Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life

Nikki details how MacKenzie tripped her in the cafeteria, causing Nikki to spill her lunch all over herself. Everyone laughs, and Nikki starts to cry, which is made worse when Brandon comes over with his camera. Overcome with emotion while thinking about the incident, Nikki writes, “I’ll finish this diary entry later. Maybe…” (117).

Instead of taking Nikki’s picture for the cover of the school newspaper like she thinks he will, Brandon helps Nikki up and hands her a napkin. Nikki is spellbound and loses herself when their fingers brush “like a gentle but wild squirrel slurping sweet nectar from one of those dainty purply flowers in [her] mother’s garden that [her] dad accidentally sprayed with weed killer” (121). Brandon and Nikki’s moment is interrupted by the lunch monitor, who lectures Nikki on carrying her tray. Brandon leaves, and MacKenzie starts making fun of Nikki again. Nikki runs out of the cafeteria, feeling like a loser who everyone hates.

Nikki hides in a janitor’s closet until Chloe and Zoey find her. The girls help clean the food off Nikki’s clothes, and Nikki starts to feel better because “[t]hey’re the BEST friends EVER” (134).