YMMV / Like Other Girls

• Strangled by the Red String: Although it's pretty easy to see that Carly has a crush on Mara, it's not very clear why. Apparently, she's had a crush on Mara since freshman year, and that was the reason she was so insistent Mara not play basketball while concussed, but how she continued to like her after getting punched out by her for being worried makes little sense. From Carly's perspective, Mara lashed out physically at her (one of her teammate's) for taking initiative to tell their coach that she wasn't physically fit to play (which was the truth). Even when Carly herself wasn't at all hostile or confrontational about it, Mara (who has always been much larger than Carly) still approached her to fight. She didn't even warn her first, she just called for her attention and then punched her in the boob when she turned around. Even when considering that her judgement may have been impaired at the time due to being concussed (which isn't a very strong excuse for attacking a teammate), Mara still felt somewhat justified in punching Carly after the fact. She only sincerely apologized to Carly when she was pressured to do so by Carly herself^note and this while she was at Carly's house after being invited over to hang out!. It's made even weirder when considering that multiple adults have "appropriate" reactions to Mara punching Carly^note Coach Joyce immediately kicks her out of the gym and off the team while obviously livid with her when it happens, and Carly's mom is at least initially suspicious of Mara's presence in her house. while Carly herself pretty much just treats it as something she can tease Mara about. Of course, Mara has already lost her short-temper by the time of their Relationship Upgrade, and had felt nothing but remorse for punching Carly even before that. Still, it's a wonder what Carly saw in her that made her decide she was "crush-worthy" even after punching her in the boob.