Forbidden Degenerate

Disclaimer: I do not own any 'Gemma Doyle Trilogy Characters' especially not Felicity, or Pippa, or Gemma. They all belong to the wonderful writer Libba Bray. However, most of the ideas are mine. This is a Felicity Fan fiction; it's my way of explaining how Pippa and Felicity's relationship developed. If I receive encouraging reviews I'll write more. Enjoy! There will be some jumping around of time; I'll try to keep it as easy to understand as possible

(This scene takes place right after the girls have been drinking in the caves. Ch.13- A.G.A.T.B)

Pippa giggled as Felicity pushed her through the doorway into their room.

"Oh, do be quiet Pip! Do you want Brigid or Mrs. Nightwing to find us drunk?" Felicity asked.

"No definaltely not." Pippa giggled, slurring her words.

"I should've known that you can't hold your liquor." Felicity climbed under her covers, pulling them up to her chin.

"Oh, I've a love, a true, true love…" Pippa sang drunkenly, collapsing on her bed.

"Pip, please." Felicity entreated. "I'd like to get a little sleep."

Her giggling continued. "Oh Fee, you're no fun when you're drunk." Felicity rested silently while she waited for Pippa's giggling to subside. "I do believe we've started a new tradition tonight 'The Order Reborn.'" Pippa sighed. "That Gemma sure is a strange one, mysterious…"

"Well at least she can hold her liquor better than you." Felicity replied.

The room was dark and silent for a moment. The only thing they could hear was the breathing of one another.

"… Pip?" Felicity asked softly.

"Yes?"

"Do you think I can really become too powerful to ignore?"

"Of course." Pippa muttered. "Do you think I'll ever find my true love?" she asked in return.

"Of course." Felicity whispered. "Of course."

Flashback

The first time they met she had no idea that they would become best friends. She walked across the Great Hall, head held high. Felicity Worthington was not going to be intimidated on her first day at Spence Academy for young ladies. She walked, headstrong, right into a group of prattling young ladies.

"Hello, I'm Felicity Worthington, daughter of Admiral Worthington, you know." She greeted brazenly. The other girls glanced at her, looking her up and down, evaluating her.

"I'm Cecily Temple and this is Elizabeth Poole," The apparent leader of their group addressed her. "And this is-…"

"Pippa Cross." A girl with black ringlets and violet eyes smiled, returning Felicity's boldness.

"Yes." Cecily smiled falsely. "I can tell we'll all be the best of friends."

Later the same day

"Well, this will be our room then." Pippa said brightly, flouncing through the door. "I've already unpacked, but you can have that space." She pointed to the bed closest to the window.

"Thank you." Felicity said, tossing her suitcase on the bed and beginning to unpack.

"I have a feeling we'll be quite good friends." Pippa beamed, tossing her ringlets.

"That Cecily Temple seems just marvelous." Felicity rolled her eyes.

"She's in charge around here. You can't get around it. Cecily will watch your every move to make sure that you won't become more popular than her." Pippa explained. "That's just the way it is."

A glimmer of mischievousness flashed through Felicity's eyes. "Well, we'll have to change that, won't we?"

Down in the Great Hall that night…

"Madame Lefarge's class is just atrocious. I can't believe that you can speak French so well. Cecily was practically fuming when you answered her question." Pippa tittered.

"Yes, I know. It was quite magnificent, wasn't it?" Felicity beamed. Felicity and Pippa continued to gossip and giggle as they made their way towards Cecily and her followers in a corner of the Hall. Cecily was telling a story animatedly to the girls gathered around her. They laughed and 'awed' as if on cue, afraid to be shunned out of the popular social circle.

"Hello Cecily." Pippa greeted.

"Good evening Pippa, Miss Worthington." Cecily sneered Felicity's name. "I was just telling Elizabeth and Martha how we are lacking in our supply."

"Oh yes, our supply." Pippa agreed quickly.

"Supply of what hidden chocolates, perfume, jewels?" Felicity asked.

Cecily laughed. "Why, Miss Worthington you slay me. It isn't anything quite so trivial."

"No, what is it then?" Felicity asked, staring Cecily down.

"Why, wine of course." Cecily said smugly. The other girls around her giggled at the scandalous thought of drinking. "You have had a drink before, haven't you Miss Worthington?"

"Why, of course I have Cecily, many times actually." Felicity retorted boldly.

