[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/1vfwhpT.png[/img][/center]

[color=999999]Damn it. Of all people...[/color]

Of all people, it had to be someone like this. Someone who would fire back [i]immediately.[/i] She'd kind of hoped that the first person she talked to wouldn't be ready to fight. She bit the inside of her cheek almost enough to draw blood, though she betrayed none of it on the outside. How should she respond to this?

She gave an infinitesimal sigh. This wasn't how she'd wanted to start the year, but at least, well, mission accomplished. She and Tentacles were being stared at quite thoroughly. The weight of fear on her mind—though it was never really gone—dimmed down to the faintest of embers.

Okay, no, really. How should she respond?

Really, she [i]wanted[/i] to give that apology. She didn't like doing any of this. But if she apologized and then left, she would disappear. Not literally, obviously, that would come later (probably). But if she slunk away she would immediately become out of sight, out of mind. She needed to leave an [i]impression[/i]. She needed people to [i]remember[/i] her. And if they remembered her as 'that bitch Kirika?'

...Well, it was still better than being forgotten.

So, trying to muster up an image of selfish pride, she smirked back. Hard. Patronizing.

"[color=999999]Aw, man, you're [i]right,[/i] huh? [i]I'm sorry,[/i] okaaay?[/color]" Her voice radiated insincerity and condescension as she reached out a swift hand and patted Tentacles on the head. Then she turned, flipped her hair (she'd practiced the move a thousand times in her bedroom mirror) and resumed walking. Stares followed her, and she grimaced even as she basked in their glow. 

She hated how much she loved it.