Irritation Chapter Ten (Malory Towers) by hafl
Title: Irritation, Chapter Ten
Author: hafl
Fandom: Malory Towers
Pairing: Belinda/Gwen
Rating: PG
Summary: Gwendoline finally decides to take an action.
Gwendoline’s uneasy sleep that night had made her drowsy and snappish in the morning. She avoided all contact with Belinda, afraid that she might be unable to control herself and scream at her. However, this separation only increased Gwendoline’s irritation, as she found herself pursued by constant thoughts of Belinda and Irene. In the end, Gwendoline had to admit that she was definitely jealous of the relationship between the two.
All these thoughts were running through her head constantly, even during class and while they prevented Gwendoline from falling asleep, they did not help her in any other way. Instead, they distracted Gwendoline from the class so much that she earned herself an evening detention with Mam’zelle Dupont.
During the detention, Gwendoline’s thoughts were so unfocused that Mam’zelle Dupont let her go early, quite exasperated at Gwendoline’s utter lack of ability, though she told Gwendoline to come again next week and better prepared. As soon as she was free from Mam’zelle’s room, Gwendoline ran down to Belinda’s atelier, but found it empty, as if it was never used that day. Belinda must have spent the time with Irene! There could be no mistake, Belinda was together with Irene, either wandering on the school grounds or in some secluded corner, laughing, having fun or maybe even…
Gwendoline forced herself to abandon that line of thought and went to search the school for her friends. They were not anywhere in the school buildings, so Gwendoline went outside and searched as much of the school grounds, as she could before tiring out and returning to the common room in low spirits.
Gwendoline gave no thoughts to her school work, as she sat down to rest her aching legs. Neither Belinda nor Irene entered the room in the time she had spent there. She finally saw them in the dining hall, where they greeted her quite cheerfully, but Gwendoline, still tired from her search and feeling neglected by Belinda, had been barely able to act civil.
Finally, the day was drawing to an end. In the North Tower Fourth Form dormitory, Gwendoline just climbed into her bed and closed her eyes, thankfully falling asleep quickly.
The next day was dreary and drizzly, which did not please Gwendoline at all. She suspected that all through the morning, her thoughts must have been mirrored on her face, since when the time came for lunch and the girls went to the dining hall, Belinda took a seat next to Gwendoline with a worried look on her face.
“Gwen, is there anything wrong?” asked Belinda.
Gwendoline sighed. She was rather happy that Belinda was worried about her, but still, even talking to Belinda felt right a chore. She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I guess it’s just the gloomy weather.” Gwendoline paused for a moment. “Thank you, Belinda.”
This apparently satisfied Belinda, as she did not bother Gwendoline about her well being for several more days, while Gwendoline did her best to hide her moping from both Belinda and Irene, who also seemed to worry about her.
Gwendoline was angry at herself. All this avoiding Belinda only made Belinda spend more time with Irene, just the opposite of what Gwendoline wanted. Yet, she was retreating from Belinda, even if every moment Belinda spent with Irene only angered Gwendoline further. The unpleasant weather continued, and it only made Gwendoline more and more irritated by everything. Finally, she could take it no more.
She was standing in front of the door to Belinda’s atelier. Gwendoline was almost sure Belinda was inside. At this time of the day, Belinda was always in her atelier, but that one time few days ago proved that there were exceptions. Moreover, Irene was practicing in the music room. Gwendoline knew it, since Irene had told her herself. Should she knock? Belinda was surely working on a sketch or painting, a knock would disturb her more than if Gwendoline had just entered quietly. But Gwendoline wanted to talk to Belinda right now, she did not want to wait until Belinda was finished with her work. Gwendoline had already raised her hand to knock on the door, but at the last moment, she decided to instead open the door and noiselessly slip instead.
As Gwendoline expected, Belinda was inside, working on another of her paintings. Belinda did not stop painting when Gwendoline entered and Gwendoline, though impatient, did not want to disturb her and potentially make her cross.
Gwendoline had instead sat down on the same chair she was always using in Belinda’s atelier. She was so impatient, that she wanted to bite her nails, something she had not done for so long, that she did not remember the last time it happened. Was she actually fidgeting? Yes, she was. She tried to calm herself down, but after the last few days, it seemed hard, much harder than usual.
It seemed like eternity before Belinda finally finished her painting. Gwendoline thought it must have been hours, even if that was impossible. Finally, Belinda laid her tools aside and turned to Gwendoline. “Hello, Gwen,” she said with a smile.
