Chapter 103: Beneath the Pedestal
Eirin awoke, her eyes snapping open to the muted light filtering through the room’s window. Her stomach grumbled, a low, persistent protest that echoed the lingering discomfort within her. The aftermath of yesterday’s bitter tea still permeated her body. She knew, with a chilling certainty, she never wanted to relive that experience.
"Ei!"
The door to their room slammed open with such force it rattled on its hinges. Coleen burst in, her face flushed, temples slick with sweat, eyes wide with undisguised terror. Her usually neat twin tails had come undone, strands of hair sticking to her damp cheeks.
"I-I don’t think you should attend class today, Ei!" Coleen shrieked, her voice thin with panic. "I knew this would happen! I knew it! Sapphire Blouin did it again!"
Eirin, her hair a wild, tangled mess from sleep, still groggy, struggled to focus on her friend’s frantic words. "What? Why? What’s happening?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes with the of her hand, stifling a sleepy yawn that turned into a choked gag. The residual nausea from the tea flared, a sickening wave.
Coleen, vibrating with anxiety, sat on the edge of Eirin’s bed, her hands gripping Eirin’s shoulders. "Sapphire, she must have told everyone about what happened between you and Shade! Now those girls know that you kissed their idol!" Coleen shook Eirin, the abrupt movement causing Eirin’s stomach to lurch. A sharp, bile-filled gag escaped her lips.
Eirin lunged from the bed, sprinting towards the bathroom, barely making it before she could sully her sheets and the pristine floor of their shared room. A harsh retch echoed from within the small, tiled space.
"Ei? Are you okay?" Coleen’s worried voice, muffled by the closed door, floated through the wood. She continued to speak, offering quiet reassurances, telling Eirin she just needed to let it all out.
Eirin, slumped against the cool porcelain, breathed raggedly, the violent spasm of her body leaving her weak. "I’ll take a bath as well before eating," Eirin croaked, the words tasting sour. And that’s what Eirin did. She stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water sluice over her skin, a desperate attempt to cleanse herself, inside and out.
As soon as she was done bathing, feeling better, the clean scent of soap a welcome change, Coleen looked at Eirin with worried eyes, still perched on the edge of the bed. "Are you sure you want to eat in the cafeteria? I can bring you some food here if you like. No one would blame you for staying in."
Eirin giggled while combing her damp hair, the bristles pulling through the tangles. "Why would you do that? I’ll attend my classes today anyway. I can’t let a little incident keep me from learning." Her voice held a note of defiance she hadn’t expected.
"What? Those girls will surely bully you if they ever see you today! I swear, Eirin! They’re so bad they bullied me my whole junior high school life!" Coleen exclaimed, shaking her head vigorously, her eyes filled with genuine terror. She clutched Eirin’s arm, her grip tight.