"That's splendid! You must've heard then, that newcomers must always steal the wine. Let's see if the magnifique Miss Worthington is more than just talk." Cecily announced, the girls around her whispered amongst themselves. Pippa kept her eyes to the ground. "Eleven o'clock, the chapel. Be there or forget this notion of joining us, ever again."

"I wouldn't dream of missing it." Felicity replied.

"Marvelous." Cecily smiled.

Felicity turned to leave expecting Pippa to follow, but she was already involved in conversation with Cecily and her groupies. With a sigh of exasperation, Felicity stormed off.

11pm—The Chapel Doors

"I can't believe she actually came." Elizabeth whispered, just loud enough for Felicity to hear.

"Well Miss Worthington, are you certain you can manage this?" Cecily asked condescendingly.

"Quite certain." Felicity replied, trying not to shiver from the cold night air.

"It's simple really, we open the doors, and you'll go in, then find the wine and bring it back." Cecily instructed. "We'll stay here and stand watch."

"Well thanks girls, isn't that thoughtful." Felicity said sarcastically.

Cecily held up her lantern, the flickering light and surrounding fog cast an eerie feeling around the chapel doors. "Pippa, the door." Cecily instructed. Pippa obediently followed her command, giving the heavy door a hard shove. Her eyes stayed fixed to the ground.

"Wish me luck." Felicity whispered as she passed.

"Luck." Pippa whispered back.

The darkness of the chapel invaded Felicity's senses the moment she stepped through the door. The air wasn't quite as cold inside the chapel, but the silence sent a chill up her spine. Without a lantern Felicity couldn't see a thing; she ran headlong into a pew, stubbing her toe. She hissed in pain, but continued to feel her way down the aisle. Her footsteps echoed off the walls.

"There, this isn't so bad, not so bad at all." Felicity spoke to herself, trying to calm her nerves. Suddenly, the door began to swing shut. Realizing what was happening Felicity thought quickly. She searched for a Bible and dropped it to the floor. It echoed loudly, adding to the dramatic effect. "Oh, heavens!" Felicity shrieked, quickly she threw herself to the floor. "Oh my! Girls, I think I've twisted my ankle, won't you please help?"

The door swung back open, letting the moonlight stream in and illuminate the fallen Felicity. Cecily stepped in warily, holding the lantern far out in front of her.

"Are you alright Miss Worthington?" she asked unsympathetically.

"Heavens no! I think I've twisted my ankle on this Bible." Felicity explained.

"If only the girls would remember to pick them up." Cecily admonished.

"Could you possibly give me a hand?" Felicity asked. "This floor is quite uncomfortable."

"But of course." Cecily stretched out her arm to assist Felicity. With a malicious smile Felicity pulled Cecily to the ground, gathered herself up quickly and bolted to the door.

"It seems I recover quickly. Sorry Cecily dear, but no one trumps Felicity Worthington." With that the chapel door swung closed, locking Cecily inside the darkened church. Felicity laughed triumphantly as her cries for help permeated through the fog.

"Corsets weren't meant for running." Felicity said aloud to herself, attempting to catch her breath.

"No, they weren't." Pippa agreed, stepping through the fog.

"You were in on this." Felicity turned to her; it wasn't a question. Pippa just nodded, her violet eyes distant. "I should have locked you in there too." Felicity sighed. She began walking back towards Spence. "Well, come on!" she called, and Pippa followed.

The next day…

It was obvious to everyone that Felicity Worthington was now on top. The news had spread through Spence like sand through a sifter. Although, of course, like a game of telephone the stories surrounding Felicity's triumph were getting out of hand.

"I heard she bound and gagged her to a chair, then threatened her with a letter opener!" One girl exclaimed.

"Well I heard she dumped a bucket of water on her in her sleep!"

Whatever the story, every girl in Spence knew that Felicity was now the girl that everyone was supposed to revere and despise. Felicity walked around Spence with her head held high, well higher than usual. She passed Cecily and Elizabeth in the hall.

"No hard feelings I trust?" Felicity asked.

"If you think that you can push me out of the spotlight so easily-…" Cecily whispered harshly.

"Oh but I can, and I have." Felicity grinned wickedly. "And don't think that I'll fall so easily." She muttered back. "Au revoir Cecily dear, au revoir." With that Felicity walked off, Pippa by her side.