Chapter 5: Not the Main Character

Ruby and Mirabel watched in utter disbelief and confusion as Kimberly ran out. Mirabel, in particular, couldn't believe that Kimberly could be so inconsiderate of them—her friends who were standing up for her.

Can't the girl just have some self-confidence? Mirabel glanced at the doorway where Kimberly had just disappeared, her brow furrowing in frustration as she exhaled sharply through her nose.

"I'm, I'm sorry!" Tobi mimicked, even standing from his seat and running in an exaggerated, flailing pose meant to mock a distressed girl. 

Mirabel and Ruby's faces cringed at the sight. They groaned in disgust as the whole table burst into laughter. Ruby rubbed her temples, muttering under her breath, while Mirabel crossed her arms tightly, her jaw clenched.

The girls left the table to find their friend. It felt like she was always leaving them behind, and they always had to track her down. As they walked briskly down the hallway, Ruby's ponytail swayed with her hurried steps.

"That didn't go as planned," Ruby stated, massaging her temples.

"Why does she always make things harder for herself—and us?" Mirabel sighed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. 

Ruby shrugged. "Maybe we should stop forcing her out of her comfort zone. She doesn't seem to adjust to it very well."

Mirabel turned her head, narrowing her eyes at Ruby, who was absentmindedly rolling her straight ponytail into a bun. "That's not good for her," Mirabel replied, her tone sharp. "She needs to be more outspoken, for her own good."

Ruby shrugged again but didn't argue. As always, they assumed Kimberly would be in the restroom. Once there, they waited outside the door, leaning against the tiled wall as a group of giggling girls exited. Mirabel exchanged an impatient look with Ruby before approaching the last stall. 

Mirabel knocked softly. "Kim, come out now." she called, her voice firm but tinged with concern.

"Can you let me be for a moment?" Kimberly's voice quivered, and they could hear her sniffing as she cleaned her tear-streaked face.

Mirabel pressed her lips together, irritation bubbling to the surface. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She snapped, pressing her palm flat against the door. "Why do you keep acting like a freaking main character who everybody is supposed to look out for? If anyone's the main character, it should be me."

Kimberly felt a sharp pang in her chest as Mirabel's words echoed in the small stall. 'Was that really how they saw her?' The tears that had slowed began to trickle again, but this time, not from embarrassment, there was something deeper, something raw. Was she a burden to her friends?

Ruby shot Mirabel a horrified look, her mouth dropping open slightly. "Mirabel!" she hissed, nudging her friend's arm. "Are you trying to console her or make her even more miserable?"

Mirabel huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "I just don't want her to be this way anymore."

"Not everyone can be like you. You have to understand that," Ruby countered, her voice firm but calm.

Mirabel paused, her shoulders sagging as she absorbed Ruby's words. She let out a slow breath, realizing the truth in her friend's statement. Kimberly's self-esteem had likely been shattered at a young age, and rebuilding it would take time and patience.

Mirabel bit her lip, her frustration cooling as she noticed the shaky breath from the other side of the stall door. Had she gone too far? She sighed, resting her head against the cool surface of the door, her voice softening. 

"I didn't mean it like that, Kim..." she muttered, almost to herself. "I'm sorry I made you go to that table. Those kids are assholes, and I might have made things worse for you." 

There was a moment of silence before the stall door creaked open. Kimberly stepped out, her eyes red and puffy, but her expression calmer. "You don't have to apologize," she murmured, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I just felt really overwhelmed that you guys would stand up for me when I couldn't, but I didn't think I could do the same for you."

Mirabel's lips curved into a small smile, and she opened her arms, pulling Kimberly into a tight hug. Kimberly hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around Mirabel, a small sigh escaping her lips.

"Aww!" Ruby giggled, clasping her hands together as she grinned. "Now that we're all good, can we go back to eating?" She rubbed her stomach theatrically, making Kimberly laugh despite herself.

Kimberly let out a soft laugh, wiping her cheeks. "Well, I don't know," Kimberly said, her voice still a little shaky. "I kind of lost my appetite."

"Yeah, me too," Mirabel agreed with a shrug.

"Well, not me!" Ruby announced, spinning on her heel and dashing out of the restroom in a comedic sprint. "See you guys later!" she called over her shoulder. She rushed, eager to catch the last moments of the lunch break.

****

The girls sat in class, their attention wavering between the teacher's lecture and their own thoughts as their fingers fidgeted restlessly. Normally, they would have been passing notes, but after the earlier incident, they decided to avoid any potential trouble.

Kimberly sat in the back row, Mirabel directly behind her, and Ruby in the adjacent row beside her. For a moment, Kimberly turned to glance at Ruby, but her gaze snapped back when she saw what Ruby was doing. Behind her long notebook, Ruby held a juice box and a box of fries, stealthily munching away.

Feeling Kimberly's gaze, Ruby paused mid-bite, raising her eyebrows in a silent offer to share. "Want some?" Ruby mouthed. 

Kimberly's eyes softened. She shook her head, touched by Ruby's thoughtfulness. Ruby rolled her eyes playfully and waved her off before subtly offering some fries to Mirabel behind her. Mirabel accepted without hesitation.

Leaning forward, Mirabel whispered to Kimberly, "You're not seriously letting this school suck all the fun out of you, are you? Besides, don't act like you're paying attention to what the teacher is saying." She leaned back with a smirk, her fingers casually tapping the edge of her desk.

Kimberly bit back a laugh but kept her eyes on the teacher. She didn't want to risk another visit to the principal's office. Her resolve wavered though. Glancing at the teacher before turning back to Ruby. She sighed and reached out her hand. Ruby's face lit up, and she gleefully slapped two fries into Kimberly's palm. Kimberly smiled shyly as she nibbled on them, her earlier gloom momentarily forgotten.

The teacher glanced up from the chalkboard, his sharp eyes narrowing as he scanned the class. Mirabel immediately stopped mid-chew, freezing like a deer caught in headlights. Ruby, ever the quick thinker, raised her notebook higher, pretending to scribble notes. Kimberly could feel her heartbeat thudding in her ears as she lowered her fries under her desk.

Kimberly sat stiffly in her seat, the memory of the principal's stern warning replaying in her mind. She couldn't risk drawing attention again. One more slip-up, and she'd be cleaning blackboards for a month. 

The teacher, oblivious to their antics, continued the lesson. his period was almost over and he would rather quickly end the lesson rather than try to figure out what it is the girls where doing. they has such guilty look on their face, but he wasn't bothered by what they were doing as long as it didn't interrupt his class. "I'll have the homework on my desk by tomorrow, and it will count as part of your test grade," the teacher announced.

The girls barely registered his words, too engrossed in their food-sharing escapade. The rest of the class buzzed with excitement once the teacher left, eager for the open opportunity to do well on the test.

"Why is everyone so excited?" Mirabel asked, her mouth full of fries as she stretched out a hand to grab Ruby's juice box.

Ruby shrugged, taking a sip before passing it over to Mirabel. "I don't know, something about an upcoming test."

"Ugh," Kimberly groaned, slumping back in her seat. "I hate the idea of studying for hours just for a ten-minute test."

Ruby and Mirabel chuckled, sharing a conspiratorial glance as they resumed their playful snack-sharing.