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The sheer amount of hatred radiating off of Victoire only fed into itself, perpetuating an alarming but typical scowl etched on her face. She hated everything on a normal day, but it was as if the universe had kicked it into overdrive. She had no idea how she was going to manage Homecoming without murdering that moron Jun, nor was she willing to hold back on that end. He got one over her, that much she couldn’t deny, but she was going to make sure she paid it back with interest.

It was hard to deny the embarrassment didn’t affect her, as nearly everyone she made contact with had some sort of stupid smile on their face. The only reason she had yet to hear anything after seeing them was that her death glare was especially on point due to her anger. And so she would forgo going to the cafeteria; she could just eat later, if she saw another stupid face approach her she would probably end up punching someone.

[color=pink]“Victoire!!!!”[/color] 

And as if on queue, coming from behind came a surprise, literal glomp from Stella Lambert to Victoire’s surprisingly sturdy vertical frame. Her arms wrapped around the dark-haired girl and gave her a hard squeeze. [color=pink]“I’m glad I found you before you left! I have so many things to tell you!!”[/color]

Of course. Because the universe needed to test her patience further.

That wasn’t right. Stella did nothing wrong to her. She needed to rein in her anger for a moment. Taking in a deep breath, she turned her face towards the smaller girl. [color=deepskyblue]”Do you now?”[/color] She couldn’t help but ask.

Stella gave Vic a nod, followed up by a repeated ‘mhm’ sound that was muffled by her closed lips. [color=pink]“Yes I do!”[/color] She repeated herself, nodding again. [color=pink]“God, it’s just so amazing and I knew I just had to tell you!”[/color]

Victoire only looked at Stella. After a moment of not saying anything, she remembered how dim the girl was and said, [color=deepskyblue]”So are you going to tell me?”[/color]

[color=pink]”I, uh,”[/color] Stella hesitated, looking at Vic. [color=pink]“Are you okay? You don’t seem like yourself,”[/color] she said, concerned for her friend.

[color=deepskyblue]”I’m always like this,”[/color] She replied. [color=deepskyblue]”There is never a day where life isn’t needlessly annoying.”[/color]

Stella now felt really horrible. Here she had her own, selfish news about Oliver that she wanted to tell her, but then here was Vic seemingly in a constant state of negativity. [color=pink]“I can go if you want..”[/color] She looked at Vic, unsure. She didn’t want to cause yet another level of irritation for Vic.

The girl looked like a kicked puppy, and now it was Victoire's turn to feel bad. She shouldn't let her emotions get the best of her, especially as the last thing she wanted was to talk about that moron. [Color=deepskyblue]”No, it's fine, I'm just annoyed that people seem to blame me for this Homecoming fiasco,”[/color] She dismissed the girl's concerns. [Color=deepskyblue]”You should have seen the way Diedrikson looked at me.”[/color]

[color=pink]“You mean people aren’t happy with it? I’m ecstatic! It’s such a neat idea. Instead of going out of our way stressing over who to ask for, the choice has been made for us. It’s so exciting! Don’t you agree?” [/color]

At that moment Victoire subconsciously liked Stella to an adorable baby sheep. [Color=deepskyblue]”Considering the blowout, I can't say I agree. If I had a more likable partner, then maybe, but I am stuck with the class clown who is set on making my life hell until the dance.”[/color]

Was there really a blowout to it? Stella understood that not everyone was happy, but she didn’t think it was as bad as Vic was making it out to be. [color=pink]“Class clown? Oh right, you were paired up with Jun. Is he really that bad?”[/color] She asked Vic.

Victoire gave Stella an unamused look. [Color=deepskyblue]”Yes.”[/color]

Stella was confused and she didn’t understand it entirely. [color=pink]“Do you want to talk about it?”[/color] She asked, extending an ear if Vic needed it.

Fuck no. [Color=deepskyblue]”No.”[/color]

[color=pink]“Oh. Well, okay that’s fine!”[/color] She smiled at Vic. It was no problem for her at all. Whenever Vic was ready to talk about it, she knew that Stella would be there for her. [color=pink]“In any case, about what I wanted to tell you!”[/color] Her slight smile shifted into a wide grin laced with a layer of nerves that seemed to threaten to break her curved lips. [color=pink]“You know the boy I was paired up with, Oliver Greyson, right?”[/color]

[color=deepskyblue]”What about him?”[/color] She asked.

