The Villain's Hero

Viviane

Homemade buttermilk pancakes topped with syrup, whipped cream, and berries can ease anyone's troubles. Now well-fed, Tabitha relaxed considerably and conversation flowed naturally between the women. When breakfast came to an end Satoko was wearing Duchess's earrings and Rosemary and Tabitha were trying to play Jenga with the mini coffee creamer cups.

Before anyone could pay, Duchess ran up to the cash register to pay the entire bill. The women argue with her across the empty diner and she tells them she got there first therefore she wins.

"This is why you haven't seen us for a month?" Rosemary asks Tabitha, "Too busy hanging out with your new best friend?"

Tabitha snorts, "God no. There were finals this month."

They wait for more explanation but Tabitha doesn't talk nor look at them, she picks at a callus on her right palm.

"So how did you do?" Satoko rests her head on the table to catch Tabitha's eyes.

The shame builds up in Tabitha's throat but she can't lie to them, they're going to know sooner than later. "Not... great."

"Were you able to keep your scholarship?" Rosemary asks and Tabitha shakes her head. "That sucks, what happened?"

"I just," Tabitha shakes her hands at the table, trying to form her words, "Studying is so hard I never had to do it in high school. I sit down at my desk and I can't get myself to focus long enough to understand something or get something done. It was easier to do—" she looks up at Duchess who sprung up a conversation with the waitress, "other things. I think I'm just stupid."

Her best friends immediately voiced their dissent. "That's not true!" Satoko told her.

"What about those times we hung out when there were projects we wanted to do? Satoko would work on one of her cosplays, I would draw, and you would do your homework. You're not stupid, you just need to study differently." Rosemary argues.

"Yeah, we can do that more often next semester," Satoko agrees, "it's not like we have anything else to do besides our shitty part-time minimum wage jobs."

Rosemary gags, "Ugh, don't even talk about work right now."

There's not going to be another semester, that's not how Tabitha's scholarship works. But she doesn't want to tell her friends any more bad news so she keeps quiet. Duchess comes up to the booth.

"What's next?" She asks them.

"We can go hang out at my apartment, all of my roommates are at work right now," Rosemary offers.

"Then can you guys come with me to my shift at three o'clock? We don't get any customers at the roller rink til like eight and I get so bored," Satoko stretches her arms across the booth, giving everyone the puppy dog eyes. Everyone agrees with this plan and the women leave together. The rest of the day is relaxing for Tabitha, she gets to take her well-earned nap at Rosemary's apartment and mess around at the roller rink.

However, as the day comes to an end and the sunlight fades to darkness, she is reminded of her necessary nightly patrols. She tells her friends that she has to leave and help her parents at the martial arts gym. Duchess does her best to make the argument that she can stay at the roller rink but Tabitha latches onto her arm and drags her out of there.

"Why do I have to help your parents?" Duchess protests as they walk to the bus stop.

Tabitha rolls her eyes, "I'm not actually helping out my parents, I have to go on my patrol. I don't care how nice and friendly you were today, I'm not leaving my best friends alone with a supervillain."