The Unfortunate

Distraction

"I see you're getting confident." Christie commented on the shorts. Dawn flinched, looking away and ignoring their curious gazes.
"Why are you still here?" Dawn muttered, clutching the strap on her shoulder tightly. "And what's with these uniforms?" Dawn was visibly nervous, because there was still plenty of students walking around. Absolutely anybody could spot Dawn with these two, and although they didn't look suspicious right now, there was no way in guaranteeing that their faces would stay unknown in the future.
"We look super good in them at least-" Giuseppe said boldly, and for a moment Christie looked annoyed that she didn't get to say that line. The blonde put her hand out to quiet the Italian boy.
"You know," Christie began, stepping forward to Dawn. "this school isn't very safe."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dawn bristled, fighting the urge to turn and walk away, fighting the urge to avoid this situation. Surely, Christie didn't mean that as a threat...?
"Calm your tits.  I just mean that it's way too easy for strangers to get in. The faculty barely looked at our ID's. All we really needed was clothing with the emblem." Christie tapped at the crest on her shoulder, a yellow shield divided into four red sections. "Basically, we can get in here anytime we want. We can spend some quality time with ya! Doesn't that sound fun?" With every sentence, Christie inched closer and closer.
"Please, just leave me alone." Dawn took a cautious step back. "I haven't done anything to make you mad and I haven't told anyone about that night. There's no point in hanging around me anymore." She maneuvered herself around them, planning to go back to her dorm as previously scheduled. They didn't say anything more, but with every step Dawn was aware of two more sounding right behind her. She sped up, glaring until she reached the door to the Girl's Dormitory Lobby. Once she got through those doors, Dawn would be safe.
A cold hand grasped Dawn's arm, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Stay out and talk to us for a little while." Christie sang in a silky voice. Dawn did not turn around, but she did respond.
"I don't have the time." Out of an unbreakable fear, Dawn decided to add, "sorry." She wrenched her arm away, flinching when Christie's nails scraped against her skin. Those nails were around her a second later, this time pulling back roughly and jerking Dawn backwards. Dawn spun around to face her assailants, but was shocked when a hand slammed on the wall just beside her head. Any words she was about to say died in the back of her throat as she realized how Christie towered over her.
"Your attitude really annoys me, Dawn." The blonde said, and Dawn stared up at her in defiance and wariness. She may have been backed against the wall, but she could easily get out of this situation; all she had to do was scream. Dawn looked past Christie, at Giuseppe. He looked uncomfortable, which confused the hazel-haired girl enough to rethink her plan. Christie's next words effectively gripped all of Dawn's attention.
"You're acting as if we're the ones interfering with your life, but we haven't done a single thing. It's rude, you know."
"What are you talking about? You came to my school, you've been stalking me, you forced me to talk-" Dawn indignation was quickly shot down.
"We did all that, huh? You never struck me as arrogant, Dawn."
"Huh!?"
Christie put her forehead to Dawn's, startling her.
"Did it ever occur to you that you could have just ignored us, all this time? You chose not to block our numbers. You chose to tell us to leave earlier today. You just approached us. We haven't started a single thing with you today, so don't you go saying that we've forced you to do shit!"
Dawn was dumbstruck-not just because of the way the blonde trapped her, but because Christie was right. All day today, Dawn had been the one engaging in conversations with them.
"I..." Dawn furrowed her eyebrows, unable to come up with what to say. It was frustrating how smug Christie looked when she leaned back, finally exiting Dawn's personal space. "I'm sorry. I won't approach you anymore, then-"
"Oh, come on Dawn. You know that won't work."
Why'd you suggest it then? Dawn thought exasperatingly.
"What's the point in berating me about talking to you when that's clearly what you want me to do?"
Christie looked around, pursing her lips. Suddenly, she smiled, as did Giuseppe.
"Okay, you got us. Guess the jig is up!" Christie raised her hands in surrender. Giuseppe laughed, as if he knew something funny that Dawn didn't. "Right, Pepe?"
'Pepe'?
"Yeah, we'd better get going. It was nice seeing you again, Dawn!" Giuseppe grinned. "I like these uniforms. Also those shorts look hella good on you." He winked, but Dawn did not have the presence of mind to react to his flirtatious  advances. She squinted at them in puzzlement as they casually walked away. Christie paused, like she suddenly remembered something.
"By the way: your dorm room was kinda messy, so we thought we'd send someone to help you out and clean it up. You can thank us later, alright?" Christie called over her shoulder. The fashionista whipped out expensive-looking sunglasses from who-knows-where and placed them on the bridge of her nose to shield her eyes from the sunlight. "We'll keep in touch." With that, they quickly slid across the courtyard and into the main doors. Christie's words rang in Dawn's head.
Someone from the Dreamers had been inside her room?!
___________
As Giuseppe and Christie walked away, they conversed quietly.
"Did you have to be so mean?" Giuseppe asked, scratching his head.
"At least I got the job done. You didn't do anything." Christie defended herself. She smiled and waved as passing students gawked at her beauty. "I'm just a natural-born actress."
Giuseppe sighed. He liked a lot of things about being with the Dreamers: The raw thrill, freedom, and belongingness, for example. However, he could do without the cold, distant attitude they were expected to emit.
Giuseppe crossed his arms, glancing up at the taller female for a moment.
"When will he meet Dawn?"
Christie shrugged, swiftly providing a meaningless answer.
"Whenever he feels like it. Maybe never, I dunno with him..."
Giuseppe had a feeling that their boss would eventually speak with the girl. Especially after hearing the predictions Coco had made about Dawn, he'd want to check things out for himself. For now, he's content to watch from the sidelines, but soon that just won't be enough. Giuseppe was curious as to what the future truly held.
The two casually strolled through the main office, Christie outstandingly harboring enough confidence to wink at the security guards. Just outside the school, at their rendezvous point, a girl with long black hair waited. The girl narrowed her already thin eyes, her pale arms crossed in irritation.
"Why hello there Alexandria. Had fun rummaging around in a high schooler's closet?" Christie joked, though she was the only one smiling. The raven's scowl deepened.
"I did nothing of the sort!" Alexandria snapped, already hurrying away from the school. "Let's go already. There's something unsettling about this school. Did you get it?"
"Obviously." Christie responded, swinging a keychain around her finger.
___________
Dawn scurried into the building once her thoughts stabilized. What did Christie mean by sending someone to 'clean' her dorm room? Dawn half-heartedly waved to Mrs. Claire, who was simultaneously treating a minor head injury and a broken finger.
The elevator ride was short but unbearably silent.
Once the doors opened up onto the fourth floor, Dawn quietly sped through the hall. Her footsteps were light, audible only as small pats against the tiled floor. Upon reaching her door, Dawn instinctively slid her hand into her pocket, praying that her room was still the same as it had always been.
Her fingers closed around nothing but air. Dawn gasped.
What? No...! She checked her other pocket to get the same result. Dawn's face twisted in panic.
"My keys!"