Really?

After her shower Annabelle skimmed through the clothes options in her wardrobe. Finding a comfortable shirt and pair of jeans she tossed them on and went downstairs the kitchen.

'I really hope they come home soon because dinner's almost ready.' She thought as she checked the oven.

'I should probably add a few minutes just to make sure it's crispy.' Just as she was taking her IO out to add to the timer. Someone knocked at the door.

"Coming!" She hurried to answer, and opening it she was surprised to see Rou since it was still kind of early.

"Hey, sorry they aren't home yet. Please have a seat in the living room, I'm just finishing dinner, they should be here soon."

"Do you need help? I can at least help set the table."

"Sure, thanks, I'm not sure where they put everything, so feel free to rummage around. We'll need forks and knives. Do you need any specific type of glass to serve that in?" She looked pointedly at the bottle of alcohol he was holding.

"Yea, but since I'm pretty sure they don't have it, we'll have to make do with regular glasses."

"Trying to get Cass drunk?"

"No! Why would you say that?"

"Chill, I'm just teasing. Though that reaction is suspicious."

Rou just shook his head.

"How long have you known them?"

"I've known Marc and Cass since our first year at ARD, I met Jazz around the same time they did, when he was put in charge of disciplining us."

"I'd heard that was how they met. What was so bad that they ended up getting assigned a babysitter?"

"Well… It all started in our third year."

[Flashback]

"Come on Marc if you don't hurry up, we're going to get caught!" Cass called to her brother.

"If we hadn't done this in the first place, I wouldn't have to worry about getting caught!"

"Oh, come on Marc! She totally deserved it! Don't you remember what she called you and Cass? Just because you're human! A**hole I wish we could have done worse." Rou yelled at Marc, annoyed by his wishy-washiness.

"And? It's our a**es on the line if we get caught."

"You're acting like we killed her. Relax bro."

"We humiliated the most prideful race in the FSP! Do you really think we'll get off scotch free?" Marc gasped.

"Come here!" Cass tugged him and Rou into a bush.

"Worst thing they'll do is suspend us for a few days. It's not like we're in the diplomacy department. Fresor doesn't give a crap about diplomacy. In fact, he'd probably applaud how we handled that arrogant b*tch seeing as she was keeping people from getting the materials they needed! Now that everyone's seen her dirty laundry, she won't be able to show her face!" Cass was going to continue ranting when they heard someone.

"Hey, come on out, I know you're there." A Cyber pushed the leaves aside, revealing their hiding place. "Come on already."

"Shit." They said.

It turned out his name was Jazz, he was way too serious for Cass's tastes, and left them in a holding cell overnight.

"Really? You're going to leave a girl in a cell, at night, with two guys?"

"Marc Pool, younger sister Cassandra Pool. I'm sure you'll be fine with your big brother in the cell with you Ms. Pool." He turned and left.

"I told you we'd get caught."

"Shut up Marc." Rou and Cass responded.

The next morning Jazz came back with Deans Fresor and Acott.

"The hell is Acott doing here? We're research students." Cass whispered to Marc.

"Ah, yes Ms. Cassandra, you and your brother are under Dean Fresor's guidance; however, it just so happens that Mr. Rou's request to change departments went through last night. So today he is my responsibility."

"He had nothing to do with it, he came and found us after we hacked Sherita's information." Cass lied.

"Did he really? Well I guess I'll just have to take your word for it."

"Acott!" Fresor shouted at his co-worker.

"Now now Fresor, you know that as a diplomacy student if he did something like this, I'd have to expel him from the program. His friend says he had nothing to do with this, and we have no solid proof that he actually did anything last night. So he'll just have to live with the fact that his friends got in trouble and he got off scotch free."

"You two have been a bane to my existence since you got into ARD. Why must you be so troublesome!"

"Sir, we took action because Sherita was keeping essential materials from first and second years. We exposed what we did because as a Pliza she won't be able to order anyone around again, the shame will be too much for someone as proud as her."

"Fine, I'll accept that as a reason." He paused, and the happy looks on their faces faded as he said.

"However, I do not trust you two without someone acting as a safeguard to keep you in line. I don't want to have to see you again until you graduate. Because of this, I'll be assigning Jazz to babysit you until you leave ARD."

"WHAT!" All three shouted at the same time, while Rou just started laughing.

[End Flashback]

"And that's how we met Jazz."

"Wow, that's actually kinda lame…"

"Not as lame as you, messing up inner-dialogue with a speech."

'I really want to hit him, at least once.'

Just when she was about to act on the impulse the door flew open and Cass came in, followed by Marc and Jazz.

"How are you Annabelle? I missed you soooo much! You can't imagine what Marc and Jazz put me though, they wanted me to double check the code another professor wrote! Do you know how tedious that is?"

"Still as loud as ever I see?"

"ROU!" Cass and Marc practically pushed him off his feet as they rushed to hug him.

"Good to see you again Rou, how's it going?"

"Mf doen veww."

"Guys get off him, he can't speak, hell I don't think he can breathe."

"Oops…" Cass jumped up.

"Sorry Rou." Marc rubbed the back of his neck and offered a hand to help his friend up.

"No worries." He grinned, eyes crinkling at the edges. "I'm doing well, hope you don't mind that I'm crashing dinner, I did bring Scotch, so I hope that earns me points." He stuck his tongue out at the group.

"Hey, dinner's done, if you're ready?"

"It smells amazing, lets eat guys, I'm starving." Marc motioned everyone to the dining room.

After dinner they were all sitting in the living room, Annabelle had milk because Jazz wouldn't allow her to touch the Scotch, but the rest of them were nursing cups of it, talking about moments in school.

"So, are you really an Ayeri? Because you don't feel like one."