If Sam knew that this was a trap, she wouldn't have agreed to this meeting. Star had invited Sam to their usual spot in the coffee house and didn't tell her she had invited Paulina too. Paulina and Sam sat there, both seemed uncomfortable and just waited for Star to show, but she both texted them that she had a family emergency, so had to ditch. Now, Sam and Paulina had ordered their drinks and were now in awkward silence.

"So, umm… I didn't know Star hung out with you. No offense!" Paulina said quickly when Sam started to shoot daggers at her. Sam sighed, dramatically and played with a paper napkin that was on the table.

"Yeah…"

It was another awkward silence between them.

When their drinks arrived, they just drank and stirred them and avoided eye contact with each other, occasionally shifting from their place.

"So, um…" Sam started, grabbing the Hispanic Woman's attention. She's doing this for Star's sake, and she really liked the friendship she had with her. "Tucker told me he tutors you…?"

"Oh, um…" Paulina's face was painted light pink. She looked around uncertainly and her voice seemed to lower into a whisper. "Please don't tell," she pleaded, actually making eye contact with the goth.

Sam raised her brow and her suspicions of the woman had risen. Was she just using Tucker? "Why not?" Sam asked, and Paulina could taste the bitterness her voice gave.

"I… Um…" Paulina avoided eye contact again, stirring her strawberry drink with the straw. "I don't want word to get out that… That I have tutoring…"

"With Tucker? Why Tucker, anyway?"

"Well… I heard from others that he was the smartest in the class, and well… My grades aren't that good. I want to be more than the "Popular Pretty Girl." I want to be more like Star; pretty and smart. I would have asked her to help me, but she already has been busy with her sisters, the club, and her own grades. I don't want to be any more of a burden than I am already."

Sam did not expect that. She didn't know that Paulina praises her friend that much. She thought it was the other way around, but here Paulina is, admitting that Star was better than her. Wow, hearing this, Sam felt guilty calling her shallow, even after her visible changes.

"Star doesn't think you're a burden," Sam replied. Paulina blinked, and Sam wanted to laugh at her obliviousness. "Star looks up to you as much as you look up to her. She goes on and on about how amazing and pretty you are and she sometimes wishes to be in your shoes."

Paulina chuckled, sipping on her drink with a smile. "Star underestimates herself too much," she stated, "she is more than I could ever be."

And with that, Paulina and Sam had a long chat about how amazing Star was, and it switched into music, Tucker, school, and all of the starter packs on the new friendship.