𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄, 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨

one ⊹˚.⋆

bitchilante
(n) being mean only to people
who deserve it.

(like samantha)

⊹˚.⋆

"Press likes in your face hot girls Ana baby! I just don't think you're his, uh- type." Max attempted to break the news, once again, to Ana as gently as she could. So compared maxine's usual dramatics,
this was going quite well.

"did you just call my wife not hot?" Abby exclaimed, quick to reassure her friend.
Although Ana met 'the group' all at the same time, Ana bonded the quickest and the most with Abby and Brodie. And abby knew how a few small comments on looks and whatnot could really affect a person's life, so they protected eachother.

sisters.

"no! i just mean attitude wise! confidence, you just care and are so lovely my little ana," Max passively patted 'little' ana on the head, ignoring the obvious juxtaposition between her comment and their real height difference. Max being up to about ana's shoulder in height.

"I didn't even bring up press? i asked if you liked anyone max." ana spoke, trying not to get flustered with the attention focused solely on her.

max and abby quickly shot eachother a look intended to be secretive and hidden from ana, a look that said, how do we tell her press is an ass without hurting little ana's feelings!

the two friends never seemed to realise that ana was not a stupid girl. nor was she blind. she used to go through life unaware but now she makes sure she sees every little detail, every 'secret' look and every hidden meaning.

nothing huge or massive shell shocked ana to become this way, she just woke up and saw the world was brighter when she could control it how she liked.

She wore what she liked, modest or not, she took the classes she enjoyed, rather than those her parents chose, she said what she wanted to say, rather than holding back to present a certain image. and most of all ana didn't care.

she didn't care what anyone thought of her. especially man whore, rude, matt press.

so seeing the two girls exchange a look made that newer bubbling feeling of anger arise.

did they think they had to tiptoe around her feelings?

do they think she cares about little matty's comments?

she didn't.

or at least that's what she wanted everyone else to believe, so she forced herself to believe it too.

ana turned back to max's bedroom mirror, seeing abby and max lounging over her bed awaiting a response.

Ana first smoothed over her pale pink knit v neck sweater, fiddling with her necklace subtlety before mustering up a fake and short giggle of sorts.

"oh I couldn't care less if i'm press' type, and I know I'm hot, thanks abby," Max snorted at that, "I don't think anyone would actually want to be press' type."

Abby caught Ana's eye through the mirror, shooting her a look as if to say, we will be talking about this later.

that's was the one bad thing about being friends with abby. she always knew when ana was putting on a show, faking it till she makes it and all that.

"except maybe samantha." ana quickly broke the eye contact with abby, samantha was the one topic that all the girls in the group could unilaterally agree on.

the girl was straight up annoying.

and a bit racist.

Ana was used to teachers and strangers treating her differently sometimes due to her indian heritage. But Samantha was someone she saw almost every day, even if she wouldn't consider her a friend friend, she was in their group. however no one in the group other than abby, brodie, and now ana herself have ever really said anything about girl's strange, comments.

It's easy to sight the obvious racism such as using race-based slurs or threats. But there's a more subtle and insidious form of racist stereotyping that abby seems quite fond of.

oh anbulam it must me soo weird for you to be eating burgers right now!
No I actually love curry! it just smells so bad, kind of like you sometimes anbulam!
after bali im almost as tan as anbulam!
annushalama?
nanbula?
anbala?
oh my gosh i'm basically fluent in indian just from saying your name anniemala!

At first, Ana had tried to give Samantha the benefit of the doubt, as sometimes people are unaware that they have engaged in demeaning or offensive comments, so you have to make that visible to them. But it became clear Samantha was veryyy aware of what she was doing.

While Maxine and Norah try to be aware of when comments and microaggresions like this pop up, as soon as samantha opens her mouth they become as deaf and unaware as ever.

Ana has stopped even trying to complain or express her annoyance to her friends. she is simply always told that she is over sensitive and looking into it too much. then they hug her and apologise.

Abby however, takes a different approach.

SAMANTHA YOU FUCKING BITCH!
I HOPE YOU GET RUN OVER BY EVERY TRUCK AND HORSE AND CAR,
DIE CUNT.

Brodie comes to Ana's aid in a similiar way, minus the colourful language. Abby attacks, and brodie never ignores it like the m and n of man. He immediately helps ana and abby.

But ana didn't want help anymore, she didn't want abby to yell at anyone for her. Ana wanted to be strong enough to do it on her own.

so she was.

and on the first day of school as ana rather than anbulam, she was ready to be the baddest bitch there.

⊹˚.⋆