A good two weeks have passed by peacefully at school and Annabell had almost completely made herself into the campus belle. Ironic considering she was Snow White. Her contacts list had become quite extensive, along with her dm's. It was filled with her entire grade's numbers, some underclassmen's, and a good amount of senior's and junior's numbers. The girl had even gained somewhat of a fanbase herself, in the sense that there were people who would follow her around school ready to fill her every whim. In otherwords, eternal allies without the work or like a villainess' henchmen.

She treated them with respect and all. After all, Snow White was a kind girl. It was best for Annabell to keep to her namesake. Nicknamesake. Whatever. Her relationship with Jason had also gotten quite good, as the two were out of comfortable silence to casual small-talk. Nothing in particular was said, but it wasn't forced. Due to her influence Jason had even mellowed out a bit and begun attending classes regularly. Well, only the classes he shared with the campus Snow White.

Once again, like she had for the time she'd been in this world, Annabell sat in front of her white vanity as she applied some lip gloss. This vanity had become a little secret friend to her ironically enough. It gave her a view into the previous Annabell's interests, even if they were mostly cosmetics. She didn't have any lipsticks, only light pink lip gloss and a lot. Quite a few of them had flavors to them. The three perfumes she had lining the upper shelf of the vanity all had subtle flowery scents too, not overpowering in the least. Everything there was light and unassuming but chosen with an expert hand. Someone who knew what they looked good with and what they liked. It made Brooke feel like she was closer to Annabell, despite literally being her. The girl's whole room spoke volumes about her as a whole actually. The bookcase full of history focused volumes, the closet full of blouses and skirts along with a old soccer uniform, the desk with a cup full of colored pens and notebooks full of dreams and ambitions. All of them screamed Annabell. Especially the pictures in her phone.

Family photos, snapshots with her soccer team, and a ton of photos of flowers and historic monuments. The one photo that caught her attention was of Annabell and her father standing in front of a statute, The Thinker, posing comically to match with it. It made Brooke's heart warm and fuzzy. How cruel of the FL to push someone with so many hopes and such personality to the edge without even reflecting on her actions. Brooke's resolve to break her hardened.

"Jules, how's my progress currently?"

[ I'll show you now, Host.

1. Become popular and befriend at least ten people. ✔

2. Get the ML to ask you out. You cannot ask him in any way.

3. Make the entire school hate the protagonist. Any method is valid.

Secret Tasks

- Join a club ✔ ]

"There are secret tasks?"

[ Yes. Did I not mention that? ]

"Not at all, Jules. Not at all."

[ I'm sorry. I thought I did. In my defense, they are 'secret' tasks. ]

"Anything else you're forgetting?"

Jules went silent for a little, Annabell deciding it was time for her to head downstairs for breakfast. To her surprise, her father was sitting there with a newspaper and coffee mug in hand. The embarrassing words flowed out of her mouth, probably this body's reflex, without her permission.

"Daddy?"

Brooke inwardly cringed. She hadn't called her own father that past the age of six, and Annabell still called hers that. A true daddy's girl. Her father turned around slowly and smiled at his daughter. Annabell could see where she got her bright smile from. His grey eyes had bags under them and his brown hair looked messy yet professional at the same time.

"Good morning, Annie." Oh no, he even has a cute exclusively dad nickname for her.

Annabell smiled and practically flew down the stairs to hug her father, once again without Brooke's permission. This had never happened before. "I thought you'd already gotten on a plane headed out to home office!"

"I had to see my daughter at least once. It was me who forced her to move." Her father set down his coffee and newspaper to properly hug her, Annabell's body instantly relaxing into his hold.

"Hey, Jules?"

[ Yes, Host? ]

"Is it normal for the body I'm using to act on its own?"

[ Only if it had a very strong connection to the action before you transferred in. ]

"..... Jules I really need you to tell me these things!"

So it turns out Annabell's love for her father was so strong that her body would act on its own to hug and talk to him. This would've been information Brooke'd loved to know when she first got here! Damn you, Jules. She heard the system whimper in the back of her mind.

[ I'm really trying, Host. I get forgetful sometimes. I'll remind you of anything I do remember. ]

Jules then shut off, most likely to try and remember important things that Brooke needed to know to finish her tasks. She'd heard of unhelpful systems many times in novels, but hers was helpful and forgetful. How strange. It made Brooke think about what information Jules could've remembered wrong.

Annabell and her father seperated from their tight hug and Annabell went to the seat across from him at the table, a fruit parfait with granola placed in front of her along with a glass of orange juice. She smiled at her mother who pouted a bit.

"I claim favoritism. You barely talk to me when you come home." She put her hands on her hips. Both Annabell and her father laughed.

