Question C

[Jonetta]

Angelina makes a play for Vinh at their first encounter. Was she aware of Hannah’s feelings for Vinh? If so, why’d she do this? If not, what does this tell you about their friendship?

[Anita]

Hannah was in denial about her feelings for Vinh. She loved him but didn't want to lose his friendship if he didn't feel the same. Hannah had always portrayed her relationship with Vinh to Angelina as that of childhood friends. I don't blame Angelina for making a move on Vinh. I blame Hannah for not owning up to her true feelings for Vinh.

[Robin]

Agree. Hannah did not stake a claim. She didn't tell Angelina that she had feelings for Vinh. So Angelina really had no reason not to pursue him.

[Lauren]

I am not as generous and do blame Angelina.
Angelina was not unintelligent. She was well aware not only of Hannah's feelings for Vinh (even if Hannah had never explicitly said anything) and of Vinh's feelings for Hannah. She deliberately went after him because she wanted to and even lied to Vinh by telling him Hannah was interested in another cop. It was selfish and cruel.

[Sharon]

I agree with Lauren. Angelina could see what Vinh meant to Hannah. She saw how important Hannah was to Vinh and lied to him about her falling for someone else. This is what turned me against Angelina.

[Anita]

"It's not stealing if they give it to you." I agree that Angelina knew that Hannah's feelings for Vinh ran deep, but Hannah gave her permission to go after Vinh.

[Lauren]

Anita wrote: ""It's not stealing if they give it to you." I agree that Angelina knew that Hannah's feelings for Vinh ran deep, but Hannah gave her permission to go after Vinh."

This is just Angelina justifying her actions to herself.

If your friend gives you a family heirloom, do you take it?

Taking something from a friend when you know just how important it is to them is not true friendship. Angelina lied to Vinh because she knew he wanted Hannah, and she deliberately seduced Vinh knowing Hannah was in love with him. This is twisted. Angelina was a sociopath.

[Jonetta]

I’m with Lauren. Even if Hannah hadn’t explicitly expressed her feelings for Vinh, a good friend would know it anyway. And, someone as resourceful as Angelina definitely knew. It doesn’t matter if the friend later gives you “permission.” It’s not how a friend would treat another friend. It’s not as if Angelina and Vinh couldn’t help themselves. She went after him like gangbusters.

That’s why I asked the first question about why no one seemed to know about Hannah. She slipped into the background because this hurt.

Yeah, my opinion of Angelina certainly changed. She was manipulative and hurtful. Hannah lost two friends because of her actions.

[Anita]

I don't think Angelina was ever Hannah's friend. Like you all said: friends just don't do things like that.

[Jonetta]

I meant Hannah lost someone she thought was a friend.