35. Intermission : Sabrina Part 1

Sabrina wandered through the empty corridors towards the eating vicinity feeling distinctly low-spirited. All day, she'd been juggling her emotions between wanting to hang out with her new friend Marinette and her posse, or try and reconnect with her former bestie Chloe, despite their acrimonious falling out.

Some would say she was mad, masochistic even, to want to renew their virtually one-sided relationship, where the redhead put in all the work and Chloe reaped all the dividends, but Sabrina couldn't see things that way. Even though she'd committed some truly heinous acts at the behest of her ex-friend in the past, the glasses-wearer was fundamentally a good person who tried to see the best in everyone.

Now that Sabrina had actually grown a backbone to accompany her long-dormant moral compass, she was determined to make the first good deed of her 'fresh start' the redemption of a certain blonde. She'd seen more than enough from Chloe over the ensuing years to know she could change for the better, it was just a case of persuading the heiress to swallow her pride and accept that salient fact.

"Easier said than done...", some might say. "Impossible!", they could add. "She's crazy for even trying." they might whisper afterwards politely, when she was out of earshot.

Sabrina didn't pay no mind to the doubters or naysayers, however. She'd fully pledged herself to this project, and wasn't about to give it up for anything. The pensive girl had already jotted down a long list of things to say to convince Chloe, and it would take more than a dressing-down or an evil glare from the blonde to stop her in her tracks on this occasion. That was the plan, anyway.

Despite trying and failing miserably all morning to connect with the heiress, Sabrina was sure that they could work things out together this lunchtime. She'd confront Chloe in the dining area, where she'd be sure to be eating alone, now that the redhead out of the picture.

True, Chloe had seemed to have formed quite the instant rapport with Alya when the two girls walked into the classroom hand-in-hand earlier after their scheduled meeting, but Sabrina was pretty sure the blogger would be sitting near Marinette as she always did. No matter how cordially the journalist and heiress were getting on, it would be a cold day in hell when Chloe would willingly digest her food a few feet away from her worst enemy.

Regarding Chloe's budding new friendship, Sabrina had some intrusive thoughts that she just couldn't shake, I should be happy that Chloe is finally opening herself up to the wider world, and attempting to form bonds with people other than just for personal gain... The redhead mused, while staring blankly at the tiled ceiling en route, ..So why did I feel this pang of jealousy, when I saw her and Alya together? Alya is a very nice girl, who might even teach her a few things about how a proper friend should act. That being the case though... I still felt uneasy. Surely I can't be envious, considering everything Chloe's put me through ? If anything, Chloe should be the one begging me to take her back, not the other way around. I'm showing great character in making the first move in restoring our friendship, just as my father told me this morning. I've got nothing to worry about anyway, it's not like Alya's intentionally trying to take my place... right?

Trying to push aside her anxiety for a moment, Sabrina approached the lunchroom determined to see her self-designated mission through. In addition to her prepared notes, he'd even scribbled down a few phrases on her wrist, like improvised Post-Its she could quote during their sure-to-be-tense meeting. Wonderful, stirring stuff, like how she'd got total faith that Chloe could be a better person if she really tried, that the redhead had missed all of the wonderful times they'd shared previously, that a mutually beneficial relationship would be far more satisfying than one where a single individual took everything... Basically, a complete reinvention from the old status quo. It would be a hard sell indeed, but no-one said this was going to be easy.

Sabrina was ready. She was willing. She was able. I can do this. She scanned the lunch room like a hawk for Chloe's new blonde bunches, prepared to deliver the speech of her life...

Alas, what they say about the best laid plans is very true. For, although Sabrina had studied, scrutinised, meditated on and mapped out all the possible scenarios from every concievable angle, even accurately predicting the correct seating arrangement, there was a tiny little factor she forgot to account for: Lila Rossi shoving her oar in.

