Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Okay, before starting this story, I'd like to make a few clarifications.

The first clarification is that the Riley in this story isn't the Riley everyone knows, but rather my Rileysona (whom you can refer to as Riri or ChillRiley).

Aside from that, everything else is the same.

I'd also like to say that this story is open to any one-shots you'd like, as throughout the chapters there will be excerpts from Riri's fanfics to spice up the story. So, if you'd like to see what that would be like, leave your suggestion in the comments!

I'll do any ship you ask for, except for these:

Student x Teacher

Student x Oliver or Alice

And well, that's all I had to say. I'll upload the first chapter in a few minutes. I hope you enjoy it!

It'll be about Zipclaire.

Chapter Text

Sunlight streamed through the curtain, illuminating the remaining darkness in Riley's room, breaking through the stillness of pillows, piled blankets, and messy notebooks.

Everything was calm when a familiar voice—sweet but firm—broke the silence in the room.

"Riley, honey, wake up! It's time for breakfast. You're going to be late!" her mother called from the kitchen, her tone hovering between patience and tenderness.

From her bed, Riley stirred slowly under her covers, her hair disheveled and the sweatshirt she wore as pajamas. She let out a soft growl, similar to that of an annoyed cat who'd just been taken out of the sun.

"Five more minutes..." she murmured in a hoarse, sleepy voice.

The reason for her laziness was still on the nightstand: her cell phone, its battery at 10%, displaying a screen full of text titled: “I hate how much I like you: Zip x Claire.”

She had spent half the night writing... Again.

Another story, another fanfic... another dose of emotion and inspiration that hit her in the middle of the night.

Finally, dragging herself like a zombie who hasn't slept in a hundred years, Riley got up.

She put on her black boots and her classic sweatshirt, which was a size or two too big, and went downstairs, rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning, sleepyhead" her mother greeted, serving her a glass of milk and toast with egg.

Riley just mumbled a "meh" as she devoured her breakfast as if she could absorb life energy from the toast.

After eating, brushing her teeth, and letting her mother comb her hair and make her cute pigtails, she hoisted her backpack over her shoulder, stuffed her cell phone in the inside pocket of her sweatshirt, and headed off to school.

The morning wind barely managed to dispel her tiredness.

The school wasn't far away, and the path was so familiar to her that she could almost sleep walk it.

Which, honestly, wasn't much different from how she was walking now.

Soon, she had arrived at her beloved school, where students were gathered in front of the entrance with their backpacks loaded with books, notebooks, or homework.

When she crossed the threshold of the building, she saw her friends waiting for her by the lockers.

Robby was organizing his books in his locker while Ruby and Skell were talking to each other. Riley couldn't help but smile at the sight, energized to run over to them.

"Good morning, guys!" Riley greeted cheerfully.

"Good morning, Riri" Ruby replied, smiling at her.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Robby asked, noticing his classmate's tired face.

"About... three hours. More or less" Riley replied, rubbing her eye.

"Let me guess... Were you reading or writing fanfic again?" Skell asked, in his deep, neutral voice. He didn't sound annoyed, but slightly resigned.

Riley just smiled sideways, saying nothing.

Her friends knew her very well, and that made her love them even more.

They talked for a few more minutes: about the weather, video games, what they'd played the day before when they got home. Normal things. Until...

RIIIIIIIIIIING!

The bell rang signaling the start of school.

"First period..." Skell murmured reluctantly, as if it were a sentence.

"We'd better go to the lounge now. See you at recess, guys" Ruby said softly.

She and Skell said goodbye to their friends, walking towards their own classes. Meanwhile, Riley and Robby also said their goodbyes and headed back to their classrooms together.

The classroom had that smell of dried markers and freshly issued textbooks.

Riley sat at her desk near the window, where the sunlight tried unsuccessfully to cheer her up. Beside her, Robby settled into his seat as he took out his notebook and pencil.

Miss Emily arrived seconds after all the students had taken their seats, gave her typical condescending greeting before beginning to explain some history on the board.

Riley blinked twice... then three times... and, without realizing it, her head fell gently onto her arms.

A minute passed.

And another.

Robby, from his desk, noticed that Riley had fallen asleep.

"Riley," he whispered, gently shaking her arm.

Nothing.

"Riley!" Robby exclaimed between mumbles, nudging her just as she began to snore.

"Huh? What? Is class over?" Riley stammered sleepily.

"No! It just started."

"Oh..."

"I still don't understand why you're always up all night writing things."

Riley smiled like a misunderstood artist.

"Want to see it? It's pure gold. It's a story between Zip and Claire."

"Zip and Claire?" Robby asked, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't you write a story yesterday about Claire in love with Engel? Now with Zip too?"

"I'm a multishipper, Robby. Don't limit me!" she whispered, taking her cell phone out of her pocket and sliding it under the desk.

She quickly showed him the screen and Robby looked down, beginning to read:

The sun was setting behind the school buildings, dyeing the sky a warm orange that contrasted with the tense calm that filled the back hallway of the east wing. There, neither teachers nor students passed by, as everyone had gone home.

Claire arrived with cautious steps, her backpack hanging loosely from one shoulder, her brow furrowed in a mixture of resignation and distrust. She knew Zip had left that unsigned note in her locker, but the careless, almost playful handwriting was unmistakable.

Even so, and having the option of simply ignoring her and going home, she decided to go to the place where she'd been summoned, just to see the girl of her nightmares.

"Another one of your pranks, Zip?" she said bluntly, barely turning the corner and seeing her there, leaning against the wall, hands in her pockets, a crooked smile.

"Prank?" Zip laughed, but it was a dry, unconvincing laugh. "No, this time I didn't come to put glue on the chair or steal your cat's treats... Although I admit that one was a good one."

Claire snorted, turning to leave.

"I knew it was a waste of time..."

"Wait!" Zip's voice cut through the air. For the first time, she sounded serious. Even scared. "I want to ask you something"

Claire stopped, half-turned.

"Is it true you're in love with Engel?"

Claire turned slowly, surprised by the question.

"What... Where did you get that from?" Claire asked before narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms. "What's that to you? It's none of your business whether I like him or not"

"Yes, it is..." Zip growled, and in a flash, she crossed the space between them.

Before Claire could react, she felt Zip's hands on her shoulders, pushing her against the wall behind her.

"It is my business!" Zip snapped, her voice cracking between rage and something deeper. "Of course it is! Because... because I'm sick of pretending"

Claire was confused, unable to understand what Zip was talking about. She could also feel his fingers digging into her shoulders, almost feeling her nails digging into the fabric of her clothes.

"It's my business because I..." Zip's voice cracked, a thread of suppressed fury and fear trembling in her words. "Because I like you, Claire. Damn it, I love you!"

Claire's eyes widened. The world seemed to stop, trapped in a deathly silence.

"What...?"

Zip was breathing heavily, her forehead barely inches from Claire's. Her dark eyes were wet, and the mocking mask she always wore had suddenly fallen away, revealing a chaos of emotions.

"I didn't know how... to tell you" Zip continued, she voice lower now, hurt. "I've always bothered you because... because I didn't know how to deal with what I feel. You scare me, but you fascinate me at the same time. Because every time you smile at me, even if you hate me, I want to kiss you and yell at you too. And when you're with Engel or someone else, I feel like I'm going to explode"

Claire swallowed; everything inside her was upside down.

For so long, she had believed Zip existed only to annoy her, to inconvenience her, to be her personal tormentor… And now that same torment declared itself to her, his eyes filled with a desperate plea.

A few seconds passed that felt like an eternity.

Then Claire, with trembling hands, raised them and placed them on Zip's face. Her touch was gentle, but full of certainty after hearing those words she never thought she'd hear.

"Me too, Zip. I've liked you for a long time" she whispered softly. "But I never thought you… had feelings for me. I always thought you hated me"

Zip's eyes widened in disbelief, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Her breath caught. Then, slowly, a smile spread across her face—not a mocking or sarcastic one, but a real, sincere smile.

"Really...?"

Claire nodded, almost shyly.

And Zip, without another word, leaned in and kissed her.

It was a clumsy, wild kiss, just like them. Full of words they never knew how to say, of fights that hid their longing for each other, of afternoons filled with malicious jokes and glances that silently screamed.

That kiss was everything they hadn't dared to feel until now.

And in that deserted hallway, they were finally no longer enemies.

Robby rolled his eyes after reading those paragraphs.

"Riley... sometimes it scares me how much you can write in one night," he murmured, though he couldn't help but read a little more.

"What can I say? It's my gift!" she said with complete pride.

Robby was about to tell her to pay attention to the class when, suddenly, they both turned around, hearing something out of the ordinary.

Through the classroom window, they saw Zip running at full speed... with Claire slung over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, while Engel chased them with a mixture of concern and shouts:

"Zip, put Claire down right now!"

"You'll have to catch me first, idiot!"

"PUT ME DOWN!" Claire yelled, struggling in the chase to escape Zip's grasp.

That didn't go unnoticed by the rest of Riley and Robby's class. Even Miss Emily had come out to yell at them for running in the halls and making such a scene before disappearing from sight.

Both boys froze for a second. Then Riley's face lit up with a smile of pure euphoria.

"Oh... my... God!" Riley exclaimed excitedly.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Robby muttered, still in disbelief at what had just happened. "Well, I think she's just bothering those two. I don't think-..."

Robby turned around to see Riley start frantically typing on her phone as if possessed by a demon while muttering under her breath.

"Zip x Claire x Engel. Love triangle. Double confession. Uncertain ending... It's perfect!"

Robby covered his face with his hand.

"Sometimes it scares me how fast you do that, too."

He said that, but he couldn't help but peek in to see what his classmate was writing.

And it was barely the first hour of class.

Chapter Text

The first hour of school ended, and as expected, the recess bell rang, signaling recess, and with it, a swarm of students swarmed toward the cafeteria.


"Cafeteria!" Riley shouted as soon as the bell rang, haphazardly throwing her things into her backpack.

"Remember, this week we have a 'healthy' menu" Robby reminded her, walking beside her as they weaved through the crowded hallway.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... salad, bland rice, and sad chicken" she muttered dramatically. "but the important thing is the chocolate cake. I'm not missing it!"

"So what are you doing lingering?"

Riley didn't answer immediately. Her eyes wandered toward one of the building's side hallways. There, where students and teachers didn't dare to go, two very special people often met.

"I have to make a detour... I want to see my favorite couple!" she whispered with a knowing smile.

"Oliver and Alice?" Robby asked worriedly, stopping abruptly. "Riley, we already talked about that. Those two... They're dangerous!"

"Because no one understands them!" she said, crossing her arms. "They're like those characters who are cold and hard on the outside but soft and tender on the inside. They're in love, and the world hates them for it"

Robby stares at her in disbelief at the way she defended a potential soap-eating psychopath and a fucking demon as just misunderstood people, when the entire school knew perfectly well that if it were up to those two, they'd burn down the school with everyone inside.

He was about to try to convince Riley to simply forget about seeing that pair this time and go to the cafeteria to eat, but she wasn't listening anymore. She'd turned the corner with the energy of a little dreamer in search of her OTP.

After walking down that desolate hallway, she had reached her destination, that door so feared and avoided by everyone at school.

Alice's room.

The first thing Riley noticed when she arrived was that the door was ajar, which was odd since it was always closed.

Cautiously, Riley approached the small space to get a better look inside the room.

Then, she saw them.

There, in the blackness of the room's interior, Alice and Oliver were snuggled up as if the entire world didn't exist beyond them.

Alice rested her forehead on Oliver's shoulder, who was playing with a lock of her hair.

Anyone who saw them would be stunned to see those two being... a normal couple showing affection, even impossible to believe, except for Riley.

It wasn't the first time she'd seen them like this, and it probably wouldn't be the last. Seeing them together filled something in Riley's soul. It wasn't just that she thought they were cute or adorable.

No, it was the way they looked at each other, the way they stood together, and the way they displayed their affection.

Everything about them gave the impression of a couple defined not only by affection or attraction, but also by the devotion, attachment, and unconditional love they conveyed to Riley, or however she could interpret it every time she saw them.

Plus, the fact that Riley shipped them and these two were dating made her as happy as a fangirl who sees more of her ship canon.

Oliver caressed Alice's face as she looked at him, and then, without warning, they kissed.

"AAAAAA!" Riley shrieked, unable to control the volume of her voice, betraying her presence to the lovers in the room.

The sound was high-pitched enough for Alice to open one eye, and Oliver turned toward the noise, seeing the little girl with pigtails from the doorway.


"Ah... you again" Alice murmured softly.


Suddenly, the door burst open, and a strange force seemed to suck Riley into the room.

The little girl rolled across the floor until she was at Oliver and Alice's feet. The brown-haired girl looked at her seriously, while the white-haired boy looked at her more calmly.

It wasn't the first time the couple had caught the little girl spying on them during their intimate moments, and it had happened so many times that they didn't even bother getting angry at her anymore.

After all, she was just spying on them. It could be worse if she were a little girl obsessed with Oliver and wanted them to separate so she could have him for herself.

Which, thankfully, wasn't the case.


"Riley, were you spying on us again?" Oliver asked, amused.

She just looked at them with a pained look as her got up from the floor.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt! You guys are just so ugh! SO CUTE!" Riley squeezed her cheeks, keeping herself from jumping. "Also, I came to see if you were okay. How's your day going? Have you kissed more times? Are you planning a date?"

"Normal. Boring classes and more annoying people than I can stand," Oliver shrugged.

"I couldn't tell you much when I'm always in this room," Alice said.

Riley just nodded after listening to each of them, then remained silent for a few moments, not knowing what else to say.

...

She felt like a nerd who finally decided to talk to the cool kids, and now she had no conversation topics beyond how much she loves seeing them together.

So instead, she pulled a small piece of paper out of her backpack and held it out to them.

"I made you something" she said shyly.

It was a drawing with markers, a bit clumsy but charming: Alice and Oliver hugging, with hearts floating around them and the phrase "OLICE FOREVER!!!" written in pink letters and skulls around the edges.

Alice and Oliver stared blankly after seeing that drawing. They didn't know how to feel about it, much less what to say, but they knew they had to since Riley was looking at them with those bright eyes, waiting to know what they thought.

"Uhh, very... nice drawing" Alice said, taking the drawing between her fingers.

"Really?!" Riley asked, her smile growing a little closer.


Alice frowned slightly before putting a hand on Riley's head to get her to move away.

Riley took it as a caress and couldn't help but purr like a kitten, surprising Oliver and Alice.

"Wow, did you just purr?" Oliver asked, impressed.

"Oh yeah, I sometimes purr when I get my head stroked, especially by people I like!" Riley replied, smiling.

"And you like me? I understand that about Oliver, but what about me?" Alice asked, puzzled.

