✅1️⃣ | Hypnosis Doesn't Work Like That!

99: I'd Never Make a Deal With the Devil

"Look," Adi spoke again, making one frantic effort to derail the train of thought that connected to the relationship status of an impossibly charismatic college boy. "You got your friends, I got mine. I'll do me, you do you. I'm not going to tell anyone you're upset, because that would make me a bitch. And nobody I care about would be interested. Silence, that's what you want from me, right? So you can maintain your reputation. And all I ask is you stop calling me Juniper." Adi nodded slowly, and then realised... "And don't call me Adelaide either, right?"

That was enough to give Belle a smile, it seemed.

"I overheard some about that. So it's for real?"

Time seemed to stand still for a long moment. Adi wanted so badly to be reasonable, to bury the hatchet between the two of them. But she'd forgotten that Belle knew at least some of what hearing her name would do to her. She could deny it, try to pas it off as a joke, but she knew that if she heard the name it would be a lot harder to keep on saying the right thing.

"Yeah," she nodded nervously. "Please don't..."

"You mean, like, really real? I can think of people who'd love something like that. I thought it was like some kind of joke. Or just playing along?"

"No, it's real. I didn't believe it, but it's true. And if you say it again, I'll... I don't know, but you'll regret it."

The next few seconds seemed to draw out for hours. Adi was expecting Belle to ignore her protests and say it anyway. It would be the cruel thing to do, and exactly in character. But she didn't, just stood there tapping one scarlet fingernail against her chin.

"You're serious," she said eventually. "I wouldn't do something that hurts you just to make myself feel better. I mean, it's tempting, and it's fair if you're going to tell everybody what a state I'm in over Robyn and..."

More silence. A pause heavy with tension, even if Adi didn't know what it was leading to. She didn't know what Belle was going to say now, and she didn't even understand her own thoughts. But she knew what it was like to be overcome with rage, and loss, and betrayal over some emotive situation. She couldn't put herself in Belle's shoes, because she knew nothing about her aside from the queen-bitch persona that was looking more and more like an act. But she didn't want to think of anyone feeling like that, even her worst enemy. And it would hardly make a difference.

"If it makes you feel better. I mean, to be in control of something? Or to be glad you're not me, I guess. It's not such a big deal right now? If you want to. I mean... that doesn't make so much sense, but you know what I mean."

"You have to tell me where you got that hypnosis thing," Belle said the last thing Adi was expecting. "I know somebody who might... you know..."

"It's not something to use for revenge. Even if you could get him to listen, and follow the instructions for the first two minutes, it would be hideously immoral. And then–"

"No, I wouldn't do that to anyone. Well, maybe I would. But some of my friends might like to have that kind of control over... someone. Like a dare, or a... a trust exercise. It doesn't have to be your real name, right?" The pauses and her blush, barely visible behind the last remnant of tears and anger, told Adi more than all the words. There were people who liked to be humiliated, she knew that already, and those who could enjoy someone else's humiliation. And she could believe that the conflicted expression was hiding feelings she knew all too well.

"There's someone you'd do that for?" she asked with a smirk. "Who'd have thought? Okay, I'll give you the files. If I can get through my exams without you or any of your cronies making life difficult for me. Deal?"

"Fine. And I can say it just once. To satisfy my curiosity? I want to know it's not as... you know."

"Once," Adi nodded, not quite believing what she was letting herself in for. But even Belle, she didn't want to see the girl in the distraught state she'd seen minutes before. And she told herself it was better to happen now, than some time she wasn't expecting it during the coming week, or waiting to file into the exam hall.

"Thanks, Adelaide."

She had a few more questions to ask, of course. And later in the afternoon Adi would be mortified by how easily she confessed to her nemesis that she'd just wet her diaper. But Belle's smile didn't seem entirely malicious as she turned back to wash her face again. And it was just about possible to believe that she meant what she'd said.

* * *

She was gone by the time Adi got out of the restroom, not diapered for the first time in a week. The sound of a revving engine told her that Toni was waiting outside, and the journey went by in a flash. It didn't take Toni long to realise there was more than a hint of childishness about her friend. But she didn't make a big deal out of it, and Adi didn't feel the need to explain.

"Someone said your name, didn't they?"

"Yeah. Belle was in there getting cleaned up."

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Put one of those cute ones on for now, okay? I'll run to the supermarket and get you some more. So you got a choice in future. And while you're here, try to practise holding it more than a couple of hours. So you'll be potty trained when the hypnosis wears off."

"Right," Adi nodded energetically, then realised how childish that must seem, and stopped.

And that was all there was to it. She didn't need to admit anything embarrassing. Maybe Toni was still thinking about that kiss, but she didn't want to bring up grown-up things when Adi wasn't in the right state of mind to deal with it. Toni was back on her bike a minute later, roaring off into the distance. And while she'd just mentioned letting the hypnosis wear off, Adi decided it would be a good time to try changing her baby name again. She'd tried it two more times since her first attempt, and she was sure that it would start to work some day soon.

"Addykins," she said firmly, as she pushed the earbuds into her ears, "my baby name is Addykins now."

"Addykins," she repeated carefully, her eyes drifting closed as Lady Larsen's voice on the tape asked the question for the first time. "Addykins. Addykins. Addykins. Addy. Adelaide..."