“ yeah, i wouldn't. ” that's probably the main reason she hasn't bothered to draw the five of them yet— because trini doesn't want to draw herself, even in armor. “ zack would make himself taller and buffer than everyone else. especially jason. ” she sounds confident for someone who's only really known him for a few weeks, but she thinks she's right. trini only glares at her in response, but it's just for show, not out of genuine annoyance.
the question makes her uncomfortable, because she's spent most of her time trying not to think about what happened with rita at all. it's not just the attack that bothers her, but the complete invasion of privacy— her room was her only escape in this house, the only place where she felt like she could breathe, but rita tainted that, too, making her feel unsafe, watched. that, and some of the things she said to her still linger in her mind, no matter how hard she tries to tell herself rita was only trying to get in her head. “ she's the one who got bitch slapped into space, not me, ” she shrugs, avoiding the actual question, trying to maintain her usual stoic composure, like nothing could touch her.
kim's suggestion catches her off guard, panic briefly flickering across her face, but it only lasts for half a second before she gets a hold of herself, jaw clenching. they're friends, she reminds herself. that's what friends do. trini just has to ignore the fluttering feeling in her chest she gets whenever kimberly is around, to shove that all down— she can't like her, not like that. “ do people even have sleepovers past middle school? ” it's half invading the suggestion, half genuine, because trini wouldn't know— she's not used to having friends.
kimberly smiles in amusement, because she knows trini’s right. “good point,” she agrees, though kimberly likes his excitement— it makes it easier for her to accept all of this, too, seeing how much pride he has in it.
her brows furrow for a moment, because she can tell that trini is deflecting, no matter how cool and unbothered she seems— but maybe that’s just because kimberly knows she would be shaken if it had happened to her. “yeah, well, that couldn’t have happened without you,” she reminds. “i get it. it’s cool. you don’t have to talk about it, but it’s just, like, you know you can— with me. if you want.” it doesn’t have to be now, it’s just important to kimberly that trini hears it and keeps it in mind. kimberly’s had many friends before, but nothing like this. this feels genuine, and it’s not out of convenience, like her other friends, who she likely never would have kept in touch with after high school, anyway. she cares about trini — like she cares about all of them — but she’s still different.
she rolls her eyes, but she starts to smile anyway. “sleepovers are’t, like— just for kids. so, yeah,” she says with a scoff. “and it’s not like that or whatever, anyway. i’m just saying. my house is big, and it’s— i don’t know,” she mumbles, trying to avoid the word ‘lonely.’ “everything we’ve been through is just really overwhelming. so i’m saying— we don’t have to be alone to deal with it.”
