Author's Notes:

AAANNNDDDDDDDDDD...

I'm back.

... Hi :3

So… This chapter is the complete opposite of the last one in terms of "the feels" to it. Also, it's still the day right after I posted the first chapter. Man, I am on a roll~

I'm sure you'll like this chapter, moreso than the others, hehehe~

Histories and Chemistries

VI

"Adora… Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine. Perfectly fine. Super okay. Royally well."

Obviously, she was not.

"... She's not okay."

"Wow. What an astute observation, Bow."

She glared menacingly at the whimpering boy.

"Yeah," Glimmer deadpanned, "no she's not."

Adora hugged her pillow tighter, wishing she could scream into it. But, with Bow and Glimmer being in the same room, she didn't think it'd be appropriate for her to do so.

Instead, she ran her fingers through her messy bun, clawing her strands of golden hair in frustration.

"It's just- why does she have to take it all out on me?!" she screamed, not at all ashamed by her loud volume. This was her house and this was her room. And no one could tell her "It's not my fault whatever happened to her… happened… And she treats it like it's no big deal anyway!"

"Who are you talking about?" asked the ever-oblivious Glimmer, who was massaging her temples, looking like she was a mother dealing with her angsty teenager, which was… not that far from the truth, actually.

"CATRA! Who else am I talking about?!" Burying her face from her pillow, Adora missed Glimmer and Bow glancing at each other knowingly. "Urgh…" her groan was muffled by the fluffy object. She then unburied her face only to throw her pillow down to her bed. "She's just so- so frustrating! One moment we're fine and the next she does these things!"

She didn't care that she was talking about a horde member.

She didn't care that she was being 'whiny'.

These were her friends. She put up with their crap, and now they've got to put up with hers.

Glimmer awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder, giving a light squeeze. Adora looked up and found her trying to look comforting but ending up looking like she'd eaten a lemon.

"Maybe she just has a lot on her mind…"

Adora scowled. "She always has a lot on her mind…" Her gaze drifted down. "Always thinking, scheming things… It's like she knows everything about everything… She's…" Mystifying. Captivating. Special. Overall amazing. "She's annoying."

Glimmer furrowed her brows. She looked troubled. "So… tutoring lessons are over?"

"Yeah," she admitted, letting her body fall down to the mattress. She gazed up at the ceiling before back at her friend, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be happy?"

Glimmer winced and gave a half shrug. "I should… But I'm not."

Her other eyebrow raised. Why wouldn't she be happy? Out of them all, she was the one who was the most… dedicated… of being a princess. She considered The Horde her mortal enemy, for etheria's sake.

"So…" piped Bow who, all this time, was propped against the wall, a comic in hand. "You two are back to square one."

Square one…

That didn't sound very appealing…

Not to her.

The door knocked. Adora scowled and pressed her pillow against her face again. She did not want to deal with any other human being.

Bow sensed her barely-concealed agitation and chuckled lightheartedly. "I'll get it." Adora sighed as she heard Bow's footsteps going to the door. Then, there was a creaking sound of her door opening, and then…

"Umm, Adora…?"

She hummed, too lazy to answer with coherent words.

"Catra wants to see you."

A beat passed.

Then another.

And then-

"WHAT?!"

Adora shot up from her bed, paling at the sight of the gobsmacked Glimmer, who looked back and forth between her and someone who was at the door.

"Hey, Adora."

She made an "eep!" sound, only now realizing how much of a wreck she was. Her hair was tied messily. Her face was probably oily. She was wearing a wrinkled old faded shirt and very short shorts.

And…

She was being dragged by Glimmer onto the front door where her guest was waiting patiently with a soft smile, raising an eyebrow at her.

Catra was wearing a more comfortable choice of clothing this time. Her bandana was nowhere in sight, and she wore a black t-shirt of an old band, completed with dark red jeans and sneakers.

She looked more laidback this way. More herself and not the vicious horde member everyone believed her to be.

Adora's face flushed, realizing how amazing Catra looked… and how unamazing she looked.

"C-Cat… What are you-?"

"Here." Something was pushed onto her hands. After blinking a couple of times, finally comprehending that Catra was, indeed, right in front of her, Adora looked down.

It was a plastic bag.

She blinked again before opening it up, gasping immediately.

"Wha-?"

"All of your favorite snacks." Adora found it hard to tear her gaze away from what was, indeed, all of her favorite snacks. Catra was leaning against the doorframe, propping her head with her hands, closing her eyes. "Candy bars, chocolates, even those weird mini-donuts you like."

Yeah.

The mini-donuts that were from the other side of town.

And Adora found that thinking was hard. And breathing.

And Catra had never looked prettier… which was weird because she always looked pretty.

And then their eyes met again, green and yellow looking hopeful and a little scared.

Catra faced her again, rubbing her forearm, shifting her weight. "So… we cool?"

And right at that moment, it hit her. Why she was mad at the noirette in the first place.

And Adora scowled at the girl, and Catra was unfazed. Does she really think winning me over is that easy?!

"No."

Catra was crestfallen.

But that was only for a brief moment.

Because in a flash, she was grinning that cocky grin of hers again, slouching, looking up at her with mirth and joy and thoughtfulness and many more emotions dancing in those uneven-colored eyes.

And once again, Adora was reminded of how Catra had gained- no, earned the nickname troublemaker.

Because, that face…

That face was trouble.

"Oh, okay…" She gave a nonchalant shrug despite being anything but nonchalant, straightening her own shirt before scratching her chin rather dramatically, humming in thought. Then, their eyes met again, and Catra said, "That means I'll just have to keep trying."

Adora's heart fluttered in anticipation and fear and excitement and many more.

A Cheshire grin graced her lips. One that Adora found beautiful and maddening.

"Bye, Adora."

And then the girl who complicated her life was gone.

A beat passed.

Then another.

Bow's hand slowly reached out to the bag. She slapped it away. These were hers. Catra gave it for her and her only.

"Umm… You okay, Adora? Your face is red."

She was anything but okay. That- that- that had happened. That had actually happened.

Catra, the enigmatic, beautiful, infamous girl had… shown up at her door and given her a gift… an odd but thoughtful gift…

All of her favorite snacks…

How did Catra even know these were her favorite snacks?!

How did Catra even get in her house?! Didn't she lock the door?!

"Yep." Bow nodded. "Back to square one."

Square one… where Catra, the infamous troublemaker who broke rules on a daily basis, kept on following Adora - the so-called perfect popular girl - around, poking fun at her despite the latter showing that she doesn't want the troublemaker around.

Adora looked down on the gift she'd brought her, feeling something in her stomach fluttering - like a horde of butterflies or something…

And she asked herself a question:

is there something more toward us than this weird frenemy relationship?

To be Continued

Author's Notes:

Isn't it clever of me to use my own summary of this story and put it in the actual story without it feeling forced?... C'mon, praise me, darn it! I'm clever!

Also, yeah, Bow is clueless. Glimmer is confused and just wants her friend to stop being angsty. Adora is still angsty and starts to realize what she's feeling towards Catra.

And Catra is Catra. As always. Because she's Catra.

See ya!