Belinda’s smile made Gwendoline nervous. Or rather, even more nervous. “Hello, Belinda,” she said, “I… need to talk to you.”
Belinda frowned a little, probably upon seeing Gwendoline’s expression, “What’s the matter, Gwen? Did something happen?”
“No, nothing like that,” said Gwendoline, “Belinda do you like me?”
“Oh Gwen,” said Belinda, looking troubled, “You know I rather do.”
“But not as much as you like Irene,” said Gwendoline, “I know that.”
“Gwen, Irene’s my best friend,” said Belinda, “I… I’m sorry, I can’t help liking her as much as I do.”
“I know that too,” said Gwendoline, “and I’m jealous.”
“Oh Gwen,” said Belinda again and sighed.
Not knowing what to say next, Gwendoline gathered all her couragem moved closer to Belinda and quickly kissed her on the lips. A split second later, Gwendoline drew back, with her eyes closed, as she did not want to see the look on Belinda’s face.
“Oh Gwen,” said Belinda once more, sounding even more troubled than before.
Gwendoline opened her eyes and saw that Belinda looked decidedly confused, her cheeks reddened under the paint stains on her face.
“I think I may… like you very much,” said Gwendoline, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologise, Gwen,” said Belinda, “I just don’t know what to say.”
“I’m sorry,” repeated Gwendoline, “I’m jealous and angry and sad and tired and…”
“Gwen, stop,” said Belinda and Gwendoline did.
“I’m sorry,” said Gwendoline.
Belinda sighed. “Gwen, I… rather like you too. You’re not that that bad when you’re trying, but this is just…” She paused. “I just don’t want to hurt Irene.”
Gwendoline was silent for a moment. After all, hurting Irene was the reason she wanted to get close to Belinda in the first place. But Gwendoline did not want to hurt Belinda. “I won’t hurt Irene,” she said.
“Promise?” said Belinda.
“Yes,” said Gwendoline.
“Then I suppose we could give it a try,” said Belinda and stepped forward to give Gwendoline a kiss on the cheek. Gwendoline felt herself flush at that exact moment.
Gwendoline smiled involuntarily. Instead of replying to Belinda with words, she just hugged her and gave her another short kiss on the lips. In that moment, all her hateful feelings were forgotten for a while and Gwendoline felt content.
Author: hafl
Fandom: Malory Towers
Pairing: Belinda/Gwen
Rating: PG
Summary: Gwendoline finally decides to take an action.
Gwendoline’s uneasy sleep that night had made her drowsy and snappish in the morning. She avoided all contact with Belinda, afraid that she might be unable to control herself and scream at her. However, this separation only increased Gwendoline’s irritation, as she found herself pursued by constant thoughts of Belinda and Irene. In the end, Gwendoline had to admit that she was definitely jealous of the relationship between the two.
All these thoughts were running through her head constantly, even during class and while they prevented Gwendoline from falling asleep, they did not help her in any other way. Instead, they distracted Gwendoline from the class so much that she earned herself an evening detention with Mam’zelle Dupont.
During the detention, Gwendoline’s thoughts were so unfocused that Mam’zelle Dupont let her go early, quite exasperated at Gwendoline’s utter lack of ability, though she told Gwendoline to come again next week and better prepared. As soon as she was free from Mam’zelle’s room, Gwendoline ran down to Belinda’s atelier, but found it empty, as if it was never used that day. Belinda must have spent the time with Irene! There could be no mistake, Belinda was together with Irene, either wandering on the school grounds or in some secluded corner, laughing, having fun or maybe even…
Gwendoline forced herself to abandon that line of thought and went to search the school for her friends. They were not anywhere in the school buildings, so Gwendoline went outside and searched as much of the school grounds, as she could before tiring out and returning to the common room in low spirits.
Gwendoline gave no thoughts to her school work, as she sat down to rest her aching legs. Neither Belinda nor Irene entered the room in the time she had spent there. She finally saw them in the dining hall, where they greeted her quite cheerfully, but Gwendoline, still tired from her search and feeling neglected by Belinda, had been barely able to act civil.
Finally, the day was drawing to an end. In the North Tower Fourth Form dormitory, Gwendoline just climbed into her bed and closed her eyes, thankfully falling asleep quickly.
The next day was dreary and drizzly, which did not please Gwendoline at all. She suspected that all through the morning, her thoughts must have been mirrored on her face, since when the time came for lunch and the girls went to the dining hall, Belinda took a seat next to Gwendoline with a worried look on her face.
