Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

The girls crowding around Amy in the dorm were instantly pissed off by Jane's words.

"What's your problem, Jane? We're just here to hang out. Chill, okay?"

"Yeah, seriously. Even Amy hasn't said anything, and you're going off for no reason!"

Jane shot them an icy look, stepped up, and yanked one girl up from her seat. "Move. That's my spot. Who told you to sit there?" She didn't even wait for a response. "That cushion you're on? Fifteen grand. You break it, you pay for it."

She ripped the cushion away, tossed it right at the girl who'd spoken up, and didn't even spare her a glance. "That's brand new-I just bought it this morning and haven't even used it myself. Now you've already sat on it. I don't use things after other people touch them. And the foundation you're holding, the lipstick you swatched on your wrist, the eyeliner in your hand-they're all mine. That's another twenty grand. Pay up."

The girls just stared at her, totally thrown off. Wasn't all this Amy's stuff? Especially the girl clutching the cushion-she just froze, completely lost.

"Are you crazy? You can't just demand money like that!"

"Either pay up, or I call the police. Your choice." Jane wasn't about to argue.

The minute the word "police" came out, panic set in. Their families were well-off, but not enough for them to casually drop that kind of cash. Their monthly allowance wasn't even close-they'd have to save up for months to cover it.

"We didn't know, okay? You shouldn't have left your stuff out. We just came to chat with Amy."

Jane didn't budge. "If you're not paying, I'm calling the cops." She pulled out her phone, ready to dial. The girls freaked out and snatched it away from her, faces pale, begging her to stop.

If she really called the police, they'd have a record-something that would follow them forever. None of them could handle that.

"Jane, come on, you're not really going to call the cops, are you? Do you have to go this far? Even if we accidentally used your stuff, isn't that partly on you for not putting it away? We're not refusing to pay, just... do you have to make it so harsh?"

"Jane, we really don't have that much cash on us. Can we write you an IOU or something? We'll pay you back as soon as we can, promise."

Jane didn't even look up. "No."

She shot them down flat. She wasn't about to waste another second on this.

The girls scrambled to gather what they had, but all together they barely managed

three grand-nowhere near what Jane was asking for.

Desperate they turned to Amy,

hoping she'd step in. After all, they were only here because she invited be

them. Otherwise, they wonvited

stuck with this huge bill.

Amy didn't let them down. She pulled out her phone and, right then and there, transferred the full amount to Jane.

"Jane, don't be so hard on them. They didn't mean any harm. I'll pay for them, okay? Just let it go."

Amy sounded totally sincere, and the girls instantly felt grateful.

"Doesn't matter to me. As long as I get the money, take your stuff and get out," Jane replied, not even looking their way.

Any trace of confidence the girls had left was gone they slunk out, heads down, no more attitude.

All the while, Fiona watched the

whole scene unfold. Honestly, she

thoughnoveldrama

Amy's way of handling

things wasn't all that clever. f

anything, it was a little clumsy.