"Furious Treachery" Alexandra Blair noticed changes in her supposed-lover's façade well before many of the girl's friends did. Ivory Tran—who had seduced the poor Furious Hail without trying very hard—was paying less and less attention to her and seemed more and more distant whenever they were together. When they had sexual intercourse—which still happened, just more infrequently—Ivory just didn't seem as into it as she used to. She was still good in bed, but "Haley" had to do most of the work. Ivory's two-colored eyes always seemed fixed on some other thing, like she was looking in another world. Whenever Hail asked her what was wrong, Tran just gave a lopsided smile, shrugged, and (even in public) pinched her body somewhere intimate. Something was going on, and she was going to find out. As a matter of fact, Hail spent an unusual amount of time and energy digging things up and talking to people, people she never would've been near to otherwise. She had very few friends (being transferred the previous year from her former school didn't help that), and those that did call her friend did so tentatively. Hero Love seemed to be the closest thing she had to a real friend, probably because the girl was both fearless and a raver. "I don't look in that direction," Hero had told her one foggy day after school, referring to butting into Ivory's business. "Frankly, I only know her by reputation. Both you and here were sort of transferred here last year because you got expelled from your old school. I don't know what kinda trouble either of you got in, and I'm glad you're not doing the same here, but that's all I know of her." "Don't you share any classes together?" "Um, P.E. and Math is all. Oh, she used to ogle Miss Cerio in math if that helps, but lately they've been all platonic." Hail made a face and shrugged mutely. Ivory had told her about how she and her math teacher had been lovers for a very brief time, so it wasn't surprising. She had gotten to know about Tran's lechery yet still clung to her like a barnacle to a suicidal whale. "She's not giving eyes to Leena, I can say that," she stated eventually. "I mean, yeah, at the very start, but that didn't last long once she saw how she warmed up to that pussy Parkin. She stays after class to go to that stupid karate thing, so I don't think she's after any of the women that don't go there. If she were, she'd shower with them." Hail had said that last part a bit sadly, for she was among those girls, and had never seen Ivory washing up with everyone else. Her own words were condemning her; she was beginning to really believe that Ivory Tran cared little for her outside of sex. "So somebody in that class," said Hero thoughtfully. "Is it just girls from P.E., or from the whole school that go there, to the kendo class?" "How should I know? I'd guess the whole school." "So that doesn't narrow it down. Hey... my home." Hail looked up and saw Hero's home, a beautiful two-story house with an ample yard on both sides and beautiful trees that always seemed in bloom. Her neighborhood was very pretty and not too fancy, and looked especially good in spring when everything turned pink and white. It disgusted Hail, who was bitterly jealous of such beauty. To call her home a sty would be praising it. "You comin' to the club tonight?" asked Hail as her friend walked away. "Uh, no. Family night." "Sucks to be you," growled the Furious one, even though she desperately wished her family was... No, it wouldn't do her any good to wish. Hero was one of the lucky ones, born into a full nuclear family where everybody loved everybody—even if their daughter was a wild child. Hero (thought Hail, as her friend vanished behind her front door) was like a happier, more wholesome reflection of herself: they were both into that rave scene and dressed and acted accordingly, but Love kept herself pure and impish, and went to those places solely for fun and excitement; Hail went to get away from everything. She hated Hero for having such a good life yet she was the closest thing to a real friend. ............ Alexandra Blair discovered the truth on Monday. It was a muggy, chilled day, and the sky looked like a very sick version of itself. The world seemed especially cold and lifeless that morning, and even the brightest colors looked ill. Hail didn't believe that the day's weather ever affected circumstances, but that day her belief was challenged. The discovery came in the only class she both loved and did well in: Janet Keys' Art class. Keys liked Hail and encouraged her work, even though most of the time she produced very dark, disturbing pieces. Apparently, Keys appreciated anything as long as it was "true" to the artist, or if it came "from" them, as she called it. Hail genuinely worked in that class and were it not for her love of it (and to an extension, Keys herself), even her father's badgering couldn't force her to go. Hail was in the middle of designing a pitcher in class—that is, the entire cycle of making the pitcher itself was in its middle stage. She had wanted to make a pure-white one so she could paint blood stripes and painful faces on it; she would put dead flowers in it and hang it by its handle in her room. Most other students did not choose to make something so grotesque, of course, but some came very near it. While she was shaping the pitcher (getting her hands pretty filthy), Hail noticed that Ivory's best friend, Farrah Kwong, was talking thoroughly with the quiet brunette Ancelin. Hail recognized Ancelin because she had her in gym class; she knew Farrah was Ivory's friend because she had both researched it and had been introduced once. How Farrah and Ancelin knew each other was a mystery at first. "I know what they're up to," hissed a voice to her left. It was Ana, a person so bubbly and spirited that her very presence made Hail sick all over. People like that should not have existed; they were too