Chapter 10: A lonely dinner…

Sitting on my bed and kicking my legs around, still without panties, still wearing Melody’s skirt, I realized I don’t even know her phone number.

How the hell did that happen?

I need to get her phone number. Who would know her phone number…

The people we met at lunch? I could go search for them, I guess. It’s nearing dinner time anyway. They might be in the food court again. I don’t know how close-knit they are though. They could all be going separate ways…

It’s near dinner time anyway though. I do need to eat. I’ll give it a shot.

I glanced around my room at the bags laid around… I need to organize these first. I took all the bags into the closet and started filing away. I didn’t arrange them specially, just made a color gradient of skirts and shoved all the lingerie into drawers in the walk-in closet. It was fine, could be worse.

After sorting away all my clothing items, I took the empty bags downstairs and, not finding anywhere to place them, started a small pile in a corner of the building's kitchen space. I’d recycle them when I had time. Then I returned to my room.

Inside my room, I grabbed the first skirt I tried on, the one with all the different layers of embossment, and took off Melody’s. Then, I turned toward my lingerie… Should I put some on?

I probably should… that would be the normal thing to do. Melody isn’t forcing me to go naked anymore, although it was fun… but without someone else… She felt like a barrier from danger.

Melody would step in if anything happened, she’d take responsibility. But without her, it falls to me… I don’t think I can do it. I grabbed some random normal-looking panties and pulled them on, adjusting my skirt on top of them. It was a little awkward but it went okay.

The panties felt a little weird after walking around all day without them. They really touched me. They’re supposed to touch me, of course, but it was so restricting… okay, not really, but like kinda?

Fully dressed, I walked back downstairs, put on my shoes, and left the dorm building. I began my short walk to the food court planning out what food I would grab. I didn’t know if the buffet section would have the same options it did during our slightly late lunch, but it might. I decided if it did, I would take some basic foods. I wasn’t too concerned about getting value out of it so I settled on half my plate with some fried rice, then a quarter with some vegetables cooked in some way with something, and the last quarter with a few different random scoops of chicken dishes.

Once I had arrived at the large wooden building, it was around five-thirty. A little early but that’s alright. Although, the people we met at lunch, on the off chance they are together here again, they might not be eating yet. A late lunch usually leads to a late dinner. I might be here for a while.

I entered the food court and, after a quick glance around, decided to go right back to the buffet. It was the exact same as lunch. I followed my plan, half rice, a quarter chicken, a quarter vegetables, then went to the drink machine, since I hadn't had much to drink today. I grabbed a cup and filled it with some ice and soda. Soda isn’t healthy, but probably better than nothing. Then I walked to the checkout, lined up since it was far busier than lunch time, and scanned my student ID.

Walking around the food court, I couldn’t find the people Melody and I met at lunch, but the room was also filled to the brim so I could’ve easily missed them. I ended up finding an empty table with four seats, the smallest size there was, right by the front wall of the food court near a doorway.

As I started eating, a couple of people came up to me and asked if they could sit there, naturally I said yes. The two girls were discussing their systems and I couldn’t help but listen in. Both of their systems were combat oriented, and based on my current impressions of this academy, it seems like most systems are combat focused. One of them was C tier, one B tier, so they were pretty average.

The campus composition is largely C and B tier. Most D tiers don’t enroll, or at least not here. Or maybe they don’t get accepted here? I don’t know. The two girls pretty much ignored me for a while but I think they caught me staring and soon involved me in the conversation. The one sitting beside me, named Olivia, had short brown hair and was C tier. The one diagonally across from me was Samantha, not Sam, and had long blonde hair. Samantha was the first to turn toward me. “What tier are you?”

I wasn’t really in the mood to converse with strangers, but I replied anyway. “S tier.”

They stared at me for a little, probably thinking about how weird it was for someone like that to be eating alone, then Olivia asked a question. “What’s your name?”

“Scarlet.” I returned to munching my food.

They stared for a little longer, then out of nowhere asked. “Do you want to hang out with us sometime?”

