(pretty good! I had a sleepover with my best friends last night, which was awesome, it's been a while since I've felt so relaxed. Unfortunately, one of them was a guy, so he had to leave before we 'went to bed' because my parents don't trust guys)
Isobel turned around, reaching for the handle of a cupboard– and froze. Her gaze clashed with Alice's, and it took her a second to remember everything that had happened last night. "H-Hey. Want breakfast?"
(That's great! You're lucky too I don't haveany guy friends.)
Alice stared back silently, nodded. She walked into the kitchen, looking around. "So, uh, how did you sleep?"
(My school doesn't have a very distinct unspoken gender barrier between students, which is nice)
Isobel turned back to the kettle, pouring the boiling water into two teacups and reaching for her tea cupboard. "How about you?" she asked, dancing around the question.
(Ah you're lucky my school is so cliquey)
Alice didn't push the question. "Good actually." She noticed Isobel reached for the tea and stopped her. "Just hot water for me, actually."
(oof
parts of my school are very cliquey [looking at you, Hannah], but at least this bit isn't)
Isobel furrowed her brow. "Wha– sure, okay. Let me just dilute it a bit, it's boiling right now." She ponked a tea bag into her own cup, returning Alice's and moving to the sink.
(That's good then)
"No need." She gently took the cup and took a big gulp. She sighed, satisfied, and leaned back onto the counter. "I'm sorry, Isobel," she said finally.
(yeah)
Isobel's eyes widened as she snatched the cup back from Alice. "Alice– that's going to burn you so badly– here let me get you some cold water–" She brushed past the apology, wanting to address it but feeling the need to help Alice first.
Alice put a calming hand on Isobel's shoulder. "I'm fine. Didn't even feel it," she pointed out quickly, reassuringly.
"What??" Isobel stared at her. "How??"
What the hell is happening?
Alice laughed awkwardly, unsure of Isobel's reaction. "I, uh— I don't know. Just forget about it."
Isobel gave her a long look. "You followed me home and climbed through my window. I think I deserve an explanation for why you seem content with drinking boiling water."
Alice sighed. "I've adjusted. My ankle is sprained, did you notice? I've been walking on a sprained ankle and a broken rib no problem since last night."
She looked down at her mug, running a finger along the edge. "I think my pain tolerance has broken. I don't feel anymore."
Isobel's eyes widened. "Oh my god," she breathed, already reaching for her keys. "Right, I'm getting you to the hospital, ASAP."
(Whoops I'd answered it didn't send)
Alice dropped her cup and backed away into a corner. "N- no you won't– can't" she whispered frantically.
(Np, it happens a lot to me lol)
Isobel paused, confused and concerned by the fear shining in Alice’s eyes. “Alice? The people at the hospital aren’t bad, they’re going to help. Why are you so scared of them?”
Alice shuddered, shaking her head. "They'll take me back. I– I can't. They'll take me back." She gripped her hands together until they turned white, attempting to keep away the haze she felt coming on.
“What? Take you back where?” Isobel lay a tentative hand on Alice’s shoulder, scrutinizing her face. “They’re there to help you, you don’t need to be scared of them.”
Alice shied away from Isobel. "NO. Please," she cried. _Suddenly, she was standing in a dark grey room, damp stone beneath her. A thin cot lay in the corner, a window high up in the thick wall, and a locked metal door. Hyperventilating, Alice tucked her knees into her chest and made herself as small as possible.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Isobel's brain went straight to autopilot, her hands moving of their own accord as she crouched down next to Alice and put them on her shoulders. "Alice, listen to me. I want you to breathe, can you do that for me? Breathe and count down from ten."
Alice inhaled unsteadily, taking a desperate gulp of air. "Ten," she breathed, shaking violently. "Nine." She leaned into Isobel. "Eight. Seven." She tilted her head into her shoulder and slammed her foot down on the floor, welcoming the jolt of pain that shot up her leg. "Six. Five. Four." Her breathing quietened slightly but her grip on her head tightened. "Three", she said loudly, somewhat calmly. "Two. One." She looked up, eyes wide and wet.
Isobel gripped Alice's arm tightly, focusing all her energy on the woman next to her. "There we go, just breathe, slowly, focus on all your senses, take things one at a time," she intoned in the calmest, most soothing voice she could manage. "And pain is a temporary relief. Take care of you r hurting parts, okay?"
(WHO BROKE YOU)
Alice breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. She shook herself off, trembling with exhaustion. She opened a cautious eye only to see she was still in her old room, damp and cold and alone. She wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head. "I don't want to be there. Please don't let me be there," she whispered.
(I did)
(It’s fine, I’m a bit better now, I put a post on general chat last night apologizing if I wasn’t responding to all rps)
Alice’s eyes were open, but whatever she was seeing…….. it wasn’t real. By now, Isobel was 100% sure that she hallucinated. She wrapped her arms around the devastated woman, murmuring words of reassurance into her ear to coax her slowly back to reality.
Alice squeezed her eyes shut, rocking back and forth. She focused on Isobel's words, working hard to clear her mind and return to reality. After a few minutes of quiet, she managed a lucid state and calmed down.