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Laura Hollis is a straight A student. She is very dedicated, very loyal, and one of the most liked, respected, and sought after attendees of Silas High- sought after in the way of a tutor, that is. However, above all, she is always studious. This is why you’re standing in the high school parking lot, confused and very concerned, for Laura Hollis is never, ever late, much less five minutes late for pick up. She is your daughter, after all. You see one of her friends- Betty, as you remember- start to walk toward you, and you quickly turn to her.
“Hey, Betty,” she waves back at you in response.
“Hey, Mr. Hollis.”
“Have you seen Laura anywhere? She’s usually here by now.” She snorts and jabs her thumb behind her.
“She’s behind the band room shoving her tongue down Karnstein’s throat for the thousandth time.” You startle a bit. Shoving what-now who-where? You’re so in shock you don’t realise that Betty has walked off until you turn around to confirm that your daughter- your sweet, innocent daughter- is making out in public?! And who is this Karnstein anyway?!
Before you realise what you’re doing, your feet take you down to the aforementioned band room. Laura usually practices marching band in the field here after school, one of the many extracurriculars she is a part of, but that’s irrelevant now because the only thing on your mind if that some your Laura is with some person! You whip behind the building and stop short.
Right in front of you was, in fact, your daughter pinning a slighter taller and much more- what was it that the kids called it?- punk rock girl to the wall, and she was, in fact, shoving her tongue down her throat.
"LAURA JANE HOLLIS!" You scream. She rockets away from the girl, pushing her farther into the wall with an equally startled expression on her face. Dear god, were you confused. And angry.
"Dad!" Laura squeaks, regaining your attention from the black-haired seductress- wait is that..? "Um, well..."
It is.
"You know.. Carmilla...." she looked horrified; her face was the epitome of embarrassment. Yours was just confusion, complete and utter confusion.
Carmilla Karnstein was such a sweet girl. Well, her first impression was a bit crass, but you could tell she really cared about Laura and that she was only putting up a guise, probably to ward off certain people. You Hollises can see right through that sort of thing; you're very observant. That's why you always let her in the house and up to Laura's room without a second thought. You knew she would never put your Laura into any danger, and you knew she would never hurt her...
You didn't realise that you had been standing there, staring at the two of them until Carmilla smiles sheepishly and a weak "Surprise..." falls out of her mouth. Then you snap out of your reverie.
"Surprise?! Surprise?! What's going on here?! Are you two together? Are you two just doing that teenager thing with casual sex?-"
"No, Dad, it's not-"
"Well what is it, Laura?!"
She takes a deep breath and crosses over to Carmilla, taking her hand and facing you. Looking you in the eye, she takes yet another calming breath and opens her mouth.
"Dad, I'd like to formally introduce you to Carmilla. My girlfriend."
The brunette reaches her free hand out to you with a breathe and a raise of her head. "It's nice to meet you again Mr. Hollis."
You look at her hand and then back into her eyes. They grow pleading and nervous and a sheepish half smile overtakes her face. You stare back incredulously for a moment until you remember something she told you all those months ago when you first met her.
"I care about your daughter Mr. Hollis. I would and will do anything for her, even if it was her wish for me to leave. I'm lucky to be in her life, Mr. Hollis, and I will honour that as long as she'll have me."
That was the day you told her just to call you Ron. You look back into her eyes, and your expression softens. You take her hand, and her expression lights up along with Laura's.
"It's nice to meet you Carmilla. Call me Ron."