The next day, Denise walked out of school, when she suddenly felt an arm around her.

'Hey babe, you were not at school yesterday,' Nick said.

Denise felt slightly uncomfortable with his arm around her, but didn't dare to shake it off. Technically, they were dating, after all. 'I was ill,' she lied.

'Aw,' Nick said, 'Are you feeling better now?'

Denise nodded.

'Will you come sit with me and my friends tomorrow?'

'Uhm sure,' Denise said. Then she saw something. Rose, Fé and Meyrin had pushed a dark-haired figure against the wall.

'I'm sorry but I have to go!' Denise said while already running away.

If you see him in the street,

'Leave her alone!' Denise yelled.

Fé looked at her, with a kind of sceptical face. Odessa looked up, revealing a massive bruise on her cheek. Denise looked at her in shock. She looked at the three other girls: 'What the fuck have you done?!'

She stood up, furious. 'Get out!' she yelled. No effect. She stepped closer to Fé, and said quietly: 'Get. Out.'

Fé had never seen Denise angry like that. 'It wasn't me,' she whispered. Then she turned around and ran away for dear life.

Walking by her side,

Odessa smiled: 'She was actually right. It wasn't her. It wasn't any of them.'

Denise sat down next to her. 'Then what happened?'

'I fell during rehearsal, into this massive set piece with arrows. My cheek hit one of those.'

Denise pulled up an eyebrow.

'Well, if it could have been them, it could just as well have been you, don't you think?'

'I would never-' Denise said, but she was interrupted by a glare from Odessa.

'You're right,' Denise sighed, 'I was a horrible person.'

Talking by her side, have pity

'I'm sorry. What I did was wrong.'

Odessa looked back, with this glare of: is that all?

He is trying to do the unimaginable

'I really was a bitch to you,' Denise continued, 'I was blind, and stupid, and I didn't dare to stand up to the leader. But most of all, I was too absorbed in my own little problems to notice anyone else's. I was really just a blind and ignorant bitch. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?'

'Not really,' Odessa said.

Denise sighed, and stood up: 'I understand. Goodbye.'

There are moments that the words don't reach

That moment, something in Odessa changed. Was it that she realised how much courage from Denise was needed to say that? Was it that she saw Denise's hopelessness in her eyes? Was it that she realised that those words came directly from Denise's heart? Or was it something else, that is way beyond our understanding? We may never know.

There's a grace, to powerful to name

Odessa stood up: 'Wait!'

She takes his hand

Denise slowly turned around, and looked questioning at Odessa.

'I forgive you,' Odessa said.

"It's quiet uptown"

'But,' Odessa continued, 'you'll have to sit with me at lunch, just once, no talking necessary. Sitting alone is so boring!'

A smile broke through on Denise's face: 'Deal.'

Forgiveness, can you imagine?

And so, the two girls had made their second deal in less than a month.

~~~

'I get it,' Odessa said. It was the day after, lunch break, and Denise and Odessa were sitting in the aula. 'You're not a Heather. You're a Veronica.'

'What?' Denise said confused.

'Ah nothing,' Odessa said, 'Musical reference.'

Denise rolled her eyes: 'I will never understand you.'

'I will never understand you!' Odessa sang at full volume.

Denise facepalmed: 'One day with you and I'm already sick of the musical references.'

Odessa bowed triumphantically. 'Welcome in the life of a musical nerd's friend! You'll soon be regretting any life choice you ever made!'

'I'm already regretting them,' Denise sighed.

'Uhm guys?' a quiet voice asked, 'Can I come sit with you?'

Denise looked up: 'Meyrin! Yeah sure, but don't you want to sit with Rose and Fé?'

Meyrin shrugged: 'It's not like they'll notice me.'

'I was wrong,' Odessa suddenly said, 'She's not a Heather D. She's a Heather M!'

'She's a Meyrin!' Denise said, 'Will you now shut up!'

'Nahh,' Odessa said, 'She's not a Mey-Rin. More of a Paula.'

'You like Kuroshitsuji?!' Meyrin excitedly asked.

'Yes,' Odessa said, 'you do too?!'

Soon, the two girls were hooked up in an excited conversation about the anime / manga.

'What have I done?' Denise questioned herself.