Irritation Chapter Nine (Malory Towers) by hafl
Title: Irritation, Chapter Nine
Author: hafl
Fandom: Malory Towers
Pairing: slight Belinda/Gwen, slight Darrell/Sally
Rating: PG
Summary: Gwendoline is an angry and irritated person.
Gwendoline felt very conscious of all the strange looks she was receiving from the other girls in the Fourth Form. She did not mind them that much before, after all, it was only natural that the girls would be curious about her sudden closeness with Belinda, but after that sketching trip, Gwendoline became much more sensitive.
Why couldn’t they just mind their own business and not poke their noses into everything they thought unusual? Darrell and Sally should, for one, focus more on themselves, rather than Gwendoline. And Mary-Lou and Daphne were both acting so worried about Belinda, as if Gwendoline was about to bite her head off. It was almost a relief that Alicia and Betty were completely ignoring her.
Was it so surprising that Gwendoline would want a friend or someone to like her and not despise her? Belinda’s studio had become even more of a solace than it had been when she was afraid of Alicia’s revenge. She was sure that Belinda and Irene never though about it that way, but Belinda’s studio was regarded by the other girls as a place they never entered uninvited.
And in addition to all that, Gwendoline was still sore that for Belinda, she was only second after Irene. She was jealous, she admitted that and after few days of wallowing in jealousy, she almost felt sorry for Sally. Irene was before her. Irene, who was the reason she got close to Belinda in the first place. Irene, who did not mind forfeiting some of her time with Belinda to Gwendoline. Irene, who was so sure of Belinda loving her, that she never ever had to suffer from jealousy.
When Gwendoline wasn’t in the studio, she was in the common room desperately forcing herself to study in order to be able to ignore all the glances and whispers, that she was sure concerned her.
One day, two weeks before the half term holidays, Sally was the first one to arrive in the common room after Gwendoline. When she entered, Gwendoline immediately opened a history textbook, hoping to provide herself with an excuse to ignore everyone around.
“Gwen, I have to talk to you,” said Sally, and without asking whether Gwendoline wanted to talk with her, took a chair next to Gwendoline, “Just what do you plan with Belinda?”
While direct questions were a change from questioning glances, it was not a pleasant one.
“Alicia already talked to me about it,” said Gwendoline.
“She didn’t tell me anything about it,” said Sally.
“Then ask Darrell. Perhaps Alicia told her,” replied Gwendoline.
Sally was unfazed. “Are you going to answer me?”
“Mind your own business,” said Gwendoline.
“Belinda’s my friend. It’s my business.”
“And what,” said Gwendoline, “are you going to do if I tell you?”¨
“I’ll talk it over with Darrell, of course” replied Sally.
Gwendoline smiled in disdain. “And risk discovering she already knows? I don’t think so.”
“If I did not want to know, I wouldn’t have asked. Now, will you finally answer me?”
“No,” replied Gwendoline, “As I said, it’s none of your business.”
“So you are planning something nasty,” said Sally.
“If I said no, would you believe me?” said Gwendoline.
“Of course not, you’re a born liar,” said Sally.
“Then what’s the point in asking? Are you just trying to amuse yourself, since Darrell is not paying attention to you?”
“I’m worried about Belinda,” repeated Sally.
“Then ask Alicia, like I told you to. Or Darrell, I’m sure Alicia already told her,” said Gwendoline.
It seemed that all the needling finally hit home. “Are you trying to make me jealous?” said Sally.
“No, I’m just trying to get you to mind your own business,” said Gwendoline.
“My business is my own business, you do not need to interfere,” said Sally.
“Darrell wouldn’t like you being so hypocritical,” said Gwendoline.
“Belinda is my friend,” said Sally.
“Then why don’t you give her some privacy?” said Gwendoline.
“Because I don’t trust you,” said Sally.
Gwendoline sighed. “Very well then,” she said, “Belinda is my friend. Is that enough for you? Will you go running after Darrell now?”
“Don’t hurt her, I’m warning you,” said Sally and stood up.
Gwendoline did not say anything in reply and the two of them went about their separate business. While pretending to read her textbook, Gwendoline was trying to surreptitiously watch Sally, who looked thoughtful. She still felt tense and now she regretted that she did not use her argument with Sally to release all her pent up frustration. Finally, she just could not stand it for any longer.
“Just go after Darrell and talk to her! Nobody wants to watch you mope around, it’s tiring,” she lashed out at Sally, who was clearly surprised.
“Gwen…” she started.
“Just go. You know Darrell hates cowards and liars. Well, now you’re both. You’re afraid and miserable and you make everyone you talk to miserable too. The others must really like you to put up with you for so long. Go, talk to her, get laughed at or whatever, just stop this sitting around looking like you’ve been drinking Matron’s medicine all night long. Even you wailing and crying all night long would be better than this. Damn!”
“Gwen…” Sally tried again.
“Go!” screamed Gwendoline and slumped back onto the chair, not caring whether Sally went or no.
It was a relief, even though after the exhilaration faded, she realised just how lucky she was that her cries did not attract any mistress to the common room. Even then, she concluded, it would have been worth it. She closed her eyes and relaxed, enjoying the momentary peace.
That evening, when the common room filled up, it seemed that the tension between Darrell and Sally has disappeared or, at least, lessened considerably. Gwendoline decided that Sally should be grateful to her, after all Sally owed it all to Gwendoline.
Gwendoline, however, was not so lucky. It was torturous having to watch Irene and Belinda, who, while quite friendly to Gwendoline, seemed to reserve special care for each other. In the end, she went to bed early, but found it difficult to fall asleep and when she finally did, Gwendoline found out that she dreamed a new nightmare.
