chapter 2: The Pink Note

When Tobi left the class with the pink-covered notebook, he strode quickly to the men's restroom, two of his friends trailing behind like loyal shadows. Inside, the cold tiles reflected the harsh fluorescent lights as Tobi leaned against the sink and flipped open the notebook. He expected to find a diary full of secrets but was greeted instead with poems and drawings filling the first few pages.

"What's all this?" Tobi muttered, furrowing his brows.

"What were they saying about Dave, anyways?" Martins, one of Tobi's friends, asked, stretching his neck over Tobi's shoulder to get a better look at the book.

"Look, a string," the other boy, Jude, exclaimed, pointing to a bookmark string sticking out.

Tobi smirked and flipped to the page where the clip was placed. The boys began reading eagerly, their eyes scanning the words. Though they couldn't be sure whose handwriting was on the pages, they guessed the first entry belonged to Mirabel, who mentioned a modeling agency. They continued, their pace quickening, until they stumbled upon Ruby's note about Kimberly's crush on Dave.

"Oooh!"the boys chorused, their voices tinged with mischief as they read some juicy gossip.

"Now isn't this interesting?" Tobi said, raising his eyebrows and glancing at his friends with a sly grin.

Despite classes being in session, the three boys were unbothered, huddled in the restroom like conspirators. Meanwhile, Kimberly and her friends were equally indifferent to attendance as they roamed the school halls in search of Tobi and the stolen book.

When the boys finished, they exited the restroom, the notebook tucked under Tobi's arm as they headed for class, but they didn't plan on attending. Tobi peered through the narrow glass panel, scanning the rows of desks in class 205 until his gaze landed on Dave. He knew exactly where Dave always sat, and from outside the door, he tried to catch Dave's attention so he could call him outside.

Kimberly and Ruby, meanwhile, had searched classroom 205, pressing their faces against the glass, but Tobi wasn't there. They continued down the hallways peeking through doors as the minutes ticked by, frustration mounting.

"Where could that boy be?" Mirabel asked dramatically, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

Kimberly remained silent, though the tension was evident in her restless movements. She fiddled with her fingers, cracking her knuckles repeatedly.

"I think we should head to our next class," Ruby suggested, watching students file out of their classrooms as the bell rang. "We might get lucky and see him on the way."

"I have music," Kimberly sighed. "Both of you can go; I'll keep looking for him."

"You're not seriously thinking of missing another class, are you?" Ruby asked, her tone disapproving.

"What do you think?" Kimberly snapped, frustration slipping through her usually calm demeanor. "I shouldn't have let him leave with that book. When I finally see him, I'm going to kick him in the—"

"Hey!" Mirabel interrupted, cutting Kimberly off mid-sentence. "Just chill, okay?"

Kimberly exhaled sharply, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "Fine. Let's go."

The hallway bustled with students grabbing books from their lockers. Kimberly's attention was caught suddenly.

"Oh my God, guys!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with excitement. "Is it just me, or is Dave looking at me and coming our way?"

Her friends followed her gaze. For a moment, Kimberly felt like the center of the universe. Dave, the boy she'd admired from afar, was walking directly toward her, his piercing blue eyes meeting hers, and for the first time, it seemed as though he had noticed her. They were both in the same grade, but she was among the people Dave hardly talked to, so she got butterflies when she saw him looking her way.

"Do I look okay?" Kimberly turned to her friends, smoothing her uniform and adjusting her hair. "Are my buns still in order?" she asked while flashing a bright smile.

"Yeah, You're fine," Mirabel said, but her tone grew sharper as she added, "Is it just me, or is Dave holding the book that Tobi took?" 

The question made Kimberly turn back, and immediately her heart plummeted. Her smile faltered as her eyes locked onto the unmistakable pink cover in Dave's hand. 

'It could be another book... it has to be another book, right?' she thought desperately, her pulse quickening. she looked up, her eyes now fixed on Dave's well-sculpted face and charming blue eyes.

"What is this nonsense all about?" Dave asked as soon as he approached Kimberly, his voice harsh and demanding, snapping Kimberly out of her daze.

