Darlene

Oct. 17, 2020, 8:46 p.m.

No, no, armor is for boys.

Perhaps it was worth noting to the outside observer just how terrible what was happening actually was. This discussion of poisoning a boy Darlene claimed to love was just about the happiest she had been in months, and the idea itself was posed by said boy’s own family member. This fact was lost on Darlene. Either she was too lost in her suffering or too indoctrinated in a world where extreme measures were often taken in difficult times. Or maybe both. In any case, Darlene was a little too ready for this particular set of circumstances.

“Ooh, the apothecary!” she agreed. “Nice one, Kit. We can tell them we’re working on a project for Potions or interested in an internship or something.” Now that she thought about it, an apprenticeship with an apothecary did actually sound pretty neat. Maybe it was a lie that could blossom into something beautiful. Those were the best lies.

“Hey,” Darlene said a moment later, a tone shift apparent. This was much more serious than just a simple poisoning. This was about girls supporting girls. “Thank you for having my back. Seriously. It really means a lot to me.” She gave a meek but earnest smile. It really was nice having a best friend at RMI who she could truly rely on. Darlene wasn’t raised to be especially forward with her emotions, but a platonic I love you seemed reasonable here. She didn’t say it, but it was reasonable.