Femme Fatale.

39

*_*
Carla finds the fiercest of Lax's enemies in her classroom, studying for her exams.
"Look what the hell dragged in." Nona meets Carla's smile with a frown.
"Hell?" Carla is startled.
"A friend of Lax's is a devil to me."
"Well how about we change that?Care to upset, Lax?" Carla is clear in her quest.
"Well, you came to the right place. What's the plan? Or I think I might have one."
Carla smiles very equably and listens, leans forward, whispers a little poison in Nona's ear, and listens some more.

*_*

Songs for the chapter:
Fist fighting a sandstorm - Sia
Mon bébé - Patoranking

CARLA:

"Oh leave me alone." Lax says under her breath.

"Take that miserable look off your face," Jane hisses. "Do your studying and smile as if you're enjoying it. No one is going to desire you when you look as sulky as a baited bear."

"But to ignore me so. I can't stand it."

Jane nods. "D'you want to know why?"

"Yes."

"That beggarly bedmate of hers told Carla you're a nuisance. No need to ask who paid her."

"What d'you mean," Lax says incredulously.

"My guess is that we'd find Dinah's coins in her pocket if we turned her upside down and shook her very hard. But it's too late for that now. The damage is done. Carla will be in another girl's bed tonight. So you'd best make sure that when she walks past you she remembers what she's missing."

I shake my head at that. Why Jane would think I'm a whore is beyond me. I keep my ear by the door and peeping by the keyhole to see Lax's reaction.

Lax bends her head lower over her book. Jane, watching her, sees a tear fall on the crisp page of the book and sees her blot it with her finger.

"Big 'ol fool," Jane says roughly. "You'll her back."

"I hate the thought of her lying with someone else," Lax whispers. "I wonder if she calls her "my sweet" too?"

"Probably," Jane says quite bluntly. "Not many girls have the wit to vary the tune. You just keep a smile so when Carla crosses your path, looks your way and you catch her eye, she will be yours again."

"How can I smile when my heart is breaking?"

Jane gives a little giggle. "Oh what a tragedy it is to love! You can smile when you heart is breaking because you are a woman. For that reason only, you are the most deceitful creature on God's earth. Naturally."

Just then I knock softly at the door. I hear shuffling then Jane opens it and raises an eyebrow at the sight of Nona and I. Nona ignores her and draws me in and to the corner of the spacious room. I give my seductive giggle at something Nona whispers to my ear.  I see Lax watching and I say loudly, "Nona is writing sonnets to me, Lax. Do tell her that her lines don't scan."

"It's not even finished," Nona protests. "I was just telling you the first line and already you are too critical."

"Fair lady – thou dost treat me with disdain –" I repeat Nona's line.