“Gwen, is there anything wrong?” asked Belinda.
Gwendoline sighed. She was rather happy that Belinda was worried about her, but still, even talking to Belinda felt right a chore. She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I guess it’s just the gloomy weather.” Gwendoline paused for a moment. “Thank you, Belinda.”
This apparently satisfied Belinda, as she did not bother Gwendoline about her well being for several more days, while Gwendoline did her best to hide her moping from both Belinda and Irene, who also seemed to worry about her.
Gwendoline was angry at herself. All this avoiding Belinda only made Belinda spend more time with Irene, just the opposite of what Gwendoline wanted. Yet, she was retreating from Belinda, even if every moment Belinda spent with Irene only angered Gwendoline further. The unpleasant weather continued, and it only made Gwendoline more and more irritated by everything. Finally, she could take it no more.
She was standing in front of the door to Belinda’s atelier. Gwendoline was almost sure Belinda was inside. At this time of the day, Belinda was always in her atelier, but that one time few days ago proved that there were exceptions. Moreover, Irene was practicing in the music room. Gwendoline knew it, since Irene had told her herself. Should she knock? Belinda was surely working on a sketch or painting, a knock would disturb her more than if Gwendoline had just entered quietly. But Gwendoline wanted to talk to Belinda right now, she did not want to wait until Belinda was finished with her work. Gwendoline had already raised her hand to knock on the door, but at the last moment, she decided to instead open the door and noiselessly slip instead.
As Gwendoline expected, Belinda was inside, working on another of her paintings. Belinda did not stop painting when Gwendoline entered and Gwendoline, though impatient, did not want to disturb her and potentially make her cross.
Gwendoline had instead sat down on the same chair she was always using in Belinda’s atelier. She was so impatient, that she wanted to bite her nails, something she had not done for so long, that she did not remember the last time it happened. Was she actually fidgeting? Yes, she was. She tried to calm herself down, but after the last few days, it seemed hard, much harder than usual.
It seemed like eternity before Belinda finally finished her painting. Gwendoline thought it must have been hours, even if that was impossible. Finally, Belinda laid her tools aside and turned to Gwendoline. “Hello, Gwen,” she said with a smile.
Belinda’s smile made Gwendoline nervous. Or rather, even more nervous. “Hello, Belinda,” she said, “I… need to talk to you.”
Belinda frowned a little, probably upon seeing Gwendoline’s expression, “What’s the matter, Gwen? Did something happen?”
“No, nothing like that,” said Gwendoline, “Belinda do you like me?”
“Oh Gwen,” said Belinda, looking troubled, “You know I rather do.”
“But not as much as you like Irene,” said Gwendoline, “I know that.”
“Gwen, Irene’s my best friend,” said Belinda, “I… I’m sorry, I can’t help liking her as much as I do.”
“I know that too,” said Gwendoline, “and I’m jealous.”
“Oh Gwen,” said Belinda again and sighed.
Not knowing what to say next, Gwendoline gathered all her couragem moved closer to Belinda and quickly kissed her on the lips. A split second later, Gwendoline drew back, with her eyes closed, as she did not want to see the look on Belinda’s face.
“Oh Gwen,” said Belinda once more, sounding even more troubled than before.
Gwendoline opened her eyes and saw that Belinda looked decidedly confused, her cheeks reddened under the paint stains on her face.
“I think I may… like you very much,” said Gwendoline, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologise, Gwen,” said Belinda, “I just don’t know what to say.”
“I’m sorry,” repeated Gwendoline, “I’m jealous and angry and sad and tired and…”
“Gwen, stop,” said Belinda and Gwendoline did.
“I’m sorry,” said Gwendoline.
Belinda sighed. “Gwen, I… rather like you too. You’re not that that bad when you’re trying, but this is just…” She paused. “I just don’t want to hurt Irene.”
Gwendoline was silent for a moment. After all, hurting Irene was the reason she wanted to get close to Belinda in the first place. But Gwendoline did not want to hurt Belinda. “I won’t hurt Irene,” she said.
“Promise?” said Belinda.
“Yes,” said Gwendoline.
“Then I suppose we could give it a try,” said Belinda and stepped forward to give Gwendoline a kiss on the cheek. Gwendoline felt herself flush at that exact moment.
Gwendoline smiled involuntarily. Instead of replying to Belinda with words, she just hugged her and gave her another short kiss on the lips. In that moment, all her hateful feelings were forgotten for a while and Gwendoline felt content.