Author: hafl
Fandom: Malory Towers
Pairing: slight Belinda/Gwen, slight Darrell/Sally
Rating: PG
Summary: Gwendoline is an angry and irritated person.
Gwendoline felt very conscious of all the strange looks she was receiving from the other girls in the Fourth Form. She did not mind them that much before, after all, it was only natural that the girls would be curious about her sudden closeness with Belinda, but after that sketching trip, Gwendoline became much more sensitive.
Why couldn’t they just mind their own business and not poke their noses into everything they thought unusual? Darrell and Sally should, for one, focus more on themselves, rather than Gwendoline. And Mary-Lou and Daphne were both acting so worried about Belinda, as if Gwendoline was about to bite her head off. It was almost a relief that Alicia and Betty were completely ignoring her.
Was it so surprising that Gwendoline would want a friend or someone to like her and not despise her? Belinda’s studio had become even more of a solace than it had been when she was afraid of Alicia’s revenge. She was sure that Belinda and Irene never though about it that way, but Belinda’s studio was regarded by the other girls as a place they never entered uninvited.
And in addition to all that, Gwendoline was still sore that for Belinda, she was only second after Irene. She was jealous, she admitted that and after few days of wallowing in jealousy, she almost felt sorry for Sally. Irene was before her. Irene, who was the reason she got close to Belinda in the first place. Irene, who did not mind forfeiting some of her time with Belinda to Gwendoline. Irene, who was so sure of Belinda loving her, that she never ever had to suffer from jealousy.
When Gwendoline wasn’t in the studio, she was in the common room desperately forcing herself to study in order to be able to ignore all the glances and whispers, that she was sure concerned her.
One day, two weeks before the half term holidays, Sally was the first one to arrive in the common room after Gwendoline. When she entered, Gwendoline immediately opened a history textbook, hoping to provide herself with an excuse to ignore everyone around.
“Gwen, I have to talk to you,” said Sally, and without asking whether Gwendoline wanted to talk with her, took a chair next to Gwendoline, “Just what do you plan with Belinda?”
While direct questions were a change from questioning glances, it was not a pleasant one.
“Alicia already talked to me about it,” said Gwendoline.
“She didn’t tell me anything about it,” said Sally.
“Then ask Darrell. Perhaps Alicia told her,” replied Gwendoline.
Sally was unfazed. “Are you going to answer me?”
“Mind your own business,” said Gwendoline.
“Belinda’s my friend. It’s my business.”
“And what,” said Gwendoline, “are you going to do if I tell you?”¨
“I’ll talk it over with Darrell, of course” replied Sally.
Gwendoline smiled in disdain. “And risk discovering she already knows? I don’t think so.”
“If I did not want to know, I wouldn’t have asked. Now, will you finally answer me?”
“No,” replied Gwendoline, “As I said, it’s none of your business.”
“So you are planning something nasty,” said Sally.
“If I said no, would you believe me?” said Gwendoline.
“Of course not, you’re a born liar,” said Sally.
“Then what’s the point in asking? Are you just trying to amuse yourself, since Darrell is not paying attention to you?”
“I’m worried about Belinda,” repeated Sally.
“Then ask Alicia, like I told you to. Or Darrell, I’m sure Alicia already told her,” said Gwendoline.
It seemed that all the needling finally hit home. “Are you trying to make me jealous?” said Sally.
“No, I’m just trying to get you to mind your own business,” said Gwendoline.
“My business is my own business, you do not need to interfere,” said Sally.
“Darrell wouldn’t like you being so hypocritical,” said Gwendoline.
“Belinda is my friend,” said Sally.
“Then why don’t you give her some privacy?” said Gwendoline.
“Because I don’t trust you,” said Sally.
Gwendoline sighed. “Very well then,” she said, “Belinda is my friend. Is that enough for you? Will you go running after Darrell now?”
“Don’t hurt her, I’m warning you,” said Sally and stood up.
Gwendoline did not say anything in reply and the two of them went about their separate business. While pretending to read her textbook, Gwendoline was trying to surreptitiously watch Sally, who looked thoughtful. She still felt tense and now she regretted that she did not use her argument with Sally to release all her pent up frustration. Finally, she just could not stand it for any longer.
“Just go after Darrell and talk to her! Nobody wants to watch you mope around, it’s tiring,” she lashed out at Sally, who was clearly surprised.
“Gwen…” she started.
“Just go. You know Darrell hates cowards and liars. Well, now you’re both. You’re afraid and miserable and you make everyone you talk to miserable too. The others must really like you to put up with you for so long. Go, talk to her, get laughed at or whatever, just stop this sitting around looking like you’ve been drinking Matron’s medicine all night long. Even you wailing and crying all night long would be better than this. Damn!”
“Gwen…” Sally tried again.
“Go!” screamed Gwendoline and slumped back onto the chair, not caring whether Sally went or no.
It was a relief, even though after the exhilaration faded, she realised just how lucky she was that her cries did not attract any mistress to the common room. Even then, she concluded, it would have been worth it. She closed her eyes and relaxed, enjoying the momentary peace.
That evening, when the common room filled up, it seemed that the tension between Darrell and Sally has disappeared or, at least, lessened considerably. Gwendoline decided that Sally should be grateful to her, after all Sally owed it all to Gwendoline.
Gwendoline, however, was not so lucky. It was torturous having to watch Irene and Belinda, who, while quite friendly to Gwendoline, seemed to reserve special care for each other. In the end, she went to bed early, but found it difficult to fall asleep and when she finally did, Gwendoline found out that she dreamed a new nightmare.