five: baby steps pt. 2

"Oi, what is your problem? This is invasion of privacy you know!"

Jibril didn't hear any of the man's rants. In fact, she couldn't even hear the blearing song in the background. Of course, her ears caught the occasional lyrics (Baby, baby, baby, oh / Like baby, baby, baby no / Like baby, baby, baby, oh / I thought you'd always be mine, mine) and it wasn't that she had anything against the song or its artist. It was just…in this situation where she had caught a man old enough to be her father harassing a girl her age, let alone a girl she knew…the song just seemed so wrong.

Stephanie Dola seemed to be fully aware of this as well, her expression fixed on the ground.

"Are you deaf? Did you hear me?" The man reached for her now, his iron grip dragging her out the door. "Don't interrupt—oi. What are you doing?"

His attention span must've been short. As soon as he noticed Stephanie dressing herself up, he discarded any thoughts about Jibril, resuming what he was doing previously. The room soon became mixed with frantic cries, heavy breathing, and that wretched song still playing on repeat.

Baby, baby, baby, oh / Like baby, baby, baby no / Like baby, baby, baby, oh / I thought you'd always be mine, mine, mine—

"Oh hell no."

Shaking from her stupor, Jibril marched over. She pushed the man as roughly as she could, grabbing Stephanie. Surprised and offended, the man was about to lash out profanities but Jibril denied him that opportunity.

"Bye old man," she yelled, walking at a hurried pace with Stephanie stumbling and tripping behind her. Jibril didn't pause though. Her footsteps stomped in the halls in an angry, brisk pace. By now, she had gathered the attention of patrons and employers, one of which attempted to stop Jibril.

"W-wait. I can sue you for taking away our employee like this—"

"—do a better background check! I'll fucking sue you for letting sexual harassment happen to a minor!"

She heard the employer gasp and the man stop screaming. Stephanie's grip loosened in hers, and Jibril had a feeling she was pissed. Still, Jibril didn't let this stop her as she continued walking at her own pace until Stephanie screamed.

"STOP IT. WE'RE OUT OF SIGHT ALREADY! STOP. LET GO. IT HURTS."

Not realizing exactly how hard her grip was, Jibril released, looking speechless. "Oh…I'm sorry." The adrenaline which drove her to rescue Stephanie had vanished by now, strangely. Jibril stared at the palm of her hand which was now reddened. Was this how novel hero felt like after rescuing the damsel in distress? Exhausted with red hands?

"Ugggh!" Stephanie rubbed her head as though she was frustrated, pacing rapidly back and forth across the sand. It occurred to Jibril then that neither girl was in a place jam packed of the city lights, the people, and the noise. Rather, there were slides, swings, and the tubes cemented to the ground.

The park. They were at the park. The park where they made many fond memories, memories she could no longer look back as how it felt then. It was all because of that moment.

"You're a freak!"

"You're so cruel!"

"You don't feel anything!"

In an almost inaudible volume, the girl whispered, "It's your fault. Not mine."

Jibril inhaled sharply, feeling a bit wounded from memories rushing to her. The stares, the accusations, the betrayal. As if her family troubles were just beginning back then, Stephanie had to go ahead and pull that. That which cost Jibril her reputation in the class and both of them of their friendship.

"Why did you save me?"

Jibril grimaced, not happy with Stephanie bringing forth the question she dreaded. Why did she save her? After what she did back then. After years of getting over her. But Jibril saved Stephanie and Stephanie was saved. They now had a connection neither of them was very much happy with.

In response to her question, Jibril shrugged. "Because…well…"

"You know what you did? I'm going to get fired." Stephanie's eyes blazed with fury. "How could you?"

"Are you really going to be like that?" Jibril frowned. "Shouldn't I get a 'thank you'?"

"For what?!" Stephanie screamed. "For getting me fired of the only well paying job I could get hired for? For losing me the only income source in my household?! I have a deadbeat, no good grandfather to feed too!"

Jibril let her words sink in, now able to comprehend why the haughty, prideful Stephanie, who was goal oriented as hell, would deal with some bastard's abuse. "Steph, I…I didn't know—"

"Of course you didn't know! You don't know anything! You're too wrapped up in your own world, in your own desires to care about anyone else! Even back then, when I needed you—"

"—excuse me?! Am I some mind reader?"

"You could've at least asked me!"

"—back then I had a crisis as well," Jibril interrupted, her own anger surmounting, "don't talk as if you know everything. If I'm in the wrong for not knowing anything, you are as well."

The two stared angrily at each other, huffing as a tensed quietness blankets them.

Finally, Stephanie asked what the crisis was.

Jibril eyed the girl, wondering if it was worth pulling something so old, so in the past. What good was it anyways? It would never change what had happened to them in the past. Battle scars were healing but this confrontation had just pulled that healing band-aid off. And the ripping process was painful.

Still, Jibril felt compelled to tell. To play the part of a heroine where she finally forgave what her ex-friend had done. Where they could finally resolve things and have a happy ending.

