Wings of Fire As Humans

[3] Now We're Even

^Moon^

"In a moment, we'll go outside and run 20 laps. You are all out of shape and we need to fix that," Kestrel mumbled.

20 laps?

I raised my hand.

"What?"

"I'm allergic to the sun."

Kids snickered but Kestrel didn't seem amused at all. She glowered her glowing red eyes at me and took a step forward. Deathbringer crossed his arms at me but I completely ignored him.

"Now, are you?" Kestrel said. "Well, then you can run 40 laps in the gym instead if that helps."

"It doesn't," I said truthfully. "I have asthma and I'm allergic to my own sweat, so technically I'm basically probably not allowed to run."

"I thought girls didn't sweat," blue-eyed guy said skeptically, smirking at me.

"What are you, in second grade?" I snapped.

"Okay, okay," a girl with rainbow-dyed hair quickly said, stepping up. "Winter, mind your own business because she's being sarcastic."

I wasn't.

"Shut up, all of you," Kestrel yelled. "I don't want to hear another word. Moon, I don't care about whatever made-up allergies you have and Winter... you're not in second grade so get it together."

Now it was my turn to smirk at him, in which he stuck out his tongue. I rolled my eyes. He really is in second grade. Kestrel dramatically sighed as I brought all my attention back to her.

"As I was saying," Kestrel continued. "To all the people who don't complete all 20 laps in ten minutes, you'll be doing 50 push-up and sit-ups for twenty minutes."

I inhaled sharply and the exotic guy in the back said, "Okay, might as well give me an F in this class because, trust me, there is no way I'm finishing even half in that in that short amount of time."

"Same," I agreed. "What's one F going to do?"

"Lower your rankings of the favorite child in mother's mind," Deathbringer offered. "I workout all the time. I've got this in the bag."

"If by workout you mean walking to the fridge and back, then yes, you do workout all the time," I muttered.

"To be fair," Deathbringer quickly defended, "you can't differ from yourself."

"You know what?" I said to Ms. Kestrel, looking her dead in the eye. "Bring it on. You and I. Race."

There was a loud echo of Ms. Kestrel's laughter across the empty halls where kids were testing in their homerooms. Talk about being disruptive.

"N-no," She said, barely controlling her laughter. "You- haha- you think you can beat me in a race? HAHA, children are funny!"

"I appreciate you adore my humor...but I'm being dead serious. Unless..."

"Unless what," Ms. Kestrel snapped.

"Unless you're scared."

Again, more laughing. I was honestly not sure what was so funny, or maybe she just had bad humor. Yeah, that. I crossed my arm and raised my eyebrows challengingly. She's stalling. She's old and probably can't even run. Trying to intimidate me to put me down. Honestly, laughing isn't really working.

She stopped laughing when she realized I was being serious, like I said. Kestrel stared at me in disbelief before shaking her head and resting her arm on my shoulder, which I shook off, making her stumble forward before catching herself and clearing her throat.