Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You were in detention once more, and it was probably the longet yet. How did you get into detention this time? Usually you were nice and managed to not get into trouble, but things have been pretty awkward lately...

Let’s get this straight. You were in your senior year, trying very hard to stay sane as little kids ran across the halls (Dumb school, your brain muttered. Shoving olders kids with younger kids together). You were not focused into creating havoc; you were only focused on doing your academics so you cn graduate and never see school ever again.

But you are here because you accidentally spilled a little kid’s chocolate milk.

”What did I say?” the Principal of the Thing leaned across his desk. You sat on front of him this time, on that petite chair facing his desk. “No accidentally spilling a kid’s chocolate milk in the halls.” he pointed a finger tauntingly. 

This wasn’t your first being in trouble because of an awkward incident. This school was pretty dumb, and people got in all sorts of trouble due to doing something “bad.” Last week you landed here for looking at your friend’s locker; and again for trying to look at a poster during passing period. The week before, you were turned in for not looking up as you walked (that was unsafe?) and even came for talking about your test’s difficulty.

And the Principal was there to see everything, and declare you apart of detention. What the heck?

”Why am I in here for the dumbest things?” you asked, almost whining. You just wanted to get home and do your homework already. Time is dying! 

The adult make smirked. “Yes, you are feisty. I suggest some more respect, or else things will be bad.” he pointed out. You had an icky feeling that he was getting you into detention on purpose. And making them longer on purpose. 

“Why am I the one getting into detention for dumb things?” you asked, having to lean back as his face got closer to yours. “Are you looking out for me or something?”

The Principal leaned back, and stood up. His arms were behind his back, and he circled you ominously. The lights weren’t as bright now that you noticed — the first couple times in detention were always eye-killing bright. Now the lights were being a little toned down, but you weren’t so sure. Uh oh... This was very intimidating and unsettling for some reason you don’t understand. Was detention supposed to be this scary, anyway? Well, your idiot friends sometimes told you it did...

The Principal cleared his throat and began, “I am a principal for a reason. To keep kids safe, to look out after this school. And whatever I see is considered unsafe or not so academic will be handled with a detention for the offender. And I make it a lot longer so that you will learn. But the thing is, when will you learn?” he turned to look at you, eyes with almost compassion despite the unamused face. 

“When will I learn what?” you raised a brow. Surely you knew all the rules, and that doing dumb little things wasn’t in the real rulebook. Now you thought he was making up all the rules, to be honest. 

“You have any idea why I actually make detention longer? Not that I do it to everyone, of course. You, specifically,” he shrugged, then chuckled out as if it were a joke. “When will you learn the truth?”

“What truth?”

”I like you.”

Chapter Text

Your last year at this crazy school. You were going to be a free person once and for all. 

Or at least, free from the horrible math problems you have been doing for eleven education years. In Here Town, math wasn’t required during your last year before transferring to college or university. Math wasn’t all that bad, but you were thankful about it not being required, of course. Especially since Here School had outrageously annoying math teachers. 

Yep, you read that right. Baldi wasn’t the only annoying math teacher. 

They had stalked you throught the years. That pesky elementary school teacher who was obsessed over numbers (and didn’t have enough enthusiasm for other subjects); that seventh grade math teacher who went crazy if you didn’t show all of your work; that nineth grade teacher who absolutely punished those who messed around during class...

Baldi was the worst one. Not like his real name was that, but he was so horrible, so the students gave him a mocking name. Especially since he had taught you for two years straight — as a sophomore and junior. You had heard how he taught multiple math levels, but in this life he taught you Geometry and Algebra II. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” the bald male questioned you as you were about to head out of class, standing from outside the class. Oops... “I don’t think  you belong in my class. Now why were you going in there while I was out?” he looked down at you, examining your features. You had (E/C) and wore your favorite type of clothes. “Oh! It’s you (Y/N)! I remember you. You did well in Algebra II.” you slapped his handy ruler in a nonthreatening way. 

Yeah, you remembered, internally rolling your eyes. I almost FAILED. You had ideas on what his ruler was for, but didn’t want to freely think about it. 

“Well, why?” he raised a brow, noticing your silence.

You perked up in surprise. “Oh, right. My friend accidentally left her notebook in here during sixth period, and she wanted me to get it for her...” that was a real reason, actually.

Baldi tilted his head. "Oh, that's sweet. But I can't have you leaving without an answer to this math-related question I have for you. It's going to be fun!" he smiled, and his eyes seemed almost brighter at his idea. The grim look of despair fell over you, making him satisfied even further.

"Obviously you need to show work somehow, so I will not bug you on that," his right hand petted your head, almost in an affectionate way. Does he know what personal space is? "Instead, I will have to ask you a question about one thing you should know. Can you recite the quadratic formula for me? If you don't want me to pester you next time, then feel free to tell me what 'completing the square' is too."