"Why not? You're really cool, Alice" Riley said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


They both fell silent again, especially Alice. Besides Oliver, no one dared to approach her for... obvious reasons, so Riley's words left her perplexed.

After a few seconds, Alice finally cleared her throat to speak.

"Thanks, I guess... although you should go" the brunette said in a serious voice.

"Yeah... I'm sure your friends are waiting for you, and today was the day we had that chocolate cake you said you liked so much" Oliver added, helping Alice a little as she left.


Riley opened her eyes in panic.

"Oh no! That's right! Thanks for reminding me!" she exclaimed, turning around and heading for the exit. "Bye, guys! See you later! I love you so much! Be happy and give each other lots of more kisses!"

And with that, he ran out, closing the bedroom door, leaving the couple alone.

"That girl is fucking weird" Alice finally said.

"Yeah, she is... but hey, you have to admit, that makes her kind of adorable" Oliver commented, running his hand over the brunette's shoulders.

Alice just rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but stare at the drawing Riley had made for a while longer before putting it in her pocket.

The cafeteria was full, with the noise of students chatting among themselves while eating their lunches. Riley stood in line, swinging her backpack and waiting for her turn.

"Please, let's have some cake. Please, let's have some cake..."

She received her tray with rice, chicken, some salad, and... when she got to the dessert section...

She came across the dreaded sign:

'Chocolate Cake: SOLD OUT.'

"...no way" she whispered, almost on the verge of tears.

Dejected, she walked to her table, where Ruby, Skell, and Robby were already waiting for her.

"You're finally here!" Ruby said when she saw her arrive.

"There's no cake..." Riley said, dropping the tray as if it were carrying stones.

"Relax" Ruby said with a mysterious smile. "Rooby already told us you were going to spend time with a certain 'couple' so I saved this for you."

She took out a small plate with a piece of chocolate cake and placed it in front of her.

Riley's eyes lit up like a constellation.

"Gaps!! Ruby, you're my hero!" Riley shouted, hugging her immediately. "Oh, I love you so much!! You're the best!"

"Don't scream so loud, Riley" Skell said, lowering his head.

"You went to see Oliver and Alice... And what you were most worried about was running out of cake?" Robby asked, serious but incredulous.

"I'm still surprised you always come back in one piece every time you go see them" Skell commented before taking a bite of his chicken.

"Oh, come on, don't exaggerate. Oliver and Alice aren't that bad. They wouldn't hurt a fly!" Riley replied, frowning slightly as she began to eat.

Ruby, Robby, and Skell rolled their eyes at that. They sometimes wondered if they were talking about the same Alice and Oliver they knew, because that pair would definitely do more than hurt a fly.

Still, they didn't say anything else, especially because with Riley... it was hard to make her see things as they really were, and maybe it was just as well.

"So... how was the first period of school?" Ruby finally asked, trying to change the subject.

"Inspiring!" Riley said with a big smile.

"And did you write anything?" Skell asked as she finished her salad.

"Yes! Look, I'll show you! It's a love triangle!" she replied, reaching into her hoodie pocket.

She took out her phone, opening the notes app... But, in her excitement, she opened the wrong file.

Instead of the note she'd written about Zip, Claire, and Engel, what appeared on the screen was the title: "Different from each other: Ruby x Skell."

The park was quiet that afternoon.

The sun filtered through the leaves, tinting the grass and flowers gold, which Ruby watched with a smile. The gentle wind lifted the pink ribbon on her screen.

Beside her, Skell walked silently, his hands buried in the pockets of the black sweatshirt he was wearing. His steps were slow and measured. The hood slightly covered his face, but Ruby knew that, even if he didn't admit it, he was enjoying the walk.

They stopped at a bench by the lake. Ruby sat down first, watching the ducks swimming in the water. Skell, on the other hand, stood for a few seconds, as if debating something with himself.

Then, without saying anything, he sat down next to her and, after a brief pause, took something out of his pocket.

"Here" he said, in that deep, low voice that rarely broke the silence.

Ruby turned her head, curious. In her hand was a small keychain: a stuffed bunny with long ears and a body covered in soft pastel colors.

"I saw it in a store and thought... it was your style" he added, without looking directly at her.

Ruby took it carefully, her fingers stroking the soft fabric, and her eyes began to sparkle.

It wasn't an expensive or elaborate gift, but coming from Skell, the boy who never bought anything for himself, the one who seemed to live in another world, he had seen an object full of colors... and had bought it with her in mind.

"Skell..." His voice was low, but he smiled. "It's perfect"

He shrugged, trying to downplay it, although the tension in his jaw betrayed that he feared he hadn't guessed right.

Ruby, without thinking, leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love it. And I love that you think of me that way"

Skell didn't respond immediately, but his breathing slowed, calmed. His hand, a little nervously, slid down to intertwine his fingers with hers.

The keychain was caught between their palms, like a small colorful bridge that united their hearts, no matter how different they were.

When the group finished reading it, there was a silence so thick it could have been cut with a spoon before Ruby and Skell turned to the little girl with pigtails.

"WHAT THE HELL, RILEY?!" they both shouted in unison, their faces flushed red.

Riley just raised an eyebrow, confused, and then looked more closely at her phone screen, seeing that it had put another fanfic she'd written a while back in its place.

"Ah... hehe, wrong fic" she muttered with a nervous smile.

"You wrote us a romance fanfic?!" Ruby asked, embarrassed.

"We're not even like that!" Skell protested, though his red ears betrayed him.

Robby, on the other side, chuckled as he sipped his juice.

"It was just a narrative experiment! Character exploration! IT'S NOT REAL!" WELL, IT COULD BE, BUT—!

"RILEY!" Ruby and Skell shouted again, not wanting to hear any more.

"My hands only write what my heart feels..." the little girl with pigtails emphasized again, before looking at them with her best smile and her best puppy eyes. "And my heart says you'd make an amazing couple"

"Just... don't do that" Ruby murmured, not wanting to continue arguing, especially since they were in the cafeteria.

"Okay..." Riley replied, grumbling under her breath.

And so the group sat silent at their table, with only the noise of the cafeteria's dining room accompanying them.

But it didn't last long before Riley opened her mouth.

"So, putting that aside... Did you like what I wrote?"

"RILEY!"

Chapter Text

The school bell had rang again, signaling that recess was over and the students should return to their classrooms or go to their next classes.

Gym class had barely begun with a warm-up, and Riley already felt like she was about to collapse.

"I hate this class... I hate this class... I hate this cla..." Her voice trailed off when the whistle blew again.

"Come on, Riley, it's not that bad" Ruby said, trying to cheer her up. "A little exercise won't kill you"

"That's what you say..." she replied. "but I sweat like I've been thrown into a pool and I get tired after two laps on the court"

"At least try to keep up with us" Robby added, patting her on the back.

"Well, I'm not someone who likes to exercise, but..." Skell chimed in after taking a sip from his water bottle. "Just think you'll feel better after this, Riley"

"Or worse. Much worse" Riley countered.

"You could at least pretend to enjoy it" Ruby muttered under her breath.

"Hmmm..."


But when the three of them looked away for a few seconds to listen to the teacher's instructions and looked back… Riley had disappeared.

"…Where is she?" Robby asked, looking around.

"She ran away…" Skell said worriedly.

"It can't be…" Ruby sighed before exclaiming in annoyance. "Riley!"

Meanwhile, in the wing opposite the gym, Riley stealthily walked down the hallway toward the restroom.

Upon arriving, she slipped into a stall, carefully closing the door, lowering the toilet seat, and sitting on it as she took out her phone before smiling to herself.
The plan was clear: kill time writing until the next break.

"Perfect... time to get ahead on some of my fics!"

But before she could open the notes app, the bathroom door opened.

Riley immediately lifted her feet so her black boots wouldn't be visible under the door and leaned toward the crack to see who had entered.

And what she saw made her eyes widen.

The ones who had entered the bathroom were none other than... Lizzy and Petunia, the most popular girls in school.

"Ugh, I was getting sick of Miss Bloomie's classes" Petunia said, taking a case full of makeup out of her bag.

"I told you, it was better to escape" Lizzy replied, leaning back against the sink.

Riley held her breath. She couldn't believe she was seeing them so close.

They weren't exactly in her circle... well, not even remotely in her circle. But it was still curious to see them there.

"Did you hear about Engel and Claire?" Petunia asked, fixing her eyeliner.

"Obviously. Everyone knows by now. But what no one knows is what Zip did next..." Lizzy smiled wickedly.


The two of them stood by the sink, gossiping and touching up their makeup as if the bathroom were a private dressing room. Riley, from her hiding place, listened fascinated. Not because of the gossip, but because Lizzy and Petunia together had the perfect friends-to-lovers dynamic.

At one point, Petunia took a bright pink lipstick out of her case and showed it to Lizzy.


"You know, Lizz? I recently bought this lipstick because I like the color... but it always looks bad on me."

"Give it to me, I'll show you how to do it," Lizzy said, moving closer.

The rabbit complied and handed the lipstick to her friend, who then cupped her chin in one hand, tilting her face toward the light.

The pink lipstick glided smoothly over Petunia's lips, and when Lizzy finished applying it, she didn't look away. She stared... at her lips, then at her eyes.

"Well? How does it look on me?" Petunia asked, curious.

"You look good... although..." Lizzy murmured softly.

"Although... what?" the humanoid rabbit asked again, now puzzled.

The atmosphere changed for the little girl with pigtails.

There was a sweet, charged tension... like those movie scenes where everything stops before the kiss.

Riley had to bite her lip to keep from screaming with excitement.

'Oh... this will be good' she thought.

But the moment was abruptly broken when the bathroom door swung open.

To the dreaded science teacher, Miss Bloomie.

"Lizzy! Petunia! So they were hiding in here!" Bloomie exclaimed, annoyed, her voice echoing off the walls.

The two girls jumped back in fright, and within seconds the teacher was escorting them out of the bathroom and back to class.

When the door closed and the room fell silent, Riley let her head fall back with a long sigh.

"Damn, Bloomie... that moment promised to be a great one."

The little girl with pigtails stood still for a moment before unlocking her phone and starting to type.

Starting a new project on the notes app, which she titled... "On Your Beautiful Lips: Lizzy x Petunia":

Lizzy's room was peaceful as the sun filtered through the pink curtains. The bed was covered with a white satin bedspread and pillows of all sizes.
On the floor, a soft, fluffy rug, Petunia and Lizzy sat, chatting happily to each other while trying on the new makeup they had bought.

Petunia sat cross-legged, applying eyeliner in front of the handheld mirror, while Lizzy organized a small arsenal of lipsticks, eyeshadows, and brushes.

"I swear Oliver, Edward, and Zip are going to make Claire explode one day" Petunia commented, with that amused tone she always had. "I saw it on her face in the cafeteria"

Lizzy barely murmured an 'Uh-huh...' although her eyes were no longer on her makeup, nor on the mirror.

Instead, they were on Petunia's lips, perfectly shaped, moving as she spoke, so close that she could feel every curve, every small gesture.

Petunia, not exactly absent-minded, noticed it immediately. Her lips curved into a half-smile, and she turned her face toward her.

"Hey, ever since Miss Bloomie interrupted us in the school bathroom, you haven't stopped staring at my lips" Petunia said flirtatiously. "If you want to kiss me so badly... just do it."

Lizzy raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Are you sure?" Her voice was gentle, but her hands had already left the brushes and rested on Petunia's waist.

Petunia didn't have time to respond before she felt Lizzy's lips on hers. The kiss was gentle at first, as if she wanted to savor the moment, but it soon became more confident, more intense.

The hairblack girl's arms wrapped firmly around her waist, pulling her closer.

Petunia opened her eyes in surprise for just a second… and then closed them, reciprocating with the same warmth by wrapping her hands around Lizzy's neck.

After a few seconds, they broke apart, taking a deep breath. And, as if sharing the same thought, they burst out laughing.

"You're impossible, Lizz" Petunia laughed, though her gaze was pure tenderness.

"And you adore me anyway" Lizzy replied, winking at her.

Without another word, Lizzy gently pulled Petunia onto the bed. They lay down together, their arms and legs intertwined.

Petunia's head rested on Lizzy's chest as she slowly stroked her hair.

"I love you, Lizz" Petunia whispered with an adorable smile on her lips.

"And I love you too, bunny" Lizzy replied, gently kissing her forehead.


Riley smiled to herself after reading what she'd written a couple of times.


"I'm so brilliant, hehe" she murmured proudly.

She was about to continue writing when, suddenly, the bell rang, signaling the end of class and the start of recess.

"Perfect..." she whispered, putting her phone away and leaving the cubicle as if nothing had happened.

She'd managed to skip gym class, and she was already excited to find her friends to tell them what happened and show them how it inspired her new writing.

Chapter Text

The recess bell rang like a relief for most people… but for Riley, it had been a relief ever since she'd run away from PE class. She walked briskly down the hallway until she spotted her group of friends sitting near the stairs.

"Hello fellaaas!" she sang, ready to tell them all about what had happened in the bathroom with Lizzy and Petunia and her new fanfic.

But Ruby frowned at her.

"Where were you?" Ruby asked seriously, her arms crossed.

"Uh... in the bathrooms..." Riley smiled nervously.

"You skipped P.E" Robby said, equally serious.

"And you stood us up" Skell added, though he didn't sound annoyed, just stating the fact.

The little girl with pigtails was silent for a few moments, shrugging before speaking.

"I... uh..." Riley attempted the most innocent smile she knew, the one that made even the least patient teachers soften. "It's just that, um... the ship gods called me?"

"Riley..." Ruby muttered, more tired than angry.

"Okay, fine, I admit it... it was wrong of me to skip class..." Riley said, puffing out her cheeks. "Just... it wasn't my favorite class"

Ruby stared at her for a moment before letting out a sigh and softening her expression.

"Okay. But don't do it again, okay?" the robot said, leaning toward her. "A teacher might have caught you, and the last thing I want is for you to get in trouble"

"I know..." murmured the little girl with pigtails, her eyes looking like a wounded kitten. "Sorry, Ruby..."

Ruby sighed again, but this time with a small smile.

"Just... take care of yourself, okay?"

"Yes...!" replied Riley, now more animated.

After that, the group walked down the hallway, chatting about nonsense, when Riley, using her ship's radar, detected something in the distance: Zip was teasing Bubbles, who was desperately trying to retrieve her little duckling that Zip was holding up.

"Give it back, Zip!" Bubbles demanded, stretching out her arms.

"Nuh uh," replied Zip, sticking out her tongue.

In an attempt to grab it, Bubbles tripped... and fell right on top of Zip.

They both lay on the floor, staring at each other from a few inches away.

That scene made Riley gasp.

"Oh... my... ship!!!" the little girl with pigtails exclaimed so loudly that her friends turned to look at her.

Riley pulled out her phone, ready to type the first line, when a red warning appeared in the corner of the screen: 5% battery.