Yea. I’m sure your reasoning is totally genuine friendliness and definitely not at all because of anything else. “I’m fine.”

And that was that. Nothing much happened. They ate, tried to ask me questions, only receiving one-word replies, then left, making me quite relieved. I really shouldn’t reveal my tier so quickly, I think it’ll only cause problems.

And I still am no closer to figuring out Melody’s phone number.

I feel so aimless right now. My one goal is completely impossible… is there anything to do? Is there anything that would make Melody happy? BDSysteM, can I improve my skills somehow?

If you use them, obviously.

Ah. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Is there any way to use them? There’s the campus dungeon… I don’t know their regulations, but I’m sure I could get in if I ask the headmaster. I’d still need a party though. I’m just a support role at the moment, can’t do much other than heal and make a barrier. Barrier won't help though. It's really just an emergency shelter. Is there any other way? Did Melody cutting herself and me healing gain any progress towards a level up?

Do you really think hurting yourself in an entirely safe environment is going to help you level up? Hardly, maybe one one hundredth of a percent of progress towards a level up.

Well that’s off the table then. Not really in the mood to give myself ten thousand cuts.

Wait a second…

I’m so stupid. BDSysteM, you can speak to Melody, right?

Yes…

So we do have telepathy! Can anything block you from communicating?

Of course not, I’m simply communicating with myself.

But if someone’s arm is cut, they can’t send signals to their hand, right?

I’m not a weak human like you.

Wow, thanks. Okay, whatever, it can’t be blocked. Can you ask Melody what her phone number is?

After a few moments of silence, BDSysteM replied. Her phone number is: ITS-ME-MELODY.

What type of phone number is that? I… that’s 4… which is on the other side of the planet. How do you manage to get a country code on the other side of the planet… whatever.

I pulled out my phone and started typing in the digits… 4 8 7 6 3 6 3 5 6 3 9… and typed out, ‘hi.’

Then hit send.

A few seconds later… Melody texted back. ‘hi.’

I breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t impossible after all, I just had to think for half a minute! I initiated a conversation with Melody, filled with glee. ‘Just finished dinner, hbu?’

‘About to start. On my plane rn,’ Melody replied back instantly.

‘You have a plane??!?!’ I happily typed back. Conversation just flows with Melody and I have no idea why.

‘I do, kitty,’ Melody texted, followed up with another immediately after. ‘Wanna see?’

‘YES’ I typed out, eagerly expecting a picture.

My heart was dashed seeing a text response, but it flipped the moment I read it. ‘Come to the private airport two min from campus tmr at 1pm.’

I’d get to see it in person! I’ve never been on a private jet before, but it was probably really freaking cool. Images online are whatever, but it’s Melody’s jet. It’ll be awesome, I’m sure.

‘It’s a date!’ I texted back. I can’t wait… why am I so happy? I feel like… I’m just way too excited! I feel like I haven’t seen Melody for a decade, yet it was literally an hour ago.

‘Alos,’ Melody messaged, then her bubble appeared showing she was typing away on a longer message.

Before she managed to send it, I couldn’t resist a little correction, adding, ‘Also*’

Is it weird that I kind of hoped she would get mad? I saw her pause her typing, the bubble disappearing, and really hoped she was adjusting her message to hold some rage in it. She didn’t end up having any, but it was still a very interesting message…

‘Don’t wear any panties when you come to visit tomorrow, I’ll check.’

I was elated. I probably shouldn’t be elated at the prospect of being half naked, but it reminded me of that fitting room… I was desperate for more. That moment was incredible. That bright smile, her twinkling blue eyes…

‘Sry, typo,’ appeared on my phone, followed by Melody’s correction. ‘No bra or panties*’

She did get mad! I’m so happy and ashamed and… it’s indescribable. I’m so weird. Trying to make my Mistress mad… I feel so evil, so horny, so needy, so everything.

My mind was absolutely melted. I couldn't wait for tomorrow.