Alex Russo is selfish; except for that she really, really isn't.
She pulls pranks and irritates people, but that doesn't make her selfish. She helps anyone that needs it and anyone that asks without expecting anything back. She's really kind of the definition of 'not selfish'. It doesn't always work out the way she means for it to, but she always at least tries to help.
The reason people don't like her has nothing to do with her character and everything to do with her independence. She doesn't need people to clap for her to feel like she's worth something. She doesn't take credit for the nice things she does, because she doesn't need it. It doesn't matter to her what people think, and that's why they don't like her.
Harper doesn't really understand why everyone has such a bad opinion of her best friend. Alex is frustrating, because she can talk circles around anyone and everyone. She's infuriating, because authority means absolutely nothing to her. She's scary, because she could probably accomplish absolutely anything if she wanted to.
She's comforting, because she would die for anyone she considers a friend, and that goes double for family. She's inspiring, because she stands up for what she believes in, regardless of the consequences. Her sarcastic commentary is funny enough to brighten someone's day and make a scary situation seem like it's no big deal. She's Alex, and Harper just can't believe that no one else can see that.
That's why she's marching to the principal's office, gathering up all her courage to tell him exactly where he can shove his suspension. Okay, maybe she's not that brave, but she does intend to talk some sense into him. You mess with Alex, you mess with Harper. That's how it's always been and how it will always be.
She knocks at the door and marches in as soon as he opens it, not even waiting for an invitation, despite her manners' violent protest to such rudeness.
"Well I didn't expect to see you here Harper. What can I help ya' with little filly."
She takes a deep breath and braces herself for the oncoming confrontation.
"You're wrong."
He looks taken aback, and really, who wouldn't? This is Harper telling an authority figure that they're wrong. It's not really something a person expects.
"And what, pray tell, am I wrong about, Miss Finkle."
At first she's scared, because he's looking down at her with that disapproving look that she hates, but then she gets angry again because that's how he always looks at Alex. That's how everyone always looks at Alex, and she's tired of it.
"You're wrong about Alex. And I think you know that too, because you're a lot of things Mr. Laritate, but stupid isn't one of them."
She can tell that she must be using her scary voice, because he seems to have forgotten that she's a student and that he could silence her by just raising his voice. But then again, maybe he really couldn't, because she is Alex Russo's best friend and that does require quite a bit of bravery and tenacity; and really, have you seen her clothes? That requires some serious gutsiness.
She takes another deep breath because she's still scared, but she won't let that stop her from saying what needs to be said.
There's a moment of silence. Harper hates those. She always ends up doing something awkward like…
"You called her selfish!" She blurts ever so awkwardly, because despite recent evidence to the contrary, she is, in fact, still Harper.
"Well, she skips class, constantly plays pranks, has a complete lack of respect for the rules, doesn't participate, makes – "
She puts her hands on her hips the way women do when they know they've won an argument.
"And which part of that makes her selfish? Refusing to conform doesn't make a person selfish Mr. Laritate. She doesn't have the same priorities as you do, or even as I do, but that doesn't reflect badly on her. You should know better than anyone that there is no one size fits all lifestyle, Mr. Old West. She would never really hurt anyone on purpose. She's rebellious, reckless, devious, impulsive, and mischievous; but she is not in any way selfish."
Harper has to stop there and take a breath, because she said all that without any pauses. When she sees that he is too shocked to form a rebuttal, she continues her speech.
"You tried to change her to fit your own narrow minded model of what a person should be like. And isn't it ironic that your ideal person is one that's remarkably similar to you? What gives you the right to decide how people should be? What makes you qualified to call someone selfish because they don't act the way you think they should? I have a lot of respect for you Mr. Laritate, you're a good man and a good principal, but you're wrong."
With that said Harper shrinks back and waits for his reaction. She fights the urge to just run out of his office or faint or something. The words 'SEE YOU IN P. E' rest constantly on her tongue.
"I – I apologize for behaving in an inappropriate manner, and I will take what you said about Ms. Russo into consideration."
Harper blinks in shock, because there is just no way that little tirade actually worked. She sees the slight smile on Mr. Laritate's face and realizes that not only is he not mad, he's actually kind of impressed. And actually, Harper's fairly impressed with herself right now. She's not exactly fantastic at standing up to people.
"You and Ms. Russo are more alike than you seem at times."
And Harper smiles at that, because he meant it as a compliment, and because that's one more person on Alex's side.
She skips off to class in her banana peel skirt that Alex won't allow anyone to make fun of with smile.
She then stops skipping, and starts running as not to be late for class which would be, to her, the worst thing ever.