Panic hit her as soon as she saw that.

"No... no, no, no. You can't die now, baby!" she murmured, stroking the phone like it was a wounded animal.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked.

"My phone's dying... And I have to write now!" She put a hand to her head.

"Can't you just wait until you get home to charge it?" Robby asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I can't! It wouldn't be the same without inspiration. I need to write it down now!" Riley replied, waving her hands.

The little girl with pigtails remained silent, wondering what to do, and then she remembered: the computer lab had plenty of free outlets.

"The computer lab! I can go charge my phone there!"

"Uh, Riley... I remind you, the teachers lock that room during recess" Skell pointed out.

The smile that was forming on Riley's face quickly fell after hearing that, and her brows returned.

The little girl with pigtails remained silent for a few moments before speaking again.

"Then I'll have to find another way to charge my phone..." she murmured before turning to Robby. "Lend me your screwdriver"

"Okay? But... how are you planning on charging your cell phone with a screwdriver?" he asked, confused, as he handed it to her anyway.

"Easy: I'll use it to sneak into the living room through the ventilation duct," Riley replied with all the seriousness in the world.

After saying that, there were a few seconds of silence in the group as they processed the little girl with pigtails' words.

"...What?" Ruby and Skell said simultaneously.

The kids turned to stop her, but Riley was already running down the hallway with the screwdriver in her hand, heading for the computer lab, leaving her friends stunned.

"You can't be serious..." Skell muttered, still in shock.

"She says hates running, but look how fast she is when she wants to!" Robby exclaimed, a mixture of indignation and annoyance.

"And we just talked about staying out of trouble!" Ruby said, starting to run to try to catch up with Riley.

Once she reached the computer room, Riley located the ventilation duct on one side. And, with the dexterity of someone who had clearly seen too many spy movies, she used the screwdriver to remove the screws and slip inside.

"Never underestimate the power of a shipper" she whispered determinedly.

As she reached the room, she carefully lowered herself onto the floor. In front of her were rows of turned off computers and an abundance of power outlets.

She quickly plugged in her cell phone and charged it, letting the battery begin to fill.

And while she was there... she turned on a computer.

The blue screen lit up, and within minutes Riley was already on the page where she posted her fanfics. She began typing, her fingers moving at record speed as if the keyboard were an extension of her soul.

Soon, the text box was titled “Love Bubbles: Bubbles x Zip”:

The afternoon was quiet in the schoolyard, and Bubbles was sitting at one of the wooden tables, drawing in her notebook. Her pencil moved carefully, tracing rounded lines that slowly formed a duckling.

But it was only a matter of time before she ended up drawing a certain dragon girl.

The bubble girl stared at the drawing she made for a few moments before frowning.

"Zip is... so annoying" Bubbles muttered, though she didn't sound entirely convinced. "With that stupid smile and those pretty eyes..."

But her bubbly tail began to twitch involuntarily as she remembered that girl who, despite annoying her to no end, was also the girl who made her heart race.

Bubbles was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the shadow looming over her... until she felt a hand land on her shoulder.


"Drawing ducks again?" Zip's voice sounded right behind her ear, laced with playful mockery.

Bubbles tensed, jumped slightly in fright, slamming her notebook shut and turning to look at her.

"Y-yeah... so what?"

Zip leaned over, resting an elbow on the table, with that mischievous smile that seemed to know every button it could push.

"Nothing, nothing... just adorable. Almost as adorable as you fizz when you're nervous"

Bubbles blinked, and sure enough, her hair and tail were blowing out a ton of bubbles.

"I'm not nervous..." she murmured, looking down.

"Of course you are" Zip said, tilting his head to meet her eyes. "Although I think I can make you blow even more bubbles"

Before Bubbles could ask what he meant, she felt Zip's tail wrap around her waist, sending a shiver down her spine.
The dragon girl could only smile at the nervousness she caused her opponent before leaning closer.

Their faces were mere inches apart, and Bubbles felt her heart skip a beat.

"So, will you come on a date with me this weekend?" Zip whispered, drawing out each word, as if she enjoyed watching Bubbles squirm with shyness.

Bubbles blinked, surprised.

"I-I... I don't know... uhh..."

Zip smiled even wider, letting his thumb brush Bubbles's arm, giving it a playful touch.

"Bad for you, because I wasn't asking" Zip bared his teeth as his tail tightened around Bubbles's waist. "We're going on that date, and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer"

Then, as if nothing had happened, he let go of Bubbles's tail and walked away, leaving her there, heart pounding and a bubbly mess.

Bubbles watched her, one hand clutching her chest. Still processing that now... she'd be going on a date with Zip.

And she couldn't decide if that was too bad, or too exciting.

"And... done!" Riley said with a satisfied smile. "Geez, Zip would be the most coveted girl in school if she behaved like I wrote her, haha."

The little girl with pigtails quickly published the chapter with a triumphant click, still feeling the euphoria of having captured a perfect moment while inspiration was at its peak.

She was so focused on her writing that she didn't hear the classroom door open... or the footsteps behind her.

"Riley..." a cold, stern voice called.

Riley froze instantly, recognizing whose voice it was.

She slowly turned her head, finding herself face to face with Miss Bloomie, who already had her arms crossed and a frown on her face.

"I-I can explain..." Riley began, though she didn't really have an explanation that didn't sound like "I snuck through the vent because I wanted to charge my phone"

Bloomie said nothing. She just leaned over, took her arm firmly... and lifted her like a light bundle.

"We're going to detention. Now"

"What?! Noooo!! At least let me have my phone!!!" Riley protested, thrashing in her grasp.

Bloomie ignored her completely as they left the room.

Robby, Ruby, and Skell had arrived just in time to see the little girl with pigtails kicking and struggling as she was led away by the science teacher to her detention.

The three of them just covered their faces with their hands, slightly cursing their friend's impulsiveness to do something crazy.

...Even so, they would go see her as soon as her detention was over.

Chapter Text

The detention room was silent, except for the constant tapping of chalk on the blackboard.

Riley stood writing in clear, precise letters:

' I must not sneak into classrooms through the ducts' 

She was already on her sixtieth repetition of a hundred when Miss Bloomie, who was watching from her desk, raised an eyebrow.

“You're very fast at writing... You'd better do a thousand repetitions”

“A thousand!?” exclaimed Riley, looking at her in disbelief.

“That way you'll have more time to reflect... besides, you're lucky your grades aren't bad enough to punish you in any other way...” said Miss Bloomie sternly, showing her the sharp blade of her box cutter.

Riley felt a chill of fear run down her spine before fixing her gaze on the blackboard and continuing to write.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Miss Thavel, the language teacher, entered with a folder under her arm and a carefree smile, looking at Riley before looking at Bloomie.

“Wow, so it's true you had a student in this room” the wendigo said with a laugh. “Especially when we... you know”

“Believe me, I would have preferred to do ‘that’ but it would be counterproductive to do it with a student who hasn't gotten bad grades... yet” Bloomie explained, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, what are you here for?”

“Oh right, what I came for. Bloomie, do you have a minute? I need you to look at these documents.”

“Ugh, I hope it's important, Thavel” Bloomie muttered, walking toward her.

As the two teachers talked across the room, Riley couldn't help but glance at her.

'Oh no... ship alert!' she thought.

In her mind, she could already see the scene: Bloomie, serious but protective, and Thavel, carefree and warm, sharing moments after class in the teachers' lounge, discussing their day and drinking coffee while it rained outside.

Riley reached into her pocket with the intention of jotting down the idea on her cell phone... and then she remembered.

She had left her precious cell phone behind when Miss Bloomie caught her in the computer room.

That memory made the sparkle in her eyes fade a little. Her fingers continued to move on the board, but without as much enthusiasm.

Finally, after an endless torture of chalk dust and cramps in her wrist, she finished the thousand repetitions. Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of recess.

Miss Bloomie gestured that she could leave, but not before giving her one last warning glance so she wouldn't do anything foolish again.

Riley shuffled out of detention... and there, in the hallway, Ruby, Robby, and Skell were waiting for her.

They stood silently among themselves. The three of them were looking at Riley seriously, while she could only look back at them sadly, shrugging her shoulders.

After what seemed like an eternity, Riley finally spoke.

"Okay... I admit it. What I did was wrong. It was crazy to climb into the ventilation duct to get into the computer room.

Her friends said nothing, so she continued.

"But... it was worth it! I was able to write an incredible scene for one of my ships.

The three of them looked at her with that 'Are you serious?' expression.

Riley tried to keep smiling, but then her shoulders slumped and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

“Okay... it wasn't worth it” Riley admitted, her eyes glazed over. “Not only did they punish me, but I also lost my phone... and maybe I lost it forever!”

After saying that, Riley threw herself on the floor and curled up in a tearful ball.

Her friends exchanged quick glances before sighing. Robby stepped forward and handed her something.

“Here you go”

Riley looked up and saw her cell phone and charger in Robby's hands.

Riley's eyes widened as she took her cell phone before looking at her friends.

“BUT HOW...!?”

“Bloomie forgot to lock the door to the computer room when she took you to detention” Ruby explained. “So we went in, took care of your cell phone until it finished charging, and... logged out of your fanfiction page”

“We didn't want anyone reading your... stuff” added Skell, somewhat awkwardly.

“Really...?” asked the little girl with pigtails, still incredulous.

“We couldn't leave it there. We know how important it is to you,” Ruby replied, smiling softly.

Riley looked at them as if they were angels who had come down from heaven just to save her. And, unable to help herself, she jumped towards them, wrapping them in a hug.

“Thank you, guys! For doing these things for me! And for putting up with me!”

Ruby, Robby, and Skell smiled back and hugged her.

“Sometimes you're impulsive and a little... crazy,” Skell began.

“HEY!”

“But we still love you, Riri,” Ruby finished.

“It's hard for me to admit, but yes, because without you, this school would be very boring” Robby added.

Riley smiled through her tears, hugging them tighter in her group hug.

After that, the four of them walked together to their last class of the day. The art room awaited them, with Miss Sasha greeting them with a smile and the smell of fresh paint wafting through the air.

The group quickly took their usual seats at their table, while Miss Sasha stood in front of the students to give them today's assignment.

“Today we will work in pairs. You must create a craft using paper, glue, and whatever you find on the materials table” Sasha explained with a smile that cheered up even the most bitter student. “Use all your creativity, children!”

Without thinking, Riley teamed up with Ruby.

They both decided to make a vase full of colorful paper flowers. Ruby cut the petals with precision, while Riley glued them enthusiastically, decorating the vase with glitter and other details.

“Done!” Riley announced proudly. “Our paper vase is finished!”

 “It's done and it looks great” added Ruby, laughing softly.

They finished quite quickly, and while they waited for Miss Sasha to come and evaluate their work, Riley let her gaze wander around the room, looking at the different works and projects that the others were doing.

It didn't take her long to stop at a nearby table, where Edward and Lana were working together.

Edward, frowning, was trying to calculate something with a ruler and compass, clearly thinking about how to transform a simple piece of paper into a complex design.

Meanwhile, Lana was... in another galaxy.

She was sticking heart and star stickers all over Edward's face, laughing every time he tried to remove them.

“Lana, stop it!” This is serious," Edward growled.

“But you look so adorable!” she replied with an innocent smile.

Riley felt the click in her head as she watched them interact. She took her cell phone out of her pocket, ready to capture the inspiration... until she felt a nudge on her arm.

Ruby was looking at her sideways, with that serious yet protective expression. Riley blinked, not understanding at first, until she realized.

“Oh... right” the little girl with pigtails murmured, raising her hand. “Miss Sasha, can I use my cell phone? We're done with our work”

Sasha approached, examined the vase with an approving smile, and nodded.

“All right, girls. You can do whatever you want until the bell rings, but only if you don't disturb the others”

“Promise!” said Riley, almost jumping with excitement.

She immediately opened her notes app and began typing the first scene of her new fanfic: Lana x Edward, a chaotic duo of science and puppets.

Ruby, watching from her seat, smiled proudly when she saw that Riley, for the first time that day, had managed to be a little more moderate with her passion for writing stories instead of throwing herself straight into chaos. She leaned over a little and looked at the screen, letting herself be carried away by the narrative in progress as she read the first lines already written:

The school laboratory was silent, except for the hum of a couple of fans and the metallic sound of tools clanging together. Edward, bent over a table covered with jars and test tubes, moved his hands with precision, mixing liquids and chemicals. His glasses slipped down his nose, but he didn't stop.

Then the door burst open.

“Ta-daaa! I'm here!” exclaimed a cheerful voice.

Edward didn't need to look up. Only one person in the world could burst in like that: Lana, with her inseparable puppets in both hands, which seemed to wave as if they had a life of their own.

“What are you doing here?” Edward grumbled, without looking up from his formula.

“Keeping you company, what else?” she replied, dropping her backpack in a corner and approaching with skipping steps. One of the puppets spoke in a shrill voice: 'Yes, Edward, don't be grumpy, let us play with you!'

Edward gritted his teeth.

“I'm not playing, I'm working. And your... fabric things aren't helping.”

But despite his words, he didn't send her away. Lana circled him, curiously examining the jars of bubbling liquids.

“What's this? What's that device for? Is it going to explode?” she asked one question after another, her eyes shining.

Edward put his hand to his forehead, trying to remain patient.

“It's a mixture of conductive polymers... and no, it won't explode... and stop asking stupid questions!”

Silence returned for a few seconds, but Edward was more rigid than usual.

His hands trembled slightly as he adjusted a piece, and his brow seemed even more furrowed than usual.

Lana noticed it immediately, tilting her head.

“Hey, are you okay?” she asked sweetly. “You seem angrier than usual.”

Edward sighed, not answering.

“Hmmmm... I know!” Lana said suddenly, with a big smile. “I'll give you a kiss to cheer you up!”

Edward almost dropped the test tube he was holding and nearly choked on his own saliva.

“What... WHAT!?” he asked, in shock.

“Close your eyes” Lana ordered, innocent as ever.

“I'm not going to...” he began to protest, but Lana's tender gaze, combined with the shrill voice of one of her puppets saying, 'Come on, Ed, listen to Lana!', completely disarmed him.

With a resigned grunt, he closed his eyes, red up to his ears.

His heart was beating fast, expectant of the kiss he would receive from the girl with the ponytail.

He wondered how he could have ended up in this situation where he would have his first kiss with Lana. 

Finally, he felt a soft touch on his lips. It wasn't warm, but... rough like fabric.

Edward opened his eyes wide. In front of him, a puppet with bulging eyes was 'kissing' him while Lana laughed with amusement.

“And now? Do you feel better?” she asked, completely naive.

Edward blinked a couple of times before frowning. If his face was already flushed, now it was burning completely.

“That's not a real kiss, idiot!”

And before Lana could react, Edward cupped her face with both hands and kissed her. This time for real. Direct, intense, clumsy in its desperation, but undoubtedly real.