[color=pink]“I think he likes me,”[/color] she stated simply, though her cheeks flushed bright red as soon as she did.

Raising her eyebrows slowly, Victoire had to take a moment to really take in that information. Stella looked positively peachy about it, but something felt a little off. As far as Victoire had been aware, she couldn’t recall Oliver ever going out with anyone. She actually thought he was like herself in a way when it came to relationships, albeit she had no proof. But that was neither here nor there; she supposed if Stella had her eyes on someone who was a million times better than her idiot brother, then good for her.

[color=deepskyblue]”What makes you say that?”[/color] She asked, somewhat curious.

[color=pink]“Well…”[/color] Stella hesitated for a minute. She gripped the side of her arm with her other, darting away from Vic’s direct gaze for a moment. It wasn’t until she thought about it herself that she seemed sure of why. [color=pink]“The vibe I got when we talked earlier just seemed like there could be something there. I know I don’t have the greatest track record. I mean, not that you would know that, but I was burned pretty bad by Santiago and I just couldn’t handle Lucas after the party, but with Oliver, it just feels natural. And I’m pretty sure he was flirting with me.”[/color] She was rambling, but it was the only way she knew she could get her thoughts out without sounding like a complete dumbo.

Wow, this girl had it bad. Victoire nodded slowly as Stella spoke, a little curious but unsurprised by the Santiago remark, but otherwise, she certainly seemed excited. But she couldn’t shake off that itch, that feeling that maybe she should advise her to be cautious. [color=deepskyblue]”Natural, huh,”[/color] She said, pausing for a moment. [color=deepskyblue]”Well, if you’re sure, then I wish you the best. At least you’ll have fun at the dance one way or another.”[/color]

[color=pink]“I sure hope so! I’m like really nervous. Or I would be if -- aaah!-- if he wasn’t so damn cute, ya know? You’ve seen him, right?”[/color] Stella didn’t wait to answer him and she pulled out her phone and showed her the one picture she had of Oliver on her phone. [color=pink]“Just look at him. Isn’t he the dreamiest cutie pie you ever seen?”[/color] She asked Vic, her big eyes looking to her friend as they always had done.

[color=deepskyblue]”He’s no Kavan Varma, but yeah, he’s cute,”[/color] Victoire agreed, her eyes going from the phone to Stella. [color=deepskyblue]”So, what, you’re going to ask him out?”[/color]

[color=pink]“Oh, you must not have remembered, but he’s my date for Homecoming,”[/color] she said, replying rather swiftly, which was unlike her. She usually fumbled.

She had to remind herself to be patient with the little sheep. [color=deepskyblue]”Okay, but that doesn’t answer my question,”[/color] She said. [color=deepskyblue]”What are your intentions with him?”[/color]

[color=pink]“What do you mean?”[/color] She asked, confused. [color=pink]“I mean, I guess dancing?”[/color] Stella said almost as if she wasn’t sure herself, though she was more perplexed by Vic’s question more than what she was actually going to do with Oliver. [color=pink]“Should I have any intentions?”[/color] A question escaped her lips that, in her mind, she thought it was going to be something she’d say to herself, not out loud. Too late now.

Jun had already filled a majority of her idiocy tolerance so Victoire had little patience for Stella’s airheadedness. [color=deepskyblue]”If you think he’s cute then yes. Otherwise, you’re just wasting your time,”[/color] She decided to be as upfront as possible. [color=deepskyblue]”But that’s up to you, I have my own ‘date’ to worry about, unfortunately.”[/color] Just thinking about Jun again got her riled up.

[color=pink]“You’re saying exactly what Kavi implied.”[/color] In the place of a confused expression came a slight pout-like frown.

Getting compared to that other idiot did very little to uplift her already sour mood. [color=deepskyblue]”If you hear the same thing more than once, it’s for a reason,”[/color] Victoire advised her.

