It takes some time for Reina and Cindy to gather the girls and go outside. When they finally do, Flower checks her phone and is surprised by the time.
"4:00 pm. I thought we would finish these classes by 1:45."A girl next to Flower hears her and responds while shrugging her shoulders.
"Yeah that's the official time. But usually we go longer than that. We have a lot of fun though so it's worth it." Flower thinks about it. Has she had fun?
"Yeah, oh my god. Everything here is so interesting. I can't believe you people don't like RSs." The girl raises her eyebrows at Flower.
"'You people'. What is that supposed to mean?" Flower hurries to find an explanation before she hears a laugh. She turns to the girl in front of her and is confused.
"Don't worry I know what you mean and I don't take offense from it. Us rich people can be hard sometimes. Name's Ray by the way."
"I'm Flower" she hesitates before saying anything next. She didn't want to push her luck. "Yeah you guys can be something. I've only been here less than a day and I can already tell." Flower smiles at the comforting environment that Ray brings.
"Why are you talking to me anyway? I am a new girl here in Sheero that no one talks to. I still can't believe that someone actually came up to me and started a conversation." Ray shoos her away like it's nothing.
"Most of these girls have personalities that are more shallow than a kid's pool and you seem to be interesting. I mean for one you don't care what others think"-Flower's heart warms at the statement-"and you're mysterious." Ray says, wiggling her eyebrows. Flower scoffs jokingly.
"Yeah soooo interesting" Then they both laugh.
"That's my girl. Have some fun." The rest of the walk back, Flower stays with Ray and laughs with her. God is she interesting. Flower absolutely loves Ray's personality and wants to be as confident as her. She has so much fun with Ray, that she doesn't even realize when they stop by the mall. When Flower looks around questionablely, Ray smiles at her.
"We will stop by here to have lunch. There are restaurants all over this place so it's perfect." Ray is cut off by Miss Cindy who gathers the girls quickly before saying, "Ok everyone we are having lunch right now. You guys are allowed to go to all the buffets and you can wander in the mall too. Please don't go beyond that ok. We will meet back here in 45 minutes. Enjoy your time." The teacher had barely finished her sentence before the girls rushed off in every direction, splitting into groups and walking off to eat. Flower looks around for someone to go with when she sees Ray looking back at her.
"You"-she says pulling Flower closer by the arm-"are coming with me. I don't want to go with these fools."
"Oh so where are we going?" Ray points to the busy mall. "Right there" Both girls walk into the mall exploring everything and chatting along the way. Every single time Flower looks at something Ray explains it to her or gives her some back story. When Flower looks at her phone, she realizes that they forgot to eat.
"No problem. Let's go eat at that restaurant over there. It will be quick and we'll be done and back to the group."
"Ok let's go," Flower laughs. When they get to the restaurant, Ray orders before looking to Flower for what she wants. The girl's cheeks flush in embarrassment.
"I-I don't have any money just order for yourself and eat. I don't mind" Ray again makes a movement with her hands and looks at her.
"What nonsense I'll get you something. You haven't eaten anything all day."
"No it's ok. I will have food back home."
"Just come on and tell me what you want. I'm not leaving until you get something. Then what's the point of us being rich" Ray smiles that funny smile or hers and Flower finally gives her her order. She choses something small to not burden Ray and they both eat and laugh. After walking for a bit and admittingly getting lost the girls finally find their group in the distance and walk their way. As the girls exit the mall, a young girl a little bit older than them stands handing out fliers. People seem to be ignoring her but Flower feels bad and takes a flier from her. The girl smiles back gratefully at her.
"Why is everyone ignoring her? She seems nice."
"It's a scam. Either that or people just don't want to help." Flower looks down at the flier. It is asking for donations to fix a warehouse that broke down years ago. At the bottom of the paper is the phone number. Since Flower doesn't have money, she decides it's useless, but absentmindedly puts it in her bag. After meeting up with the group much later than they had planned, they start their way back to their meeting place. There the girls gather their things and get ready to go back to their own homes. To her surprise the 3rd time that time, the other girls are being picked up by several men to go home. When most of the girls disappear with only complaining girls left, Flower heads back to her apartment. When she gets there she finds the maid who nods silently at her. Flower is barely able to stand on her own two feet and enters her room. She takes off her clothes, throws her bag on the couch and brushes her teeth in the bathroom. The girl catches sight of the dishes still in the sink that she'd promised she'd do. Later. Flower puts her clothes away and reaches to put an alarm but stops. They'll probably be an alarm anyway. The young girl falls asleep looking at the painted forest at the other end of the room. 9:03pm. When Flower first got here she thought that the painting was going to be the only beautiful thing in her new life. But a day in and she starts to understand that it will have the darkest and brightest moments all together creating a much more beautiful painting.