Tiffany ran across the street and entered the store right next to the boxing gym Nayeong had spotted earlier. The moment she walked in she wanted to gag. Seriously, no one needed to see that much pink in their lifetime. Nevertheless, she it up and bought the medium sized one she had seen in the window display. Perfect huggable size. As she was leaving the store, she spotted the perfect accessory for her gift, and without even a second’s consideration for her own wellbeing, she bought that too.

Tiffany felt like she was in some chick flick and she was the lovestruck fool, except she and Nayeong were not lovers. Just family. And that was enough.

She was going to head home when she happened to look across the street. Jessica was still standing there, and this time, she was looking straight at Tiffany with an intense aura raging about her. There was no way Tiffany could avoid it now. Their eyes met and locked. If Tiffany was not so busy trying to control herself, she would realize how creepy Jessica was being. But no, that point was totally lost on the younger girl as she tried desperately to grasp onto the quickly slipping reins of her remaining self-restraint. Her heart jumped out of her chest as she watched Jessica cross the street and walk straight towards her.

She was already at her wits end early today when she had to manhandle the ice princess into the showers, and now, Tiffany feared she was in hell. Her skin was burning to the point of peeling, was so dry it was raw, and she swears she’s seconds away from spontaneously combusting into flames. If hell was anything like this, Tiffany had half the mind to repent all the sins she’s ever committed. This is not a fate she would wish upon any living thing.

Jessica bit her bottom lip anxiously as she walked to stand in front of Tiffany. She wanted to demand to know why the girl was so weird around her. Avoiding her gaze, completely ignoring her. It was infuriating. You don’t ignore a princess. It’s just not done! Jessica really had a lot she wanted to say to Tiffany, but she couldn’t seem to bring herself to open now that she was right in front of her. So the two of them just stood there staring into each other’s eyes. Both feeling their bare skin heat up from deep within them.

Tiffany was the first to drop her gaze.

In the end, not a word was spoken as the two walked back to their dorms at funeral procession pace. The distance between the two girls was awkward. Not far enough to be taken as two strangers, yet not close enough to be taken as friends. Both were deep in their own thoughts, though still acutely aware of the person next to them. Painfully aware in fact.

Entering their dorm, they found the seven girls and Nayeong sprawled all over the carpeted floor in front of the TV, stuffing themselves with junk and just plain having a good time. At the sound of the door closing, all eight heads snapped up to see Jessica and Tiffany walk soundlessly into their own respective rooms, looking rather dazed and shell-shocked. Both doors to the rooms closed at the same time, but a split second later, Tiffany’s door flew open again, revealing a wide-eyed Tiffany.

“I forgot! I’ll go now! Buy you an extra bag to make up for it!” she yelled as she ran out the door. No one save the shikshin knew what the hell the girl was talking about. Sooyoung just shrugged happily.

She just got herself another bag of chips.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jessica lay in bed. It was actually way too early to sleep, but that had never been a problem for her…until Tiffany that is. The entire dinner had been torturous on Jessica. Sitting across from Tiffany meant that she ended up staring at the girl more than half the time. She was so distracted she couldn’t even put more than a few spoonfuls of food into the entire dinner! Then she watched as Tiffany went into some uber girly pink-infested store to buy something. It didn’t take a genius to figure out it was a gift for someone and Jessica had a pretty good idea who. And don’t even get her started on YURI! That girl has always been touchy and happy-go-lucky and just so sickeningly bubbly! Ok, so…that didn’t usually bother Jessica. No, in fact, on any other occasion, Jessica liked to be clingy with her friends too. But SERIOUSLY! YURI!!!! UGHHHHH!!!! So now she’s bothered, frustrated, jealous, and incredibly hungry. Great.

“STRESS!!!!”

Seriously Jessica? How the hell is screaming ‘STRESS!!!!’ going to help you right now? The girl you like probably thinks you’re a nutcase and all you can do is lay in bed acting like some crazy freak.

Jessica rolled over face first into her pillow and began to thrash around wildly, pounding madly on her pillow and mattress with her hands and feet to release some of her internal frustration…and that’s when Tiffany walked in with six huge grocery bags in hand.

“Hey! …Oh…uh…am I interrupting something?”

Jessica’s head jerked towards the door.

“WHY DIDN’T YOU KNOCK?!??!?” Jessica screamed.

“I DID! YOU WERE JUST TOO BUSY PLAYING SHARK ATTACK!” Tiffany retaliated with just as much force. All previous awkwardness was gone as the two glared daggers at each other.

“Well what did you want?!”

“The others want to know if you would like to join them for a movie and those stupid asses decided to send me to ask you. They obviously knew what they were doing cause clearly you’re in favor of ‘killing the messenger’!”

“No! I don’t want to watch a movie! And tell them they better keep it the hell down!”

“Tell them