"Gwen, it's not that Annie doesn't love you or anything."

"Rich coming from the favorite."

Annabell smiled and ate her breakfast as her parents argued jokingly. It reminded her of her own parents. How were they doing now? How were they dealing with her being gone? What were they doing? The thoughts made the scene before her painful to watch. Annabell's mother turned to face her and ask her a question before stopping in her tracks.

"Anna, why're you crying?"

Annabell blinked in confusion, touching her face to feel something wet. She was, indeed, crying. She wiped the tears from her eyes only for them to rush out faster. "I-I don't know." Yes she did. She just couldn't say it outloud. Both parents looked at each other with worry reflected in their eyes before going towards their daughter and attempting to comfort her. This only caused the girl to start bawling. The adults were left at a lost and could only hug their daughter tightly.

In the end, she ended up getting so distraught about something that she stayed home from school that day, totally unaware of the total plot flip her absence had caused at school.

--------

Maxine was sitting at her desk in history class, the seat next to her strangely absent of its usual occupant. Class hadn't started yet so she was on her phone texting her missing friend.

'hey, Anna. Where r u? Did u get sick or smthin?'

No reply or notification saying it was read. Her lips pursed a bit, waiting at least ten minutes before being forced to put her phone away as Mr.Umbridge walked into the class with pep in his step that students had only seen since the week Annabell transferred into their school. He truly looked like jolly holly Santa Claus now. Annabell's enthusiasm in class had done wonders to the elderly man's attitude and teaching style.

"Good morning, class! I'll be starting roll call so when you hear your name, say that you're here."

Right when Mr.Umbridge was about to begin rollcall, Jason walked into the room looking... Different. First of which being he was on time for class, which had become more and more common for the classes he shared with Annabell. What truly struck everyone was his appearance. The school prince always looked handsome but there was something special about today. His white hair was neatly combed and styled rather than its normal attractive bedhead, his uniform was worn properly and ironed to perfection, hell even his glasses were worn up on his nose. In other words, Jason looked like a prim and proper Prince rather than a rebellious one. Why was that? Well, only the Prince himself knew.

Jason moved to his seat without a word and sat down. He looked at the vacant seat of his favorite puppy and couldn't help but frown. If he'd known she wouldn't be here, he'd have never shown up. Truth be told, Jason had been stuck in front of his mirror since 3am rehearsing and touching up his appearance like a loser just to ask Annabell if she'd like to go see a movie this Saturday. He had no idea why. Honest to god. It wasn't that hard to do. Why would he be so nervous and self-conscious about it? Thinking about how stupid he had sounded in the early morning made him cringe.

"Hey, Anna. I got an extra ticket for a movie, wanna come? Ugh. Too obvious."

"Anna. Movie this Saturday? No, that sounds too forceful."

"So... You free this Saturday? I got tickets to this new movie. Wanna come? Yeah, yeah that sounds good."

Jason slouched into his chair slightly at his own stupidity, his face feeling kind of hot. When had he, the Prince, ever been so nervous about anything? He could only sit in his chair alone with his own thoughts even though his name was called five times.

--------

"Is Annabell not here today?" The question flowed clearly from Candice's mouth, clearly looking confused. Through the weeks she had known the black-haired girl, she had never been late to a single class, even lunch. She seemed to be quite particular with her punctuality, that girl.

April shook her head. "Apparently not. I heard that Mad Max had been trying to contact her since this morning with no answer. I hope nothing bad's happened to her." Hannah and Kylie nodded in agreement, voicing their concern for the school's princess.

"She's so not the type to skip. Maybe she got sick?"

"How terrible! I hope it's nothing serious if she did!"

Candice retreated into her own thoughts as her paintbrush smoothly glided against the canvas like it had a mind of its own. Ever since that Snow White had entered the school, she had noticed the atmosphere of the campus change exponentially. Class attendance was at a record high, Jason was actually caring for once, even she would admit talking to Annabell made her happier. Her gentle yet cheerful attitude had clearly left its unique mark on the student populace. She'd known all the kids in her grade since childhood, so she'd know. Not even she could get her Ice Prince of a childhood friend to attend classes regularly. While it did make her a tidbit jealous, Candice could only equate it to twelve years of friendship doing nothing to Jason. Even as Student Council President, she could do nothing to encourage the boy to stop being so apathetic and go to class. Remembering his short emo phase in middle school did bring her some laughs, however.

But back to the matter at hand, perhaps it'd be a good idea for her to visit Annabell to see if she was alright. Though she didn't know where she lived, the principal wouldn't mind her going through a student file for a wellness check, right? Oh the perks of being a trusted trust fund student.