unrealistic, she believed. Now she was murmuring gossip to Rai, the poor creative loner who was unfortunately Ana's girlfriend (by choice or no, Hail had no idea). "Don't care," came Rai's reply. Hail liked her and thought she would've made a good friend, and if both she and Zanders had been unattached—well, maybe just Zanders—she would've probably liked to be the girl's lover. "It's very interesting news," hissed Ana again, but Rai didn't seem moved. "Word is that she's trying to hook Annie up with her friend. She knows very well how much her friend obsesses over that girl; she's going to say as many good things as possible." "Again, I don't care." "You don't gossip?" "No. It's a waste of time and it's demeaning, not to mention childish. Hold still." "That tickles... eep! Ah! Anyway—ow! Um, where was I? Oh, I guess poor Annie still has doubts—ow! That tickles!" "If you'd only stop squirming..." Hail tuned out the rest. Now unless there was some grave misunderstanding going around, the "friend of Farrah's" was Ivory Tran. Miss Kwong didn't seem to have anyone else she liked in Stanton, at least not to such a close degree that she would bother hooking them up with somebody (and what a friend, indeed, for Farrah was fairly intolerant to homosexuality and made it very plain to everyone). If Ivory was Farrah's friend, and if she was trying to hook her up with Ancelin—or at least trying to strengthen their relationship by saying good things about Ivory—then it was Ancelin who so distracted Miss Tran. It all came together rather quickly, or at least fast enough to warrant a pause in the art-making. Hail put off her pitcher and began to scheme, and though part of her mind had been tortured by drugs, other parts were enhanced by them. It did make sense. Ancelin led the karate class. She took a shower once that was over in order to avoid taking two. Ivory stayed after class and showered with the kendo girls. And, during brief moments in gym class, she seemed happier when she was around Ancelin, more so than with any other woman. And that included Furious Hail. Alexandra Blair was now very furious indeed, but she had learned from her violent past and decided not to lash out immediately and destroy Ancelin. She decided to go down a much more sinister path and split the two would-be lovers from each other in a very crafty, Shakespearian-in-magnitude ploy. She had seen it done many times: she would keep Ivory close to her, but she would keep Ancelin closer still. Corona Marcos, formerly absorbed in making a vase, had to wonder why Blair was smirking so. ............ Alexandra Blair began her devious plot the next day by sitting next to her so-called enemy, Ancelin. In spite of her rough, sometimes cruel demeanor, there was really a heart of gold buried somewhere in Hail's ashen soul; she just had to dig enough to find it. Now normally, this would be nearly impossible as it was exceedingly difficult for her to feel positive about anything, even art class—but she could act, and so she put on her most cheerful smile (which was really very attractive) and sat next to Ancelin. Farrah had probably concluded her business with the taller woman, or else just didn't feel like associating with her. "Hey, you're Ancelin from gym class, right?" Ancelin looked up and noticed her: Furious Hail was a little smaller than she, but considerably thinner. Years of drug abuse had withered away Hail's once-healthy frame, and countless nights at parties without the sun had given her a sullen, pale face with sunken eyes that were nearly dead. She wore an A-shirt without bust support, and when she spoke, Ancelin could see flashes of her tongue ring. She parted her dark purple hair out of her face and kept her smile. "Um, yes," replied Ancelin politely. "I recognize you, but I don't know your name. Is it Blair?" "My friends call me Haley," she told her, her voice unusually upbeat (having few friends, it didn't matter anyway, but...). Ancelin nodded. "You can call me Annie if you like. Do you need help on your artwork?" "No, no," laughed "Haley", "I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself. We are in two classes together. Hey, that looks like a good jar." "This?" Ancelin held up a dull-looking clay jar that had not been painted or even baked. She frowned and muttered, "It's kind of lousy, don't you think?" "No, no, looks real earthy. Maybe I can help you with your work." "I don't need help," stated the taller girl, sounding more embarrassed than offended. Hail laughed and badgered her further. "You will if you want that thing to look alive." "Sorry. You should work on your own. This will be art from my mind; Miss Keys said to make it as if it were from your own mind, so how can I make anything that's mine if anybody helps me? Sorry." Hail frowned and gave her some space, but in spite of the way she felt about the other woman, she had to be impressed. Well, at least there was a reason Ivory fawned over her so much outside of looks. "All right, all right. Hey look, it's only Tuesday, but would you like to hang out with me sometime? I know a few places we can go and party." "Party on a school night? My mom would never allow me." "She keep ya on a short leash?" Hail smiled in a very smug way, resting her chin on her hand. Ancelin really looked offended this time, and bit back. "No. She just loves me enough to be concerned, and for that matter, I like spending time with mon mere." "All right, sorry I bothered you," she sighed, sounding defeated and a little hurt. "I just wanna make friends. I don't have too many here, and... well, you seem pretty cool. You're definitely into that whole phys ed thing; that shit's not for me." Ancelin loosened up a bit, but did not answer. Hail then asked if she was free on the weekend, to which she replied she would be busy with her mother again. Hail frowned, feeling very foiled. Ivory's hold on this woman was weak compared to the