When he pulled away, panting slightly, Edward saw that Lana's face was completely red, with an expression of utter shock. Her eternal smile had disappeared, replaced by a nervous giggle and wide eyes.

“E-e-Edward...” she stammered, not knowing what to do with the puppets she was still wearing.

Edward's face was also red as a traffic light. He coughed, stood up abruptly, and gathered his things.

“Oh, look at the time, I have to go, I have work to do”

He headed for the door, trying to escape as if nothing had happened. But he had barely left the lab when he heard quick footsteps behind him.

“Hey, wait!” Lana shouted, laughing nervously. “You already gave me one kiss, now I want another! And another!”

Edward almost tripped on the stairs, his face bright red, as Lana chased him down the hallway with the puppets waving in her hands.

The echo of her laughter and his angry groans filled the empty school, along with a new warmth in their hearts.

“Riri, how can you write something so sweet and funny at the same time?” Ruby asked after finishing what her friend had written.

“What can I say? A good writer works with what she has, hehe!” Riley replied proudly.

Just then, the final bell of the day rang, bringing a murmur of relief among the students.

Backpacks were closed, notebooks were put away, and little by little everyone left the classroom.

Riley, Ruby, Robby, and Skell walked together through the streets as the afternoon wore on.

They chatted about classes, Riley's entanglements, and even how strict Miss Bloomie had been that day.

Between jokes and laughter, the walk seemed short.

In a matter of minutes, they had arrived at Riley's house.

“Well... this is as far as I go,” said Riley, waving her hand energetically. “But we'll keep talking on chat, OK?”

“Of course!” replied Ruby.

“Take care, shorty” added Skell, patting her on the head.

“Tomorrow will be another day of your crazy antics, I'm sure” said Robby, half resigned, half amused.

Riley looked at them fondly before entering her house.

Her friends continued on their way, and so ended another school day... full of ideas, ships, and some chaos, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it was a great day in Riley's life.

One day... of many, in her daily life-

Chapter Text

The cafeteria was filled with voices, laughter, and the metallic sound of trays clinking together. Riley, however, ate with a frown, stabbing her salad with her fork as if she'd done something wrong.

Her friends, Ruby, Robby, and Skell, looked at her in bewilderment. It was strange to see Riley like this. She was normally quite cheerful and upbeat, but this time she seemed particularly upset about something.

However, when they turned around and saw where the little girl with pigtails was looking, they discovered that she was like that.

A few tables away, Lana and Abbie were sharing lunch. Lana chatted happily, moving her puppets with her typical exaggerated gestures, while Abbie looked at her as if she were the eighth wonder of the world.

"That pair... That damn pair..." Riley muttered, gritting her teeth.

It was a ship that threw her off: because even though she shipped Lana and Abbie with half the school separately, those two held a special place in her heart.

Not only because of how cute they looked together, but because of how CLOSE they were to being something, to being a couple if either of them took the first step.

And the worst part... It was obvious! Abbie was madly in love with Lana, everyone at school knew it. Everyone... except Lana herself, of course, who remained happily in her cloud of ignorance.

Ruby sighed as she turned to look at her friend.

"Riley, calm down. You can't get like this every time you see them"

"Exactly, especially when we're eating," Robby added, absentmindedly chewing his food.

"Yeah... plus I think you'll burn a hole in their skulls if you keep looking at them like that" Skell commented, sipping on her grape juice.

"Just look at them!" Riley exclaimed, gently tapping the table with her fork. "They're right there! So close, so ready to be canon!" All that's left is for someone to take the first step…

"You're obsessing too much, Riley," Robby tried to reassure her. "It'll happen when it has to"

Riley was about to retort when something happened. Abbie, nervous and red-faced, pulled out a neatly folded drawing and held it out to Lana. She took it, opened it, and her face lit up with a huge smile.

It was a drawing of her with her puppets. Abbie wasn't the best artist, but it was clear she'd put a lot of effort into it.

"Wow, Abbie! That's beautiful!" Lana exclaimed, genuinely happy.

Riley leaned forward, her eyes sparkling.

'This is the moment... This is THE moment! Say it, Abbie, SAY IT NOW!' Riley thought, hoping her thoughts were strong enough to reach the apple boy's mind.

But Abbie, her words stuck in her throat, just shrugged and lowered her head.

"I'm glad you like it..." he murmured, barely audible.

Lana, of course, didn't catch a thing. She started talking about something else, as if a quasi-confession hadn't just happened.

"Wow... and I thought she'd actually dare tell him," Robby muttered, somewhat disappointed, while Ruby and Skell nodded in agreement.

But it was nothing compared to the look on Riley's face at that moment, after seeing that, once again, the Lana and Abbie thing was coming to naught.

Her friends obviously noticed her expression; now they were starting to worry.

"Riley..." Ruby tried to warn, watching the girl clench her fists.

"ENOUGH!" Riley finally shouted, slamming the table so hard that several people nearby looked at her.

Before her friends could stop her, Riley had already jumped up on the table, pointing an accusing finger at Lana, her eyes blazing like torches.

"I'm fed up with you, Lana! FED UP!" the little girl with pigtails yelled, her voice echoing throughout the cafeteria.

The entire dining room fell silent. Lana blinked, confused, while Abbie looked scared, afraid of what Riley might say.

"How can you not see the obvious? How can you not realize Abbie is-"

"RILEY!" Ruby and Skell exclaimed, pulling her along, while Robby covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence.

With nervous laughter and quick apologies to the other students, they dragged Riley out of the cafeteria.

Back in the empty hallway, away from the curious glances, they left the little girl with pigtails on the floor.

"Riley..." Ruby began, in a serious tone. "We understand your frustration, but you can't shout out other people's feelings just because you want them to be"

"That's true, that's wrong, it's their business. Not yours," Robby added, equally serious.

Riley, still red-faced from suppressed rage, sank to the floor with a resounding "ugh!", throwing a tantrum like a little girl.

"But I want them to be a couple now! I want my ship canon next to Olice's!" she protested, stamping her feet.

Skell, who had remained silent since they left the cafeteria, finally spoke, looking at his friend with his arms crossed.

"Riley… understand. Yes, it seems obvious to everyone, but if Lana and Abbie ever become a couple, it has to be because they want to. Not because someone forced them to"

"But it'll take ages…" Riley grumbled, puffing out her cheeks.

Then, she abruptly pulled out her phone and began typing furiously, her fingers flying across the screen while her face was red from the mixture of fury and anger.

Her friends stood aside, staring at her silently, accustomed to her tantrums and ways of venting, which she titled… ‘Puppets and Apples: Lana x Abbie’

The rooftop was bathed in warm tones, the sun setting slowly, painting the sky orange and pink. The wind ruffled Abbie's hair as he stood near the railing, clutching a letter to his chest.

His lips trembled, not from the cold, but from nerves.

He took a deep breath.

"Okay, Abbie... this time you'll say it," he murmured to himself.

Although a part of him was already sure he wouldn't have the courage to confess what he felt again, he would swallow his words of love for his friend Lana and her children deep in his heart.

The dark-haired boy had already lost count of the number of confessions he'd made so far.

And it all ended the same way, with nothing coming.

Even so… Abbie kept trying, hoping that some miracle would finally give he the courage to say everything he felt for the girl with the googly-eyed puppets.

Taking advantage of the fact that he was alone, he decided that maybe it was better to try and practice what he would say to his crush, if he ever had the chance to say it…

He imagined Lana standing in front of him, with that smile of hers and the puppets in her hands. His heart skipped a beat. He swallowed and began to speak, his voice shaky but sincere:

"Lana... I... I love you so much. More than I should. You're the person who always makes me smile, even if I've had the worst day of my life. When I'm feeling sad, you're the one who makes me forget everything for a moment. I love every single thing about you, even your antics with your puppets. And I..." He clutched the letter tightly, closing his eyes. "I wish we were together... I wish you to be my girlfriend"

The echo of her words floated in the air. For the first time, he felt light, as if he had finally let out everything he'd been holding in his chest, even if it was just for a moment.

He smiled slightly to himself, but as he turned to wait for his friend's arrival... his heart nearly escaped him.

There was Lana, standing at the entrance to the rooftop, her cheeks flushed, the puppets dangling limply from her hands.

"H-how long... were you there?" Abbie asked, he voice cracking.

Lana smiled sweetly.

"Since you started saying all those nice things" she answered, with complete sincerity.

Abbie's heart stopped, his legs trembled, but before he could apologize or run away, Lana ran to him, hugging him tightly.

"Abbie, I love you so much too!" she cried happily, lifting him off the ground as she spun him around in circles, giggling like a little girl. "I didn't know you loved me like that too!"

"A-are you serious...?" —Abbie murmured, his voice cracking with emotion and her eyes filling with tears, unable to believe it.

"Sure!" Lana looked at him sweetly, though her smile faded slightly at the sight of the tears falling down his cheeks. "Hey... why are you crying?"

"It's just... I thought you'd never... that you'd never love me back..." Abbie sobbed, trying to hide his face.

"Oh, no! Don't cry, silly, I don't want you to be sad."

And before he could say anything, Lana began peppering his face with short, playful kisses: on his forehead, his nose, his cheeks, even his chin. Each kiss was accompanied by a giggle from her.

Abbie began to laugh through his tears, and little by little the crying stopped. Then, with renewed courage, he leaned his face toward her and kissed her back: first timidly, then more determinedly, until they were both laughing between short, clumsy kisses.

The wind caressed their hair as, still holding each other, they gently sank to the rooftop floor. In front of them, the sun bid farewell to the day with a golden light that seemed to envelop only the two of them.

"I love you so much, Lana..." Abbie whispered, a smile on his face.

"And I love you more, Abbie" she replied, holding on even tighter to him.

And so, the two remained silent, entwined in that embrace, watching the sun sink below the horizon together.

The sunset painted the sky with the same colors they felt in their hearts: warm, vivid, and tender.

No sooner had she finished typing than Riley raised her phone triumphantly.

"There! Fanfic finished! I just wrote the most beautiful confession in history!" the little girl with pigtails exclaimed firmly. "But I'm saying this now... I HATE LANA AND ABBIE WITH ALL MY SOUL!"

Silence fell over the group after those words. Ruby, Robby, and Skell stared at her, saying nothing, with a clear expression of not being at all convinced by what she said.

After a few moments, Riley finally sighed, pouting.

"Who am I kidding? I love those two... even though they drive me crazy" the little girl with pigtails admitted.

"Now you're talking more like yourself" Ruby said with a smile.

Between the three of them, they helped Riley stand up, and although she still snorted from time to time, at least she wasn't as angry as she had been a few minutes ago.

"Come on, let's see if there's any candy left in the vending machine" Skell suggested, ruffling his little friend's hair. "Some sugar should help regain the energy you lost throwing tantrums"

"That would be great. I hope there's a chocolate bar" Riley murmured softly.

"I'm sure there is... not that they're Oreos or anything" Robby added as he started walking. "Those sure go fast because of Miss Circle."

"Sometimes I wonder how she always has the money to buy tons of Oreos every day..." Ruby questioned genuinely.

The boys just laughed as they walked down the school hallway together, putting aside Riley's explosive behavior toward her ships for a moment.

Or at least until something caused Riley to become worse than a hyperactive orange cat again.

Chapter Text

The front door closed softly behind Riley. It had been a long day at school, and as she crossed the threshold of her home, the smell of freshly cooked food caressed her nose like a warm welcome.

In the kitchen, her mother, Elisa, was finishing placing dinner on the table and smiled as she saw her enter, with that warm gesture that always made Riley feel like everything was okay.

"Just in time" Elisa said, gesturing to the chair opposite her. "Come on, let's eat"

They both sat down, chewing while they discussed the day's light conversations, Riley's friends, her classes, the occasional funny detail.

The atmosphere felt calm, almost intimate. Despite the absence of her father, who had died when Riley was barely seven years old, mother and daughter had since learned to take care of each other, to be their own support.

When they finished dinner, Elisa left the dishes in the sink and sighed, adjusting her work jacket.

"Riley, I'm going to be a little longer at the office today. I'll probably be back after midnight"

The girl nodded, already used to such hours.

"I know, Mom. I'll be fine"

Elisa smiled tenderly and, as she always did before leaving, began giving her instructions:

"I left you some food in the refrigerator in case you get hungry. Close your doors and windows tightly, finish your chores... and, above all..." Her mother looked at her with serious eyes. "Go to bed early!"

Riley rolled her eyes, though with a smile amused by how well her mother knew her and her habit of staying up late.

"Okay, Mom. I promise" Riley said, puffing out her chest solemnly, as if swearing a pact.

Elisa looked at her with some hesitation but finally smiled, leaning over to kiss her forehead.

"I trust you, honey. See you in the morning"

And with that simple but loving gesture, she left for work. Riley waved goodbye until the door closed.

The house fell silent. Riley waited a few moments in the hallway until she heard her mother's car engine start and then disappear into the distance.

Only then did Riley start to move. The first thing she did was make sure the front door and downstairs windows were closed. Once she'd finished checking them, she walked into the kitchen, opened a cabinet, and took out a bag of snacks, then a cold soda from the refrigerator.

With the loot in her arms, she climbed the stairs to go to her room.

Once there, she was responsible for the first time: she left the snacks on the bed and opened her notebooks to do homework.

For a while, she made good progress, writing and solving exercises. But, as always, she reached the point where the most difficult parts of her assignments seemed to conspire against her.

"Pfff... I'll ask Robby or Ruby tomorrow" she muttered, closing her notebook without remorse.

Then she got up and went into the bathroom to take a quick shower, letting the hot water relax her after the school day. When she left, she put on her most comfortable pajamas: a fluffy bunny sweatshirt and matching slippers.

With her hair still damp, she grabbed her bags of snacks and her drink, settling in front of her laptop as she turned it on.

Soon, her fanfiction page greeted her with a blank screen, inviting her to write. Riley considered resuming one of her drafts, continuing with some stories she had already published and needed to update with more chapters, or simply writing something new… but the spark of the moment was too strong.

She ended up opening a new document: a fanfic starring Bloomie and Thavel.

She titled it… 'Now Alone After School: Bloomie x Thavel'

The teachers’ lounge was almost deserted. Half-empty coffee cups and piles of graded papers bore witness to the long day that had passed.

Sitting in a corner, arms crossed and frowning, was Bloomie, the science teacher.

“Unbelievable!” she grumbled, banging her box cutter on the table. “How can someone confuse an endothermic reaction with an exothermic one after explaining it three times? Three times!”

Across from her was Thavel, the language teacher, who watched her calmly while absentmindedly stirring the coffee in her cup. Her smile widened with each new complaint from her little companion.

