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"think of how many liquor stores we have ruined for ourselves"
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"They can think what they want," Saya said as the group of girls walked down the sidewalk. The three of them, Andi, Saya, and Maria, had decided to make the most of their girls' night and hit the liquor store before going to the dance. "I know they all call me a bitch."
Andi laughed. "That's because you are a bitch." Saya shot her a joking glare. Andi raised her hands in mock surrender, "Not that it's a bad thing."
"Yeah," Maria agreed. "You should be proud of that."
Saya huffed. "People who proudly self-apply labels like 'asshole' or 'bitch' as if it's a sign of their own strength are just ugly people looking for an excuse to lean into their unpleasant nature."
Andi gasped. "I feel attacked right now. Maybe I just call myself a bitch because I know it's true, so why deny who I really am. Same with Simon. I don't think that asshole will change for anyone," the blonde joked. Saya and Maria laughed.
"Well, they all think I'm crazy," Maria added.
Saya turned to her, "They're gonna think what they want. Nothing you can do about it."
"I don't care what they say," Maria amended. "I just wish it wasn't true."
Saya and Andi both stopped in their tracks. "You're not crazy," they both insisted.
Maria gulped, a vague gleam in her eye as she pushed away the melancholy. "I just want to be normal."
"Fuck that," Saya said, making Andi smile. "Normal's death."
"Highly overrated," Andi agreed, although something in the back of her mind gnawed at her, reminding her that she wanted to be normal too. She had been normal and sometimes she wished she could have that back, but now she knew she never would.
Maria smiled, "But what's more normal than bragging about how normal you are?" The other girls laughed. "Maybe we shit on what we can't have."
We do, Andi thought as Maria stopped in front of a house with its holiday lights already up and partially decorated. "Me, in my heart, I would love to own a house like this," the Latina continued. "Filled with books, niños running around, music in the air."
"Enjoy that bullshit," Saya said, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm gonna party forever and rule the world."
Andi laughed as Maria gave her an "Oh, really" look. "But I would like to come and visit," the Kuroki girl backtracked.
Maria smiled and looped her arms through Andi and Saya's. "Auntie Saya, party queen of the world."