You were kinda stumped. Your mouth gaped open in utter silence, trying to peep out a word. But it was like trying to swim in the Arctic’s waters; trying was almost not an option. You did know that the first part was negative B....Everything else had rocketted out of the world for you. Now you were screwed.

”I can’t,” you shrugged, trying very hard not to lose your dignity. “I’m sorry. Just let me go now. No abusing students, teacher.” you pointed out, as if he would smack the ruler at you at any time.

”Oh, no,” Baldi shook his head, looking calm. Although, it seemed like he was trying hard to be calm. “Just keep thinking. I can even give you hints if you’d let. Just keep talking at whatever chance you have, (Y/N).” he told you benevolently, although it now leaned towards obsessed and desiring. 

You raised a brow, unmoving as ever. What did Baldi intend, anyway? His face could only tell you, go on. This wasn’t feeling all too well. Screw your friend for forgetting her notebook! This was a dumb situation you got yourself into. Was a good feeling to help your friend, then a bad feeling to be stuck here. Didn’t feel so radical, was it?

Wait.

Good-Bad feeling. Radical. 

“Uh, it’s negative B and then the plus-subtraction sign thingy?? Then the radical with the stuff inside, right? your mouth fu bled up the words, trying to find the right vocab words. “Right, Baldi?”

Baldi’s eyes lit with gleee before hugging you into a soft embrace. He seemed pretty happy you were finally getting progress, right? “Good! But you have a lot more to say! What else is there in the quadratic formula? Keep talking.” he prodded, half absentmindedly from his praise to you.

Chapter Text

Here School’s outside court was probably the mos peaceful and most aesthetic place in Here Town. Everyone would play and study peacefully and happy and safely. And the sun would shine bright and happily over everyone who basked under it. The courtyard was truly a place where students can feel safe and relaxed.

But not you.

“Let’s play!” Playtime held up her jump rope with excitement, her shadow hovering over your sitting self. “Cmon, (Y/N)!” she ecstatically cried out, jumping as she did so. 

“No, not now, darling,” you replied with almost a frustrated tone. Your hands pressed into your head as a textbook loomed on front of your poor eyes. “I have two tests I must study for!”

But Playtime did not budge. Sure, she was your girlfriend and you wanted to give her all she wanted. Yet, that somehow spoiled her. Now Playtime expected every one of her wants to be fulfilled, and that kind of made you more stressed. For such a happy girl, is there even a way to tell her to buzz off?

Because she was really starting to make you angry.

You could explode.

You could yell at her. 

“I want to see you do at least five super-fast skips,” her dark-colored eyes glittered with glee, tossing the rope onto your open textbook. “It will only last a couple seconds, (Y/N)!”

Her wants and annoying excitement burnt out your sanity and braincells. Now you turned around, your hand accidentally toppling over your pile of books. Your eyes stone-cold and soulless, as only a couple words came out with frosty cold.

”Leave me alone, Playtime.”

Surely that was not as aggressive as it sounded, right?

No. 

Playtime gave a hurtful shriek before grabbing her jump rope and jumped back. Her petite pose was in a rather childish and scared way, with both arms tightly held back in a fearful way.That gave your heart a little stab — you didn’t expect her to be upset that easily. All you had told was to stop! Surely she had to respectfully stop...

”That’s mean,” she muttered out in a shaky voice. With a broken whimper, she fled from the table you sat at. Her running was very loud, giving you heartfelt and fading tap tap tap each time she made a step. 

“Oooh boy,” you slammed your head down onto your book. This was ridiculous — your girlfriend was annoying, and then overreacting like a little toddler. I should make it up to her...But first, let me get to studying and then eating practice.

One day, you found Playtime sitting in the back of the school against the brick wall. Her jump rope was strewn across a couple feet away from her, and she was fiddling with a rock and flicking it up. She seemed sad still, enough to not pay attention to you looming your head from the corner. Heck, your head was above her!

”Playtime,” you called out quietly, making her sit up and grab her jump rope. You found yourself putting your hands on front, in a ‘don’t hurt me’ way. She was seriously going to whip you with a jump rope? “Hey, uhhh...Sorry about what I said to you. I was really busy and I didn’t mean to make you run off.”

She lowered her jump rope. “Fine. Sounds reasonable,” she responded with a sigh, giving a pout-like tone. She crossed her arms. “Sometimes I feel like I’m annoying, anyway.”

”No, you’re not,” you denied her statement rather calmly, and hopefully not in a cheesy way. “Say, just don’t bug me when I’m busy? I would give you everything and you should respect my space a little bit.” 