"You know?" she chimed in lightly. "I like it when you growl like that. You have a special charm, like a grumpy cat whose tail has been stepped on"

"Thavel!" Bloomie glared at her, but that only made the other's smile grow wider.

Wordlessly, Thavel stood up and walked around the table. Before Bloomie could ask where she was going, she gently grabbed her waist and pulled her onto her lap.

"What... what are you doing?!" Bloomie's face was as red as a stoplight, staring at the door as if a colleague might walk in at that moment.

"Relax, Circle and Compass have already gone home, Demi is helping Sasha clean her classroom, and Emily is chatting with Grace in her office" Thavel replied matter-of-factly. "No one's coming to bother us"

Before Bloomie could protest again, the wendigo began covering her face with small, playful kisses: on her forehead, her cheek, her temple, until she touched the corner of her lips.

"Stop...!" Bloomie tried to sound firm, but her voice cracked with each kiss, slowly disarming her.

After a few seconds, Thavel stopped, gently stroking her back.

"As much as it amuses me to see you all grumpy" he whispered near her ear. "I prefer to see you calm. Resting with me~"

Bloomie looked away, unable to meet his gaze. Her cheeks burned.

"...Okay. I guess I needed it" she said almost in a whisper, as if admitting it was the greatest defeat of her life.

Silence filled the room, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Thavel held her gently, and after a while Bloomie, without saying a word, turned her face to seek her lips, first timidly, then with more intense warmth, until they were lost in a long, affectionate kiss that suddenly erased all traces of the day's tiredness.

When they broke away, Bloomie hid her face in Thavel's neck, as if she could protect what remained of her pride.

"...Don't get used to it," she murmured, although her tone was softer than ever.

Thavel smiled, putting his arms around her and stroking her hair.

"Hey, at least you can count on me whenever you want to rest like this. Recovering energy is easier if you let me hold you"

Bloomie didn't respond, but the pressure with which she snuggled up against her spoke volumes.

And there they remained, in the calm of the empty room, among forgotten papers and already cold cups of coffee, sharing a break that was just theirs.

When she finished, Riley posted it without hesitation with a smile.

After doing that, she checked her profile. Although her stories didn't have thousands of reads, there was still a loyal group of followers who commented enthusiastically. Messages of encouragement and writing advice.

Riley always took her time to read, appreciated all those comments, and it made her happy to see how those people enjoyed her stories and encouraged her to keep doing so.

With renewed spirit, she searched for fanfics by her favorite authors and began reading, laughing, sighing, and even getting excited about what she read, gaining some ideas or inspiration for her own fanfics while she nibbled on snacks and sipped her soda.

Later, between reading and writing, she opened her gaming page and immersed herself in them, headphones on, completely forgetting about the time.

The night dragged on mercilessly, but Riley didn't seem to notice. When she realized it, her eyelids were heavy, and the clock read about 1:00 a.m.

She smiled mischievously, getting up from her chair to tuck herself under the covers and lean back against her pillow.

"Sorry, Mom... I couldn't sleep early..."

And so, with her laptop still on and its dim light following her, Riley let the dawn envelop her.

Although she'll probably wake up a sleepy zombie-

Chapter Text

The morning was barely over, and Riley was already a mess. She walked down the school hallway with dark circles under her eyes so deep they looked like they were drawn on purpose. Ruby, Robby, and Skell surrounded her, listening to her story while she tried to defend herself.

"I swear! The literature teacher almost caught me. I was seconds away from falling asleep with my head on my desk" Riley confessed, between yawns.

"I'm not surprised" Ruby said, crossing her arms. "Didn't you say you were going to bed early?"

"I tried..." Riley muttered, looking at the floor.

"But you couldn't do it," Skell finished, raising an eyebrow.

Robby sighed dramatically.

"Riley, really... one of these days you're going to fall asleep facing your plate in the cafeteria"

"Sorry, okay!? I couldn't help it" Riley raised her hands as if in surrender. "But now, I promise not to stay up too late"

The three of them exchanged glances that clearly said, 'We'll see'.

They decided to go to the library to study, and see if Riley could stay awake.

The group settled down at one of the tables there, taking out their books, notebooks, and notes.

In the midst of their reading, Riley, unable to contain herself, pulled out her cell phone and said.

"I wrote something new last night... want to see?"

She showed them a fragment of her Bloomie and Thavel fanfic. Each of them read it with different reactions.

Ruby read it first, crossing her arms as she raised an eyebrow.

"I can't believe this is what kept you up late... although... it's well written" her voice lowered for the last bit.

"Even though it's hard to read... I have to admit, it's got a kick out of it" Robby smiled, slightly amused.

Skell, more reserved, nodded while pretending not to be interested.

"It's... passable, I guess"

Riley shrugged, happy with the reactions, as everyone went back to studying. But suddenly, a loud noise echoed from the second floor of the library.

"What was that?" asked the little girl with pigtails, turning her head.

The group looked up, and up above, Oliver, Edward, and Zip were mocking Claire, pushing her around like a human football.

"Leave me alone!" Claire yelled, struggling.

In a bad move, Edward pushed her too hard; Claire collided with Zip, who lost her balance just at the edge of the stairs.

"Oh my God, look out!" Ruby yelled.

Without a second thought, the robot girl jumped out of her seat and ran for the stairs. At the exact moment Zip fell, Ruby caught her in her arms, keeping the dragon girl from crashing to the ground.

Everyone present fell silent, still processing what had just happened.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked, finally looking down at the girl in her arms.

"Yeah... I'm fine" Zip replied, still in shock.

But she quickly composed herself by turning her head, fixing her gaze on Claire and Edward who were standing by the stairs, clearly worried that Zip had hurt herself.

"Claire! Edward! You two idiots... You almost killed me!" the dragon girl huffed, abruptly leaping out of Ruby's arms and running upstairs.

Claire and Edward, aware of the mess they were in, bolted for the exit, Zip hot on their heels as the librarian told them to be quiet.

Oliver, on the other hand, burst into laughter before also running off to catch up with his friends.

After that scene, silence slowly returned to the room, interrupted only by the curious murmurs of the other students in the library.

Ruby, still somewhat stunned by what had happened, returned to the table and slumped into her chair, letting out a sigh.

"Well... at least you avoided some tragedy" Skell said, patting her shoulder encouragingly.

The robot girl smiled, but it quickly faded when she noticed Riley pulling out her phone with a bright expression that spoke volumes.

"Riley... no" Ruby pointed at her, as if she could stop her with just a look.

"Riley, yes!" said the little girl with pigtails, already typing frantically.

"Riley! Don't even think about it!" Ruby exclaimed, trying to take the phone away from her.

"It's too late, I already have the title: "Scales and Gears: Zip x Ruby"

"NOOOOOO

The day at school had been particularly difficult, not so much because of the classes as because of Zip. She was more unbearable than usual: hiding backpacks, interrupting teachers with sarcastic comments, and making fun of them halfway down the hall. Most of the students snorted in resignation, believing Zip was simply 'being Zip'

But Ruby, sitting at her desk, had watched closely. She noticed something different in the teasing: not genuine amusement, but rather a suppressed anger. A discomfort that no one seemed to see, except her.

When the last bell rang and everyone left, Ruby decided not to go straight home. She walked to the school pool, a place she almost never went. She sat on the edge, legs crossed, staring at the calm water reflecting the blue hues of the ceiling.

"It must feel amazing to swim in here..." she whispered.

She knew she couldn't do it. Her condition as a robot prevented her from being in deep waters, and although she accepted it, that silent curiosity always remained, that unanswered question.

While she was pondering, a bubbling sound interrupted the surface. Ruby bent down, confused, just as a figure forcefully emerged from the water.

"Boo!" Zip shouted, shaking her head and sending droplets of water flying in all directions.

Ruby blinked, surprised. She hadn't expected to find her there.

"Zip...?"

The dragon girl laughed, leaning against the edge of the pool.

"And you? What are you doing so close to the water if you can't even touch it? Do you want to sink like a rubber ducky?"

Ruby sighed, not bothering to respond.

The silence that followed made Zip uncomfortable. She frowned and challenged her again:

"What's wrong? Are you afraid the water will short out your power? Or am I afraid of you?"

Ruby just looked at her, serious, which disarmed Zip a little. She wasn't used to not being baited by her teasing and provocations.

Several minutes passed like this, until Zip, annoyed, turned around to swim to the other side.

"You know what? Forget it, you're so boring..."

But before she could move away, she felt a sharp tug on her arm. In a move she hadn't expected, Ruby easily pulled her out of the water, sending her sprawling on her lap, soaked and kicking.

"Hey, let me go!" Zip protested, wiggling like a wet cat.

"I'm not going to let you go until you tell me what's wrong," Ruby replied, holding her firmly.

Zip opened her eyes, surprised.

"What the hell do you care? I'm fine"

Ruby shook her head.

"That's a lie. You were different today. I noticed"

"Bah!" Zip clicked her tongue, though her tone no longer held the same strength. she wriggled, struggling, until she looked up with a defiant gleam. "If you don't let me go, I'll bite you!"

"Zip... I remind you, I'm made of metal. If you bite me, you'll only hurt your teeth"

"..."

Silence fell again, and this time Zip couldn't keep up her facade for long. Little by little, her resistance faded. Her shoulders slumped and, with a sigh, she lowered her head.

"It's just... I... I feel... alone" she began, in the quietest voice Ruby had ever heard. "Even when I'm with Oliver, Edward, or my little brother... It feels like I don't exist. Like no one cares whether I'm here or not"

The words tumbled out, as if they'd been trapped in her chest for days. Ruby didn't interrupt. She simply held her, letting her flow, even as a few tears rolled down Zip's cheeks, mixing with the droplets in the pool.

When Zip finished, Ruby relaxed her grip. She wasn't holding her anymore, but she wasn't completely letting go either. Still, Zip didn't move from her lap. She remained there, breathing slowly, her eyes fixed on the floor.

Ruby reached up and gently wiped her tears away.

"Why are you doing this?" Zip murmured, her voice cracking. "Why do you care about me? when I've always been such an idiot to you..."

Ruby hesitated for a moment, but then smiled softly.

"Because... I care about you. Zip, much more than you know"

Zip looked at her, incredulous.

"What...? Are you serious?"

Ruby nodded firmly.

"Yes. Because I like you..."

The world stopped for a moment. Zip opened her lips in surprise, and for the first time, that tough-girl facade completely cracked.

"Y-You can't be serious... you..." she murmured, searching Ruby's screen for any hint of doubt or deception.

But all Zip found was a look that said she was completely serious.

A blush covered her cheeks, and, not knowing what to do, she hid her face against Ruby's chest, as if that way she could protect herself from what she felt.

Ruby tenderly wrapped her arms around her back and hugged her tightly.

The silence was no longer awkward. It was warm. Intimate. At the edge of the pool, beneath the echoing water and the sky tinged with the colors of the sunset, Zip allowed herself to rest.

And Ruby, with a calm smile, stroked her hair, silently promising herself that she would never let her feel invisible again.

"What... is... this?" Ruby wondered after reading what Riley had managed to write while she was able to snatch the phone from her hands.

"A tender and sentimental moment" Riley replied with a playful smile.

"I'm not even like that!" Ruby retorted, her screen turning red with embarrassment.

"Hey, I already wrote Zip as the one who wears the pants in the relationship" Riley said, puffing out her cheeks. "It's about time we changed that!"

"And now Ruby's the one who wears the pants in the relationship" Robby commented, chuckling.

"It's weird imagining Zip like that... but I really liked the emotional charge of the scene" Skell murmured, quite impressed.

"...I'm going to delete this fanfic" Ruby declared seriously.

"...OH NO, THAT'S NOT IT!" Riley shouted, not hesitating to throw herself at her friend to retrieve her phone.

Amidst the shoving and pushing, the argument began to escalate, with Ruby trying to erase the writing and Riley stopping her as if her life depended on it.

Robby and Skell tried to separate them and calm them down, but it was too late. The librarian, still somewhat angry after what happened with Zip, Claire, and Edward, clearly wasn't going to tolerate any more noise in the library.

"Ladies!" roared the librarian, calling both girls' attention.

The result was inevitable: in the midst of the commotion, the librarian kicked them out of the library. The group left with their backpacks in tow, while Riley laughed nervously, her cell phone in hand, Ruby still red-faced.

"Riley..." Ruby growled. "I'm going to make you delete that fanfic!"

Riley just smiled, hugging her cell phone like it was a stuffed animal.

"Sorry, Ruby... but ships rule!"

"Yes… but now because of them we are left without a quiet place to study" Skell murmured, emphasizing the fact.

Chapter Text

The recess bell rang, releasing the students from the classrooms like a noisy tide invading the hallways. Riley came out with Robby, stretching her arms with a yawn.

"I need some fresh air" she murmured. "And a snack... or three."

"First, let's go with the others" Robby replied, adjusting his backpack. "Ruby and Skell should be waiting for us"

As they turned down a hallway, they found Ruby near the stairs. But instead of her usual smile, she looked worried.

"Have you seen Skell?" she asked immediately as Riley and Robby approached.

"Wasn't he with you?" Riley blinked, confused.

Ruby shook her head.

"We have classes in different classrooms. I went looking for him, but his homeroom was empty. I texted him, and nothing"

"That doesn't sound like him" Robby commented, frowning. "Skell doesn't just disappear..."

Unease settled among the three. And they quickly began searching for their friend, asking the students they passed by about him. But the only answers they received were 'I didn't see him' and 'maybe he's in another hallway'

And just when they thought all was lost...

"Kevin, have you seen Skell?" Robby asked, looking at him, hoping he knew something.

Kevin, the school's brainiac, looked up from his book and looked at the group.

"Skell?" he repeated, adjusting his glasses. "Yeah, I did see him. He went into the infirmary a little while ago... with someone"

The three of them tensed at that.

"To the infirmary?!" Ruby exclaimed, alarmed. "Why? Did something happen to him?"

Kevin shrugged.

"I don't know. I only saw him from a distance."

Ruby, Riley, and Robby looked at each other, and after thanking Kevin, the group quickly headed toward the infirmary to look for Skell.

Upon arriving, they cautiously peeked through the half-open door. They expected to find their friend in serious condition, with some injury that would have caused him to be there, but what they saw left them speechless: Skell was sitting on a stretcher, talking to Abbie.

They both had some minor injuries, just scratches and small bruises, but they were laughing softly, as if they understood each other better than expected.

The group at the door pricked up their ears, catching snatches of the conversation.

"I'm really sorry, Skell" Abbie said, looking down. "If you hadn't tried to help me, you wouldn't have gotten into that fight"

"Nah, you have nothing to apologize for. I wasn't going to let Edward and Zip bother you like that" Skell made a dismissive gesture, though his face was genuinely calm.

"But not only did they hurt you, but your cell phone broke too..." the black-haired boy muttered, feeling guilty.

