Minor Inconvenience

Ella's POV:

Once Joanne was gone, Kate's whole demeanor shifted. She let out a breath, her posture relaxing, and I realized just how much she'd been holding in. "I swear, Ella," she muttered, shaking her head. "Does she not understand when she's not wanted?"

She turned to me with a glare. "What is with her? She's everywhere, Ella. Everywhere. It's starting to feel... obsessive."

"Kate," I said softly, a pang of guilt tugging at me. "I didn't mean to make things so… uncomfortable."

She looked at me, her expression softening slightly, though the frustration remained. "I know you didn't. But Ella… sometimes, you can't ignore instincts just because someone puts on a nice smile."

"Come on, Kate," I replied, trying to laugh it off, "she's just trying to be a friend. I think she's really making an effort to fix things."