismissed as the stupid idealizations of a lovestruck teenager.
She was up and then down, it was black and then white—Kate's mind worked in twisted opposites she never fully understood. And maybe, when she was alone once again, she'd go right back down and cry herself to sleep, thinking of all the things she could've done differently for him to love her back.
"Ok, so I get what you’re saying, but come on. Girls can be CRAZY. Boys are annoying, obviously, but girls can be a little unhinged. I know this, I’m one of them.”
"That I know." Kate couldn't argue, considering she had been cursed with an overwhelming sense of self-awareness. She knew girls could be insane because she was the most insane person she knew. "I didn't mean it like that, I wouldn't date a girl—ew."
Convincing, Katherine.
"Just... at some point, you have to be practical about it. Of course, kissing boys is nice—tell me about it, I have kissed like five of them in one term. But you always end up with your heart broken, even when you tell yourself you're just doing it for the science of it. No boy is going to treat you the way you want them to, Tilly. Believing otherwise is setting yourself up for failure—and thinking there isn't any part of yourself that's going to get her hopes up is too."
She took another sip of her coffee, shaking her head.
"Trust me, whatever Ephraim did to you is nothing compared to what they do once they turn fifteen. Monsters, all of them. Even the nice ones."
14
« on: 16/03/2025 at 16:23 »
Kate listened to Matilda's explanation quietly. While it disturbed her, she couldn't really say she was surprised. As it seemed, all kids of their status experienced similar things at home—happiness being the only thing that was not on the menu for those who seemed to have it all.
Still, it managed to get under her skin—enough to change her opinion about Matilda. All that time, she had seen the girl as this force of nature she could respect because she admired fierce people, but couldn't really like because of their many, many differences.
Now, she saw how alike they really were.
Not only could she empathize—she wanted them to be friends.
"Not so much," she answered softly. In a rare gesture of kindness, she squeezed Matilda's shoulder, giving her a somewhat reassuring smile. "Only thing I can tell you is—it does get better. At least, you learn to cope with it better, with age. Then they marry you to some imbecile you can hopefully control, they die, you get all the money, and you become free. That's my plan, at least."
"Maybe you can get into a bit of trouble for me?”
"No, no trouble. I want a no-bullshit summer. And you know how I'm going to achieve that?" She gestured dramatically, moving a fork around. "No boys. I renounce them. No dating them, no kissing them—and of course, no liking them. You see, Tilly—they make you think they're worth it because they're good kissers, and then they treat you like garbage. They're not worth it—not even the ones you think you don’t have feelings for. Those are the worst, actually. Because you will end up catching feelings—and they will end up being trash."
She sighed after her rant, pointing at Tilly with the fork. "If you're really that desperate for a good kiss, make out with a girlfriend and be done with it. Your friends would never humiliate you or break up with you."
Every time she kissed a boy, she started to care. And every time she cared, her heart ended up getting stomped. Kate was over it—instead of trying to discern which one of them could actually treat her the way she wished to be treated, she'd just dismiss them all.
(Though, she could maybe make an exception for Hot Steve. Come on now—have you seen his face?)
15
« on: 15/03/2025 at 13:02 »
She narrowed her eyes as she observed Matilda's body language. Something was bothering the girl, and while worried might not have been the right word to describe her feelings on the matter, she was certainly curious.
“There is no fun allowed, but I might learn how to properly greet a foreign dignitary, so it won’t be a total waste.”
Tilly's sarcasm didn’t go unnoticed by Katherine, but she couldn’t quite understand why she was so pissed off about it. While etiquette lessons had never been her favorite thing in the world, there were at least a few hundred things worse one could be forced to do over the summer.
“What about you? Will you go to camp? I’ve heard a lot of fun stories, I really wish I could go.”
"Yeah," she answered, smiling as she recalled her last—and only—experience at Camp Loki. "I made Rocío so mad I think she was about to break my nose—it was hilarious. They had to escort her off the premises."
If someone had told her then that she and Rocío would end up as friends, she would have laughed in their faces. How the tables had turned.
