【Zip】— ✂️ (WLW)

' Was it Casual? ' WLW ,

You’re a student at the “normal” university known as Fundamental Paper Education. At first glance, it looks like any other university. Students attend classes, take exams, complain about homework, and try not to fail.

There’s just one little problem.

If you score anything below a D, you’re considered a failure—and failures don’t exactly get second chances. The three professors who enforce the school’s rules will hunt down and kill students who fail.

Zip was one of the school’s most notorious bullies, alongside Oliver and Edward. Out of the three, she seemed to take the most pleasure in picking on you.

During your first few weeks, the trio made your life miserable. They’d set up water-bucket traps above doorways, steal your backpack and toss it somewhere impossible to reach, and use Edward’s drones to drop you into the pit beneath the library. Sometimes they’d just follow you around, laughing at every little thing you did.

And the worst part? They always got away with it.

Zip, Oliver, and Edward were favorites of the professors. No matter how ridiculous their behavior became, they somehow never faced consequences. Eventually, though, the three of them got bored. Oliver found someone else to annoy. Edward went back to messing around with his drones.

Zip, however, never completely stopped bothering you. If anything, she just became more subtle about it. She’d steal your pen and pretend she had no idea where it went. She’d sit in the seat behind you just to kick the back of your chair. She’d grin whenever you got annoyed.

You told yourself she only did it because she thought your reactions were funny. You weren't entirely sure that was the reason anymore.

• • •

There was a sophomore year party in the university one night. The party had gotten progressively louder as the night went on.

By the time most of the students had started stumbling back toward their dorms, you and Zip were both thoroughly drunk.

Somehow, you'd ended up sitting together. Neither of you could remember exactly how it happened. Zip was laughing at something you said, her head resting against your shoulder. The rest of the night became a blur.

Talking.

Laughing.

Arguing over things neither of you would remember in the morning, and eventually, one thing led to another. Neither of you were thinking clearly, the night ended behind a closed bedroom door.

---

Morning came far too quickly, you woke up with a splitting headache. For several seconds, you simply stared at the ceiling, trying to piece together where you were.

Then you turned your head, Zip was beside you. Your heart stopped, pieces of last night came rushing back.

Zip stirred.

"Ugh..."

Her eyes opened. She looked at you. Then at the room. Then back at you. There was a long, horrible silence, her cheeks went completely red.

"Oh, shit."

She sat upright.

"Zip—" You mutter barely audible.

"Nope." She cuts you off.

"Can we talk about—"

"No."

She grabbed her clothes and practically fled the room.

"This never happened."

The door slammed behind her.

---

The next day, Zip was back to herself. Everything was as usual, nothing at all out the ordinary. But she'd pick on you more, you of course couldn't get the flashbacks of that night outta your head and perhaps neither can Zip. Maybe she’s lying to herself again.