Cherry faced Katherine and Sally as if she just noticed their existence. 'Oh dear, really?' Then she ignored them again and talked to Lea. 'I'm your besty best friend, LenLen. You don't need them. I can be your guide.'

'I would love for that to happen, but you see, that's how things are for now, and she's my guide. You can still hang out with us if you want to.'

Katherine coughed. 'Cherry, if you may, we were speaking about something.'

Cherry held Lea in a strong embrace. 'It can't be so important that I couldn't speak with my besty best friend.'

'Actually, it is...'

Cherry gasped and let go of Lea. 'No!'

'You're not in our group for the festival, so leave.'

Cherry's face fell. 'Well, I guess I just have to ask Mr. Huston to let her be in my group, then.' She stood up and held Lea's hand. 'Come on, Lea. We need to talk to him.'

'You can talk to him,' said Lea. 'Until then, I'm in Cat's group. He might not even agree.'

Cherry giggled. 'Of course he will.'

No matter how hard Sally held Katherine's trousers and stomped on her foot, she couldn't stop her from standing up. 'Why are you so obsessed with her, Cherry? Leave!'

Cherry gasped in horror and Lea face-palmed.

'If you have so much as a rice grain of a chance to have her in your group why don't you prove it?'

Cherry clenched her fist as her face reddened in rage. 'Sure!' She humphed and left in a sashay.

Sally sighed. 'High school drama...'

Katherine shot Lea a death glare. Her looks and character turned a 180° angle. 'What's wrong with you, eh?' she asked and held Lea by the collar of her shirt. 'Why are you so friendly with her?' She raised her up and her glare turned worse. 'You'll make that mould stick to you even harder!'

Lea was afraid but still retorted. 'I can't be mean to her, Cat.'

'Why is that so, LenLen, eh? I would love to hear your reasoning,' she said as her knuckles whitened.

Lea's eyes widened. 'That's... that's because it's rude, Cat!' she exclaimed. 'Please look at this from my perspective. I've only been here for three days. I can't be a git to whoever I want to!'

Katherine had let go of Lea, and she hit the table with a bump.

'Really...?' she asked with a not-so-nice smile. 'Then why don't you continue being nice to every mould you see. I can't wait to see the consequences.'

She packed her bag after that and left them.