“Hypothetically, do you think anyone would notice if I just camped out in the Room of Requirement for the summer?”
Only then did she realize they had briefly fallen into an awkward silence. Her mind had wandered once again to Caius. She blinked twice and looked at Tilly, forcing herself not to glance at the Slytherin table. Her determination to forget everything she had been feeling didn’t waver—this wasn’t like all the times before when she told herself she would move on, knowing deep down she wasn’t ready to give up just yet.
She was finally letting go.
"I think they'd notice," she said at last. "But it can't be that bad. Those classes are boring, but useful. You might not see it now, but knowing how to conduct yourself can go a long way. Or… is there something else bothering you about going home?"
She had to know—half of her problems existed because she couldn't control the way she behaved. The worst part was that she knew what she should do most of the time—she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Her emotional outbursts were like watching a movie: you scream and scream at the screen, knowing something the characters don’t, something that could stop the whole mess—but they never listen. And all you can do is sit there until it's over.
It felt awful every time.
16
« on: 14/03/2025 at 13:44 »
It seemed like Katherine was one of the few people who actually enjoyed Indigo Amberghast's unusual ways of teaching. Same as she thought when the last portkey took them to Azkaban, she found the whole volcano situation utmost exhilirating.
“You all think the same. You all think like each other. You think what they tell you to think, how they tell you to think, when they tell you to think—”
Amberghast's ramblings actually made sense to Kate—to some degree, at least. But she did wonder what the point was, though she had already caught the fact that it had something to do with everything being an illusion.
Then, the professor went and jumped. Straight up jumped.
She raised her eyebrows, not really surprised—Amberghast had done crazier things.
"Amazing," she said outloud, following his footsteps and jumping right behind him, without questioning if it was actually safe. Only thing she knew for sure was that the whole thing was a very much needed shot of adrenaline—and she really loved those.
Landing on her feet, she realized she was soaked from head to toe. They were in front of another cave, and she quickly reached for her wand, expectant for what was about to come.
17
« on: 14/03/2025 at 00:04 »
She was curled up on the sofa, a copy of Romeo and Juliet in her hands, reading with the utmost focus. So far, her opinion on the plot could be summarized in one word—idiotic. Romeo's feelings came across as pure lust, and she couldn't fathom why some people found it romantic that Juliet let herself get so caught up. The irony of her own stupidity when it came to feelings didn’t even cross her mind.
She flipped the page, but then someone sitting beside her disturbed her otherwise peaceful evening. Just as she was about to go off on whoever interrupted her, she noticed it was none other than Rosalie Laurence, and she gave her friend a grin, putting the book down.
"Cass..."
Oh, no. What had that moron done now? Was this it? The moment she would actually have to kill McCormick and hide the evidence?
"He asked me to be his girlfriend! Just me and him, no one else."
Kate’s eyebrows shot up, a few emotions flickering in her eyes before she spoke. First, disapproval. Then sheer surprise. Finally—joy. It seemed like he had finally manned up and done what she considered he should have done years ago—given Rosalie the kind of commitment she deserved.
"Okay, hug me or something before I lose my mind."
Rosalie’s happiness was so palpable and contagious that Kate even forgot about her usual bluntness for a moment. The awkward question that lingered (What would Eira think?) was one she normally would have blurted out immediately, with absolutely no regard for how bad her timing would be.
But instead of doing so, she did exactly what her friend asked and gave her a big hug, allowing herself to enjoy the moment instead of ruining it with her lack of filter.
"How did it happen? Where? When? Tell me everything."
18
« on: 13/03/2025 at 18:31 »
"Sure, but I'm gonna have to bum off you because I'm out of cigarettes."
Kate smiled, amused by Niamh's comment. The truth was—she had more than enough supplies for both of them, and it hadn’t even cost her.
Just a few days ago, she had noticed a group of boys smoking in some dark corner and had flirted her way to a few free packs with ease.
"Didn't think you were the type to blow off class. Aren't you normally a teacher's pet?"
