Evy & Stella #215 (Pippi Willowbee)

I was absent mindedly playing with the paper separating a plastic basket from the fried cinnamon chunks as I talked to Stella. Maybe not the best move because they were greasy and sugary and I'd only grabbed a single napkin, but I needed something to fidget with as I talked.

"And I feel good about this, but like...should I?" I said. "Now I really am overthinking it, but like? Should I just keep going with this? Do I need to slow down? Why the fuck is Kitty all weird around me?"

"The Kitty thing I need to see in person before I judge," Stella said. "I totally believe you, but I just need to see it to analyze, you know? As for the rest, I know I said be cautious, but I also don't mean like...don't keep going. If it's working with you and Alix, awesome, and if it works to throw Kitty in there, you may just be having a polycule with a popstar."

"Ex-popstar," I said.

"Sure, sure," Stella said. "Sometimes things just come together quickly."

"Ha, you and Evy found that out," I said.

Stella snorted. "Heh, I wasn't even thinking about it like that. But yeah, basically. If things are good, don't worry, you got this. And you're smart too, so if this turns south you'll know."

"And if it turns south and I don't notice or I'm not sure, I know who to call right away," I said.

"If I'm not already nearby in the background spying on you," Stella said.

"Aw, come on, you have my best interests at heart," I said. "Looking back on it, that frantic text I sent saying where we were going probably made you worried."

"It was a concerning combination of caps lock and scared emojis, yeah," Stella said. She checked her phone. "Ugh, we took forever, Zeta's probably pissed. Or worse, she wandered off again..."

Just as we were getting up, Alix and Kitty returned, with Evy and Zeta behind them. Zeta rushed over to Stella.

"I didn't run off," Zeta said.

"How'd you even hear that?" Stella said.

"I didn't hear, it's just what Dr. Diast was saying so I figured you were too," Zeta said. She gasped at the remnants of snacks on the table. "What the frick, you get to have a cinnamon bowl and I don't?"

"You get the leftovers," Stella said.

"But it's just the paper..." Zeta said. She turned to me with sad puppy eyes.

"Well, sometimes life doesn't deal you the best hands," I said.

"Not you too..." Zeta said.

"Fine, fine, we'll go get you some too," Stella said. "Thanks for watching her, also."

Alix grinned while Kitty shrugged.

"She wasn't too much of a hassle, was she?" I asked. "I've babysat for her before, but I haven't had any issues."

"We crushed it at Dinosaur Escape Vehicle," Alix said.

"Well, thanks again," Stella said.

"It really wasn't a big deal," Kitty said. "I'm a principal now, I can watch one measly teenager." Kitty suddenly squatted and clapped her hands together, like she was trying to send a shockwave of energy out.

"What was...?" Evy started.

"I want to go on some rides now! We are going on rides!" Kitty said.

"Do you wanna get the other Kilanders, or—" I started.

"No! Ride time! Rides! Just this group!" Kitty said.

Well, back to the confusing stuff, I thought. But having friends nearby was comforting, they'd be able to tell me if I was losing it or not about how weird Kitty was being, and would probably be honest if this trio wasn't going as well as I thought.