Breathing Fire in Your Sleep

[Karalie Heise]

Her best defense? It was the ultimate defense!  She didn't need to make a threat for herself, the threat of hell alone should have been more than enough for any good, righteous, moral person.  Her dark eyes followed Penelope like a viper ready to attack as she allowed herself into Karalie's room, moving right past her.  For a moment she thought to reach out and grab her, stop her, shove her out of her room, but she was smart enough to know that was probably what Penelope wanted.  She knew from past interactions that Karalie had a poor handle on the power they shared, and one touch of the Brit's arm could send a memory sharp and clear into her mind of exactly the thing she swore Karalie would see on every surface of their dorm until she moved out.  The difference was that getting the memory straight from the source would come with all the emotions attached to it.  The nice thing about doorknobs was they didn't feel anything.  Penelope, on the other hand, would be full of lust, which was the last thing Karalie wanted to feel for either her roommate or the girls disgusting "partner".

Karalie moved in front of Penelope, blocking her path further into her bedroom, a room that the other retrocog had no business invading.  Face to face, closer than she'd been to Lucy right before she'd.. the thought alone made her ill.  The nerve Lucy had forcing herself on Karalie.  She was lucky she didn't go straight to the administration! Maybe she should have.  In fact, it was something to consider.  That was sexual assault! Then again she'd assaulted physically first.  It was better to keep the entire thing quiet.  She'd ruined everything for herself by not having the composure to not lash out, something she felt slipping once more; composure.

"Get outta my room, yah dykey slut." She growled in a low voice, her eyes narrowed.  "That's yer last warning.  How's that for uh threat?" Her hands closed into tight fists at her side, ready to shove the other girl if she needed, or clock her.  Whichever.  But with her fists shut tight she stood a chance at protecting herself from the horrid memories that lay inside the volatile person in front of her.  

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penelope came to a halt as her roommate stood in front of her, preventing her from moving any further. She thought for a definite moment to take a step back; unlike her counterpart space was something of a necessity for the Brit. So much that she held her breath around the retrocog's close proximity. Stepping away, however, wasn't an option. Her feet remained planted firmly on the ground.

Eyebrows rose as the name, for Penelope felt neither applied to herself, based on definition. "My apologies for not taking you seriously." Penelope offered with a slight tilt of her head. "But I'm afraid you're not actually threatening me; you're demanding I leave without offering a negative repercussion. There's a difference."

It was annoying enough to have to point out, judgmental eyes set on the Southern girl. Instead, of taking the advice given to her, the Brit kept her hands firmly behind her back, forearm pressing into her dress as she refused to move.

[Karalie Heise]

Penelope was testing her patience and was winning.  She didn't have the time or the mental capacity to deal with this right now and she really had two choices;  she could give her one last warning and issue a real threat, or she could follow through and actually forcefully push her out of the room.  The latter seemed the most effective, but it also made the repercussions more likely.  It wasn't her fault if the Brit was too dense to not realize she was in trouble.  She'd trespassed and was now pushing her buttons, and part of her didn't care about the repercussions.  

The built up tension was too much, and she couldn't hold back any further.  "I shouldn' have tuh offer a negative fuckin' repurcussion, you bitch!" She snapped before reaching up and giving the other girl a hard shove back towards the door.  It wasn't hard enough to probably throw her back much, but it served as warning enough for Karalie.  Her hands were clasped into tight fists, protecting herself from absorbing any of the mental filth this girl was contaminated with.  That would only add fuel to her fire.  "Now get the hell OUTTA MAH ROOM!"

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Picking out details was something of a specialty for the Brit. It was an annoying habit, but one that proved effective in these moments. Words were powerful, especially against someone who didn't have them on their side. Proof enough was the Southern girl standing in front of her.

Not having expected to be shoved, Penelope stumbled backwards a couple of feet, hands finally unclasping behind her back as she tried to keep her balance. A physical approach was not something the Brit was prepared for; it wasn't the type of battle she would fight, but as she stood up straight again she didn't make an effort for the door.

She wasn't done proving a point.

"Violence will not scare me, you barbarian." Although now, Penny felt her nails dig into her palms as she, too clenched her fists. However, it was true; memory proved that the Southern girl was not above physical force. She wouldn't have shown up if she hadn't been expecting it to a point. Still, she was angry. Impossibly so. "But if you lay one finger on her again, I will make your life more torturous than your simple mind could even comprehend!"

