Wanted to flip the usual “person who gets the most visibly distraught apologizes for their feelings being too obvious” trope.

…And that’s it for this round of the Goth Kids Saga. The original plans for this mini-arc had even more emotional stuff happening, but this particular turning point in their dynamic is such a big deal that I decided it should stand on its own.

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Hazel: I didn’t need Angelica to like me, but I thought I could at least be inoffensive enough to get her to leave me alone . . . Thanks for making me feel like I’m not crazy.

Hyacinth: I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything sooner! Didn’t want to go through this — I was trying to avoid it — but all that did was hurt you!

[sniff sniff]

Vine: . . .

. . . I’m sad about it too, okay? And about not supporting you and stuff. Higher T means I don’t get, like, physically teary as easy as I used to. Doesn’t mean I don’t feel sad.

. . . This is going to be really awkward when we all go back to the same school, isn’t it.

Hyacinth: Yeah . . .

Vine: Wow, that’s next week? Feels like it’s been summer for years.

Hyacinth: Well — we’ll just have to keep comparing notes about stuff, and look out for each other, and deal with it. We’ll be great at dealing with it. So great, we’d win the grand prize at the Kolpovision Dealing-With-It Contest.