"Application"

34. Babydoll .34

Day 19 - Monday

Saturday passed incredibly uneventfully, and it was finally time to go back to school. You would now have something to focus on other than messing up Andy's house for kicks. Yay.

Andy still wouldn't let you return to your home since your house was unsafe (your mother was still missing), but at least she wasn't keeping you like a prisoner. She certainly could if she wanted to, but you were grateful...no, glad that she didn't. You would never be grateful to Andy.

"Welcome back to school, Dollface."

You deadpanned. "Fuck off."

Oh, and Key was also going to your school now since Andy had things to take care of at the manor and couldn't attend herself.

Key grinned at you lazily, holding both your school bag and her own as if they weighed nothing. "Language, Dolly."

You had been learning lately that no matter how magnificent and luscious Key's hair was, it did not make up for her obnoxious personality.

She had taken to calling you 'doll' after you carelessly remarked the day before that Andy was treating you like her own personal dress-up doll.

You doubted that the name would have stuck if you hadn't stupidly demonstrated how much you despised it, but now there was no going back. Key loved pissing you off, and she'd found something that did just that.

You sneered at her expression of amusement. "Let's just go to class already."

___

The teacher's voice carried no inflection as she motioned for Key to introduce herself as the new student.

The students in your homeroom perked up, eyes fixed on your bodyguard with interest.

"Hello, class. I was hired by Andy Seline to protect her precious little babydoll right here," Key looked across the classroom to your seat and gave you a sarcastic little finger wave that had you shrinking into your seat "so don't fuck with her, and we won't have a problem. Capiche?"

Embarrassment washed over you. 

You were going to kill this woman.

The teacher didn't seem to care about Key's language, turning back to the board. "So, today's schedule includes..."

The class began to whisper, casting glances between both you and Key. You could already tell that Key's introduction was going to be all over the school by lunchtime.

___

It was officially lunchtime.

On the upside, you hadn't encountered the boy who'd declared war on you over Andy at all so far. On the downside, you, Key and Andy were the talk of the school now. No one dared approach you when you had Key as your constant shadow, but that didn't stop them from talking.

And boy, did they talk.

Naturally, Andy had pulled strings with her father to get your bodyguard into all of your classes, so you'd been completely unable to avoid Key and her persistent annoyance. You had finally decided not to engage her. You were hoping that she'd grow bored of your reactions if you didn't give them to her.

But you were wrong. She was taking your silence as more of a challenge than a put-off.

"What did Ms. Seline pack you for lunch today, Dolly?"

This was getting ridiculous.

You ignored Key and opened up the lunch box that Andy had forced into your hands before you left for school that morning.

Of course, it was a bunch of gourmet shit that had likely been prepared by her chef.

You scoffed and decided you'd take an apple from the snack bar. The idea of eating anything that Andy gave you was entirely unappealing. She could easily have slipped some kind of drug into it. It wouldn't be the first time.

You scooted your lunch box over to Key and left for the snack bar, leaving her to stare at you in confusion.

Key didn't end up eating anything, but she didn't taunt you for the rest of lunch.

___

Andy glared at the phone in her hand. "That's way too fucking long, and you know it. N/n is at school of all places!"

"Let her have her freedom for now. Once I tell the others, she'll have no time to herself for months at the very least...ah, probably longer."

Andy rolled her eyes. "Clingy little bastards."

"As if you're any different."

"Well, at least I don't fantasize about screwing her, Jordan."

"Just because I feel sexual attraction does not mean I am consumed by the feeling. Such fantasies have never occurred."

Andy scoffed. "Sure, dipshit. Let's just talk over the details one more time, then you can get back to your funeral planning or whatever."

"As always, your sensitivity knows no bounds."

"Smartass."

___

At that very moment, Carmen was typing out a message to Akio.

The message was confirmation.

...confirmation that Steps' offline identity was, in fact, 'Y/n L/n'.