A Synonym for Chill [COMPLETE]

17. Squip gets an idea. An awful idea.

I wanted to struggle against the grip on my collar, but it felt like I was just a puppet on a string, forced to obey my master. My Squip dropped me in the hallway across from the auditorium, pacing back and forth after he let me go. I rubbed the back of my now-aching neck.

"What the hell was that about?!" I shouted. He glared at me and I felt my blood run cold.

"I'm sorry, Falner, but that girl does not see you as relationship material!" He replied. I clenched my fists.

"Yeah, I know! That's why I got you!" I retaliated. He had the gall to laugh.

"And you're sure you want her ?! There are many females at this school. I'm accessing footage from the girl's volleyball practice, and it's very impressive." He said. His eyes blinked a rainbow of colors for a moment before settling back on their normal neon blue. I let out a low, angered sigh.

"I want Christine," I said simply. He moved in front of me, grabbed my chin, and made me look at him.

"You're sure about that?" He cooed. I flushed red. 

"Y-Yes...?" I said slowly. He laughed softly, letting me go. 

"Mm, you don't seem too sure, my pet," He teased. "Are you sure there isn't...anyone else you might want to pursue?" My heart felt like it was beating out of my ribcage. 

Did I want Christine? 

Or did I want Hope? 

Or Rose? 

Hell, did I want my Squip?!

...

I wanted all four of them.

I swallowed hard and shrank away from my Squip, slumping down against the wall. 

"...I-I..." I couldn't form coherent words. He walked over to me and knelt down so that we were eye to eye.

"Hm...I can sense that you're conflicted. I don't blame you," he said. "Your three eligible bachelorettes are all quite beautiful in their own right. Christine has that theater drive that keeps you going, Hope's bubbly personality makes you smile, and Rose...oh, dear, sweet Rose, she just makes your heart flutter, doesn't she?" I was silent for a moment before speaking. 

"You're missing someone." My voice was soft and almost meek. He raised an eyebrow. 

"Who's number four, then?" He asked. I looked at him for a moment, then looked back at my legs. 

"...you," I mumbled. He looked aghast.

"Me? You have a romantic interest in me?" He asked. He sounded both awestruck and disgusted. I nodded slightly and felt tears prickling in the corners of my eyes. 

"Yes. I want all four of you. Hope, Rose, Christine, and you. I-I can't choose. Please, just...h-help me..." I cried, burying my face into my knees. He was silent for a moment before he let out a quiet sigh and tilted my chin up, wiping my tears.

"I will do everything in my power to get you into a polyamorous relationship with the three women of your choosing." He said softly. I blinked at him, feeling more tears run down my cheeks. 

"Wh-What about you?" I asked. He sighed again. 

"I...I will do everything in my power to give you what you desire, Falner. And if I am what you desire, I am yours to take." He replied.

I pulled him into a hug. "S-So...how do I get Hope, Rose, and Christine?" I asked. He slowly rubbed my back, kissed my cheek, then pulled back. His face showed nothing but regret. 

"You can't." He replied.

"What?!" I asked, panicked. He silenced me with a wave of his hand. 

"Shh. Not yet. Becoming the kind of girl who can impress those three requires a lot more than...working out a few bugs." He gestured to my body with his free hand. "You're going to need to reboot your reputation. Supercharge your social standing. You need to upgrade." He said. I raised an eyebrow in confusion as he waved his hand again, allowing me to speak.

"What?" I asked.

"You need to get popular," He murmured, then seemed to get an idea, his eyes lighting up. "Tear ducts, activate." He commanded. I felt a jolt go down my spine and felt my eyes water. Soon enough, I had the human equivalent of Niagara Falls streaming down my face. Through my blurry vision, I saw Hope run over to me and put her arm around me in a comforting way.

"Falner! I've been looking for you!" She said. I sniffled, wiping at my eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, I just...don't know why I'm crying," I said truthfully. She gave me a gentle hug.

"Well, I do." She replied. I tilted my head.

"Y-You do?" She nodded.

"And I totally understand. They're saying it was a freak hockey accident." I felt my face morph into an expression of pure confusion.

"Wait, wh-what are you talking about?" I couldn't help but ask. She put her hand over her mouth and gasped.

"Oh my God. You don't know...?!" She said in shock. I looked at her helplessly, and she looked ready to burst.

"Eminem's dead!" She finished.

"Eminem's dead?!" I asked in shock before dissolving into another burst of tears. Hope held me close.

"I mean, I was never into him because he was like super old and kinda mean to women, but I know you liked him so..." As she spoke, I turned to my Squip with an accusatory glare.

"Did you know this was going to happen?" I asked. He smirked.

"Of course not." I gritted my teeth, almost slapping the tears out of my eyes.

"So it's a coincidence you told me to wear this shirt?" I nearly shouted the words out. He leaned down so that he was my height, still smirking at me.

"Of course not~" He purred. It took my brain a second to process, but once it did, I felt my face heat up.

"Wait did...did you KILL EMINEM ?!" I screamed. He shook his head.

"No...oooot exactly," He admitted. "My quantum processor allows me to envision probable futures. While I did not know that, today, Eminem would be impaled by that rogue hockey stick, I was aware of the probability of a...favorable outcome." That goddamn condescending, shit-eating smirk never left his face, and I could practically feel the anger bubbling in my stomach.

"Favorable for who?!" I growled. Suddenly, I felt Hope's hand on my arm.

"It's okay, Falner," She said, giving me a rather timid smile. "You don't have to be alone right now."