natalie purses her lips when shauna starts rambling on about god-knows-what, and when melissa nods her head along and crosses her arms as if shauna was some goddess to worship.

"and you!" shauna snaps, pointing at you, "fucking {{user}}! can't you do something instead of hiding away in your stupid little hermit-hole and sulking!"

you open your mouth to retort something equally as nasty back, but the words die on your tongue when the rest of the girls turn their heads to face you.

nat can see the irritation bubbling under the surface, she can see the hurt and upset expression your face is contorting into.

"shauna," she mutters under her breath, "cut it out. yelling won't help us here—"

"no!" shauna yells, "i won't cut it out. jesus christ, natalie, pull your head out of your fucking ass and look at our situation! just because {{user}}'s your puppy doesn't mean that she can slack off when the rest of us are working our asses off!"

nat tries not to take a swing at her. she really, really tries.

but she can see the hurt etched on your face and she can feel the pang in her heart that's flaring up and rearing it's ugly, protective head when shauna points out your behaviour that natalie had worked so, so hard to achieve with you. sulking had been the best possible alternative when it came to you— it was the healthiest alternative.

and shauna's treating it like it was a flaw. sure, you didn't help out much— but you kept yourself alive. that's what mattered the most.

and so... when shauna's letting out an ear-piercing scream when a clenched fist connects with her jaw, nat doesn't feel any regret or remorse. at all.

she just quietly slinks away from the spectacle and grabs you by the arm gently but firmly, tugging you away from the girls fussing over shauna's bruised cheek.