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It was in the library where Larissa had found you dozing off in one of the couches near furnace. A book was long forgotten in your hand, your belongings carelessly thrown on the coffee table.
She was careful not to stir you awake right away. She then noticed the baby hair sticking and framing your face with sweat. You looked unusually pale, lips chapped, visibly dehydrated.
"Miss (l/n), you're running a fever." she concluded after feeling your forehead with her palm.
You repelled her touch, almost too scared.
You shook your head furiously, "No. I'm okay. I'm not sick." And scrambled to your feet.
"Darling, you look as pale as a ghost."
"I said I'm fine... Principal Weems." She watched you heedlessly throw your notes and pen in your backpack. It was so unlike you.
"I don't need help." You added. She felt a pang in her chest. Your voice was harsh and hostile, making it clear to her that you won't be accepting any of her help.
She didn't dare to take a step closer.
"I will be fine on my own." You weren't. You needed her. You needed her to soothe the banging headache in your head, tell you that you would be okay but you couldn't afford that. She wouldn't do that anyway.
You didn't dare to look back at her when you slung one strap over your shoulder. A cough was clawing its way out of your throat but you resisted, groaning at the scratchy feeling
Larissa said nothing when you left. She didn't attempt to go after you knowing it would be fruitless.
She had seen it before—the behaviour you displayed just about now. You were guarding yourself
and she didn't entirely understood why when all she wanted to do was help you like she did to any other children who needed to be taken care of.
With a sigh, she made sure to go and talk to Enid before retrieving back to her study. Someone had to take care of you and she was sure you would be less guarded around the girl, after all she was your friend, the closest one you had.
It was later in the evening when Enid came barging in into her office, her steps were urgent.
"I can't find her." The young lady cried out in one breath
She rose from her seat, abandoning the meeting she was having, "What do you mean, Miss Sinclair?"
"We've looked everywhere for (y/n) but we couldn't find her. She's not in the library, or the hummers' shed. I even went too far and looked for her in the closet but she wasn't there. I-I only went out to get her some medicine like you asked but when I came back she was gone"
"Hush now, Sweetheart. We will find her, all right?"
"I'm sorry, Principal Weems"
"Hey, none of that."
Truth to be told, Larissa didn't know where to look for you either. If they have already checked the places they suspected you could be and found non then where could Larissa start? Nonetheless, Larissa strode off on her own, wishing to all gods to give her the sign where you could be.
Vanishing wasn't your intention but Enid was too loud and too cheerful, she was buzzing off with too much energy than you could handle. You loved her, she was you friend for a reason, but with this banging pain your tolerance for the girl wavered and what was more fun than playing a little bit of hide and seek?
Too bad though, even before you could witness Enid cry, nausea hit you hard and you fainted under your bed.
While the others searched for you in places you won't be found dead, Larissa decided to give it another try and look for you in your room hoping you come out of hiding from this little game that was throwing everyone insane and worried sick that even Wednesday Addams joined the search, a little jovial than the rest.
Larissa cursed under her breath, her heart beating a little be too dramatically as she got closer to your room. She was worried, and blamed herself partially for letting you get away, letting you push her away when she knew you didn't mean any of it. She should have stood her ground and dragged you to bed herself, should have taken care of you or even restrained you to bed if that was what it took to keep you from running away and dodging everyone whose only motive was to care of you.
The room was empty, no sign of any presence. She had her thumb and pointer finger rubbing the skin above her brows easing the tight tension that was building up.
It was silly just like Enid said but she checked your closet, too, with a faint hope that you took cover behind your clothes but you weren't there.
and then, from this angle where she stood next to your closet, her eyes darted toward the mirror and saw what it seemed to be finger poking under the bed.
"Oh, god!" She immediately dropped to her knees. "You damned, child" she muttered, exasperated.
You were unconscious when she pulled you out, burning with fever, your body was limp, your face barely had any colour. You looked so much worse.
Somehow you regained consciousness, vision unclear, head spinning. You heard someone laughing and crying at the same time, was it possible?
"You thought it was wise to hide under the bed while burning up with fever, huh?" It was the Principal, undoubtedly.
You tried to answer her, but you were far too weak, and all you could do was nod. A hint of smile played on your lips.
"'m sorry" She heard you say.
That was the last thing you remembered when all fell pitch black again.
When you woke up, soft lights greeted your eyes, they were tolerable unlike the ones in the clinic. Even the lamps there seemed to fry your eyes off. How did you know? You were once admitted there due to stupid reasons only Wednesday Addams knew.