Playtime looked up at the sky in a thoughtful way. “Oooh. Seems reasonable. I like the idea of getting everything. Like jump rope time right now!” she held out her jump rope to you. “You skip first!”

And you had time to do it all. You and Playtime played with it happilly ever after.

Chapter Text

Your boyfriend has a really bad reputation around Here School. You didn't really see any reason why he was bad though. What gives? He was a good boyfriend of yours, gifting you and treating you as if you were higher than him. Despite his oddities, you cared about him greatly. So what's with Here School talking trash about him? 

"He's a bully," one kid would say, sniffing from crying and red with tears. 

Another kid would chime in, fear in his well-lit eyes. "He took my belongings. Specifically, my money." 

"He shoved me into a locker!" a younger child once accused, telling all of his friends about him. "Bully also took my juice packet as well!"

Well, that's what they all called him. Bully. The nasty and intimidating word for someone so wrong and unacceptable. But either way, you guessed that this was their name for Bill, your chubby and cute boyfriend. He was Bill to you, and to them, Bully. 

You were walking through the halls one day, wearing your (F/C) hoodie as you held your phone. It was only mornng before class, so the Principal couldn't enforce his rules. So you skimmed through social media, reading posts about Bill doing some dastardly things. Stealing, shoving, taunting... It almost made you quite furious. Eventually you would look up to see some other students looking at you; you didn't really know why, but you were semi-popular so it seemed normal.

"Hey," a small girl would go up to you, her brown hair messy and slightly curly. "Are you dating Bully?" she fumbled with her jumprope nervously, as if thinking you were bad like him.

You decided to be honest, being a good bean you were. "Well, yes I am. Bill isn't a bad person at all." you didn't know why you wanted to bring that up. Perhaps it was the truth worth speaking.

The young girl looked up. "Well, I was just wondering. He is by the cafeteria if you wanna go see him." she smiled, before holding out her jump rope. "But first, let's play!"

That’s when you started fleeing, both because of that girl and the fact you wanted to find Bill. You sped down through the halls, although slowing down as one corner because of the principal. Nevertheless, you did not cease to stop finding him. And then you’re going to ask him about these statements and words about him. After turning around multiple corners, you opened up the cafeteria doors and entered. 

Nothing too fishy for the very least. Kids were eating their breakfast and snacks at the tables, munching quietly and sitting with their friends. Everything seemed to be normal, and nothing seemed to be awry or chaotic. Just the normal atmosphere most cafeterias were. 

Well.

You found Bill, alright. The chubby brunette was in the back, cornering a helpless pre-teen and shouting. Because the cafeteria was spacious, the shouting wasn’t much of anything, although some concerned kids took a couple glances occasionally. What was he doing? Maybe that was just Bill’s friend...

”Hey, Bill,” you came right behind him, making him turn around. He seemed to not expect you to be here, from the confused look in his black eyes. “Uh, what’s up, dude?”

The little kid with short, black hair said, “Bully was trying to take my sandwich!” he pointed a finger accusing at Bill, making Bill point a finger back. 

Bill only replied with no other reaction, “Well, (Y/N), this kid was trying to make rumors about me! Spreading lies won’t help.” he gazed intimidatingly as the small kid, and then lurched his hand forwards. The kid quickly held his sandwich back, trying to keep it away from Bill. 

You watched in pure confusion and concern as they had their mini squabble. Bill tried to get the sandwich, and the kid kept it away. Not able to stand it any longer, Bill said. “Give that sandwich to me for a moment. Or else I won’t stop bugging you, kid. Or else my friend here will beat you up.” Hey, that was a complete lie!

Scared and finally defeated, the kid handed the sandwich slowly. Bill promptly held out his hands to receive the food, his eyes looking victorious.

Well.

You slapped Bill’s hands away, making him yelp. Whispering to the kid, you told him not to give it to Bill and that you’ll handle the bully instead. With a face of gratitude and happiness, the kid went aside and headed out in relief. For now, no one’s food will be taken by Bill. That was a good ending for the very least.

”What the heck, Bill?” you gazed at him, making his face sour up. “What’s that for? Don’t you have your own junk to carry around?” that was pretty pathetic of him to do, even. You thought he was an innocent and cute little guy. “Why try to take them from other people?”

”I’m sorry!” he waved out his hands in defense, stepping back a little. You sighed, not being able to fish out some reason why he did that. “Let’s just forget it...” he tried walking away innocently, although you grabbed him by his orange collar to stop him. “Hey!!” 

“Hey, we gotta discuss about your behavior!” you shouted at him, making him facepalm . “I needa re-educate you, boyfriend.” you teased Bill, although what you said was the complete truth.

