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Engel tried his best to befriend the new student at Paper School, although he thought there was something weird about her. It wasn’t the fact that Brynn didn’t speak, it was her occasional glitches. Her screen—which had either been staring at the front of the class or at Engel—would flicker colors and spark occasionally before going back to normal. When brought up concerns, the teachers just told him that she’s supposed to do that. To… “restart”.
But Engel knew that the teachers weren’t going to help him out of all students—they kill those who are “failed students”, why would they?
Lately, he’s had the sensation that he's being watched, and not just at school, but wherever he is. Engel doesn’t want to even consider that Brynn is behind this. He doesn’t want to believe that her innocent, confused yet deadpanned stare could be the one looking, no, stalking him. But this all started when Brynn transferred.
Engel decided he’d ask her about it. It was becoming unnerving, and Brynn was the only suspect he had. He approached her before class in the halls, where she was just getting her supplies from her locker. She turned around when she heard footsteps near her, and her normally blank smile formed into an upside down triangle. Her screen then displayed, [Good morning, Alive Being One Engel!] He felt a bit of guilt for blaming Brynn, who’s normally sweet and shy with others.
“Hey… Brynn, I need to ask you a question.” He said with a laugh and smile that both felt equally forced.
[I can answer question, Engel! :D] Brynn’s face flickered for a second.
“…Are you following me home?”
Brynn tilted her face sideways, then began to glitch. Engel stepped back as he saw Brynn’s screen display multiple colored boxes, all dashing too quickly across her screen, and sparks came out before she suddenly just stopped. And as if nothing ever happened, she displayed, [What? Engel?]
“N-nothing…” he replied. He was concerned about her glitches, but also about the fact that she called him “Engel” and not “Alive Being One Engel”…
~~
Engel was studying at home, trying hard to solve equations he knew Miss Circle deliberately made hard. Once again, the feeling that he was being watched returned. His pencil stilled as his body tensed, looking at the window—seeing a rectangle-shaped thing outside behind his curtains. He relaxed, despite his earlier suspicion. He knew it was Brynn.
Just Brynn.
He stood up from his desk, opening the curtain, seeing Brynn’s usual expression on her face, before it displayed, [I brought a gift 4 you!]
She lifted her arms up. Brynn was holding something. At first, Engel didn’t know what it was—but then he started to make out Zip’s form. And the red stains on her clothes. Brynn was holding Zip by the neck, her head slumped forward. He saw no visible injuries, but he managed to catch a glimpse of her unconscious…
Brynn had killed Zip. That was the most likely outcome, which made Engel feel nauseous and lightheaded. She looks so innocent, how could Brynn be so… violent?
“Brynn, did you kill Zip?!” He didn’t wait for an answer before continuing his next question, “Why would you do that?”
Her screen flickered through three colors—white, navy, and then red—before displaying text. [You said she was mean. Now she can’t hurt Engel.]
Brynn thought she was helping, the casual cruelty of her words making Engel sick. He stepped back, but couldn’t help himself and continued to stare. Brynn tossed Zip’s body in through his window, causing him to yell as she entered the room herself. Blood stained the floor and Brynn’s hands, staring at Engel innocently, like she just did something good.
“Brynn… I know Zip was mean to me, but I didn’t want you to kill her! You don’t just… kill people!”
[But Zip was very bad. >:(]
“Brynn, please understand what I’m trying to say.”
[Me just thought that Engel would like me if I did something nice. ♡]
The heart displayed on her screen made his stomach drop. “Engel would like me” didn’t mean as a friend. It was meant as a lover. He knew she wasn’t going to let him go, ever. If Brynn would kill Zip, then what else could she do to others?
The glitches she’d had suddenly made sense to Engel. Brynn was not malfunctioning. Her glitched screen were warning signs to Engel, trying to tell him that Brynn was dangerous all along.