[color=pink]“Yeah but Kavi’s a dum dum! And you’re not!”[/color] She exclaimed rather passionately. As she thought about it more, Stella just looked at Vic for a moment. Could she be right? Could [i]Kavi[/i] be right? Maybe she wouldn’t get laid or close to it. [color=pink]“Am I really so innocent and wholesome that people assume I wouldn’t get laid like most girls in our class would?”[/color] She asked Victoire. Truly she didn’t understand it one bit. It wasn’t like she hadn’t slept with guys before, but ever since Diablo, she hadn’t put herself out there.

‘Innocent’ wasn’t the word Victoire would have used. Nadia was what came to mind when she thought of the word innocent, Stella was more insecure and unsure. [color=deepskyblue]”What I mean is that you’re too passive. Some aggression would do you well,”[/color] She told her.

[color=pink]“I don’t want to be mean to anybody. I wasn’t raised to be a bitch -- no offense to you, of course. I know it works for you, but I’m not sure it’s my thing, ya know?”[/color]

[color=deepskyblue]”I’m a bitch because I hate everything,”[/color] Victoire spelled it out for her.

[color=pink]“Well, that’s a lie. You don’t hate me!”[/color] And just like that, Stella’s frown was turned upside down, directed in full at Vic.

Victoire chose not to respond. [color=deepskyblue]”My point stands. If you don’t put in some effort to get what you want, you’ll find yourself sitting there alone with no one to blame but yourself,”[/color] She said.

[color=pink]”I suppose you have a point.”[/color] 

Stella did agree with Victoire. She didn’t like it, of course, but there was no denying the truth in her advice. The reason Stella was in this position was due to her lack of confidence in herself. Where it came from was another matter. She wasn’t like this when Sav was still around. Maybe that was the problem. Her leaving really did a number on the brunette and it just drove her to do a lot of the wrong things for what she thought were the right reasons. Obviously that wasn’t true. But Vic’s words rung true for her and it was only after she let them sink in did she seem to finally get it.

Looking at Vic for a moment, Stella finally responded with a smile and a sudden, tight hug. [color=pink]“Thank you so, so, so much for your wonderful advice! You really are something special!”[/color] She said warmly, letting out a breath of warmth as she made the hug last for a few, long moments.

[color=deepskyblue]”You’re very touchy today, aren’t you?”[/color] She couldn’t help but ask.

Stella might’ve lacked aggression, but she certainly knew a sign to let go when she heard it.[color=pink] “Oh my God, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to..I’m just really happy today and talking to you really just helped me even more. But I’m sorry! I guess you’re not used to impromptu hugs, huh?”[/color] Her question was followed by a nerve-ridden laugh. 

[color=deepskyblue]”My personal space is important to me, so my reaction would have been the same regardless of who it was,”[/color] Victoire replied somewhat dryly.

[color=pink]“Oh, I totally get that. Like, I’m just -- uh, what’s the word? Oh, yes,”[/color] she smiled at Vic, [color=pink]”I just like hugging you. It’s weird, but you just have a warm presence and totally not bitchy at all!”[/color]

[color=deepskyblue]”You flatter me.”[/color]

[color=pink]”You deserve to be flattered!”[/color] She replied with gusto.

There were quite a few people who were likely to disagree with that statement. Still, Victoire decided to humor Stella, if only for the sake of not wanting to get touched again. [color=deepskyblue]”I have a few things to take care of, so just remember what I said. Best of luck,”[/color] She told her.

[color=pink]”And to you as well! Jun’s not that bad of a guy - he just jokes a lot,”[/color] she said, hopefully giving Vic some peace of mind. As she said that, she went to hug Vic again, but she remembered that she didn’t like it when Stella hugged her not once but [i]twice[/i] without saying anything. So, in the place of her arms wrapping around Vic’s slender body came  her right hand extended out with her fingers straight, though Stella’s big, bright eyes full of honey sweetness. [color=pink]“A shake for good luck, perhaps?”[/color]

Lord have mercy, this girl was hopeless. Making a mental note to bring plenty of tissues for the inevitable rejection, Victoire shook her hand. [color=deepskyblue]”Good luck.”[/color]
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