At lunch the girls all sit at a table near the back of the cafeteria with their food. The school lunch may suck but it's better than nothing. There's a window near there table that Bubbles likes to look through. they could eat outside, but that would just leave them open to hostile attacks, that's where Princess and her friends eat.

Buttercup picks up an apple and rolls it around in her hand. "What time do you work today?" She asks, looking towards Blossom.

The red head thinks for a moment before she answers. "I've got to be there by six." She's worked at the library in town since summer. her sisters and her would often hide there when they were younger and their parents were on the war path. It became a safe haven to Blossom, who loved being surrounded by ink and paper, so when she heard they were hiring people to stock shelves she knew she had to apply.

Bubbles sighs. "They gave me third shift again." She says. "I hate third shift."

Buttercup shrugs. "It's because no one else wants to work it so they get you to. You're not even suppose to be working there, remember?"

Bubbles nods. "I know, it's a good job." She's been 'volunteering' at the towns hospital. She had started out because Buttercup had to go get stitches after getting into a fight at school. Her friendly face attracted the attention of patients and she couldn't find herself to refuse anything they asked from her. The hospital employees saw this and asked if she'd like to volunteer there, said she fit in, but she told them that she couldn't. So they asked if she'd like a job. All she really has to do is patient care. Nothing serious or important, most of her work hours are spend chatting with the sick people. her tender heart is just right for the position. But from the law's point of view it's illegal for a minor to actually be employed there. So she gets payed under the table, in cash.

"What about you buttercup?" The blonde asks, taking a bite from her pear.

The black haired girl hums. "I'm leaving school early. Gotta be there by three." Buttercup works at one of the main grocery stores in town. She mostly stocks the shelves but sometimes, when someone doesn't show up for their shift, she has to work the register. Her muscles from lifting the heavy boxes are something she's been proud of since she first got the job when she was 14. She put in applications for the job. When they didn't contact her she contacted them. She went to the owner's house and asked if he had filled the position yet. He told her he liked her attitude, and that they could try the job out for a week, if she wasn't good he could always fire her. She was good.

The girls are no doubt the best workers in town because they take their jobs seriously. They need the money. They don't make much but at the end of the month it pays the bills. They've never hated work the way that most teenagers do. It gives them something to do. They don't have to think about their problems or worry about anything. Just mind numbing work.

Blossom jumps when a tray is suddenly placed down beside her. She looks up to see Brick, the boy from English, and his brothers. Brick sits down beside her, smiling. his black haired brother sits beside him, directly across from Buttercup. The blonde one is on the other side of the table beside Bubbles. What are they doing here?

"Can we help you?" Buttercup asks, glaring at Butch, then his brothers in pattern.

"I told you." Butch shrugs, poking at his tray with disgust. "I need to know more about you for the project."

"Just make something up." The black haired girl suggests. "That's what I'm going to do."

This starts an argument between the two. Blossom scoots away from Brick, uncomfortable by how close he is.

Bubbles looks down at her tray, frozen, she thought surely by now Boomer would've started avoiding her. Or maybe he came to tease her like the others. She struggles to keep her breathing even. Without looking she can feel his eyes are on her. She fells the tears prickling behind her eyes but wills herself to hold them in. That was one of the girls main rules. Never let them see you cry.

"Um." Boomer clears his throat. "Are you okay?"

Her back stiffens. "I'm fine" She answers, unable to stop the slight creak in her voice.

Buttercup's head snaps towards the blonde and she forgets about Butch. "Don't fucking bother her." She says through clenched teeth, standing slightly and glaring at the blonde boy. He doesn't seem intimidated.

Bubbles looks up from her tray then, shaking her head. "It's alright Buttercup."

Buttercup goes from looking to Boomer,to her sister, then back again. "You sure? Cause I'll kick his ass."

"I'm sure." Bubbles nods, then forces a smile. "It's fine."

Buttercup lowers herself back down, still making eye contact with the boy. Then she turns back to Butch. "You better watch your fucking brother." Then she looks to Brick, who is obviously making Blossom uncomfortable. "Both of them."

Butch rolls his eyes at her. "What ever you say flower."

"Stop that." Buttercup growls, then looks over Butch's shoulder to see Princess and her crew walking towards them. "Well fuck."