"Hey, don't worry, I can easily get another one" the emo boy replied, reassuringly. "Besides, I'd had enough of those two's behavior. Someone had to teach them a lesson"

Abbie looked at him in surprise, then smiled shyly.

"Anyway... thanks"

Robby and Ruby looked at each other, relieved to see that nothing serious had happened to Skell. However, they noticed Riley's expression: those bright eyes, that smile of suppressed excitement... they knew her all too well.

"Riley, no..." Ruby whispered.

But it was too late. Riley had already taken out her phone, her fingers moving at lightning speed as she giggled like a little maniac.

"We already lost her..." Robby muttered, rolling his eyes.

The three of them moved away from the entrance to the infirmary, and Robby and Ruby looked over their friend's shoulder, seeing the title of her new work... 'In the Rain: Abbie x Skell'

The sky was covered with heavy gray clouds, and the rain fell relentlessly, pounding steadily onto the empty streets.

Skell, holding his black umbrella, walked calmly, enjoying the melancholy the weather brought him. For him, the rain had always been a comfort: the sound that isolated him from the world and, at the same time, made him feel less alone.

As he reached the bus stop, he spotted someone sitting on the metal bench. A hunched figure, his uniform soaked and hair sticking to his face. Skell frowned when he recognized him: it was Abbie, the shy, quiet boy from his school.

The boy's hands were trembling slightly, not only from the cold, but also from the small wounds on his arms and face.

"Abbie... What happened to you?" Skell asked, his tone serious, although his eyes revealed genuine concern.

"Skell?" Abbie looked up, surprised to see Skell, of all the people who could have found him like that...

The apple boy swallowed before answering in a shaky voice.

"I-it's nothing... Just... Oliver and his friends bothered me a little" he replied, looking down. "They made me stay at school longer, and when I got out, the last bus had already left"

Skell frowned almost immediately at the mention of the white-haired boy and his gang but remained calm before speaking.

"And you haven't called your mom to pick you up?" Skell asked, curious.

"I was going to do that! But..." Abbie murmured embarrassedly.

"But...?"

"My phone died... so I can't tell my mom" Abbie replied, staring at the ground. "So... I'm waiting for the rain to stop so I can go home..."

Skell looked at him silently for a few seconds. Then, he shook his head.

According to the forecast, the rain wasn't going to stop until tomorrow, so the poor black-haired boy could be stuck there all night if Skell didn't do something about it.

The feline considered lending his phone to Abbie so she could contact his mother so he could pick him up and keep him company until he got there so he wouldn't be alone, since he didn't feel comfortable leaving just like that.

But seeing how soaked the boy was, coupled with the cold weather surrounding them, which would cause him to catch a cold, made Skell make a difficult decision, even for him.

"This rain won't stop until tomorrow... you'd better come with me"

"Huh?" Abbie watched him with wide eyes, unsure if he had heard correctly.

"You can take refuge in my house... it's not far, and you could charge your phone there"

"R-Really?" Abbie asked, still incredulous.

"Yeah... Or would you rather stay here all night?"

The silence lasted for a few seconds, but finally, Abbie nodded. She stood up and stood under the umbrella next to Skell.

They walked very close, so close that Abbie could feel the occasional brush of her arm against Skell's, something that made him nervous but also gave him a sense of security.

When they finally arrived, Abbie was speechless when he saw Skell's house. In front of him stood a huge mansion, with high gates, lit windows, and a stone path leading them to the main entrance.

"You... live here?" he asked in amazement.

Skell shrugged, as if it weren't important.

"Yeah, although I don't blame you for doubting it is… come on, let's go in"

Upon entering, they were greeted by the sight of the opulent and glittering lobby, with a few staff members going about their duties. Among them, a butler approached as soon as he noticed them, offering a small bow.

"Welcome home, Master Skell. It's good to have you back," the man said politely. "And with company..."

"Hey Igor... yeah, he's uh... a classmate from school, he'll only be here for a while" Skell explained briefly, before looking around somewhat nervously. "Hey Igor, are Mom and Dad home?"

"Oh my, and I thought the first people you'd bring here from school would be your friends, Master Skell..." Igor replied sarcastically. "And no, your parents aren't home; they left for the theater a few hours ago"

"Perfect..." said the black feline, taking Abbie's wrist and starting to walk. "We'll be in my room. I don't want you to disturb us unless necessary"

"As you wish, Master Skell" the butler replied, giving a final bow in farewell.

The two boys walked through the elegant, quiet hallways until they reached Skell's room.

The contrast was immediate: dark walls, metal band posters, shelves of records, a guitar leaning in the corner, a huge flat-screen TV against the wall, and dim lights illuminating the room with an intimate feel.

It was, without a doubt, the room of an emo boy like Skell.

The feline searched his closet and handed Abbie a towel and a change of clothes.

"Dry off and change. Before you catch a cold."

Abbie hesitated for a moment, uncomfortable, but finally agreed and went to the bathroom.

When he returned, his clothes dry, he looked different: more relaxed, although still with shyness reflected on his face.

While the boy charged his cell phone in a nearby outlet, Skell approached with a first-aid kit.

"Let me see those wounds"

"N-no need, really..." Abbie murmured, blushing.

"Abbie..." Skell insisted, frowning.

After that, the raven-haired man relented, and they both sat on the edge of Skell's bed. Carefully, the feline cleaned each scratch and applied a dab of disinfectant.

Abbie winced slightly in pain, but at the same time, she felt something strange: a comforting warmth that came from the sincere attention Skell was giving her.
It was odd, especially coming from Skell.

"You should defend yourself more..." Skell said softly, cleaning a scrape on his arm.

"No... I'm not good at that" Abbie replied, looking down. "I'd rather not fight anyone..."

Skell watched him, noticing how fragile he seemed at that moment. But then, Abbie smiled shyly as he thanked him, and that simple gesture disarmed him.

He was so used to seeing him always downcast at school that the smile made a strange feeling run through his chest.

"You're different when you smile..." he murmured without thinking.

Abbie looked at him in surprise, blushing up to his ears.

"Huh?"

Skell looked away, clearing his throat.

"N-nothing, forget it..."

Once Skell finished treating his wounds, Abbie's cell phone charged enough for he to call his mother, explaining where he was. She told him she was on he way there to pick him up immediately.

"My mom will be here a few minutes" Abbie said, putting his phone away after hanging up.

"So it seems..." Skell murmured, looking away.

Tension fell over the room, enveloping them both in a bubble of silence interrupted only by the sound of rain hitting the windows.

After what seemed like a while, Skell was the first to stand, grabbing a pair of console controllers and turning on the screen.

"Shall we play something in the meantime?"

Abbie's eyes lit up at the suggestion.

"Video games? Sure! Although... I'm not very good at them"

"That's better for me" Skell replied with a half-smile.

Soon, the sounds of the game filled the room, along with their laughter. Abbie found himself laughing out loud, while Skell, for the first time in a long time, felt the weight of his world lighten.

Time passed quickly, and a knock at the door interrupted them. The butler appeared, elegant and discreet.

"Master Skell, the guest's mother has arrived" Igor informed them.

Both boys looked at each other, knowing it was time to say goodbye. Abbie stood up, grabbing his now-dry uniform in a bag while Skell escorted him to the entrance.

Once there, Abbie turned to Skell, giving him a smile.

"Skell, thank you... really. If it weren't for you, I'd still be out there soaking wet"

Skell shrugged, trying to hide the warmth he felt.

"It was nothing. But... don't tell anyone about the mansion, okay?"

Abbie nodded, smiling knowingly.

"Your secret is safe with me"

Just as the apple boy was about to leave the door, he paused for a moment, looking at Skell as if he wanted to say something more, but quickly changed his mind, limiting himself to murmuring softly, his cheeks flushed.

"See you tomorrow at school... Skell"

And with that, Abbie ran toward her mother's car in the rain. Skell remained in the driveway, watching her drive away. He felt something strange, but pleasant in his chest: a warmth that contrasted with the storm.

Something that, even if he didn't admit it out loud, made him look forward to the next day.

"A mansion?" Robby demanded, barely finishing reading the text. "Riley, what kind of fantasy is that? Since when would Skell be a millionaire?"

"We haven't even seen his house" Ruby added, incredulous. "That's really over-imaginative!"

"Hey, let me dream! You should be thankful that when it comes to Skell or Ruby, I hold back a lot with my fanfics" Riley replied, puffing out her cheeks.

"Since when do you hold back when it comes to your ships?" Ruby asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, believe me, I do. If not, I'd have done kissing scenes by now, but out of respect for you all, I won't" the little girl with pigtails explained seriously.

Just then, the infirmary door opened. Skell came out, waving goodbye to Abbie with a small smile... only to find himself standing right in the hallway with his three friends.

Her gaze dropped to the phone Riley was holding with a little too much enthusiasm, then she sighed deeply.

"Let me guess... they heard everything, and now Riley wrote something about me and Abbie, right?"

"Yeah" Ruby and Robby responded immediately, ratting out their friend.

"Traitors..." Riley muttered, grumbling.

Skell looked between his friends before reaching out to the little girl with pigtails.

"Can I see?"

"If you promise not to delete it if I show it to you..."

Skell sighed in resignation and nodded. He took his phone and began to read.

At first, he chuckled softly at Riley's witty comments. But as he continued, his face changed. He became serious, too serious, with an expression that surprised everyone.

Ruby and Robby exchanged nervous glances.

"Must be because the fanfic was so ridiculous..." Robby muttered.

"Probably..." Ruby muttered back.

But, to everyone's surprise, Skell looked up and stared at Riley.

"...How did you know?"

"Know what?" Riley asked, confused.

"That I live in a mansion. That... my family has money."

The silence that fell was almost deafening. Ruby and Robby opened their mouths simultaneously, looking at Skell and then at Riley, processing what they just heard.

"Wait, R-Really?!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Are you a millionaire?" Robby added, incredulous.

“No! I mean yes, although for… personal reasons, I’ve kept it a secret. But what I want to know is…” He looked at Riley again seriously. “How the hell did you find out? I’d hidden it well…”

Riley looked at him with complete innocence.

“I didn’t find out. I just… got carried away. Although, come to think of it, there were clues. The way you talk, how you never worry about money when you go out, or how for my birthday you brought me a pretty expensive set of pencils you said you bought with your 'allowance' I guess my imagination did the rest when I wrote this fanfic”

Ruby and Robby stared at her, mouths agape.

“…So” Robby said slowly. “your crazy ship imagination can also guess real secrets?”

“That’s kind of scary…” Ruby added, crossing her arms.

Riley simply smiled, dismissively.

“Hey, calm down. It was just a coincidence. Also, the ship turned out great! Maybe I'll make a second chapter, hehe"

The little girl with pigtails retrieved her cell phone from Skell and started walking toward the cafeteria as if nothing had happened. Her friends followed her, still trying to process what they had just discovered.

Riley, for her part, was only thinking about what snack to buy, while her friends were thinking about something very different: that Riley's imagination and observation could be a double-edged sword if she wanted to.

And the worst part was... she had no idea what it was.

Although... maybe it was better that way.

Chapter Text

Math class moved as slowly as an hourglass that refuses to empty. Miss Circle, with her cold gaze and her compass always ready to hit the desk, explained fractions with such false enthusiasm it seemed like Chinese torture.

In the midst of this academic nightmare, Riley discreetly slid her phone toward Robby.

"Look, look" she whispered excitedly. "I just finished a new fanfic, Engel and Zip!"

Robby, already knowing what to expect, opened his eyes wide.

"Engel... with Zip? Riley... You know those two hate each other, right?"

Riley stifled a laugh, proud.

"Shhh, just read it"

Robby rolled his eyes but still tilted his head and began reading Riley's new work, which was titled... 'An Unexpected Date: Engel x Zip'

Afternoon was falling at school, and the hallways were emptying as the last students gathered their things. Engel was walking toward the exit to find his friends when he heard a mischievous giggle near the lockers. He didn't need to look twice: Zip was there, crouching in front of his friend Claire's open locker, placing a pair of paint-scented balloons inside a strange spring that Edward had surely made.

Engel couldn't help but frown at that as he walked over until he was standing behind the dragon girl.

"Zip..." he sighed, crossing his arms. "Again with your pranks?"

Zip looked up, surprised for a second before her lips curled into a mischievous smile.

"Oh, wow, but it's Engel's nobleman, what a surprise!" Zip said sarcastically.

"Just... stop bothering her, will you? Claire hasn't done anything to you" Engel said, too tired to argue.

Zip stood up, dusting her hands. She walked toward him with casual steps, looking at him brazenly.

"I could leave her alone, sure... but only if you do something for me"

Engel frowned. He imagined her asking him to do his homework, carry his things, or do some embarrassing thing in front of everyone. Still, he sighed, if this would stop them bothering Claire...

"What do you want?" Engel finally asked.

"A date" Zip blurted out, smiling as if it were the most natural idea in the world.

Engel fell silent, then blinked, incredulous and wondering if he'd heard her correctly.

"A... date?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow, after school, at the mall. Don't miss it." And before he could answer, Zip ran off with a playful laugh.

Leaving the boy alone in the middle of the hallway, still processing the fact that tomorrow... he would have a date with Zip...

The next day, after school, Engel waited at the entrance to the mall, wearing a pair of black pants and a shirt with a sweater over it.

Engel looked at his watch several times, but Zip didn't appear. As time ticked by, doubt began to gnaw at him. What if it had all been another one of her pranks?

An hour later, Engel sighed.

'Surely she won't come... what an idiot I am' he thought, starting to turn around to leave when he heard a voice calling his name.

"Engel! Wait!"

The boy turned his head and saw Zip, running toward him, wearing a black tank top, a red jacket, and ripped jeans, her hair loose and combed more carefully than usual.

"Sorry, sorry, I know I'm late" she said, scratching the back of her neck, embarrassed. "I couldn't decide on what to wear... and convince Edward to babysit my brother"

Engel was speechless for a few seconds.

"N-no problem" he managed to say, surprised to see her so different. "I thought... you wouldn't come..."

"And miss this? No way!" Zip exclaimed, taking Engel's arm. "Come on, let's not waste any more time"

And with that, Zip led the boy into the mall, beginning their date.

What Engel expected to be a disaster turned out to be the complete opposite. Surprisingly, the date was... fun. A lot of fun.

Zip first dragged him to the arcade, where they played the racing machines until she ended up making fun of his poor driving.

Then they strolled downtown, stopping at shops only for Zip to try on ridiculous hats in front of the mirror and force Engel to wear one too, making exaggerated comments to make him laugh.

And he succeeded. Engel couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed so much in a single day.

Finally, they ended up with a couple of ice cream cones in hand, sitting on a bench in the nearby park.

The sun was beginning to set, tinting the sky orange and pink.

Engel, savoring his vanilla ice cream, couldn't stop thinking about how strange it all was. Of all the things Zip could have asked for... why go on a date with him?