The question didn’t surprise her at all, so she just kept walking, heading toward the rooftops—her favorite spot to smoke far away from curious eyes.
"I am, yes," she admitted, not at all ashamed. Her reputation as a suck-up preceded her, and while it might not have been flattering, she had simply done what she needed to do to reach her goals at the time. Nothing wrong with a little ambition, and being popular among her classmates had never been something she cared about. "I mean, I was. It’s not a rebranding or anything—I don’t give a fuck about that. It just doesn’t serve me any purpose anymore, you get what I mean?"
They finally reached the rooftops, and she didn’t bother asking Niamh before settling into her favorite spot—right where she could lean her back against the wall. Offering a cigarette to the girl, she lit hers, placing it between her lips.
"So—what's with you and Rocío?"
To be honest, she hadn't even heard anything about the two girls. But she wanted some gossip, and guessed using Valdés' name was a safe bet.
19
« on: 13/03/2025 at 17:44 »
“It’s…. Going. Honestly, I’m exhausted. How are you?”
Tilly's behavior surprised her. The girl seemed quieter—subdued, even. It would be a lie to say she was worried, though. Kate's empathy only existed for those who were close to her; Matilda's silence only meant she would enjoy some much-needed quiet, at least until her first cup of coffee.
"Great," she said, her tone casual despite it being a blatant lie.
It occurred to her that maybe she could ask the girl about Ephraim, but she quickly decided against it. Doing so would mean admitting she cared—to someone she didn’t fully trust. What would stop Matilda from going and telling him she was asking about him? And even if she didn’t, Kate knew she had to be careful with her vulnerability, even now that she was slowly learning to show a handful of people that it actually existed.
So she just switched topics, talking in between sips of coffee.
“What are you doing for the summer? Are you going to camp?”
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« on: 13/03/2025 at 16:08 »
"You know he's just quiet, Kate. Not deaf."
Kate rolled her eyes, amused by Rosalie's theatrics as she covered the boy's ears like she had uttered some grave insult.
"I do know it. He can handle my sense of humor, especially now that we're the best of friends."
A gross overstatement, considering it was the first time she'd been genuinely nice to Cassian since the whole debacle with Eira—but Kate, in a very Kate fashion, didn’t really care. There was only so much about herself she was willing to change, even now, and her sense of humor wasn’t one of those things.
They reached the lake, and Kate was already prepared, her blue bikini hidden under her clothes since she’d left the dungeons that morning—she had decided she wanted to drag Rosalie for a swim the moment she woke up.
"See, this is the reason why enduring all those months in this castle is worth it," she said, opening her arms, palms up, and tilting her head back to face the sky—letting the sunshine sink into her skin. Since she was a kid, she had always preferred stormy weather—the kind that allowed her to stay home, playing the piano. But now, she was finally starting to see why people loved summer days so much.
"Gonna swim? Or just listen and offer thoughts when the mood strikes?"
"I'll stay here, guard your stuff so no one gets any ideas."
Rosalie took Kate’s hand and told her they could talk about whatever was on her mind. Kate shot her best friend a wicked smile and took off running toward the wooden dock, jumping straight into the water without a second thought.
She surfaced a few seconds after Rosalie, bursting into laughter.
"We should push your boyfriend into the lake when he least expects it," she suggested, lowering her voice so only Rosalie could hear. "And, regarding what’s on my mind—"
The three main things weighing on her at that moment were Caius, Eira, and Ephraim—the last one, surprisingly, hurting the most. Maybe it was because he was her best friend. Maybe it was because she had always relied on the steadiness of their relationship when everything else felt flimsy. Either way, it somehow felt worse than a broken heart.
Still, she wasn’t ready to talk about any of it just yet.
Perhaps, once the evening had stretched on a little longer, she would bring up her concerns to Rosalie. But for now, she decided to talk about the one thing her friend actually had some expertise in—one that no one else knew more about.
"I think I should talk to Nael," she said, running her fingers through a lock of wet hair. "I messed up big time dragging his name into that mess. What do you think?"
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