Jocelyn hears this last part and feels a tug of heaviness from within.  “And with that, we change the subject.  I must be honest when it comes to not being comfortable with talking about the real world.”

    Everyone agrees, though Vahnna can’t help but make the comment, “I don’t think it’s quite as hopeless as most SG’s think, but I won’t push that issue.”

    While the former queen thinks of something to cheer everyone up, she notices two teens sitting across from each other at the lunch table, but not making eye contact.  Vahnna would say something, but the girl staring at her phone looks at the boy in front of her and speaks.  “You better be glad your mom Mercy isn’t here, or she’d force you to finish that, Paul.”

    Playing with his food, he sheepishly explains, “I told you I’m allergic to this.”

    Putting her phone down, Gigi guiltily lets out a simple, “Oh.”

    She switches their plates and begins eating his food.  “Does that help?  *Cough* Just be glad I have a stronger stomach for this stuff.”

    Paul looks at his new menu choice.  “I’m allergic to this, too.”

    “Grr!!”  She then takes the other plate and begins eating from both.  “How do you stay alive?!”

    “It’s the extract of vanilla,” Paul explains.  “All the vanilla here comes from the planet Yomawatup.  It…does things to my stomach.”

    “Well,” Gigi explains, “you’re never going to get a girl if you can’t eat anything on the date.”  Turning to the expert, Grace says, “Faye, you explain this to him.”

    Instead, someone else gives their opinion.  “Grace,” Kammy says, “one, who said you two were on a date.  You’re kids.  Secondly, you’re never going to get a guy if you don’t have the heart enough to know what he can eat without swelling to death.”

    “Time to go, everyone!” Duplica stands up and rushes everyone out…but nobody acknowledges her presence.

    Standing up with her fork in her hand, Grace says, “You wanna’ come over here and say that, Kammy?!”

    Charging over to her challenger, Kammy says, “I’ll try.  Just be sure not to swallow me like everything else in sight.”

    Elf tries to get between the two girls, giving the cheesiest diplomatic grin he can muster to Kamron Crystal.  “Kamo, Kamo; do you really want to waste this energy on ol’ Gracie Face?  Paul’s a big boy who hasn’t choked yet.  Don’t get yourself in trouble over these two.”

    Pulling his ear, Grace hisses, “Gracie Face, huh?  I’ll grace your face with this plate of food allergies if you call me that again!”

    In the midst of the bedlam, a small voice can be heard timidly stuttering from the table behind Grace.  “T-thanks, Faye.  At least someone cares.”

    Hearing this, Grace turns to see the two having given up on “stomach training” and sneaking over to the vending machine for nourishment they can actually enjoy.  As Gigi watches, she observes Faye cheerfully paying for everything that slides out of the machine.  As the two return, Gracie’s eyes fall to the floor in shame.

    “Am I really capable of that kind of malice?” she mutters sorrowfully.

    Kammy also feels bad for losing her temper over the matter, even if Gi was being mean about the whole thing.  If there’s one thing Kam has learned from this trip, it’s what to do in such moments.

    “Kammy….” Gigi finds herself in a surprise hug from her partner in crime for this embarrassing drama.  The two girls hug and apologize, but Grace knows she hasn’t got everything right.  Humiliated, she makes a very generalized apology, refusing to make eye contact.  In truth, she knows she has to apologize to Paul, but she’s afraid she’s broken their friendship.  For now, she’ll just play it cool and see how he interacts with her.

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