The boy glanced at Zip, who was enjoying his mint chocolate ice cream with a huge smile.

The scene felt surreal to Engel, unable to believe that the girl who constantly bothered him and his friends would turn out to be... quite pleasant company when she wanted to be.

After a few moments of silence between them, Engel couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

"Hey Zip... Can I ask you something?" he began in a low voice.

"Sure, tell me!" Zip replied, wiping the chocolate residue off with her tongue.

Engel hesitated for a moment, but finally mustered up the courage to ask:

"Zip... may I know why you asked me out?"

She rolled her eyes, as if the answer was too obvious.

"Well, because I like you. What other reason could there be?"

Engel opened his mouth, surprised. Although he had suspected as much, hearing it from her directly disarmed him.

"Do you... like me? But... you're always bothering me and my friends"

"What other way did I have to get your attention?" Zip shrugged. "It was either that or let you walk away like it was nothing"

Engel didn't know what to say. He just stared at her, trying to process what he'd heard. Zip snorted impatiently and tossed his ice cream aside.

"Look, I'm not good at this stuff. But you didn't understand..." She leaned in suddenly, cupping his face in her hands.

Before Engel could say anything, Zip kissed him on the lips. It was a quick, playful kiss at first, but when Engel reacted, the surprise gave way to a warmth he hadn't expected as he dropped his ice cream to the floor.

Little by little, she closed her eyes and reciprocated, slowly and sincerely.

When they broke apart, Zip was blushing up to her ears, though she tried to maintain her nonchalant air.

"Wow... you kiss better than I imagined" Zip commented, letting out a laugh.

Engel looked at her, still with that mixture of wonder and tenderness, unable to help but smile.

"I could say the same about you, heh"

They both remained like that, laughing quietly, enjoying that intimate moment in the soft light of the sunset, knowing that something had changed between them.


Robby raised an eyebrow after reading the last few paragraphs.

"How the hell do you go from hate to... that?" he asked in a whisper.

Riley let out a stifled chuckle.

"Anything is possible with the magic of fan fiction, my dear Robby"

But before she could continue, a sharp rap of a ruler against the blackboard echoed throughout the classroom.

"Riley..." Miss Circle spoke, staring at the little girl with pigtails. "Distracting you in my class again?"

The entire classroom fell silent. Riley gulped as the woman walked toward her like a hungry beast.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to..." Riley murmured embarrassedly.

Miss Circle stared at her up and down, as if she were analyzing her before speaking.

"You know, out of all my students, you're the most annoying" the teacher spat out. "I didn't say anything to you because your grades were... acceptable. But now..."

The teacher took out a folded test sheet and unfolded it in front of her. At the top, highlighted in red, a large F glistened like fresh blood, a seal of her judgment.

"Now I have the perfect excuse to get rid of you," Miss Circle said with a crooked smile.

Riley paled as soon as she saw the grade on her test, and practically jumped out of her seat when Miss Circle held up the edge of her compass to the light.

"N-no, wait! I can do better, I swear!" Riley cried as she backed away, terrified.

And before she could run, the plea wasn't enough. The compass descended with lightning speed and embedded itself in her chest. Pain cut her in two; her breath escaped in a strangled gasp, and a rush of blood stained her lips. The scream never came out: it was lost in her throat.

The classroom erupted in screams, terrified shrieks, overturned chairs, and desperate footsteps, but everything sounded distant, as if Riley were drowning underwater.

Miss Circle withdrew the compass with a wet crack, and blood splattered the floor. A brutal kick slammed her against the wall; the impact jarred her skull, clouding her vision with white flashes.

A high-pitched ringing pierced Riley's ears as she tried to push herself up off the floor, but she could only raise her head, barely making out the figure of the teacher raising the compass again.

"N-no... please" the little girl begged desperately, her voice cracking, crawling in a futile attempt to escape.

But it was in vain.

The blade descended like a hammer and pierced her skull. Riley's scream rent the air and shattered into a death rattle.

Her body convulsed, staining the floor red as the teacher lifted her, the compass still embedded in her head, to eye level.

Miss Circle watched with perverse satisfaction at Riley's grotesque state now. Her once-clean clothes were now stained with blood, while her eyes were bulging and filled with tears.

Riley's eyes met Circle's. There was no humanity there, only a grotesque smile enjoying every second of her suffering.

"Goodbye, Riley..." the teacher whispered, showing a row of sharp teeth before opening her mouth on her.

The last glimmer Riley saw was that monstrous smile.

Then, everything went dark. The noise, the pain, the entire room vanished into nothingness.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!"

Riley woke up with a start in her bed, drenched in cold sweat, her breathing ragged, and her heart pounding like a drum inside her chest.

She looked from side to side, still disoriented from sleep, blinking several times, realizing she was in her room.

From the kitchen, her mother's voice called out in concern:

"Riley! Are you okay?"

When the little girl with pigtails heard her mother's voice, she realized it had all been a dream.

"Yes, Mom!" Riley replied, trying to sound calm. "Just... a nightmare..."

She fell back onto the bed, covering her face with her hands. She had never had such a vivid and horrible dream.

The pain that had shot through her chest... the blood... the screams...

It had all been too realistic.

"Why would I dream something so horrible?" the little girl murmured, bewildered.

After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, Riley finally got out of bed, getting dressed to go downstairs for breakfast and school.

But before she could leave her room, something caught her attention: her calendar hanging on the wall.

Her eyes scanned the dates until they stopped on certain days underlined in red ink. It was then that she understood, and with it, a chill ran down her spine.

Exams were just around the corner.

"Oh, no..." she murmured, a lump in her throat.

Chapter Text

At school, Riley looked downcast. Her steps were slow, her shoulders slumped, and her gaze was lost on the floor.

Riley wasn't her usual self, and her friends were the first to notice as soon as they saw her walk into the hallway.

“Riley, is something wrong?” Ruby asked, concerned.

“You look like a ghost, you're so pale” added Skell, raising an eyebrow.

Robby came over immediately, looking at her seriously.

“What's wrong? And don't say ‘nothing,’ because your face says otherwise”

Riley hesitated. She didn't want to sound crazy or worry them, but she knew they would insist until she told them what was wrong, so she just sighed before speaking.

“I... had a bad dream...” said the little girl with pigtails in a low voice.

“A dream? Did you have another weird dream?” asked Ruby, tilting her head. “Like the one where the school was contaminated with radiation and everyone turned into mutants?”

“Um... no?” Riley stammered.

“Or the one about the military school?” Skell insisted, raising an eyebrow. “The one you told us about where Alice stole a button that could destroy the whole school.”

“What? No!”

“Or the dream where the school turned into a circus” added Robby.

“NO! And I already told you not to remind me about it. I'm still traumatized by the part where Principal Grace was a cruel circus owner and fed Alice a piece of Oliver's arm” exclaimed Riley, puffing out her cheeks in indignation.

“So... what did you dream about to make you feel this way?” Ruby asked, staring at her.

Riley hesitated, looking down.

“I... forget it, it was just another silly dream” she replied quickly, turning to walk toward her classroom.

But, as expected, her friends followed her.

"Riley, that's enough. It's obvious something's bothering you" Robby said, catching up with her.

"Yeah, you're not fooling us with 'another silly dream' " Skell added seriously.

"Riri... whatever it is, you can trust us" Ruby said softly, stopping in front of her to block her way.

The little girl with pigtails stopped dead in her tracks, pressing her lips together. She knew she wouldn't get away that easily.

Finally, with a defeated sigh, she spoke:

"Okay... I'll just say it, okay?"

The three of them nodded, now waiting for a clearer explanation.

"I had... a horrible nightmare. Miss Circle was attacking me with her giant compass because I got an F in math... And now..." her voice broke in the middle of her words. "The exams are coming up, and I'm scared I'm going to fail them for real. What if I can't handle them this time? What if Miss Circle really does... finish me off?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks without permission. She really didn't want to cry, but the memories of her nightmare were too much for her.

Her friends fell silent after hearing what the little girl with pigtails said, already understanding what was bothering the little girl with pigtails, and honestly... they didn't blame her.

It was well known that at her school, getting a SINGLE bad grade was enough to get you killed by the dreaded teachers, something students had to accept whether they liked it or not.

Still, it wasn't something anyone could handle, and seeing their normally cheerful and energetic friend now with her head down and tears in her eyes broke their hearts.

Ruby was the first to react, immediately hugging Riley.

"Riri, don't say that. We're not going to let that happen"

"Exactly. Have you forgotten all the times you survived previous exams?" Robby said firmly.

"And you did it because we studied together, and this time won't be any different" Skell added calmly.

"R-Really?" Riley asked, looking at her friends.

Ruby gently stroked her back.

"Of course! And we're not going to leave you alone in this" Ruby replied, gently stroking her back.

Riley, unable to contain her excitement, dragged Skell and Robby into Ruby's arms, holding them tightly.

"You guys are the best friends I could ever have" the little girl with pigtails murmured with a smile.

"Well... actually, we're your only- OW! "Robby began before receiving a pinch on the cheek from Ruby.

"Don't ruin the moment, Robby..."

The recess bell rang, and just as they had planned, the group decided to head to the library. It was the perfect place to study: quiet, with the air dusty with old books, and enough tables to spread out a pile of books, notebooks, calculators, and pencils.

"Okay, guys, crunch time" Ruby announced, gently tapping her folder on the table. "We're going to make sure Riley passes math, no matter what"

"no matter what" Robby repeated with a smile. "That sounds like a threat"

"It is" Ruby replied, staring at him.

Skell, who sat silently across the table, already had his notebook open.

"Stop wasting time" she murmured. "The sooner we start, the sooner we'll be gone"

Riley sighed, resting her forehead on her math book as if she wanted to give up.

"I already feel dead..."

"Not yet" Ruby said, lifting her head with a finger. "You have a lot to learn before you die"

For a while, everything went surprisingly well. Ruby explained the complicated topics, Robby explained the formulas with simple examples, and Skell corrected any mistakes with his usual patience.

Riley, although slow, tried to keep up, copying and repeating the steps.

But then the inevitable happened.

Her gaze shifted to another table, in the brightest corner of the library. There was Kevin, apparently helping Petunia study for exams as well.

Riley's eyes lit up at the scene.

In the blink of an eye, she pulled out her phone and began typing furiously, titling her new work... 'An Afternoon of Studying: Kevin x Petunia'

Kevin's desk was perfectly organized: stacks of math, physics, and chemistry textbooks, highlighters aligned by color, and a lamp illuminating the workspace.

Petunia, on the other hand, looked out of place in the room: sitting in the chair with a bright pink binder on her lap, dressed in the latest fashion, and with a look of annoyance she couldn't hide.

"Kevin, are you sure we can't do this in a... less boring way?" she asked, holding a pencil like it was just another accessory.

Kevin, as calm as ever, didn't look up from his notebook.

"The exam isn't going to be passed with makeup and selfies, Petunia. Focus"

She snorted, leaning back in her chair.

"Ugh, you're boring..." Then, with a mischievous smile, she leaned toward him and snatched his glasses from his hand. "Let's see, brainiac, what happens if I study without you looking at me with those grumpy teacher eyes?"

"Hey!" Kevin exclaimed, surprised.

"Let's see how you look without them" Petunia said playfully. But the joke died in her throat when she saw him head-on.

Without his glasses, Kevin's eyes seemed to shine with an unexpected intensity: a deep, serene, almost hypnotic hue. The contrast with his serious, well-defined face left her speechless.

"Wow..." she whispered unconsciously. "How are you hiding this behind those hideous glasses?"

Kevin silently retrieved his glasses and put them back on.

"Because I need to see properly to study. Now, concentrate"

Petunia, still slightly blushing, crossed her arms with a pout, but returned her gaze to her notes.

It wasn't long before she began to get distracted again, until Kevin sighed, closing his notebook.

"Okay. I have a proposition for you"

She raised an interested eyebrow.

"Something? What kind of deal?"

"If you make progress in your studies, I'll give you a reward"

The sparkle in the rabbit's eyes instantly lit up.

"A reward? What kind of reward? A new purse, tickets to the concert of the month, an expensive coffee...?"

"I won't say what it is. You have to earn it"

Petunia snorted, but deep down she was motivated. For the first time that afternoon, she bent over her notebook and began to study, truly concentrating.

After a while, when she managed to solve a problem without making a mistake, she looked up with a triumphant smile. But the smile froze when she saw Kevin leaning toward her, without his glasses, just inches away.

"What... what are you doing?" she murmured, feeling her face heat up.

Her heart raced, and her lips parted reflexively. She closed her eyes, nervous, waiting for the contact…

A soft touch on her cheek made her open them suddenly. Kevin had just kissed her there, completely naturally, before putting his glasses back on.

"You're doing well, keep it up" Kevin said, too calmly.

Petunia froze for a few seconds, touching her cheek with her fingers.

"A kiss... was that the reward?" she whispered, still confused.

He didn't reply, just pointed to another exercise.

But as the afternoon wore on, each accomplishment brought a different reward: a kiss on the other cheek, one on the forehead, even a playful one on the tip of her nose.

Petunia, her face growing redder and redder, felt her temperature rising faster than any study lamp.

Finally, after another problem was solved, Petunia dropped her pencil abruptly, leaned over him, and shoved him back against the chair, her face burning hot.

"You think you're clever, don't you?" she muttered, trembling with anger and nerves. "With your pretty eyes and your silly rewards... Well, now you'll see who's in charge"

The rabbit girl brought her lips to his, determined to give him the kiss she'd been craving for a while.

But just at that moment, the sound of the door opening echoed through the house.

"Kevin, honey, I'm home" his mother's cheerful voice sounded from the hall.

The two of them suddenly separated. Petunia jumped away, nervously brushing her hair, while Kevin adjusted his glasses as if nothing had happened.

When Kevin's mother came in to say hello, they looked like two exemplary students reviewing a notebook.

"Oh dear, why didn't you tell me you were having visitors today? I would have brought something from the store to give them a nice snack" the woman said with a smile. "Well, I'll have to improvise. Would you like to try a carrot smoothie, darling?"

"S-sure, I'd love to..." Petunia replied somewhat nervously.

When the door closed again, Kevin spoke calmly, adjusting his glasses.

"If you really want that kiss, pass your exams first"

Petunia glared at him, but an amused smile played on her lips.

"Deal, brainiac. And when I approve them... that kiss will be mine"

Kevin smiled faintly, with that serene air that so unsettled her.

"I'll be waiting"

Petunia looked at him in disbelief, but couldn't help but laugh.

"You're unbearable"

But secretly, she was already looking forward to that next reward.

Riley chuckled at what she wrote, making her friends realize what she was doing.

"Riley... tell me you didn't..."

"Just one more chapter!" she said, still writing. "Kevin x Petunia... it's perfect. They're like... the typical popular girl x nerdy boy cliché!"