[Karalie Heise]

There was something satisfying about wiping the smug look off her roommates face, even if it was temporarily.  But the message wasn't clear enough for the dim Brit who still couldn't get it through her thick skull that Karalie wanted her out of her room, and now.  Not in five minutes, but now.  That or she was testing how far she could push Karalie, something else that wouldn't really surprise her, though she liked to believe the other girl was a moron.

She snorted when she was called the barbarian.  Right.  Karalie would show her barbarian if she wanted.  "I'm sure yah will." She offered in her most condescending voice.  "But like I told yah b'for, so long as she leaves me alone, I don' got any business with her.  Both've ya'll just keep beggin' me tuh lash out! I don' come bargin into yer room or corner ya'll an' taunt'cha about yer private business, do I? No." She didn't give her the chance to answer, because she didn't need to hear any more of her bullshit.  "It's really very simple.  Don' talk tuh me, don' look at me, an' ya'll won' ever have a problem! Why is that really so hard for ya'll tuh grasp? Are yah seriously that thick?!"

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

The fact that this girl didn't seem to understand Penelope's point was growing more and more frustrating. In theory, avoiding each other could be seen as a potential solution. Yet they were both doing exactly that, and these instances still happened. There was still tension; it didn't go away simply because a wall separated them.

Penelope's eyebrows shot up at the notion of being thick. It was laughable, had the Brit the capacity to laugh at all. Shots over intelligence wasn't something to be made from a girl who worshiped a work of fiction.

"Then I suggest you never step foot outside of this room again." Penelope replied shortly, "Or make your way to someone who can offer you a transfer." Holding her ground, she straightened her back with a quick breath. "Unless you'd rather deal with this every day; seeing two people happy together in the name of what you'd call sin, while your God offered you a boy who left."

[Karalie Heise]

Karalie couldn't help but feel like her roommate was intentionally trying to make things difficult.  Karalie had backed off.  She'd stayed clear of all of them, had even done some chores.  She was playing by the damn rules, but it wasn't enough for the bitch in front of her.  Never leave her room again? Was she serious?  This is why people hate lesbians she thought to herself, only making her dislike for those with no real morals grow stronger.

"Why th'fuck do ya'll even care what I think? Not like it's gonna stop yah." She reminded, turning her head a little in anger as she scolded the idiot in front of her.  "Ya'll don' even b'lieve in the word of th'Lord!  What d'yah want? Acceptance?" She actually laughed a little at the last statement, that cocky smile growing on her lips.  "Ya'll think bein' an asshole is based on whatchu got growin' downstairs? Look at th'girl yer claimin' tuh love.  Ya'll don' think she's capable of cheatin'? That chicks don' cheat? Get real, an' get out."  

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penelope rose her eyebrows at the notion that she actually cared what the Southern girl thought. Although, she was right about one thing; no matter the girl's opinion, it wasn't about to stop Penelope from continuing her life. She wouldn't be halted for the sake of someone's evident delusional judgement.

The more her roommate spoke, the less sense she made. Possibly from the idea that Penelope wasn't fluent anything that resembled Southern redneck, or that her bible examples were growing more and more ridiculous.

A low shot to attempt to throw her off guard, but Penelope crossed her arms, eyebrows remained high as she tried to decipher the girl's point. "Oh, girl's do cheat." She agreed easily with a wave of her fingers, but she held her tongue before defending Lucy. The Brit knew well enough that her counterpart wouldn't. Hard to offer trust, she believed in the ink manipulator more than anyone else on the planet, but going into a defense wasn't a tactical move in this war.

"The point of the matter is that he did." Crossing a line without realizing it, she continued easily. "Did you not pray hard enough?"

[Karalie Heise]

The more adamant Penelope was staying in there, the more annoyed she was getting that the other girl just wouldn't leave.  She wouldn't go unless Karalie actually forcefully removed her.  Shoving would only do so much, and she wondered suddenly if she was getting set up.  Would Lucy come in next and insist Karalie didn't touch her nasty girlfriend?

An insult to her ability to pray was way below the belt, but fortunately Karalie had plenty of time recently to really reflect on that.  At first she thought maybe she was being punished, but the more she thought on it, the more she realized it was the opposite.  Lucas was full of temptation.  She'd been strong enough to hold back and the serpent had shown his true colors.  He'd been a test of her faith and she'd won.  Yes, it hurt, but the transactions they had following their breakup did nothing short of prove that he wasn't good for her, or anyone.  He was a terrible person, she would find someone worth her time.