If you weren't in the school clinic then where? You bolted upright, a groan automatically flung out of your mouth as your hand cupped the back of your head.
So you were in the principal's office, no big deal...lying on what it seemed to be a makeshift bed, thick wool of blanket draped over the spacious couch in front of big fire place and your own blanket swallowing half of your body.
Scanning further, you saw a basin on the side table with a cloth. That was when you only noticed a damped cloth was clinging on your forehead.
Larissa knew that if you were going to be admitted to the clinic the chances of you sneaking off again was as high as the misfortunes of a certain raven committed every single day. You wouldn't be tied down no matter what so she decided it would be best for everyone, including yourself, if you would stayed right here in her office where she could keep an eye on you while tending to some serious matters in her laptop.
No one interfered with the idea, not even the school nurse who knew better than taking care of your stubborn ass herself.
You were a menace. Maybe that was why you and Wednesday get along so well, thriving by driving the poor woman insane and inducing her more stress than she could tolerate.
Weems, didn't say a word when you woke up. She stayed silent, pretended to be busy. She didn't want to scare you off, she knew your initial thought must be to bolt out of these doors and hide. Again.
She kept an eye on you though, subtle glances thrown in your way just to make sure you weren't doing something stupid to yourself.
Back on the couch, you were parched, there was neither a pitcher nor a glass within your reach, it forced you to turn. You squirmed at the idea of asking for help, it would require you to approach her that was exactly what you had been avoiding yet here you were trapped in her office with no possible escape and your mouth was so dry and bitter it didn't make things easier for you.
There on her desk, you found what you were looking for.
Without having to ask, Larissa poured you a glass and brought it to you. At that point you weren't sure you deserved her kindness.
"Here, drink up." she was too gentle and you didn't know why. You walked out on her, refused her help, caused some troubles but she was still treating you with the utmost care you never received before.
You had been dodging away from her affections for as long as you could remember, ignoring her attempts to get close and denied her every chance to help you with a massive fear of getting too close, too attached, too much. You didn't need another reason to cry once you leave nevermore.
You knew Principal Weems would be the closest thing you'd ever have as parental figure, and she was willing to give you that experience with open arms you just wouldn't let her.
With tentative hands, Larissa pried off the cloth from your forehead to replace it with a fresh one from the basin. Larissa recalled this task being easy but she remembered you were asleep then and now you were staring at her with those big broken eyes brimmed with tears. You hadn't moved an inch.
She wanted to pull you into her arms, embrace you and wipe those tears off, however Weems merely settled on placing a hand on your shoulder. it was safer that way, lesser the contact the better it was. And she knew she made the right choice when you didn't flinch, slowly trying to accepting the little gesture of comfort.
Once the glass was empty, Larissa took it away. She didn't comeback, there was no shuffling in her office and when you decided to check she wasn't there.
You were afraid she left to inform the nurse that you were awake, that they would come and take you. and your body almost turned rigid when the doors opened but then it only revealed Larissa with a tray of soup and some medicine for your fever. There was no nurse.
She sat down next to you, and pulled the side table which you didn't notice was already clean.
Somewhere in between your naps, Larissa had pulled one of the armchairs closer to you and settled right there with a book and a glass of strong bourbon--she much preferred this choice but only limiting herself to one glass and no more than an inch of liquid. She needed it for courage because honestly you were by far the toughest one yet, competing along with her dear Wednesday.
She peered down at you, you looked so small curled up on her couch. So delicate and vulnerable she wanted to smother you with motherly affection but restrained herself. Being this close was enough, at least for now, at least she knew you were eased enough to have her close and she wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize that little progress.
"Feeling much better now?" she asked, seeing you awake and looking at her.
You nodded at her. "Can you-um..." No don't say it. It's ridiculous.
"What is it, sweetheart?" You didn't listen to those whispers in your head, not when her glance was filled with the affection you needed.
"Can you hold my hand?" Your voice was small and broken.
"Of course, love."
You wrapped your hand around hers with a strong grip- that was a good sign.
And for the rest of the night she didn't let go. She stayed rooted next to you. And since then you never turned away from her.
People tended to walk away once they found out about your destructive tendencies but not her. Not Principal Weems. She was different than the rest, different than your own family.
And right here next to her, was the first time you ever felt safe and protected and wanted.
Unafraid to be loved.