𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬| 𝗋𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗒 𝖻𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗇

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

It was too late, the damage had been done. She never heard Ricky sound so disgusted. She never thought that Ricky would say those things. She knew he was upset, but still, it never crossed her mind.

"I hate Richard Bowen" Mary said as she and Lina were talking in a corner, somewhat near the photo booth.

"Not gonna lie, me too" Lina agreed.

"No literally, like why say that? It felt so personal" Mary said as she hugged herself, in a way to feel safe again.

"I think it was the heat of the moment" Lina said, trying to help Mary understand, or even help herself understand. Lina was a good observer, she saw the way Ricky looked at Mary when she wasn't looking, he was always looking at her.

"Still, it's not an excuse to say what he did" Mary told her as she began to feel disgusted with herself.

"True, but hey, it's homecoming Mary, it's a dance, we should be dancing and having fun" Lina said with a gentle smile.

"Wait hold that thought, look" Mary said as she gestured her head to see the scene of Gina and E.J arguing unfold.

"Oh shit, drama" Lina said with a sing song voice.

"What do you think they're saying?" Mary asked.

"I don't know, but seems serious—oh shit" The two watched in shock as Gina poured a cup of punch on E.J. Gina walked off in what seemed distress and Mary sighed.

"I'm gonna go talk to her" Mary said as she began walking in Ginas direction.

"Okay, yeah you do that"

"I don't really do cash, can you just send me a venmo request?" Gina asked as she struggled to put on her coat rather quickly.

"Uh, sure" The coat person said awkwardly.

"Need a buck?" Mary asked as she watched Gina.

"You do not wanna clap at me right now, I will clap back" Gina said in distress and Mary raised her hands in surrender.

"Hey, I'm just here to help" Mary said innocently.

"Well I don't need it" Gina said as she began to walk off.

"Wait, Gina!" Mary called out and Gina hesitantly turned around to face the girl. "I get what you're going through"

"Yeah? How?" Gina questioned.

"I know what it's like to be an outsider, I never really had friends, or at least a friend group, I only ever had Lina. Only having one friend you kind of isolate yourselves until everyone knows to not talk to you, then you kinda observe everyone else and what they do, who they talk to, who they cheat on other people with. No place to really fit in" Mary confessed, hoping it would help Gina.

"Okay, and maybe I like not fitting in, I'll probably leave next year anyways" Gina counter argued.

"Gina, I understand why you want to fit in, or at least have friends, I'm a junior and until now, kids I used to pass by in the halls, we're kind of friends now" Mary said with a smile as she thought about Seb, Ashlyn, Carlos, everyone. "I know moving around a lot caused you to build up walls so nobody gets in so you can save the hurt of leaving someone behind, but I also know that you want someone to get behind those walls and be a friend to you"