"You guys..."
All of a sudden, Vinny grabbed both Carra and Felly into a hug.
"I'm, I'm sorry!"
"Ow, ow, it hurts!" Carra was tapping Vinny's arm multiple times. Unfortunately, Vinny didn't notice.
Meanwhile, Felly stayed silent.
Vinny's crying resounded throughout the otherwise quiet restroom. Before long, Felly's eyes got all watery as well. She put her arm around Vinny and Carra.
"Y, you both are crying? Stop it! Let me go!" Carra struggled with all her heart. Of course, the combined strength of Felly and Vinny wasn't something she could slip out of.
"Let me go! Come on! Otherwise... I'll start crying too!" Carra's voice was the loudest out of the three as her eyes started tearing up as well, whether it be due to her emotions, or the fact that she almost couldn't breathe.
'Ah, now I remember why I dislike crying.' Felly sighed as Carra's voice pierced her eardrums. She chuckled for a bit. '...but it's fine for now.'
.....
Outside of the restroom.
Three girls were wiping their tears off as they stood outside the door.
"This is so touching..."
"Come on girls, we cannot disturb this moment."
"Let us march forth... to the second floor bathroom!"
.....
"You..." Vinny let go of Carra. "Shut up! You're so loud!"
"You're the one who wouldn't let me go!"
"I didn't expect you to be so noisy!" Vinny tightened her embrace with the tall Felly.
The latter played along, patting Vinny's head affectionately.
"You...! Why are you hugging Felly!" Carra bit her lip.
Vinny stuck out her tongue. "You jealous?"
"...I wanna be hugged too!"
"This bitch... We were literally just hugging you a second ago!"
"It was too tight!!"
Felly extended her arms. "Come here, big baby."
Carra slowly approached the two.
Vinny pouted before extending her hand out as well.
Felly and Vinny pulled Carra into their embrace, and this time, it wasn't so tight.
"Ah, feels nice..." Carra snuggled up as both of them patted her head.
After the restroom debacle, the three headed to the rooftop where Vinny finally explained to both of them everything, from herself being mired in poverty and her family situation, to the reason why she was absent for so long.
Hearing her story, Felly and Carra cried again, and this time, even Felly was loud.
"I repeat, I don't want you to treat me any differently than before. I dislike being pitied, or anything of the sort."
"Don't worry, we won't do anything like treating you a different way because of your money situation." Felly held Vinny's hand tenderly.
"...Hmm?! But wait, didn't you always go about telling Noele that you were going to buy perfumes, bags, lipsticks, that stuff?"
"Ah, Noele..." Vinny pursed her lips. "Actually, I've been using his money to pay the bills."
Carra and Felly widened their eyes.
"I don't actually dislike Noele or anything like that. Well, maybe a little envious of his wealth..."
Carra turned red. "All this time, I've been hating on him for nothing?"
She had thought that Vinny had a reason to hate Noele. Turns out that she was only doing it for the money in the end.
"I... don't plan on continuing extorting him of his money. I went too far last week, and I haven't even apologized for it."
"So, you're gonna stop talking to him?"
"I guess so, yeah? I've no reason to talk to him outside of money, really. After apologizing, of course."
"Never mind him." Now that she had no reason to hate Noele, Carra's interest in him went from the negatives to a null. In other words, she just didn't care anymore.
"Can we come to your house today?" Her eyes sparkled, holding Vinny's hand.
"Well, that's... difficult."
"Carra! Think about what you're saying...!" Felly glared at Carra.
"Ah, no, it's fine, Felly. It's just that... it's a bit unpretty right now." Vinny smiled wryly.
Carra felt guilt weigh down her shoulders all of a sudden. She lunged towards Vinny and hugged her. "I'm sorry! I was too insensitive!"
"Huh?? I don't think so. Actually, I think you two are being too sensitive. I already told you I didn't want to be treated differently than before."
""Sorry."" Felly and Carra felt saddened. They really needed to be more attentive!
Vinny stared at them soullesly. 'They aren't getting the point.'
-----
Noele sat dazed on his chair, looking at the thick stack of money in his hands.
"This must be $2000, at least... Well, I guess not that much, but why did Vinny give this to me?"
"Hush money? Is she paying you to shut up about her beating you up last last Friday?" Felum wolfed down the lunchbox that Noele prepared.
"I'm not so pathetic as to share the fact that I got beaten up by a gal..."
"Hey, stop emphasizing that it's a gal that beat you up. They're unexpectedly strong, you know."
Noele closed his eyes, having no idea what to do with the two grand he had been given.
"Ah!" Felum stopped munching for a second. "What if, this was her way of apologizing to you?"
In response, Noele looked at him with a clear disappointment. "Are you serious. Out of all the people that wronged me, the one I least expect to apologize is her."
"Just think about it! When she tried to take the lunchbox earlier, she said it was just a joke."
"It was because you were intimidating her with your flaming hot red eyes."
"...Well, how do you explain her not asking you for money today? She's clearly trying to apologize."
"...You're being too optimistic. And, even if she is trying to apologize, my forgiveness doesn't cost a measly $2000."
"How much is it then? What's it cost?"
"It's gonna cost... a sincere, face-to-face, oral apology."
"I would have taken the money."
Noele rolled his eyes as he picked up his spoon and fork.
"Ah? My food... it's all gone?"
"...Those weren't leftovers?"
"I haven't even started eating yet, asshole!!"