Kimberly blinked, startled by his harsh tone. "Um, what?" she stammered. "Umm, what?" She stammered, trying to figure out why he was raising his voice at her. 

The students in the hallway had paused to see what was happening, drawn in by the drama unfolding—Dave, a very popular kid, was talking to a girl no one ever noticed.

"Let me make something clear," Dave said coldly, his voice echoing through the silence of the hall. "Kill whatever feelings you have for me, because you and I? We would never work. There's no way I'd bring myself to like someone like you." Dave spat, flinging the pink book at her.

As he spoke, Kimberly focused on every word, but most of all on how he looked at her—as though she was something disgusting. Tears suddenly filled Kimberly's eyes as Dave's words rang in her head, causing her heart to ache and her head to spin. The world she had built around her love for Dave suddenly came crashing down.

The heartbreak was one thing, but the public embarrassment was another. Kimberly wiped the tears from her face and turned to look at everyone in the hall who had witnessed what had just gone down. She could feel the stares of everyone, their whispers like daggers.

"That was quick," Mirabel stated from behind Kimberly.

"Kimberly!" Ruby called, but Kimberly rushed off, not in the mood to listen or talk to anyone. she ran, leaving her friends and the scattered pages of her dignity behind.

Ruby threw a deadly glare at Kimberly for not being able to read the room. "Don't look at me that way. I clearly warned her he was the worst person to catch feelings for."

Ruby shot back, "How's it her fault she likes him? He wasn't supposed to find out!"

"Well," Mirabel muttered, picking up the pink notebook from the floor, "it looks like Tobi didn't just tell him but showed him." 

"That jerk," Ruby muttered through gritted teeth as she moved to find her friend. "I'll be the one to kick him myself."

"You know, aside from the fact that Dave's an asshole, he's way out of her league," Mirabel added. "Think about it." She mumbled before following Ruby.

Ruby and Kimberly headed to the restroom, as it seemed like the only place Kimberly might have run to. Just as they were about to enter, Kimberly stepped out, her face wet, eyes red.

"Hey," Kimberly sniffed, her voice shaky but determined.

"Oh my God! I can't believe you're crying because of that," Mirabel blurted, earning a sharp glare from Ruby.

"Mirabel!" Ruby said, stressing her name. "You don't know what it feels like, okay? All you ever do is admire boys from a distance, so you don't know what it's like to have your heart broken in the most embarrassing way possible."

"This is like my worst day ever." Kimberly thought back to a time in grade five when she picked up a math set that wasn't hers and tried to lie that it was. The set belonged to Ruby, and after being tagged as a thief by the whole class, after the humiliation, Kimberly returned it with an apology, and they became friends ever since. "I'm such a fool," Kimberly cried, covering her face with both palms.

"You're not a fool," Ruby said, gently taking Kimberly's hands in hers. "You just fell in love with the wrong person."

Mirabel stood to the side, flipping through the notebook in her hands. She wanted to see exactly what had pissed Dave off so badly. She knew what he must have read, but she wanted to see it from his perspective.

"Guys, I can't find the page," Mirabel muttered.

"Huh?" Kimberly and Ruby turned to look at Mirabel.

"What do you mean you can't find the page?" Kimberly asked, taking the book from Mirabel's hand and flipping to where they had last written. "Omg!" she exclaimed.

Ruby, seeing what it was, also stared wide-eyed. "The page with the note—it's gone!," she exclaimed, running a finger along the pages stub. 

"Don't tell me—" Mirabel started before pausing. All three girls were having the same thought. 'Did Tobi tear the page out?'

Before they could process this, a stern female voice interrupted. "Girls," Miss Tina said, her arms crossed. "I see you're starting to miss classes too," she said. "The principal has sent for you three. Follow me now."

The three friends exchanged nervous glances, dread pooling in their stomachs. They weren't sure why the principal had sent for them, but they had an idea. Slowly, they dragged their feet behind Miss Tina, unwilling to find out why they were called.