The Brightmoon Institution (Catradora Boarding School AU)

Are You Freaking Out?

Adora was ready to scream, more out of the suddenness then pain, but a hand smothered her mouth, roughly. Catra straddled her, the towel dropping as her wet clothes dripped on Adora's shorts. Her head pounded, she'd must have hit it when being tackled. But pain was the least of Adora's thoughts when Catra had a manic look in her lime-green eyes, and her free hand held Adora's wrists above her head. The girl writhed in an attempt to get free, Catra leaning closer.

"You're mine, Adora. We belong together, here."

Adora just stared, wide eyed, unable to determine what happened to Catra. Was it really her speaking, or was it Prime?

Catra let go of Adora's mouth, playing with the ends of her blonde hair instead.

"Catra, please. Tell me what happened."

Adora begged, her voice just above a whisper.

"I realized the truth, I discovered the greatness of Prime."

The unabashed awe, complete reverence of that vile man...it made Adora feel sick, tears prickling her eyes.

"Let go of me."

She breathed the words softly, slowly so Catra heard every damn syllable. Something flickered across her face, and her hands shook violently as if she was fighting against something. This peaked Adora's worry, for her hands rattled against the hard wooden floor and Catra's face contorted with something akin to pain.

"I-I can't, no I won't!"

Her voice broke, not robotic but raw. Adora saw a crack of hope in that, a crack of the Catra she knew.

"Please."

She met her eyes, forced herself to stare at that perfectly controlled expression. She'd stopped struggling, but the hands slipped, if only for a second. But that was all the time Adora required.

"Hurry," her voice was glass about to break.

Adora didn't have to be told twice, only grabbing her backpack full of essentials. A banana, charger, and her Brightmoon devices. She'd gotten new ones at Prime Academy, but it was safer to leave those here. She grabbed her ID out of her packet as she ran, squashing her feet into runners and closing the door firmly behind her. She locked it, hoping that Catra wouldn't try to pursue her. The hallway was dark, lit up, but barely.

Adora sprinted, uncaring of who might be watching through the cameras, following her every movement. She reached the elevator first, banging the button while furtively glancing around. Fuck, the elevator wasn't working. She swore silently, pulling out the spare phone to try Glimmer or Bow while running to the staircase.

"Hello?"

After the fifth call, a muffled voice responded on the other line. Adora nearly cried, so relieved she skipped a step and almost tripped.

"Thank the stars, I'm in trouble."

"Where are you?"

The voice was more alert now, Bow or Glimmer's Adora couldn't even tell. She was too glad that someone was there, that someone knew she was in danger.

"Something went wrong, I-I don't know. I need to leave, right now."

"Woah, woah, explain."

"I can't, I'm running."

If it wasn't for all those early morning runs, Adora wouldn't be able to sprint full speed while somewhat talking on the phone, albeit her sentences were broken and barely coherent.

"It'll take at least an hour to get to the school, even if we leave right now."

"Fine, but I'm gonna catch a bus or something now. I need to get out."