Robby covered his face with his hands.

"Really? We're two days away from exams and you decide to ship... Kevin and Petunia!" the boy whispered after seeing what his friend had written while looking over her shoulder.

Skell didn't even look up from his notes.

"Why am I not surprised?" he muttered under his breath.

Ruby snatched the phone from him in a swift motion.

"That's enough! This goes in your backpack until you finish studying"

Riley snorted like a cat whose food has been taken away, but reluctantly agreed.

After a few more minutes of studying, Riley called for a break. She left the table and walked among the bookshelves, seeking a moment of solitude.

Once she was far away, she leaned against a wall, staring at the floor. Even though she had the help of her friends and was trying hard to study, the fear was still there, like a thorn in her neck.

She remembered her nightmare, Miss Circle's cold voice, the giant compass... and the knot in her stomach tightened even more, and with it, a host of doubts crossed her mind.

What if I fail? What if I can't reach it this time with my friends' help? What if that nightmare comes true?

The little girl with pigtails brought her hands to her face, small tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"What if I can't do it...?" she whispered, biting her lip.

"You can't do what?" The voice startled her, and Riley looked up to see Oliver, leaning casually against a nearby shelf.

"O-Oliver!" she stammered, quickly wiping her eyes. "I-it's nothing... anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Alice doesn't have much to do in her room, so she brought her some books for her to hand in" the white-haired man replied with a crooked smile. "And yeah, of course. Nothing... It's obvious something's wrong with you"

Riley hesitated, but ended up telling him everything: from her nightmare with Miss Circle and her brutal death, to her fear of failing the upcoming exams.

Oliver simply listened, raising an eyebrow.

When she finished, he let out a short laugh.

"Wow, and I thought you were just sad because you ran out of ideas for your writing"

Riley looked at him with glassy eyes.

"It's not funny..."

Oliver laughed a little, but soon changed his tone.

"Okay, okay. Look, I'm not exactly the most caring person in this school, but... here"

He pulled a thick notebook from his backpack and held it out to her. Riley took it curiously, opening the cover. As soon as she saw it, her eyes widened.

"These are… your math notes?"

"In person and in full color" Oliver said with a proud gesture. "They're so complete that even Miss Circle would have to ask me for copies"

Riley blinked, surprised.

"Are you really going to lend them to me?"

"Sure, you look so worried that even I'd feel like a monster if I didn't do anything..." she admitted, shrugging. "If you study with that, you'll pass without problems"

"True, you always get A+ on every exam..." Riley murmured, still in amazement.

"Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to have my brilliant intellect" Oliver commented self-absorbedly. "I'm so smart I could have graduated from this school years ago if I wanted to"

Riley couldn't help but smile, though she replied somewhat mischievously,

"Yes, but if you graduated, you'd have to leave Alice behind... and you love her too much to leave her alone"

Oliver was silent for a second, then smiled genuinely, a more sincere gesture without any trace of mockery or malice that always accompanied him.

"You're right, dwarf" He gently ruffled her hair. "I love my beautiful princess so much to leave her alone..."

Riley just chuckled, hugging the notebook to her chest.

They both stayed like that for a few seconds, until Oliver took his hand off the little girl's head, taking a step back.

"Take care of those notes. And give them back to me after the test, okay?"

"I will! Thanks so much, Oliver!" she said with a bright smile.

Oliver just nodded and walked down the hall toward the library exit, probably to meet Alice.

Riley watched him go, still holding the notebook. She felt the fear inside her begin to subside, replaced by a new confidence.

"Maybe... I can do it" she whispered to herself, with a renewed smile.


When she returned to the table with her friends, Riley looked different. Not entirely confident, but stronger.

"What's that face?" Ruby asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing" Riley replied, hiding her notebook behind her. "Just... This break was good for me"

Her friends looked at each other, puzzled by the sudden change, but no one was bothered.

After all, the important thing was that Riley believed in herself again to face the dreaded exams.

Chapter Text

After two days of intense studying... the day had finally arrived.

Morning dawned overcast, as if even the heavens knew what awaited Riley.

As she left her room, her backpack hanging loosely on her back, she found her mother in the kitchen. Elisa was finishing her coffee while preparing breakfast when, without warning, Riley hugged her tightly.

"I love you so much, Mom..." she murmured, her voice almost breaking.

Elisa froze for a few seconds. Her daughter was rarely so effusive in the mornings.

"So why is this so sudden?" she asked with a soft smile, stroking her hair.

"I just... I feel like I don't tell you this often" Riley replied with the best smile she could muster.

"Oh Riley..." Elisa leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I love you so much too, I always do"

Riley simply nodded as she sat down to eat her breakfast.

There was a time when she thought about telling her mother what was happening at school, about telling her how three teachers were randomly killing students who got a bad grade in their subjects.

But she never did for several reasons. First, because her mother, someone who relied on the most reasonable and logical approach, probably wouldn't believe her that students were literally being killed at her school.

Even if she managed to convince her it was true, she feared what those three teachers might do to her mother, because she knew her too well.

Elisa would not only pull her out of school, but she would do everything possible to report the trio of teachers to the police and put them in jail, but... who knows if she would succeed without Miss Circle, Miss Bloomie, or Miss Travel doing anything about it.

That and other imaginary scenarios only made Riley feel nervous about what might happen on the exam today, but she hide that fear and anxiety so as not to worry her mother.

After finishing breakfast, brushing her teeth, and letting her mother comb her hair, she opened the front door.

"I'm going to school now..." announced the little girl with pigtails.

"Have a nice day at school, honey" Elisa said with a smile, saying goodbye to her daughter.

Riley simply nodded in response, recording her mother's smiling face before heading off to what she considered her final destination.

The math classroom was filled with tension. Every desk was lined up. And there, at the front, Miss Circle watched everyone with her cold eyes and firm posture.

Riley looked at her friends a couple of seats away. Ruby smiled confidently at her; Robby gave her a thumbs-up; Skell nodded serenely. The little girl with pigtails closed her eyes for a moment, holding onto that energy before Circle spoke.

"Okay, students, I hope you've studied for this test. There are 25 questions and you have one hour to answer..." the teacher's voice echoed through the room. "Starting now"

The papers fell onto the desks. Riley looked at hers, her heart pounding.

Riley looked down at the first question.

For a moment, fear tried to take hold of her.

She remembered the giant compass from her nightmare, Circle's evil laugh... but she also remembered the hours of studying, the support of her friends, and Oliver's detailed notes.

The little girl took a deep breath, tightened her grip on the pencil, and began to write.

Time became a blur. Each second seemed to stretch on longer than necessary, like lead.

But finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Riley lifted her head. She was done. Her heart still pounding in her chest, she walked to the desk and handed in her test.

"I'm done..." she said, almost in a whisper.

Miss Circle didn't respond. She just picked up the paper with her trademark intimidating air as Riley quickly returned to her seat, hoping for the best.

The silence in the room was unbearable as Miss Circle reviewed.

The students held their breaths every time the teacher lingered on a test longer than usual.

Finally, the demon woman stood up from her desk and began handing out the grades, one by one.

Some students showed relieved expressions, others looked defeated.

When Miss Circle arrived in front of Riley, she stopped.

Her eyes bored into the girl's, as if seeking to penetrate her soul. Riley tensed, ready to hear the verdict.

But instead of a cruel grimace, Circle dropped the test on her desk with a slight nod.

In red, at the top, an A+ glowed.

"Good work, Riley" she said in a dry voice, though with a slight tinge of approval. "Looks like you've finally gotten serious about your studies"

It took Riley a few seconds to react.

She looked at the grade, then at the teacher, then back at the paper. And then... she smiled.

It was the first A+ she'd gotten all year!

When the bell rang, the pent-up tension exploded into jubilation. Riley practically skipped out of the room, arms raised as if she'd won an Olympic medal.

Her friends immediately surrounded her, congratulating her and lifting her off the floor with laughter.

"You did it, Riri!" Ruby exclaimed.

"I knew you could do it" Robby said happily.

"I guess we don't have to find you a coffin now" Skell added, though with a half-smile that gave it away.

"I still can't believe it, guys! I survived!" Riley exclaimed, laughing happily, feeling invincible after passing.

Until, in the midst of her joy, she noticed something in the distance.

Lizzy and Kevin surrounded Petunia, congratulating her on also doing well on the test.

"Petunia, I'm glad you passed!" exclaimed Lizzy, hugging the bunny girl. "I was already worried I wouldn't have my best friend with me anymore..."

"Oh Lizzy, don't say that! I passed thanks to Kevin's help!" said Petunia, turning to look at the boy with glasses.

"... Don't even mention it. If I didn't help you, Lizzy wouldn't leave me alone if something happened to you" said the boy, turning around to leave before the two popular girls could grab him.

"Not so fast, Mr. Grump, let's celebrate this properly..." said Lizzy with a mischievous smile.

"And what better way to celebrate than with... selfies!" declared Petunia, taking out her cell phone and turning on the camera.

In a matter of seconds, poor Kevin was trapped between the two girls, unable to do anything but give in while they took the damned photos.

Riley's eyes lit up at this.

"This... is pure gold"

She pulled out her phone and began furiously typing a new fanfic, titled... 'Two popular girls and a nerd in a classroom: Lizzy x Petunia x Kevin'

Kevin was already used to Lizzy and Petunia dragging him everywhere.

If it wasn't to study, it was to carry their backpacks, carry their shopping bags, or simply give verdicts in absurd arguments like: Who looks better with this lip gloss? Or this eyeliner? or things like that…

And Kevin, with his direct, unfiltered honesty, responded as diplomatically as possible, trying not to get caught up in their fashion wars.

Sometimes he thought being their 'trusted brainiac' was a disgrace, but deep down, he'd learned to live with them.

That day, however, when they cornered him in the hallway, he noticed a different spark in their smiles.

"Kev~" Lizzy said, playing with a strand of her hair. "We need your help with something very, very important"

"And only you can decide" Petunia added with a knowing smile.

Kevin looked at them for a moment before sighing, resigned.

"What is it this time? Clothes, makeup, photos?"

The two exchanged a leering look and said in unison:

"Kisses"

Kevin remained silent, processing what he had just heard.

"Excuse me?"

"We want you to help us decide who's the better kisser" Petunia explained, as if it were the most logical thing in the world.

He took a step back, raising his hands.

"That's ridiculous. I don't... you don't..."

But before he could continue, Lizzy and Petunia grabbed him by the arms, dragging him into an empty classroom, locking the door behind them.

Kevin struggled, muttering that it was pointless, but the girls were too determined.

"Come on, Kev, relax. In fact, I'm sure you'll enjoy it~" Lizzy said with a mischievous smile.

"Hey, girls, you can't be serious. We..." Kevin didn't get to finish his sentence. Petunia had already yanked his glasses off.

"First, glasses off" she said matter-of-factly.

"Hey!" he complained, but they both fell silent when they saw his face without them.

Kevin's eyes, unfiltered by the lenses, were intense, serene, with a sparkle they'd never noticed before. Lizzy gasped in surprise, and Petunia whistled.

"Wow, Petunia... you were right, he has beautiful eyes, and he looks pretty handsome without his glasses" Lizzy said, fascinated.

"I told you Lizz, this boy is a diamond in the rough~" Petunia added, with a playful smile.

Before he could reply, Petunia leaned in and kissed him full on the lips.

Kevin stiffened, eyes wide, feeling the warmth of the kiss spread across his skin.

When Petunia pulled away, she smiled contentedly.

"Well?" she asked with a wink.

Kevin opened his mouth to reply, but Lizzy didn't give him a chance.

She held his chin firmly and kissed him back, longer, more defiant.

When he pulled away, he glanced sideways at Petunia.

"That's a real kiss, nothing like that chaste kiss you gave him" Lizzy commented with a mocking smile.

"No good!" Petunia retorted, glaring at her.

Without a second thought, she grabbed Kevin again and repeated the kiss, for exactly the same length of time Lizzy had used, which she didn't like, and went back to kissing the boy.

The girls continued like that, taking turns kissing their know-it-all brainiac.

Poor Kevin ended up dizzy, his lips reddened, and his face covered in small traces of lipstick.

He brought a hand to his mouth, stunned, while both girls looked at him anxiously.

"So... who's better?" they asked simultaneously.

Kevin blinked, still trying to catch his breath.

"I... can't choose. Both of them... are really good kissers"

The girls crossed their arms, disappointed for a few seconds, but then lit up with the same mischievous smiles as always.

"Okay... " Lizzy began calmly. "If you can't decide now, you will later"

"Exactly" Petunia added, taking his arm. "Because from today on, we're your girlfriends"

Kevin almost choked.

"What?!"

"Just like you, Kev" Lizzy repeated confidently. "We like you. You're grumpy, but you're always with us, you're brilliant, well-educated... and, let's face it, very handsome"

"And since we're such good friends..." Petunia continued, giggling. "We have no problem sharing you"

Kevin opened his mouth to object, but closed it quickly. He knew that trying to argue with those two was a losing battle.

And deep down, even if he didn't admit it out loud, there was something in his chest that made him feel... warm, strangely happy.

"I guess I don't have a choice, do I?" Kevin sighed, resigned.

The girls laughed triumphantly. They immediately took out their phones and, without giving him a moment to pause, glued themselves to him, kissing him on both cheeks while taking pictures.

Kevin rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide the slight smile that escaped him.

Just like that, without meaning to, he had gone from being the nerd who was being dragged by two popular girls... to being both of their boyfriend.

Riley smiled at her new work, hitting the save button. Her friends, of course, saw what her friend wrote, and all three of them rolled their eyes.

"Really, Riley?!" Ruby protested, exasperated.

"Right after saving your own skin in math?" Robby added.

"Seriously, Riley, your priorities..." Skell muttered, shaking his head.

Riley didn't flinch, smiling mischievously.

"Look, guys... I could have died in that room if I failed," the little girl with pigtails explained, looking at her friends. "Life is short, and I'm going to enjoy it my way: writing my fanfics!"

The group sighed in unison. With Riley, they knew there was no way out.

As they were about to head out to the cafeteria, Riley stopped dead in her tracks, remembering a small detail.

"The notes!"

She shot down the halls until she found herself standing in front of Alice's room. Oliver's backpack was leaning against the door.

The little girl bent down to put the notebook inside, but then she heard muffled laughter on the other side.

She leaned over and pressed her ear to the wood.

Alice's unmistakable laughter mingled with Oliver's.

There was tenderness in their voices, small murmurs that needed no translation.

Riley smiled to herself.

"I'd better not interrupt..."

She stuffed the notes into her backpack and took out a small piece of paper. She wrote quickly in her somewhat messy handwriting: 'Thanks for the notes, Ollie :)'

She placed it on top of the notebooks, closed her backpack, and walked away silently, a smile on her face.