The Italian was chattering away, muck-spreading chewed-up pasta and meat particles everywhere during her meal, with a not-exactly spellbound Chloe doing her best not to nod off nearby. Most casual observers would be able to tell the situation for what it was: An unenthusiastic listener being held hostage by a rampant, messy motormouth.

Through the pessimistic lens of Sabrina's spectacles though, the perspective became somewhat twisted in translation. She automatically assumed it was Chloe making yet another close acquaintance that day, which both surprised and infuriated her in equal measure.

How come, she lamented, staring daggers at her former bestie, in the first day that I've known her when she makes a tentative effort at socialising she makes two new friends, whereas I've been trying my utmost for all of my life to expand my network and all I've ended up with... is a self-obsessed slavedriver? Am I really that useless, that I can't beat someone who's gone out of their way to be unpleasant to everyone else? Am I so ugly to behold that people would rather tolerate the nasty remarks and haughty attitude of Chloe, than stare at my grotesque face for more than a minute?

All of the positivity generated by Marinette's little pep talk to Sabrina the previous night crumpled there and then, just like the papers in the redhead's hand on which she'd spent all night writing down her discourse, which was now destined never to be recited.

Always having issues with her appearance, Chloe's apparent ease at making friends without the 'nerd' to drag her down only confirmed the Sabrina's worst fears: I'm an ugly waste of space, a millstone round the neck of anyone unfortunate enough to befriend me. How come it took me so long to figure it out? My father may love me, and my mother might try to convince me every night that I'm as cute as a button, no matter what the other girls at school had been telling me since kindergarten. But my parents are just biased of course, and the stark reality of life is that beauty matters, everything else... doesn't. Especially not brains.

A few silent tears streamed down Sabrina's cheeks at that point, and to make matters even worse, that's when Lila noticed the redhead, as Chloe was sitting with her back turned to the entrance. Barely able to suppress an arrogant smirk at Sabrina's devastated reaction, the Italian intentionally leaned over to place an 'affectionate' hand over a bemused Chloe's own, as if to indicate to the glasses-wearer, this girl is mine now. You had her once, but now you've lost her forever. Go and find your own, loser.

Knowing that if she tarried any longer that she'd humiliate herself further by bursting open her dam, Sabrina quickly fled the scene, praying that no-one else had seen her near-public meltdown.

Of course, she concluded ruefully while sniveling a little, how could I possibly compete with the likes of Lila? She's got perfect hair, perfect looks, perfect height... she'll probably be a supermodel when she grows up. Whereas I, with my mousy hair, ugly face and dumpy stature, am only suited for monster movies. What the heck was I thinking, giving up what I had with Chloe so willingly? Sure, she may have treated me awfully and forced me to commit reprehensible acts, but at least I had a taste of the high life, and a scintilla of self-respect. Now, I have nothing left, my old position taken up by a girl who resembles one of those who've always picked on me. Who was I, to try and disentangle the fabric of society?

Just before dashing off miserably, she cast a depressed glance at a blissfully unaware baker's daughter, laughing with her friends. I'm sure Marinette, as nice as she is, was just trying to make me feel better when I was round her house yesterday. No wonder she tried to get rid of me so quickly afterwards. It doesn't matter how nice the person is, no-one can bear to be in my presence for more than a few seconds without feeling utter disgust. I'll always be garbage, and it's better that I realised it now instead of being disappointed later on. I-I guess I should be grateful for that... E-every c-cloud...

Lila watched the distraught redhead disappear from view, and the scrunched up notes dropped on the floor in her wake, with a smug sense of triumphalism. Another unwanted element of the rich girl's past life gone for good, and soon she would make sure there are no other distractions from her being the beginning and ending of Chloe's universe. Ah yes, life was good. "Now, what was I talking about again... Oh yes, how I heroically saved the ancient Um-Bongo tribe from certain extinction..."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this part took so long, but life, love and the ramifications of a certain orange chap being elected to the highest state in the realm kinda left me distracted for a little while.

Still, I'm back now, and the next (and last) section of my little interlude featuring Sabrina will follow shortly. Ciao soon. :)