"Please, never do that again," Quinn asked.

"Best way to get around undetected," Bella shrugged. She'd gotten him in by using her telekinesis to carry him over the gate so that he didn't need a pass, then it was just a matter of walking the rest of the way. The timing had to be perfect. The only time the square was empty was between 3 and 4 on Fridays. That was when there was free food in Gallimore Union Court.  Even villains like free food.

Besides, doing it this way showed Quinn a small taste of her power, which she needed to do in order to ensure he never crossed her... Never.

"By the way," she continued, "you've got less than ten minutes before we need to be out."

"That's plenty of time," Quinn said as he turned on Bella's professor's computer. He moved his fingers across the keys quickly, not taking his eyes off of the screen even once while Bella stood there, bored out of her mind. She didn't pay a single bit of attention until Quinn asked, "Which Bella?"

"Huh?" she said, suddenly becoming very aware of her surroundings. Spacing out was against everything she'd learned in Villainy 101. What if a superhero snuck up on her? True, it was unlikely in this scenario (and almost every scenario since heroes seemed to enjoy announcing their presence), but extra practice never hurt anyone.

"Which Bella are you?" Quinn repeated.

"Belladonna Marimoor," she said.

"Oh. Oh..."

"Yeah, C-. Look at the comments he made. I'm sure it just says, 'difference in opinion' and nothing else."

"Hey, I won't judge."

"Sure sounds like you're judging me."

"I wouldn't dare," he said seriously. He regretted his choice in words, thinking that in hindsight it might sound sarcastic. In his head, however, he was actually thinking that he'd never dare to judge her out loud. She'd managed to scare him to his core in the hour and a half he'd known her.  There wasn't much that scared Quinn anymore after the "home" he left to go to college, but Bella had managed it.  She seemed the type to have nothing to lose, he could see it when he looked her in the eyes.  She seemed the type to lose it easily, he felt it when they argued.  He certainly wasn't going to push her unnecessarily.

If she'd known, she'd likely have failed at hiding her excitement.

Quinn quickly finished changing her grade and logged out. The less he had to be alone in her presence, the better. He'd never been in the presence of an actual villain before, let alone being alone with one. He couldn't have predicted how completely uncomfortable and unnerving it would be.

"Done," he said a few moments later as he stood up. "Now, can we get out of here?  It just occured to me that I'm surrounded by villains and future villains."

"You just realized that?" Bella asked. "You really are a bit slow, aren't you?"

Bella shot him a quick smirk before leading him out of the office and down the hall. She looked at the time. It was just after 4, so the square would be filling up again, but the guards would be too busy with all the people who were actually causing trouble to even look twice at her and Quinn. Though, they'd have to look like they were up to something if they weren't going to look suspicious. What an odd school... but oh so very perfect.

"Please shut up about that project! If I hear anything about it again within the next 24 hours, I will shove your color-coded binder down your throat!"

Bella stopped. Shoot! She didn't expect to bump into Hades. No one else would look twice, but he knew everyone at the school. Yes, everyone. He'd know in an instant that Quinn was out of place. Though, maybe an incoming student? No, Quinn was too much of a... well, she probably used the term too often, but good-two-shoes. He was probably the kid who every other kid hated because he was always doing the right thing and he probably was the teacher's favorite.

"You have to hide," Bella whispered. "Find somewhere now, or you'll be dead before you reach the stairwell."

Quinn didn't think twice before peaking into the closest classroom and hiding inside. How was he going to fight with no powers and none of his gadgets? Why didn't he bring any of his gadgets?

"But, Hades-"

"Seriously, Alan, one more time and you'll be surviving on liquids- oh, Bella," Hades said when he rounded the corner and saw Bella standing there. "I thought you'd be home by now."

"Usually, but I came to find Professor O'Riley, try to convince him to change my grade again," she shrugged.

"I told you not to do that the first time. He hates when people correct him," Hades responded, a smile almost gracing his face. "Alan, please leave. Your presence is polluting my air."

Alan rolled his eyes and continued walking down the hall toward his previous destination.  He'd been warned not to partner with Hades, but he hadn't listened and he was now regretting it.  There was a reason Hades even did group projects alone.  Professors let him and no one questioned it.  Alan had been foolish, extremely foolish.

"I see your senior project is working out real well," Bella said, barely stifling a laugh.

"He's the absolute worst. His voice gives me a headache and his superpower must be repulsing people with his personality."  He sighed.  "Anyway, Professor O'Riley is never in his office this late."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"Yet his office light is on," Hades smirked.

"His office light..." Bella turned and threw her head back, disappointed in herself.

"Don't worry, I won't tell.  That's a rookie mistake, though.  I thought you knew better.  You've got to clean up after yourself.  Did you at least succeed in changing your grade or was it a waste of time?"

Bella simply smiled in response, gaining an approving nod from Hades. "Well," he said as he passed by, "good luck with the rest of the semester."

"You too," she said over her shoulder, waiting a few moments before opening the door to Quinn's hiding spot. "Let's clean up our mess and get out of here."

"As quickly as possible," Quinn agreed.

The route back was, for Quinn, much less frightening even if much more nerve wrecking.  For Bella, however, it was like she was getting practice for the real world. The stakes were just as high: her life and her freedom. Getting past security was easy enough, though they eyed Quinn when his facial expression read frightened instead of "angry at the world and not afraid to show it" or even "yes, I'm planning something and no you can't do anything to stop me."  Bella simply rolled her eyes, laughed, and pointed at him saying, "freshman."  The guards nodded in understanding and went on with their work.

They made it out with little hassle.  Bella said a quick "bye" and parted with Quinn a block away from campus.  She didn't want him inviting himself back to the apartment.  She'd gotten much better at being naturally evil since the beginning of freshman year, but there were times she still found herself being almost polite.  She often found herself drained at the end of the day from how often she found herself correcting her own behavior so she fit the mold a bit better.

Bella walked through the front door of her apartment, slammed the door closed, and plopped down on the couch.  "How'd it go?" Jade asked from the kitchen.

"Fine.  Could've been smoother. Hades almost caught us," Bella said, her hand on her head.

"Oooo, Hades?" Jade sang, running into the living room and sitting next her friend happily.  "Move over and tell me everything."

"Don't say his name like that," Bella sighed.

"Like what?"

"Like there's something special about him."

"Well, he is the only name you've ever mentioned to me other than professors, so I assume there's something special about him to you." Jade began poking Bella until she got a death glare.  "Now, tell me what happened."

"Nothing! He almost caught us but he didn't."

"And?"  Bella sent Jade another glare.  Jade sighed.  "Fine, I won't push it."

"Thank you," Bella said as she went back to relaxing.  The truth was, Hades was the only one at that school that Bella actually trusted.  She prided herself on knowing which people to let into her very small circle.  Hades made it, if only because he caught her being, well, heroic during the second semester of her freshman year and, instead of turning her in, he helped and sent her a wink.  She wasn't sure what to make of it, though it seemed as if he were giving her something to hold over him just as he had something to hold over her.  He could also have been trying to gain her trust only to turn on her later.  That would be the villainous thing to do.  She'd never know if she didn't ask, but she never would.

"Well," Jade said as she stood, "I started putting together Frenemies Friday in case you wanted to do it."

"We haven't done that in a while," Bella said, sitting up.  "My turn to pick the movie?"

"No, my turn to pick the movie since I cooked.  You get to pick dessert."

Bella shrugged.  "Good enough for me.  Blondie sundaes.  I'll go get the stuff while you finish dinner."

"OK."