---------

Annabell shoved another scoop full of vanilla bean ice cream into her mouth, her eyes still red from her morning crying fit. Though she had calmed down, her original meltdown had left her drained and thoroughly embarrassed. She couldn't remember the last time she had even cried as Brooke. Crying had never really been something she wanted to do, even if a cry would've done wonders she had too much pride.

As of current, she was home alone as her father still had to leave out of town for work and her mother had already made plans. She had originally wanted to cancel and stay home with Annabell, her mother had eventually been convinced that she was okay and didn't need her to stay home. It was an uphill battle though. Mothers are much too stubborn.

Then there was the whole fact she'd missed a day's worth of opportunities. She had a plan and those pesky emotions had ruined them. Annabell was going to properly bring up the possibility of her having a little history section to the Newspaper Club, something on the history of fairy tails, and become better friends with Jason. Now all that was ruined.

"I'm sorry, Jules. I feel like I failed you."

[ It's okay, Host! I understand. You were having a realization, or emotional snap as we Systems call it. It's completely normal for you to get emotional over your past and the possibilities it left open. ]

... Had Jules remembered this recently or always knew this? She felt more like this System was teaching her as they went or learning along with her. Was Jules a young system or something?

"Thanks for being so understanding, Jules."

[ If I'm inside your head and not there for you, who will be? ]

"Good question. I don't know."

Just as Annabell was going to eat another scoop of ice cream, the doorbell rang. She looked towards the door in confusion. Was it the mailman? Or maybe her parents had invited someone over. Only one way to find out. Annabell stood up from her place on the couch and walked over to the door to look through the peep hole. Low and behold, she could see Candice on the other side. Had she even told the villainess her address?

"Jules. Did I ever tell Candice my address?"

[ No, Host. The only one who should know your address is Maxine. ]

"Oh. Then she probably got it from her."

Annabell shrugged and opened the door to become face to face with Candice. The girl on the other side let out a soft gasp at the sight of 'Snow White' looking so not herself. Her straight black hair was messy and tangled looking, her normally shiny grey eyes were tinted red and drooped, and her skin looked dry instead dewy. She looked like a vengeful ghost from a horror movie, not the fairy tail she often did.

"Annabell, what happened? Why weren't you at school today?"

Annabell's face flushed slightly, embarrassed. "I had a bit of a meltdown this morning," her voice sounded hoarse and scratchy. "I'll be coming tommorrow. Sorry for worrying everyone."

Candice's expression seemed to get more worried at the mention of Annabell having a meltdown, even as the girl smiled in shame. This was a total 180 from how the girl usually acted. So much that it was worrying.

"Do you mind if I come in?" Candice asked, face still a bit scrunched up.

Annabell blushed harder. "What a bad host I'm being, please, come in."

She stepped to the side and opened the door wide to allow Candice inside and the other girl stepped in and carefully removed her backpack and shoes at the door. 'Just as polite as I thought she'd be' Annabell thought, walking inside and leading Candice to the couch.

"Would you like something to drink?" She asked as Candice sat down on the couch. She quietly noted that her ice cream was melting and picked up the tub to put back in the freezer. Candice shook her head no and Annabell headed to the kitchen with her kind of sticky tub of ice cream with unrushed movements. Candice observed the living room around her. The house had been a lot smaller than what she was expecting. Annabell's file had mentioned she was high middle-class, at the school on a full-ride scholarship. The couch was comfy with a basket of blankets neatly folded on the end table next to it. Before she came, it seemed that Annabell had been watching some sort of soap opera.

Annabell was back before long, sitting next to Candice on the couch and turning down the volume on the tv. "I really am sorry for worrying everyone. I was just having a bad day."

"That happens to everyone. A good cry is always something someone could use. Don't worry about it." Candice didn't ask about what Annabell had gotten so upset about and Annabell didn't mention it to Candice. There was no tension in the room, only the tv providing background noise to the two girls.

"So... You wanna watch this with me?"

"What's it about?"

"I'm glad you asked! It's all about this noble family in a kingdom of warring states..."

With her sudden change in temperament, Candice couldn't help but feel that she had seen a new side to Annabell. A side that was hidden away from the world at large due to some kind of fear. Who wouldn't feel closer to someone after that?

Annabell got so invested in explaining the intricacies of the show that she hadn't even noticed the celebratory 'ding' that had resounded in her head. Candice had become an eternal ally somehow. Jules couldn't help but sigh. His Host was really too magnetic when given the right opportunities. They couldn't even mention to Annabell that the FL would be coming to the school the day Annabell went back.

'Oh well. I'll let her and her friend have their fun. If she gets mad at me later I'll just interrupt her at anytime for random things.'