*a week later*

The school's secretary, Mrs. Piranha Plant approached the unpopulars' table during lunch.

"Birdo, please report to the office," Mrs. Piranha Plant said. Birdo looked confused, but shrugged and stood up.

"Okay," she responded. Once Birdo arrived at the school office, she became even more confused.

"Hi, Birdo," a yellow birdo greeted the student, a hint of sadness in her voice.

She was Birdo's aunt and she seemed to have just been crying. Birdo, however, had no clue why.

"Aunt Christine?!" Birdo exclaimed. "What are you doing here? And what's wrong?"

"You have to leave school now and come with me," Birdo's aunt sniffed.

"What? Where?" Birdo questioned.

"To the wake."

"What wake?"

Little did Birdo know that her day would be ruined by hearing what her aunt said next.

Meanwhile, Yoshi was on his way to his locker when Birdo ran past him. She looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Bow!" Yoshi began running after his girlfriend and he would've caught up to her if he hadn't realized that she was headed for the girls' bathroom. Without thinking twice, Yoshi went in after her. But, Birdo had already locked herself inside a stall.

"Go away," Birdo ordered. "You're not supposed to be here."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong," Yoshi stated.

"Please leave..." Birdo said quietly. "I need to be alone." Yoshi sighed.

"If you say so. Just tell me if you need someone to talk to," he replied, leaving the bathroom...

But, the principal was walking down the hallway just as Yoshi was going out of the girls' bathroom.

"Yoshi?!" Mr. Goomba said. "What were you doing in there?"

"Umm..." Yoshi turned red in embarrassment. "Sorry, sir. I was just trying to find out why Birdo is upset."

"That is no excuse to be in the girls' bathroom," Mr. Goomba shook his head. "You have detention for a week."

"Okay, sir..." Yoshi mumbled. He had never gotten detention before.

Birdo overheard Yoshi and Mr. Goomba's conversation from in her stall. She suddenly had an idea. Birdo went out of the bathroom.

"Mr. Goomba!" she said. "Watch this." Birdo ran into the boys' bathroom. Yoshi glanced at the principal to see his reaction. Mr. Goomba looked a bit angry.

"Birdo, you get detention for one week with Yoshi!" Mr. Goomba said before leaving the area. "Teenagers these days..."

Birdo soon went out into the hallway, where Yoshi was.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Yoshi asked. "You just got yourself in trouble."

"I felt guilty because you got in trouble for trying to talk to me," Birdo smiled sheepishly.

"Well, thanks but you didn't have to do that," Yoshi replied.

"Oh, I have to go now. I'm leaving the school for the rest of the day," Birdo said.

"Where are you going?" Yoshi questioned. Birdo hesitated.

"I... Have to be somewhere," she answered. "I'll tell you where when I'm ready."

"Alright then. Bye," Yoshi responded.  Birdo gave Yoshi a quick kiss before walking away. As she walked, Birdo remembered what had caused her to run out of the school office.

*flashback*

"Your parents were going on a vacation to celebrate their wedding anniversary, right?" Aunt Christine asked.

"Yes..." Birdo answered slowly.

"Well..." Birdo's aunt trailed off. Birdo suddenly gasped.

"What happened to them?" she questioned worriedly.

"One of the airplanes they were riding..." a tear left one of Aunt Christine's eyes. "Crashed."

"No..." Birdo whispered. She had a feeling she knew what her aunt would say next.

"No one survived..." Birdo's aunt said.

"No..." Birdo repeated. Once again, she felt like fainting. Birdo ran out of the office.

*flashback over*

"Birdo!" Aunt Christine sighed with relief once she saw Birdo approaching her. "There you are."

"Sorry, Aunt," Birdo said. "I'm ready to go now."

"Alright," Birdo's aunt said and the two birdos left the school.

*after school, at Toad's house*

Toad and Toadette were drinking iced tea and relaxing on lounge chairs by the pool. Toad noticed his girlfriend was looking kind of distressed.

"Dettie," Toad spoke. "What's up? You seem like something's bugging you." Toad was actually right, but Toadette didn't feel like rambling about her problems.

"Nah, everything's just peachy," Toadette lied.

"We both know that isn't true," Toad frowned.

"Maybe it is," Toadette shrugged.

"Dettie, please tell me," Toad said. "I promise telling someone will make you feel better."

"But, it won't make the problem go away," Toadette pointed out.

"Is it about me?" Toad questioned.

"No, you're not involved in it," Toadette stated.

"Just rant, you'll be in a better mood afterwards," Toad suggested.

"Please stop talking about it!" Toadette exclaimed. Both toads became quiet for a minute.

"I'm sorry," Toad said awkwardly.

"No, don't apologize. It's not your fault," Toadette replied. "I just feel alone sometimes."

"How?" Toad asked. "You have your friends and me."

