Chapter Text
They just wanna, they just wanna
Girls just wanna have fun
Catra just knew when she saw the new girl of 7th grade walk into class with her neat blonde ponytail, butterfly t-shirt, faded jeans, and beat-up white Converses, she was screwed.
She watched thoroughly as the girl chewed her bubble gum nervously and tapped her nails on the desk in a familiar yet unrecognizable tune. Something about her had Catra thinking; she thought deeply about how she was just an average girl who got dealt a few bad cards, but she was doing well. Shooting stars of course, never flew for her, but something about this blonde had Catra hoping and wishing they would.
She never considered what it’d feel like to float. Watching as Adora Juliette Grey, (because she always used her full name), performed at the end of the school year talent show, singing Girls Just Want To Have Fun to a beat much rockier than the original, Catra’s heart beat straight out of her chest as the blonde with perfect sapphire eyes sang her soul out on stage.
Nine Months Ago…
It was a normal Tuesday morning for Catra. She got dressed in a mesh long-sleeve with a tight t-shirt on top and the first pair of jeans she spotted in the drawer, released her hair from the french braids she slept in and tossed her curls around until it looked effortlessly messy, and did her usual eyeliner and mascara. Her older sister told her to stop stealing her makeup in the morning but what did Catra care? She wasn’t their mother.
Not that their parents were alive anyway. They died when Catra was too little to remember and when her older sister was ten.
“Catra! Hurry up or you’re walking!” The tween groaned as she quickly grabbed her rugged backpack and ran out to their beat-up car.
“Finally. Any later and we wouldn’t have time to get donuts.” Her sister started to back out of the driveway and onto the road.
Catra rolled her eyes as she watched the houses go by out the passenger window. It was sort of a thing of theirs- getting donuts before work and school every Tuesday when the two-for-the-price-of-one deal was taking place.
Catra scoffed, “You’d never let us miss out on Tuesday donuts. We’d both end up being late for those things.”
Her sister shrugged but didn’t disagree.
“Hey, uh, can you order Chinese tonight?”
Catra turned in her seat to peer at her sister, “Why? You got a date or something?”
Blushing as she made her way into the small drive-thru line, she said, “Or something. It’s nothing special we’re just getting to know each other.”
Catra chuckled, “So a casual date then.”
Her sister rolled her eyes and ordered, “Anyway, I won’t be out too late so don’t even think about setting up for an all-nighter on the couch.”
Catra sighed in annoyance, “ I know, C’yra. I’m not a baby.” Catra sunk lower into her seat.
She was handed a donut as C’yra began to drive off towards the middle school, “I know you aren’t. But as your older sister and legal guardian, I have to say these things.”
They both chuckled at that as the car was stopped in front of the school's entrance. Catra hated that it was so close by.
“Bye, Cat! Have a good day! I love you!” C’yra called as Catra tried walking away as fast as possible, only turning around to whisper-yell a quick “love you.” in response.
She did her usual routine. Drop backpack off at locker. Grab a pastry from the cafeteria (even though she had just devoured a donut) and sit outside in the grass with her two best friends, Scorpia and Entrapta until it was time for their first class.
Catra often tried to skip her first class. She knew that was a bad habit to get into, especially before high school, but she hated Spanish.
It bothered her that C’yra was practically fluent and always understood everything back when she was in school, yet Catra struggled with it since her parents died before they could get her to fluently learn.
And it really did it for her when Señora Cruz had assigned them a family tree project a week ago. It was due today and of course, Catra didn’t do it. She skipped the class for the rest of the week after that and this would be her first day back.
She sat in her usual seat in the back row, sinking into it as she stared at her black chipped nail polish. It wasn’t until Catra looked up and saw the teacher enter the classroom with some new girl by her side and told her to sit down a few rows ahead of Catra that she began to pay attention. She usually tuned out most of what Sra. Cruz had to say, opting to doodle in her tiny journal instead. Today, she was curious. Curious about the blonde girl with her neat ponytail and bubbly outfit.
At some point Sra. Cruz called Catra up to her desk.
“Hola, Catra. I’m glad to see you’re back today. Is everything alright?”
Catra glances off to the side, “Yep. Just not feeling very well.”
Sra. Cruz raised an eyebrow unbelievingly, “Ah, I see. Unwell enough to come to my class but well enough to go to the rest.” Damn. Catra forgot that her teacher could see her entire overview for the attendance.
“I-” Sra. Cruz raised her hand to stop her from speaking further.
“I think I know what this is about.”
“You do?” Sra. Cruz nodded.
“Nenita, I am aware of your family situation. You can always ask me for an alternate assignment, extension, or let me know if something makes you uncomfortable.”
Catra nods and Sra. Cruz continues, “Alright Bebe, I’ll give you time to work on an alternate assignment. And great news! Our new student has requested it as well so you two can work on it together.”
She gestured at the shy blonde that Catra had her eye on since she walked in. She had an alternate assignment too?
Catra thought for a moment about how thankful she was for Sra. Cruz being so understanding. Catra was sensitive to hearing about other children and their full families while she never had the chance to even remember hers.
When Catra sat down in the empty seat next to the blonde she jumped, startled at the new presence. Catra stared at her for a long moment before she stopped giving her shy glances.
