Janet could feel the eyes of everyone staring at her. She told herself there's no way they could possibly know, but the fear of being discovered kept her skittish and paranoid. Her head was down as she weaved through the crowd between classes. She kept repeating in her head that no one was looking, that no one would notice, but it did little to quell her anxiety.
She kept her bag in front of her, covering her waist and holding her skirt down. It wasn't unusually short, but she still worried that the lightest of movement would expose everything. Janet could barely endure the tortuous thought of people finding out she wasn't wearing any underwear.
Classes themselves were the hardest part. She made sure she was the last to leave. That way she could stand up with peace of mind that no one was there to look. If she were to move the wrong way, no one would even notice.
Arriving to class was a different matter entirely. There were always others in the room when she entered. She knew they were staring at her, waiting for her to slide into the chair so they could get a glimpse of her exposed sex.
She never saw them stare. Anyone she studied would just act casual as if they were unaware, but Janet knew all eyes were back on her the moment she wasn't watching.
As she continued towards her next class, she wondered if it would be any easier the next time. With her first class, she stood next to her desk awkwardly, trying to work up the courage to sit. She hoped that when she did, the hem of her skirt wouldn't slide up. She tried to be graceful when she finally took the plunge, but her efforts were anything but. Thankfully, if anyone noticed, they didn't make a sound. She breathed a sigh of relief, but Janet made sure to keep her legs together as class carried on. Resting her hands on her skirt only provided extra insurance and peace of mind.
Janet cursed at Violet in her head for subjecting her to this humiliation as she moused her way around the other students in the hallway. It seemed like whenever she was allowed any sort of thought, it was only so she could be forced to endure Violet's cruel games.
At least when she was mindless she didn't have any emotions to attach to her actions. Everything was objective. She was given an order and she performed that order. There was no worry about what other people thought, about what it was she was doing, or about anything at all. It was almost preferable to her current predicament.
Almost.
It was temporary, though. She still had her memories from when she was under. Violet made sure of that. Janet was told it wouldn't be any fun for Violet if she didn't know what she did, didn't have a reminder of her failure. The realization of what she was made to do hit her the moment she was awake.
The memories felt different. They felt cold and distant, as if they were nothing more than facts that she had read somewhere.
Not like now, where everything was real. Violet left her fully aware today, telling Janet to go about her day without drawing too much attention to herself. The glint in Violet's eyes as she saw her off made Janet fear there was something she wasn't telling her, some surprise she had planned for Janet that she didn't want her to know. Something more than just not wearing underwear.
Janet wasn't sure what could be worse than her current situation. She still had so many classes to get through, so many chances for others to uncover her secret. She told herself she'd just have to take them one at a time and hope nothing happened. It did little to soothe her anxiety.
"Excuse me," Janet squeaked as she bumped into someone's shoulder. Her arm tensed as she recoiled at the contact. She didn't even bother to look up at the person, she only wanted to get on with her day.
"Janet?" a voice called out with a hint of surprise.
Reluctantly, Janet turned to address the person she nudged. She looked up to see Emma standing before her.
Janet didn't know her all that well, just that she was good friends with Rachel. Emma rarely visited their dorm, and Janet didn't share any classes with her. Still, it was nice to see a familiar face after all this time.
"Hey, how you been?" Emma asked.
'Oh, you know, living the life of a mind-controlled slave to a psychotic bitch through a program that I created. You?' Janet almost wished she could say that, but even if she had the courage to do so, it would go against Violet's command. Part of her wanted to try, just as a small act of defiance, futile though it may be.
"I'm doing fine," she said instead. She glanced at the door to her class, just in sight. Emma was a nice person. On any other day she'd be willing to chat with her for a moment, but in her current situation, all she wanted was to get through that door. The sooner that was done, the sooner the day would end, she reasoned.
"I'm actually glad I ran into you, there's something I've been wanting to ask." Emma stared at her hopefully.
In spite of it all, Janet still didn't want to come off as rude. With some reluctance, she turned to give Emma her full attention. "What's up?" As she waited, she fidgeted with her thumbs, still holding her bag over her skirt. Her anxiety flared every time someone brushed past her, moving the thin fabric in the process.
"I had a class with Rachel today. She seemed a little off. Is she okay? Have you noticed anything?" Emma's voice was full of concern for her friend, and thankfully she seem to notice Janet's awkward behavior.
At the mention of Rachel, Janet's ears perked up. She wondered what Violet was having Rachel do today. Was it the same? Doubtful. Violet never seemed to torment Rachel the same way she did Janet. Rachel wasn't as easy prey for Violet. Under normal situations, she'd be quick to fight back. Not like Janet, who's reactions only seemed to encourage Violet's cruelty.
At least that's how Janet explained the differential treatment. She never bothered to ask Violet about it. Regardless, if Emma noticed something, Janet wanted to know. "Off in what way?" she asked. She hoped it wasn't anything serious.
"Well," she began, her face full of concentration as she tried to describe what she saw from memory. "She seemed happier than usual? But also more distracted."
Janet felt relieved. Seems Rachel was the same as she has been.
She grew annoyed at the idea that Rachel's current personality was starting to feel normal. She reminded herself that this wasn't the real Rachel, but rather an alteration of her.