mother, and if things were this rough, then Hail would not have to work hard, or at all, to split them. But best to be safe. "So you dating anybody?" she asked quietly. A smile finally curved onto Ancelin's mouth. "If it's what you call dating. I'm not so sure about it. She seems nice—her name's Ivory, and she's in our gym class—but I'm still not so sure. Eventually, when she feels comfortable about it, I'll have to ask her whether the rumors I've heard about here are true." "What rumors?" asked Hail, even though she already knew. Having slept with Tran several times, she knew some of the girl's secrets, and would use them for her own advantage. "I don't like to gossip or spread lies," muttered Ancelin. Then she was silent. Hail let the pause float, then she snuck in closer and whispered to her "friend" in a low, concerned voice. "Look, I know what you're talking about, if you want me to be honest. I've heard about Ivory too, from the girls in the shower room especially. They say she got her bullet wounds—those on her shoulder, I think—they say she got em' from a fight. She started beating somebody up because she was intoxicated and they fought back. I also heard she resisted arrest, and got shot by a cop." Ancelin's silence and face were cold. Now those rumors were obviously false—Ivory had done her fair share of fighting, but only one wound was from an actual skirmish, and she had not started it. The other... "The most likely rumor," resumed Hail once she felt sufficient time had passed, "is that she tried killing herself and fucked the whole thing up. She lost her nerve, but pulled the trigger by accident and hurt herself." (This was the truth, or as near to it as Hail knew) "I never knew," whispered Ancelin at last. "I only noticed them for a second in the shower. I thought it would be rude to ask her." "And now you know." She nodded her head, and then, Hail played her trump card. "Look, Ancelin—Annie, if I may—I don't know too much about you, but I like you and respect you already. You speak your mind and you love your mother. You're obviously very talented and pretty, and yet smart enough to be humble. You and I could be good friends, I think. I'd like to look out for you so that you don't end up with a broken heart." "That's sweet," she replied flatly, "but it's really not your concern. I mean..." "The rumors only get worse, though," added Hail as an aside. "Like I said, for your protection. And I know these are true, because I've known several... let's call them eyewitnesses. Ivory sleeps around, you know." At this, Ancelin's face changed drastically. She looked as if she had swallowed a jagged stone, and the bitter taste of it lingered in her mouth and stomach. She was angry for many reasons; she was even angry at Furious Hail. "You shouldn't talk that way!" she snapped. "Annie, I know it's true," she replied patiently—and she did, although to be certain, she had to have slept with Tran as well. She knew firsthand that their common interest was a bed-traveler, and at best, a flirt who was very inconsistent with her choosing. Hail told Ancelin all this, saying how she had heard of girls who had been seduced by Tran; young girls who had been innocently lured into her bed and stripped of their virginity; older women who had been victims of her seduction; even women she had raped (unfortunately, only the last was false). Ancelin hated every word spoken to her, and for two reasons. She hated gossip first. But in the back of her mind, she feared it was all true. And if it was... "Just shut up," she growled, not sounding too calm. "Please leave me alone. I don't want to hear anymore." "I'm just trying to—" "I said... I don't want to hear it." "Fine, fine." Hail backed away further, putting her hands up as defense. "But Annie, if you need a friend to come to, you've got me. I don't like gossip any more than you do, but I've heard way too many bad things about Ivory Tran to just let you run after her. Try and reconsider." Ancelin blew out a big gust of steam, which must've been a promise to do so. Furious Hail gave her a kind smile, went off to be alone, and watched as her villainy took effect. In no time, Ancelin would be so wrought with anger and suspicion that she would push Ivory away forever. Stricken by the loss of her would-be love, Tran would have Furious Hail to fall on, and she was more than happy to cushion the blow. During the rest of the week, a change came over Ivory that was so sudden and unexpected that everyone who knew of her noticed. Farrah Kwong saw the subtleties of her transformation and stayed with her as a friend; Furious Hail came to her, counseled her, and stayed with her as a lover. Ivory appeared more despondent and stricken than any other time in her life, even when she had attempted suicide. Hail tried loving her and erasing the grief, but even in the thralls of their lovemaking, she could not stop Ivory from thinking. It just wasn't in her anymore—all those desires were gone. She appeared vague and hollow even in the aftermath of the sweetest, roughest sex. When she slept with Hail clinging to her, she could not dream and did not want to wake again. Those two bullet scars might as well have been relocated to her heart. Of course, this only made Hail hate Ancelin even more—and by the coming of the next week, it only fueled Ivory's longing and lust for her. She went to great measures, mostly extreme, to win the girl's heart back, and to find out just how she had learned of her deepest, darkest secrets. Needless to say, all of Stanton would soon become fully aware of Tran's unrequited love for poor Ancelin Yi, and would ask Headmistress Marbel why on Earth she went through the trouble of admitting her. Marbel, for a change, could not say anything, except that love made people do very stupid things.
Back to All Girls School Index - Back to Original Fiction Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction