Besties

Date/Timing: 28 January 2003
Setting: Primary school; Townsville, Australia
Inspired by a prompt
.
Blossom hunches over her workbook during study time, carefully copying the week's new words from the board.
- the -
Something light-but-pointy hits the back of her head.
Blossom does. not. flinch.
The paper airplane rustles to the classroom floor.
- of -
Giggling behind her.
Blossom. does. not. turn.
- and -
""Quinn, please pay attention.""
""Yes, Mr Keppel,"" giggles a voice.
- cat -
Next line.
- mat -
Blossom's shoulders loosen.
- sat -
Another something light-but-pointy hits the back of her head.
Blossom. does. not. flinch.
- hat -
Giggling.
Blossom. does. not. turn.
- pat -
Blossom closes her workbook, puts her pencil back in her case, and checks the clock. Sighs.
The recess bell rings and the kids stampede for the the door.
""Slow down, everyone!""
Laughter, fading down the hall.
Blossom creeps after them to the playground. There, she looks for a quiet corner in which to hide until the period ends and huddles up behind the biggest tree in the yard.
""Hey, Shrimp!""
Blossom. does. not. jump.
Quinn-the-airplane-girl strolls up, a handful of other kids trailing.
Blossom's eyes slide to the ground at her left.
""Why won't you pay attention to me?""
Blossom says nothing.
""Hey! I'm talking to /you!""
Blossom digs her nails into her palms, growls, "I /know. I'm ignoring you."
""That's /stupid.""
Blossom is steel.
""Stand up and talk to me,"" orders Quinn.
"No."
""Then I'll /make you talk.""
Blossom braces—
Quinn grabs a handful of her hair and /yanks.
Blossom lurches to her feet, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "Let go!"
"Not until you talk to me."
"Let. Go."
"Nuh uh!"
"Okay, then." Blossom kicks—
"Ow!"
—Quinn's shin, stomps—
"/OW!!!"
—on her foot as hard as she can.
Quinn lets go, wobbles back.
Blossom dives for Quinn's middle—a rugby tackle just like Daddy showed her.
Quinn goes over with an 'oof!' and then they're kicking and slapping and pulling hair and rolling around in the dust.
Suddenly, Quinn's getting farther away.
"That's enough, Blossom," scolds the playground monitor, pulling her up.
She flails.
"/Enough."
Blossom settles down and sulks. She glances at Quinn.
Her top is untucked and bloody and her nose is bleeding.
She glowers at Blossom.
Blossom glares back. 
"Alright. You two have an appointment with the nurse, then the principal."
"Aww ...."
"You know the rules about fighting, Quinn."
She pouts.
Blossoms holds in a smirk.
"Let's go," prompts the monitor, nudging Blossom and Quinn along.
Blossom checks herself as they walk.
There's blood all down the front of her new shirt and a hole in the knee of her trousers.
Her stomach sinks, but she keeps plodding along, side-by-side with Quinn.
The monitor pushes them inside, parks herself in front of the door.
The nurse appears from the back, tut-tuts. "Oh dear. Come here—" Beckons. "—and we'll get you sorted out."
The monitor bobs her head and leaves.
Blossom trudges after the nurse to the back room and its little cot.
"You two climb up there and I'll be right back with what we need," says the nurse. She leaves.
Blossom sits at one end of the cot.
Quinn sits at the other end.
They look everywhere but at each other.
Blossom twists a lock of her hair around a finger.
Quinn swings her feet.
Rattling from the other room.
Blossom twists.
Quinn swings.
A phone rings.
The nurse skips over to it. ""Busy day today~!""
Quinn huffs.
Blossom twists.
"You're actually kinda tough," says Quinn.
Blossom keeps twisting, side-eyes her. "Is that a good thing?"
"Yea." Quinn shifts. "It means you're cool."
Blossom looks over. "What?"
Quinn smiles. "You're cool." Scoots closer. "I've never been hit so hard by a girl before."
Blossom stares.
"So, yea, you're cool by me now." Edges even closer, then squees, "We should be best friends!"
"We—what?"
"/Besties!" And she hugs Blossom.
Blossom ... hugs back.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Townsville (setting)
Category:Blossom
Category:Blossom's POV
Category:Blossom (ficlet)
Category:Bubbles
Category:Bubbles (ficlet)
Category:Ficlets with images