Step in.

You react before you can form your first thought. You stand up and quickly walk towards them. You feel stupid not answering Emily when she asks where you’re going all of a sudden. You could use the back up. However, you’re sure you’re not walking into an explosion. Those Three actually like you now, even if their reason remain a speculation.

Your mind races. A thousand thoughts going through your head with every step. How to approach this? What to do? What to say? Is there even anything you can do? They won’t do anything you want just because they like you, and judging by their faces, they’re not fond of Katherine.

…

…

…

…

ALRIGHT! FUCK!

“Olivia!” You say, and it comes out louder than you intended. This somehow makes the bullies flinch before they look back to see you. It also seems to attract the attention of people around you.

Shit. What do you say now? Surely not something like “what’s going on here?” As if you had the authority to demand something like that.

“Can I talk to you? All three of you?” WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY!? You can hardly believe your own words. Are you seriously asking to talk to the three girls that almost got you expelled!? “Alone?” OH MY GOD! SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Olivia’s eyes go wide and her mouth is half-open. She shares a look with her similarly surprised friends before her lips curl into a smile and she answers “S-Sure!”

Woah! She sounds… eager? Though she composes herself after Jessica gives her a subtle (but not really) elbow to the ribs.

“I-I mean… Yeah, we can talk. Let’s go.” She turns around and walks away with her friends, as if expecting you to follow her.

Meanwhile, Katherine gives you a wide eyed, questioning look. Questioning you sanity, most assuredly.

“Go. Get out of here!” You whisper to her. Katherine grimaces, but does as told, taking her food tray and quickly walking away.

You walk at a quick pace to follow Those Three, and when you’re close enough, you see Lilian turning her head back to see you, then quickly turn away. You even hear her whisper “yeah” back to Olivia.

As you follow them, you take a quick look at the AMA, just to know what you’re working with.

-Hughes, Olivia-
Affection Score: 49. (+3)
Love Score: 30. (+3)

-Reed, Lilian-
Affection Score: 48. (+5)

-Ramirez, Jessica-
Affection Score: 65. (+2)
Love score: 8 (+3)

Small improvements, even though you’ve done nothing special. Still, you should be safe… right?

The girls lead you to an empty classroom on the second floor, and the sound of the lock almost makes you flinch. You try your best to stay composed, but you just don’t know what to do now. Your main objective was to get them way from Katherine.

It’s even weirder when, after locking the door, the three girls sit on top of different desks and remain silent, unable to meet your eyes. Then, Olivia finally speaks.

“S-So? What did you want to talk about? Hurry up. We don’t have all the time in the world!” She says, but the hesitation in her voice betrays her harsh tone.

“Let’s just get to the point and address the elephant in the room. I’m curious why you’ve been outright avoiding me and looking at me funny.” You say. Now that you’re here, might as well clear things up, right? “Not like I miss our enjoyable interactions, but I don’t like leaving matters unattended. I just want to clear things up.”

Olivia and Lilian share awkward glances with each other, while Jessica looks at them firmly, as if waiting for them to make up their mind. When they take too long and the silence becomes awkward, the beautiful Brazilian girl speak up.

“We wanted to get out of your way.” She tells you. She bites her lip and narrows her eyes. “We knew that… just saying ‘sorry’ wouldn’t cut it.” You’re taken aback when you suddenly start seeing a few tears running down Jessica’s cheeks. “We’re… I’M grateful that you saved Olivia. I’m thankful that you saved one of my only friends.” She starts sobbing, the tears ruining her elaborate makeup. “We wanted to apologize… but we… didn’t want to…” She bites her lip again, unable to finish that sentence.

Seeing the always detached Jessica crying like this, displaying the most emotion you’ve ever seen from her is… shocking and… well, moving. Is she acting? You’ve seen her tears before, fake tears. Are these real? Olivia and Lilian are looking down, unable to look at you directly.

“You’re right.” You say harshly, but calm. “I don’t need or want your apologies. I want you to stop messing with me, or even people in general. What were you trying to do to Katherine before?”

You see their shoulders drop, and that gives you some confidence. It seems at least your words are getting through.

“We heard she might know who recorded us that time, so…” Lilian speaks.

Oh, so they don’t know it was her. Good.

“I’m sorry, but I just don’t get it. I don’t understand how you can be wasting your time on shit like this.” You tell them. “Making people suffer, making enemies, having other people do your work for you when you could use your time in something more productive, making friends instead. Being decent fucking human beings.” You groan in annoyance.

“You don’t understand.” Olivia mutters. “It’s either us, or someone else. If we aren’t the ones doing it, someone else will do it to us.” She bites her lip. Her eyes are distant. “That’s how it always is.”

You sigh. “So that’s how it is? You make other people’s lives miserable because you don’t want that to happen to you?”

“It already happened.” Lilian says, gritting her teeth. “All through middle school. Mean letters, isolation, possessions stolen… and those were the good days when I was not getting beaten up.” She admits.

Ouch.

“I was once locked in the restroom and had my head shaved completely.” Olivia says. “After that, I dug all the dirt I could on those girls and made them pay. No one ever touched me after that.” She can’t seem to meet your eyes as she says that. “In high school, I knew I had to get a head start. That’s when I met these two. We swore no one would step on us ever again.”

Lilian and Jessica nod in agreement.

“Does that mean I should take my ****, then?” You asks. “Does that mean I shouldn’t have helped you that day?”

They flinch, looking down at their feet.

“That day, I didn’t see Olivia Hughes. I saw an injured person. I might be insane, but I can’t bring myself to even be mad at any of you.” You sigh and groan. “I kind of want to be, but I’m not. I just want this shit to stop, I just wish you could use your time, your talents, for things other than making people’s lives difficult. With how close you seem to be, I don’t think you need to worry about things like bullies any more. Besides, we’re all over 18 now. Stuff like this is no longer resolved by the school, but by the law.”

They don’t answer. They seem to be deep in thought.

“Just let me ask you one last thing. Are you happy with how things are?”

…

They remain silent. Then, Jessica shakes her head. “I’m not. I didn’t care what we did as long as I could hang out with Olivia and Lilian, but… now I feel like I don’t want you to hate me.” She sobs softly.

“What…?” That answer catches you off guard.

“Listen.” Olivia stands up and walks up to you. “T-Thank you for saving me. I promise we won’t bother you anymore. I’m… I’m sorry.” She grimaces.

Olivia turns around and starts to leave, with Lilian and Jessica following her.

You snap out of your shock and quickly look at the AMA.

-Hughes, Olivia-
Affection Score: 57. (+8)
Love Score: 34. (+4)

-Reed, Lilian-
Affection Score: 55. (+7)
Love score: 3 (+3)

-Ramirez, Jessica-
Affection Score: 69. (+4)
Love score: 15 (+7)

Though the +100 Friendship points from going over 50 with Olivia and Lilian are interesting, you’re more interested in the fact that all you said was well received. You thought they’d be mad or take it as an offence, but it seems you were wrong.

…

Fine. Fuck it. No pain, no gain as they say.

You walk out of the classroom and catch up to the three girls. “Hey.” You call them, making them turn around with puzzled expressions. “There’s still some time. Want to have lunch together?”