《the wallflower》

sincerely the breakfast club

ARABELLA QUINCE 

"Being bad feels pretty good, huh?" – Bender from The Breakfast Club, 1986 

Arabella really wished that her experience in the principal's office was going to be like a movie. The student be lectured, then someone would call them out, and they'd be able to leave without anything else said. But of course, that wasn't going to happen. She also wished she could feel like Bender from The Breakfast Club, without a care in the world. 

She and Andi Noble, the backstabber, were sitting in front of Principal Powell, an older woman with grey hair that was tied up into a bun, her thin glasses pressed against her face. Usually, Principal Powell really liked Arabella. However right now, she was probably her least favorite student. 

"You are the captain of the cheerleading team, Miss Quince." Principal Powell said calmly, "I expect so much more from you. From the both of you." 

Principal Powell never yelled at her students, but the look of pure disappointment hurt more than the yelling would've. "I'm really sorry, Principal Powell," Andi murmured, tears forming in her eyes. She had her hood over her head and was playing with the strings on her sweatshirt. If Arabella would have seen her like this on any other day, she would've felt bad. But after what Andi did to her, after she betrayed her, she felt no sympathy whatsoever. 

A part of her was saying that she was overreacting. That this kind of stuff happened at parties, and it probably didn't mean anything. But the other part of her felt so ashamed and embarrassed she wanted nothing to do with Miles Ahart or Andi Noble ever again. 

She should've known though. Miles had been acting strange for a while. And honestly, Arabella was starting to lose feelings for him. But this? Him dipping on her for a sophomore who he clearly knew was a good friend of hers. That was the deepest wound of all. 

The rest of their time in the principal's office was uneventful. Principal Powell told the two girls that they would be suspended for a week, and unfortunately, Maddie Preston would be taking the role of team captain for the last two months of school. These were supposed to be the best parts of high school. Teachers stopped caring; people stopped showing up. There were parties and dances and get togethers celebrating the end of the school year. And now, Arabella wanted absolutely nothing to do with anyone. 

She had spent the whole weekend trying to forget what happened that awful night. But everything all over social media, people were filling up her messages and trying to get ahold of her. Others were trying to get her attention by tagging her in their posts, as if to get a rise out of her. But she was finally done with it. 

She just wanted to graduate high school and leave all of this behind. 

She knew that if she was a character in The Breakfast Club, she would want to be like Bender. Who didn't care about what the stupid principal said. Who wasn't bothered by what other people said. Whose life was a secret. Whose life was entirely his own. 

Unforuately, Arabella didn't get that luxury. 

The final bell rang, signifying the end of a horrible Monday, and everyone was bustling through the halls. Arabella could hear people talking, some saying her name while others were laughing, doing their own thing. Arabella just sat there, looking down at the shaggy brown carpet below, trying to keep her emotions at bay. 

Someone opened the door of the principal's office, snapping Arabella out of her thoughts. Lydia Noble, with her baggy sweatshirt and cargo jeans, swung her keys in a circle lazily. "I'm here to take Andra home if that's okay." Principal Powell nodded, motioning for Andi to get up. Without any other word, Lydia and Andi disappeared, leaving Arabella and the principal alone in awkward silence. Arabella glanced up at Principal Powel, who raised her eyebrow. 

"Do you have a ride?" She asked, pulling a stack of papers in front of her. 

Arabella nodded, fiddling with her necklace, the one that Miles gave her a few months ago. "Could I stay for a few more minutes?" 

Principal Powell signed and nodded, going back to her work in front of her. Arabella sat in the office for about ten more minutes before standing up, picking up her backpack and walking out of the office without another word. 

Arabella found herself running towards the Senior Parking Lot, trying desperately to escape this place. Luckily, she didn't have to come back until next Wednesday, but she wasn't sure how to tell her dad that when got home tomorrow night. 

If there was anyone that she tried her hardest to be her very best for, it was her dad. He was lawyer, meaning he wasn't home very often or worked late most nights. And he was very invested with his new wife, Clarisse, so Arabella tended to keep her distance when she was around. But when it was just the two of them, her and her dad, she felt like she could come out of her shell. She worked to make sure she had good grades, was the captain of every team she tried out for, had the most friends and always had a smile on her face. 

But her dad was the only person she could really be honest to. She was just worried on she was going to be honest about all of this. 

Finally, thankfully, she made it to her car. It was a convertible her dad brought home to her a few months ago, as a "good job for becoming the cheer captain" gift. Most people looked at her like she was spoiled, but honestly, she didn't care about the gifts. 

She didn't care about the money or the fancy cars. She didn't care about the likes on Instagram or how many people followers she had. She didn't want the attention. She didn't want people knowing about every little detail of her life. She just wanted to feel loved. She wanted to be seen. She wanted to be human. 

Arabella Quince just didn't know how.