She smiled that fake plastic smile she was so good at, tilting her head to the side  as her curls bounced over her shoulders, her arms folding over her chest.  "I wouldn' expect uh heathen like yerself to understand the Lords work." She sighed, as though this were a true pity.  "He was uh test in my faith, an' I passed. My sufferin' will be short lived, cause now I'm free tuh love another, someone worth my time and virtue." The condescending look she offered said it all.  She was worthy of salvation. She had not been tempted like some other people.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

A fake smile did nothing to deter Penelope, having grown up in possibly the most British household in all of New York state, she was used to the passive aggressive remarks, expressions included. It wasn't a game she was about to play with the Southern girl, her own expression kept steady. Without smile or frown.

The urge to genuinely laugh had threatened in the back of her throat, suppressed with another intake of air as she pushed it back into her lungs. The idea of some boy being part of a test from the lord was possibly the most ridiculous thing to fall upon her ears.

"I congratulate you on convincing yourself of that." Penelope replied flatly. Although she never thought she'd get through to the Southern girl, it was quite amazing just how ignorant she really was. Finally, the Brit took a few steps back, fingers curling around the handle of her roommate's door. Contact was expected, and the threat of feeling life through the Southern girl's eyes burned in contrast to the cool metal.

But she was far more focused on leaving a memory instead, every thought of just how much she loved Lucy Serrano running through her mind as she gripped it. It didn't matter if she saw it, or how she did. It was still there. "Let's just hope for humanity that it's not a girl, I wouldn't wish anyone but a man on you."

[Karalie Heise]

She didn't expect someone like Penelope to understand, which was why she didn't bother taking offense to her petty congratulations.  She didn't need to convince herself of anything.  Sometimes the answers are there waiting for you to realize them.  It was really just that simple.  God would never turn his back on her and she had faith in that.  The Lord loved her, and would take care of her.  He would guide her to her salvation, give her the tools she needed to live and love life to the fullest, and sometimes that included a little pain.  She would be stronger and love deeper because of the hurt inflicted by Lucas again and again.  She slipped and fell, but Jesus was always there to catch her.

Either way, The Brit seemed to be getting the hint and was backing up, which meant she might actually leave.  It had sure taken long enough to get that point through to her.  "Oh, it will be.  Ya'll don' need tuh worry about that." As if she would ever crawl into bed with another woman other than if it were platonic.  She folded her arms, a smirk on her face as Penelope backed out like the pathetic bitch she was.  Normally she prayed for others salvation, but never had her roommate or her filthy "lover" made it into her prayers.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Regardless of what the Southern girl might have thought, Penelope was not leaving on her terms. Her roommate had told her to get out of her room, and the Brit waited specifically in her room for exactly that. She knew the tactics used to annoy a person; she'd personally experienced them all.

Her hand released the handle, and she released her breath, already feeling the burn of a headache forming at her temples. Avoiding a memory in such an angered state was almost impossible; had any strong connections been etched into the metal handle, it likely wouldn't have been avoided at all. Even then, Penelope could tell the migraine would last a better part of the night, possibly into the morning. Painful, but incredibly completely worth it.

The Southern girl's smirk gained nothing of a response out of Penelope. For once, they agreed on something. The idea of her roommate sleeping with a girl was a sin all around, although for clearly obvious reasons. She deserved a man, and nothing better. Still, she wouldn't verbalize the thought she already made a point to get across, instead silently stepping out past the frame of the door, not bothering to close the door as she made a straight line out to of the common room.

[Karalie Heise]

After a silent stare down, Penelope finally got the hint and let herself out of her room without brute force.  The last thing she wanted was to grab the girl and haul her into the hallway, though she would if she needed.  She could not wait for this year to end to get away from all the nasty sinners, though part of her was not looking forward to what next year held.  One thing was for sure, she was going to invest in her own place.  Or rather, have her parents invest in her own place.  There was no way she was sharing space with anyone again, not unless she had hand picked them herself.

The second her room was clear she slammed the door, flipping the lock into place.  She learned a hard lesson that afternoon.. always keep your door locked.  You never knew what sort of riffraff would wander in.