The Gingerbread Man (Melanie Martinez X Reader)

10-Detention

The first room had a circular balcony around it, with shelves of books extending up the walls.
Doors to another were pushed open, and the two of us- kicking to be let go of, were taken in.

We were tied down to chairs by leather straps over our arms.

Already the room was full with an addition of only two people.
That alone presented how petty the misdemeanours were that they punished us for.

Loudly, Melanie screeched but was whipped with a ruler to silence her.
"Shut up!"

Shortly after, the red-haired nurses came in, flicking long needles before injecting some strange medicine into our arms.

A smile spread across my face, but I was far from happy.
Thoughts were swirling in my mind and now I was stuck in here.

My hand moved idly, writing down facts I had no clue even existed.
I wasn't even looking at the page nor the pencil, and it was difficult to even blink.

Another textbook that was on my desk magically transported itself to my hand.
I wasn't reading it, but my eyes were looking at the words and they were sticking in my head.

Eventually the drugs wore off, and I looked over at Melanie.
Tears were rolling down her face which only angered me more, but her eyes flickered into black.

Staring at the buckles on my wrists, I expected them to come off any second.

The teacher was sat with her back to us at the front with a telephone to her ear.
To my surprise, Leo walked in the room, his eyes without pupils.

He first loosened Melanie's straps and she got up waiting with her arms folded for me by the nearest door.
He undid mine and then walked out, the two of us following after we were sure he was gone.

I'm also pretty sure that was when our next dosage was due, so the nurses would've been stunned and maybe even impressed.

"You okay?"
We walked down the isolated corridor.
"Yeah." I nodded, contemplating asking what I wanted to.

She tilted her head to the side while looking at me.
She could tell something was up- I had to ask it.

"What was that, at lunch?"

"Well y'know, that food fight was pretty awesome, and then it was really sad what Fleur was sa-"

How did she not know what I was talking about? Or maybe she just wanted to be less diplomatic for once.
But I started this now, I had to get it entirely off my chest.

"Not that."
I cut her off, moving in front of her and holding both her hands.

"Mel... what are we?"
She gulped and I sighed. Maybe she didn't know either.
She shrugged sadly, "I don't know, honestly. We have time, to work this out. Let's just keep doing what we're doing and we'll see where this goes."

She brushed off the question, but her answer wasn't good enough for me.
"But what are we doing? I feel like this won't end unless we know where we're going with it. I love you, Melanie Martinez... but I don't know how."

"I love you too."
She paused.
"Give me time, I'll figure it out. I don't think either of us are ready for a relationship yet. It most likely will happen y/n- but for now, let's just be friends."

I agreed as she let go of one of my hands, walking away while still holding the other one.
"Okay." I breathed.

At the lockers, we met up with our friends, where Celeste began her little speech.
"Okay guys, I think I have a pretty good plan to get us out of this shithole."

Despite Melanie, who was rooting around in her locker, we were all paying attention.

"Angelita I need you to keep everyone in the gym. Keep them in one place and try to keep them quiet."

A pink sheet of paper was pulled from Melanie's locker.
She looked at whatever was on it with great interest.
She was half-smiling, but her eyebrows were narrowed.

"Melanie? Earth to Melanie. Are you in?"
"Yea. Sorry." She folded the paper again.

"Your job is to manipulate the spawn if Satan himself into letting you into his office so we can hijack that loudspeaker and get everyone out of here."

Magnolia looked at the paper Melanie was holding and asked the question I was thinking; "what's that?"
"I think it's a love letter."
"A love letter from who?"
"I don't know. I haven't read that far yet."

What?
Who was writing love letters to my potential girlfriend.

I looked around, Angelita was smirking, looking overly suspicious.
I thought she was like our number one supporter, though. Maybe she thought the letter was from me.

"Y/n?"
"Hm?"
"No. I mean, the letter. It's signed from y/n."

I never wrote a letter.

A mixture of content and annoyance were displayed on her face as she looked at me.
"I thought we spoke about this? If you posted it before I can forgive you, but you shouldn't have."

"For fuck's sake, Mel. I didn't write that. Somebody else put that there I swear."

"Why are you lying? I said I don't mind anyways."

"That wasn't me! Just believe me, goddamn."
I could feel myself becoming pissed off, but it wasn't at her.
It was because somebody else had written my girl a love letter.

"Y'all chill."
Celeste said, "Melanie, shut up for real, I told you I didn't write it, what's the big deal? We're carrying on how we are. Wouldn't I have took it back before you saw it?"

"Why are you so pissed? You fucking signed it, just accept that-"

"Guys! I wrote it. I signed it with y/n's name and I put it in Melanie's locker."

"So you caused all this?" Celeste put her hand up, to show she couldn't believe what was happening.
"Angelita? Why?" I asked.
"Because you two need to date already! I've told you, and whatever you talked about at lunch today- that's irrelevant. You're wasting so much potential if you don't do this."

Melanie and I shared a trepidatious glance.
"We- we're waiting."

"Waiting for what? Christmas?" Celeste sassed.
"You two are the only people who don't think you should be dating- actually, you do. You're just both too scared."

"We're gonna sleep on it. It'll be fine. If we can wait then so can y'all."
This time our glance was more comfortable.

Celeste broke the silence.
"Okay guys, back to the plan. We already got rid of the principal, so that just leaves Leo. We walk into his office, make a run for it and then-" Angelita interrupted, "set this place on fire?"

"Exactly."

"I don't know about that guys."
Fleur complained, and Melanie and I agreed.

"Fire's too cliché."
"I mean yea, but at this point, what other options do we have?"
That was true.

On our way to chemistry, I made it my mission to talk to Melanie.
Actually, she spoke to me first.

"I'm sorry about that. I do trust you. I promise."
She looked so innocent, "I know you do."
I pulled her into a hug.

"We'll be alright. Let's go get Angelita."
Angelita joined us and looked inclined- as though she was about to be given a lot of information.

"Someone's excited for science."
I laughed, and they joined in.

"Just tell me what's happening with y'all."
"Nothing. We've told you. Wait Angelita."
She groaned, "ugh, fine. Come on."

We entered the classroom together.

"You should take her somewhere tonight. Talk- properly. Sort it."
She whispered as we walked in. Now it was bothering me even more.