Five Girls - Chapter 43: Alice's Financial Crisis

Campus Cafe - Morning

Alice burst into the cafe, her face pale and panicked. Her usual bounce was completely gone.

"GUYS!" she screamed. "IT'S AN EMERGENCY!"

Chima looked up from her coffee. "What now, Alice? Did you accidentally start a fire again?"

"WORSE!"

"Worse than a fire?!"

"MY DAD BLOCKED MY BANK ACCOUNT!"

Everyone froze.

Fatimah set down her cup. "What? Why?"

Alice collapsed into a chair. "He said I spend too much money on 'unnecessary things.'"

"What unnecessary things?"

Alice started listing on her fingers. "The giant inflatable dinosaur I bought last week. The matching outfits for me and my cat. The custom-made lightsaber. The-"

"Okay, okay," Chima interrupted. "We get it."

"But that's not even the worst part! I have ZERO money now! I can't buy food! I can't buy coffee! I can't even buy a new phone case!"

Wony raised an eyebrow. "Why do you need a new phone case?"

"Because the old one doesn't match my outfit!"

"That's... actually very on-brand for you."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyAYxxnTBd

Alice was still panicking. "What am I going to do?! I have bills! I have responsibilities! I have-"

"Alice," Fatimah said calmly. "You live in an apartment. Your bills are paid by your parents."

"That's not the point!"

"What is the point?"

"I CAN'T BUY ANYTHING!"

Naila looked up from her sleep. "That sounds like a personal problem."

"NAILA! THIS IS SERIOUS!"

"You have a roof over your head. You have food. You have friends. What more do you need?"

"MONEY!"

"Money is overrated."

"SAYS THE PERSON WHO DOESN'T PAY FOR ANYTHING!"

"I pay for things. Occasionally."

"When?!"

"When I have to."

Alice groaned. "I need a job. Or a sugar daddy. Or-"

"Alice, no," Fatimah said firmly. "No sugar daddies."

"I was kidding!"

"You weren't kidding."

"I was half-kidding!"

"That's worse!"

***

Alice's Apartment - Afternoon

Alice was sitting on her bed, staring at her laptop. Her friends were gathered around.

"Okay," Chima said. "Let's find you a job."

"I don't want a job!"

"But you need money now!"

"I want money without working!"

"That's not how life works!"

Alice pouted. "Fine. What kind of jobs are there?"

Wony was scrolling. "There's a cafe hiring baristas."

"I can't make coffee."

"There's a bookstore hiring."

"I don't like reading."

"There's a pet store hiring."

"I'm allergic to some animals."

"Which animals?"

"All of them."

Chima threw her hands up. "You're impossible!"

"I'm picky!"

Fatimah found something. "There's a job as a mascot. You'd wear a costume and entertain children."

Alice's eyes lit up. "A mascot?! Like a giant animal?!"

"Yes. A giant bear."

"I love bears!"

"You're allergic to animals."

"Costume bears aren't real animals!"

"That's... actually true."

***

Shopping Mall - Next Day

Alice had an interview for the mascot position. She was wearing a bright yellow shirt and had practiced her "bear wave."

"I got this," she told her friends. "I'm going to be the best bear ever!"

Chima shook her head. "You're going to trip and fall on your face."

"I'm graceful!"

"You're chaotic!"

"Same thing!"

Alice walked into the interview room.

Fifteen minutes later, she walked out.

"How did it go?" Fatimah asked.

"I got the job!"

"Really?!"

"Yep! They said I had 'excellent energy'!"

"That's... actually surprising."

Alice grinned. "I start tomorrow! I'm going to be a bear!"

"Please don't hurt any children."

"I won't! I'll be a friendly bear!"

Wony sighed. "I have a bad feeling about this."

***

Shopping Mall - Next Day

Alice was in her bear costume. She was huge and fluffy and ridiculous.

"I AM A BEAR!" she announced.

"Alice, you're not supposed to talk in the costume," Fatimah said.

"WHY NOT?!"

"Because it breaks the illusion!"

"ILLUSIONS ARE BORING!"

Alice waddled toward the children. They screamed with joy.

"A BEAR! A BEAR!"

Alice waved her giant paws. "HELLO, CHILDREN!"

The children screamed louder.

"Alice, you're scaring them!"

"I'M EXCITING THEM!"

One child started crying.

"Alice, that one's scared."

"No, he's overwhelmed with joy!"

"He's crying!"

"Tears of happiness!"

Chima grabbed Alice's arm. "We're leaving. Now."

"But I just started!"

"You're traumatizing children!"

"I'M MAKING MEMORIES!"

***

Campus Cafe - Evening

Alice had been fired. She was sitting at the table, her costume in a bag beside her.

"I can't believe they fired me," she said.

"I can," Chima said. "You scared a child."

"He was fine!"

"He was in therapy!"

"He'll recover!"

Naila shook her head. "You're hopeless."

"I'm not hopeless! I'm just... misunderstood."

Fatimah sighed. "Okay. New plan. You're going to budget."

"Budget?!"

"Yes. You're going to track your spending and only buy what you need."

"That sounds boring."

"That's the point."

***

Alice's Apartment - Night

Alice was looking at her bank account. It was still zero.

"I can't survive like this," she said.

Chima patted her back. "You will. We'll help you."

"Really?"

"Really. That's what friends do."

Alice smiled. "You guys are the best."

"We know."

"Even if I'm broke?"

"Especially if you're broke."

Alice hugged them all. "I love you guys."

"We know that too."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9qD1EPfju

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