Jibril finally spoke. "When I was little, my parents overworked themselves. Because they owed a lot of debts. And…because of this…they had paperwork. Tons of them. And I was left in charge. My sister and I…and…that day when I asked you to take care of the class pet…was the day when my parents had to be hospitalized…I…I counted on you." Jibril smiled shrewdly at Stephanie. "I counted on you. Imagine my surprise and shock when I came to school the next day, people blaming me for not calling for help to take care of the sick rabbit on time? Imagine?! I was shocked. I was betrayed. I counted on you."

It was silent for a couple of minutes, Jibril steadying her breathing and Stephanie thinking in deep thought. Then, after a few minutes, Stephanie stepped towards Jibril. Jibril refused to meet her eyes.

"Jibril, close your eyes for a second."

"What—" before another word could be said, Jibril felt a balled fist punch her cheeks. She staggered backwards, rubbing her sore spot. Looking up, she stared back at Stephanie with wide eyes.

Stephanie looked back unapologetically. "That's for staying silent, for not saying anything. How dare you keep silent and blame people like that. It's unsightly of you to blame people unfairly like this."

Jibril digested this, finding her reasoning justified. Still, she got up to punch Stephanie, who fell down. "It's just as unsightly of you who can't even get a clue that Sora will never like you!"

Her retaliation led to another punch from Stephanie. Soon that punch became a kick and then a jab in the stomach from the victim. Very soon, they were pulling at each other's hair, clawing at each other's throats, and tugging at each other's clothes. Luckily, their fight didn't escalate any further from that with the neighborhood all in tune with what was happening and had the police on the way.

The last thing Jibril remembered giving Stephanie before they were shoved in different cars was a punch in the nose. Stephanie returned it with a punch in the eye.

—

"…alright Jibril Flugel. We called your sister an hour ago so she should be arriving any second now. Go sit by the benches and don't start any trouble."

Rolling her eyes, Jibril walked away from the police who interviewed her and went over to the bench where Stephanie had already finished with her interview an hour and half ago. She didn't look in Jibril's way and Jibril felt like scoffing, choosing to sit in the seat farthest from Stephanie.

It was her first time at the police station and it sucked. Why the hell were they so needlessly long just to get your address, phone number, and all those other useless stuff?

And why the hell would they let me sit next to the bitch who I fought with and got me into this mess in the first place?!

The faster she got out, the better. And luck was on Jibril's side, for five minutes later, Azriel came running in, looking bewildered.

"Where is she? Where is that good for nothing—"

"—I'm here," Jibril called out flatly. Finding her voice, Azriel rushed over to Jibril, inspecting her. "This wretched girl. What is wrong with you? You know I was watching my shows, right? The girl was going to jail for her goddamn fiancé and oh my god, I think she became pregnant with the fiancé's baby? Oi, are you listening to me?"

Jibril nodded, and Azriel continued on, half spewing about what she was doing and half lecturing over what she should do and what she shouldn't. It occurred to her then, that she never did have a normal childhood. Her parents were never there, uselessly overworking themselves with jobs that paid them debts instead of wages. Jibril hated to consider it but it was, perhaps, a blessing that her parents were rid of their sufferings that faithful day in the hospital. A blessing to them and a curse to Azriel, who inherited their burdens.

In this case, Azriel had less of a childhood than Jibril did. Jibril had been relieved of her duties but Azriel…never had a single vacation day in her life.

I'm a total idiot.

"…and you should always protect your face. It's alright to be punched everywhere else but the face—hey!"

Jibril draped her arms around Azriel, trapped in Jibril's warm embrace. Jibril dug her chin in the crook of Azriel's shoulders, sobbing. "I'm sorry, nee-chan. I'm so, so sorry."

"Uhm…okay?" Azriel hesitantly patted Jibril. "There, there Jibril…" But no matter her attempts to soothe her sister, Azriel failed to do so and eventually gave up, letting Jibril sob to her content. Soon, she stopped and the two sisters went around apologizing for all the mess Jibril made and promising not to cause trouble again.

As the females exited out, Jibril glimpsed Stephanie seated in the same place she was before. She was alone in the station.

In a novel, I would've reconciled with Stephanie. In a novel we would've become best friends again. But life isn't a novel and the pages to life are endless: when one chapter closes, another opens. That's why even when our old friendship was long closed and our animosity is coming to a close, another chapter has still yet to be opened.

Word Count: 1873

A/N: I'm kind of ashamed how little this chapter came out to be but I'm just so sick of this chapter that I had to break this up into another part. OTL The next part is entirely written though. *just has to write the scene with the Flugel sisters in* So hopefully it'll come out tomorrow or sometime next week? 8D I did hope to complete this fanfic before January but oh wells~

Happy holidays by the way everyone!

Hope to have your continued support! Let me know what you think in your reviews and thanks for all the favorites/follows!