Chapter Text

You had to admit, there was something odd about your friend here. Not the way he likes to show his love, or the way he thinks of life. It was more of his strange likings and all that. And, well, maybe perhaps the way he speaks. Prince dreams of becoming the principal of Here School, and you secretly thought that his dream wouldn't come true. After all, he gives more love than he gets good grades. And not to mention his annoying attitude.

"Don't go kissing other people in the halls," he warned you once, patting your head. Apparently he was a head taller than you, giving him a lot of rights to annoy you. "Thank you for listening to me, (Y/N)." he patted you yet again, smiling. "And don't leave me in the halls."

To be honest, if he wanted something, he would end his sentence with in the halls. Maybe it was his cute protective attitude; or maybe he was a principal-wannabe. Eiher way, Prince was a really weird guy. Did I mention he wore the same jeans and brown, long-sleeved top? Every single day? That was weird, but it didn't make the relationship tough. You also did not judge his shoe-less feet.

Today was a slightly normal day, since Prince wasn't using his catchline. That was some good thing, because your head almost exploded from annoyance. You two were in the halls, with you in your usual school outfit. Prince was next to you, looking at his phone. You were only keeping your (E/C) eyes on the people who passed bu, and they were mainly students of Here School. Most of them were pretty odd, but far more odd than Prince. 

"Did you see that kid with the mullet?" you whispered to him, as he was still keeping his eyes on the phone. Prince seemed mindless, as if he lost his life at that moment. "He made a huge ruckus in my English class. That's 'cause he was pissed the teacher said she didn't like math."

Yep. That kid with the mullet was known by his last name, Baldimore. He was one of the only people Here School who liked math. Which was really weird, since everyone here resented math and its numbers. No one liked math, so why Baldimore? You could imagine the guy becoming a math teacher one day.

Finally, Prince spoke up. "No talking behind Baldimore's back in the halls," he said quietly, not looking away from his phone. "That would hurt his feelings." he blandly said.

"But look," you said, flailing your arms a little. "That kid could hurt the school one day! I saw him whack your other friend with a ruler!" you warned him, shaking him. "Just today!"

"Yeah, yeah. I wonder when will he learn," Prince nodded mindlessly, using one hand to pull yours off him. "Someone will send him to the principal one day; I am sure of it." 

"Prince!" you shouted at him, almost too loudly. "Stop using your phone and let's do something. We need to avenge your friend." you tried pulling him, but it was no use. He was like a tree that have been rooted for a long time.

Finally, he placed away his phone into his pocket. He sighed out, saying, "Fine. I guess we can avenge my friend. But I don't think this is the right thing to do. Bullying and avenging in the halls doesn't sound very nice."

"It doesn't have to be in the halls," you pointed out, fake coughing. 

Prince sighed in defeat, crossing his arms. "Well, sure thing then. But if we both get caught, I'm pinning the blame on you." he threatened, keeping his eyes on yours. 

You giggled, and then pulled his hand and the two of you ran off in the halls. You had the perfect idea, alright. You were going to get back at Balidmore by...

Er.

Spilling hot chocolate milk on him? Making him angry by using English Class jokes? Or maybe Science Class jokes? Pranking him in another way? Either way, you had to get back at this annoying boy.

”Hey, we shouldn’t be running in the halls!” Prince cried out as you ran, holding onto his hand still. “We could get hurt! We could run into someone and get them hurt! I should make this a rule one day, (Y/N).”

”Idiot. By the time you make this a rule, I won’t be here at Here School,” you laughed evilly at him. “Besides, don’t mind about running in the halls. We are going go annoy Baldimore!”

”This isn’t the most romantic thing, really,” he muttered, just as you two stopped bu the cafeteria’s doors. He glared down at you. “We should be minding our own lives, actually. Doing something else rather than bullying a kid for liking math. What have gotten into you, (Y/N)?”

You defended yourself quickly. “Baldimore hurted your friend with a ruler.”

”And so?”

”We should get revenge.”

”We shouldn’t be getting revenge in the halls.”

”We are going into the cafeteria, dummy.”

”I want to do something else instead. Like, leave the school and go get some Starbucks.”

”No.”

That conversation was really stubby and dumb, but it was a little bit entertaining. Some kids in the back were filming you two from afar, and some others were just giggling. Meanwhile, Baldimore wasn’t in the cafeteria at all. Turns out, you mistakened his eating schedule. You thought that he usually ate his breakfast early before class; but turns out, he usually does so right before class. And the round-headed kid was behind you, staring at you with an unamused face. He was holding one ruler in hand, with a packaged croissant on the other. 

”Uh, (Y/N). Run,” Prince whispered to you, and you turned around in suspicion. 

“Ahh!” you screamed, and ran the opposite direction with Prince, afraid that Baldimore might slap you with a ruler he found.