“H-hi?”
Catra leaned into her palm on the table, facing the blonde as she greeted her, “Hey. I got assigned to work on this with you.” She tossed the paper on the desk lazily.
“Oh! Um, okay! I’m Adora Juliette Grey! What’s your name?” She seemed to perk up at the opportunity of a new friend.
Catra quirked her brow at the oddity that was Adora Juliette Grey, “I’m Catrina Elizabeth Andrea D’riluth.” Her cheeks flushed; she had never told anyone her full name. Not even her best friends; but it just felt right in the moment.
Adora offered a huge smile, “You have a pretty name, Catrina.”
“Catra. Just call me Catra.” Adora nodded enthusiastically and they got started on the assignment.
It was to ask the other person about their favorite things and fill in the blanks. On the other side was a box to make a collage with photos or drawings.
“¿Cuál es su color favorito?” Adora asked smoothly.
Catra looked away abashedly, “Um, m-mi color favorito es el rojo.” Catra replied slowly.
Adora jotted it down and Catra repeated her question.
“Mis colores favoritos son el rojo, el azul y el dorado.” Adora answered proudly.
“What is el dorado?” Catra questioned.
“Oh, it’s gold!” Did this girl ever stop smiling?
“¿Cuál es su estación favorita?” Catra asked first this time.
“¡Mi estación favorita es el verano! It’s when I get to ride the horses on my Nana’s ranch!”
Catra tried to bite her lips to keep herself from smiling at Adora’s bubbly personality.
Catra told her that hers was fall and they continued. Each time Adora gave a small reason for her answers. Catra learned that Adora liked the sun and hated the snow, and when asked, Catra told her that she loved the rain.
When they finished with some questions Adora would jot little notes down. Catra was able to catch some; one said blue+red=purple. Another saying, sun after rain makes rainbows.
Catra was quite confused but thought it was none of her business- they weren’t for her to understand anyway.
“So. Why do you have the alternate assignment?” Adora asked as she drew lightning bolts all over her paper.
Catra shrugged and smirked, “That’s not a question on the list.”
Adora grinned and scribbled something on her paper, presenting it to Catra afterward, “Want me to ask in Spanish?”
Catra just shook her head, “No, I wouldn’t understand you being that my parents died before I could learn Spanish from them. Though, I could’ve used context clues.”
Adora looked at her solemnly for a moment, “Sorry. I didn’t me-”
“No. It’s fine. It’s easier to talk about with someone who gets it, I assume?”
Adora nods, “Yeah. My um, parents died too, actually. I was four and I stayed with my Nana while they were going on a small trip to celebrate their anniversary. They never made it back and from there I think my brain locked the memories of me finding out exactly what happened to them.”
Catra nodded sadly. She was picking her brain for something comforting to say when Adora got her attention.
“Your turn. Ask me something.”
Catra thought for a moment, “How’re you so good at Spanish? Most people in this class can barely roll their r’s while you sound so confident.”
Catra shuts her mouth. She feels like she said too much, but it’s so easy to be herself around this girl she just met.
Adora grins, “My sister studied abroad in Spain for a summer while I stayed with my nana. When she came back she would not stop talking in Spanish so she wouldn’t forget it.”
Catra smiles, “My sister talks in Spanish when she doesn’t want me to know something. I still find out one way or another though.” Adora giggles and Catra can’t help wishing she could hear it on repeat.
When class is over Catra feels a bit cold at the loss of the sunshine that is Adora Juliette Grey.
The next day, Adora’s already seated in her chair by the time Catra makes her way to class. She’s got on a yellow and white plaid button-up with a white shirt underneath and some jeans with flowers on them. She’s such a contrast from Catra in her own graphic t-shirt and baggy cargo pants.
Catra is unsure of if she should approach the blonde after yesterday so she goes to her seat and stares out of the window.
It doesn’t take long for Adora to plop down in the seat next to hers.
“Hey, Catra!”
“Hey, Adora.” Adora blushes for some reason and Catra adjusts so she’s fully facing her.
They don’t get much further into their conversation because the teacher calls them to the front to present their project.
Catra pales. She never finished the other part of her project. She came straight home and started touching up her nail polish while she blasted some CDs on her mini boombox; completely oblivious to the fact that she might've had some homework to do.
“Actually, Señora. We decided to do our collage on one paper since we had good ideas for our favorites combined. Is that alright?”
Sra. Cruz nods happily, “I love that idea, of course, it’s alright!”
The presentation goes pretty smoothly. Catra talks about their interests while Adora explains the collage and those notes from yesterday start to make sense.
The main color is purple because Catra likes red and Adora likes blue. There's a rainbow because of the sun after rain, and more small details that are so clever that Catra wouldn’t have even thought to put them in their project.
“¡Muy bien, chicas!”
When they have work time for their next assignment Catra questions Adora.
“How’d you know I didn’t do my project?”
Adora smiles brightly, “You left your paper in here after class yesterday. I couldn’t find you to give it back so I just decided to do it as one instead.”
Catra looks sheepish, “You didn’t have to do that…”
Adora giggles sweetly again, “I wanted to. I already had ideas so it wasn’t much work.”
That’s the day that Catra begins to consider Adora as a friend.