"Yes, I have you. But, we both know that we can't hang out at school because our friends hate each other," Toadette sighed.
"Your friends though," Toad responded. "Don't you hang out with them?"

"Everyone in our class knows that Peach and Dixie are always together," Toadette started. "It was always Birdo and me before Peach kicked her out of our group. And Rosalina was kind of like our glue, she was equally close to each of us. So now, I feel left out sometimes. Peach and Dixie don't ignore me, but... It's obvious they're closer to each other."

"Oh..." Toad murmured. He assumed it was some sort of girl problem, since he had never experienced that kind of thing.

"I'm so confused," Toadette said. "Peach and Dixie are my best friends, that's for sure. But sometimes, I feel as if they don't treat me how best friends are supposed to treat other."

"What do you mean?" Toad asked.

*flashback*

Peach, Dixie, Toadette, Birdo, and Rosalina were shopping for the year-end school dance. They were in 8th grade. After walking around the mall for a bit, the girls stopped in front of Rose Blanche, a shop for party clothes for girls.

"Omg, girls," Peach turned to face her friends. "Here we are. Let's split up, find a few dresses that we like, and meet up by the fitting rooms in ten minutes!" The other girls nodded and the group walked nto the massive shop, but each girl went their own way.

Toadette found two dresses that she totally adored and she quickly headed to the fitting rooms. Soon, the other girls were there as well.

"Di, Bow, Rosie, go to some stalls now and try on your first dresses," Peach ordered. Dixie, Birdo, and Rosalina simply followed what Peach said and got their own stalls.

"Shouldn't we do the same?" Toadette asked.

"Yeah, but I need to give you this first," Peach answered, handing Toadette another dress. "You're welcome."

"Thanks, I guess," Toadette said. "So, do I try on this AND the ones I picked myself?"

"Give me the ones you picked," Peach replied. Toadette did just that.

"They're so pretty, aren't they?" Toadette grinned, excited to wear one of the two dresses to the year-end dance.

"... Nah," Peach frowned. "They're ugly."

"Well I'll be wearing one of them, you won't have to," Toadette stated.

"Dettie, you're one of my best friends. I don't want you to humiliate yourself," Peach put a hand on Toadette's mushroom head. "Just try on the dress I gave you, not those pieces of trash."

Toadette couldn't help but be kind of offended by what Peach had just said. To Toadette, the dresses were absolutely beautiful! But, Peach disagreed AND called the two dresses pieces of trash.

"Okay..." Toadette mumbled. She went into a fitting room stall with only one dress and asked a sales assistant to return the other dresses.

Three minutes later, Toadette joined her friends. All of the girls were wearing dresses.

"Toadette! That is SO cute!" Peach squealed.

Toadette glanced at herself in a nearby mirror. This does look good on me, but I really like those other dresses too, Toadette thought.

"And I totally agree, that dress looks fab on you!" Dixie said.

"Buy it!" Peach told the mushroom girl. "You won't regret it. And besides, it's your only choice in this place." 

Toadette became kind of annoyed when Peach said that. This is my only choice because you took away my initial choices! Toadette thought. You gave me this dress to try on and now you're rubbing in the fact that it's my only choice. Of course, Toadette couldn't say anything bad aloud or else Peach would go into drama queen mode.

"Fine," Toadette sighed. "I'll buy this."

*flashback over*

"Umm..." Toad said, mainly because Toadette was just talking about dresses. He had listened to the entire story, but was somewhat confused.

"The point is that Peach acted as if I was a dog and she was my owner. If I disobeyed her, I'd be punished," Toadette explained. "Sometimes. she still acts like she's the boss of us now."

"That sucks," Toad commented. "But, isn't that why Rosalina and Birdo left your clique?"

"Yeah, I think so," Toadette replied. "Hey, can you do me a favor?"

"Maybe," Toad responded.

"Please tell Birdo that I miss her," Toadette said. "And tell Rosalina, too."

"Okay, I'll tell them on Monday or whenever I'll meet them again," Toad promsed.

"Thanks, Toad," Toadette kissed Toad's cheek. Toad smiled.

"For what?" he asked.

"Just for listening to me," Toadette answered. "You were right, I feel a little better now."

Bc we all just need someone to listen to us ramble sometimes. A friendly reminder to you awesome readers that you should stop being friends with anyone who's like Peach. People like her aren't worth being friends with and they'll just make your life even more stressful. And sorry that I haven't updated in about a month. School has kept me busy ever since it started. Well my birthday is in exactly a month so that's a good thing. Btw I made this chapter longer than I initally planned to make it. You're welcome. I'm just really grateful that you guys support this book so much! I only try to update this as often as possible because ik you're always waiting for the next chapter. Anyways pls add, comment, vote, etc. Thanks!

- pinkandpeachy