Welcome to Mediapolis

The Power of Friendship!!/Darla's Too Cool

Rose sat down. "Kurumi, when you were talkin' about Margot, it sounded a lot like yourself." Then she stood back up and walked away. 

Kurumi sat there, speechless while the other girls stared at her. "Wh-what?" She asked defensively.

Meanwhile, Rose walked back to the windows where Margot was. "Hey Margot."

"What do you want? Why are you so persistent on being my friend?" She asked.

Rose realized that she was being pushy towards Margot and Kurumi. She only wanted to be friends with them because they were her favorite characters. She felt like she was forcing Margot and Kurumi to be friends with her, and forcing them to like each other.

"...I'm sorry. You don't have to be my friend, and you don't have to be Kurumi's friend. You just remind me of myself. I know what it's like to be left out, ignored, disliked by the majority of people at school. If you need help, I am here. I just wanted to include you." Rose had never been this open before, and a lump in her throat was starting to form.

Margot was silent. Rose began to walk away before tears would form, but Margot stopped her. "Wait." Rose turned around. Margot looked up at her. "I...I thank you...for trying to be my friend. No one has tried to become my friend since 4th grade. I have always secretly wanted more friends, but everyone assumes that I don't because I seem mean at first."

"Me and Kurumi both deal with that. We both want more friends too."

"I'll sit with you all. It feels nice...to be included. Maybe Kurumi isn't so bad." Margot replied. The two of them walked back to the table and sat down.

"Everyone, this is Margot." Rose said. Margot didn't say anything. She didn't raise her head, but she waved and sat down. She was sitting next to Kurumi. Buttercup, Cory, Robyn and Ester continued to talk.

"Hey Margot." Kurumi said to her.

"Hi." She replied without looking up.

"Sorry if I was acting rude or whatever...you didn't deserve it." Kurumi said.

"Me too." Margot replied. "Everyone thinks I'm rude...it's not your fault. That's just how I act on the outside."

"Same."

Rose smiled at the two of them. She might've been guilty of forcing people to become her friends, but you know what they say--the more the merrier!

"How about we start all over then? My name's Kurumi Mimino. What's yours?" Kurumi lifted her arm to shake Margot's hand. Margot weakly shook her hand.

"Margot Carson." She replied.

"I love your hair. It's purple, just like mine! Purple really is the best color, isn't it?" Kurumi twirled her hair. Margot nodded. "Still shy I see? That's okay."

"Sorry...it takes a while for me to open up, I guess..." Margot said quietly. "I really only open up to my family."

"Well then, we'll just have to become good friends, won't we?" Kurumi gave a genuine smile to Margot. And Margot...smiled back, smiled for the first time, although it was a tiny one. 

Rose's eyes lit up. Wow! I feel like a generic magical girl protagonist right now, helping others with the power of friendship...but it feels so good!

Everyone at the table continued talking to each other. Cory and Buttercup talked to each other, Robyn, Ester and Rose talked, and Kurumi and Margot talked.

"Hey Rose, did ya see Darla Dimple yet?" Cory asked.

"Oh my God, I totally forgot about her! I wonder what grade she's in!" Rose squealed.