Flip (OFFICIAL WATTPAD UPLOAD)

Chapter 7

"I feel weird."

"You'll be fine," Velvet said as they walked down the street towards the town square, where the Fourth of July festival was taking place.

Ant fidgeted uncomfortably, his fists clenched at his sides. He looked very different in clothes that weren't filthy and torn; he had a black Hawaiian button-up patterned with flamingos and palm fronds over his tattered, stained T-shirt, and his battered cargo shorts had been swapped for a pair of Punz's old knee-length cutoff jeans. He was still barefoot—he'd adamantly refused any kind of footwear and had even gone as far as to try and bite Velvet's hand off at the suggestion—but he looked remarkably cleaner than he had before, and for the first time, his unruly undercut wasn't filthy and matted. Velvet could finally truly see where the bleached part ended and where Ant's dark brown roots began.

His claws, however, refused to round out into fingernails, and his pupils were thinner than razor blades. A woman passed by them with a baby in a stroller, and Ant bristled.

"Hey, hey, calm down," Velvet said.

To his surprise, Ant grasped his hand in a death grip, his spindly fingers cold and clammy in his own despite the warmth of the late afternoon.

"It's so small," the being mumbled, staring intensely at the stroller. "So squishy. I bet its flesh is tender—"

"Yeah, okay, you're not eating a baby," Velvet sighed, pulling Ant away.

He was starting to wonder if bringing Ant around this many people was a good idea. In the being's eyes, the downtown area was probably an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Thankfully, that was when the food vendors came into view.

Velvet sighed in relief, joining the line for a truck serving Mexican food. Ant clung to him like a leech the entire time, his eyes wide and wary. Luckily his uncanny aura didn't seem to have drawn any stares yet, although there was a little girl in line in front of them, probably barely older than four and holding her dad's hand as she gazed at Ant in fascination.

Ant growled under his breath.

"Chill out, cutie, we're gonna get food soon," Velvet said, reaching behind Ant and scratching the fur that was starting to sprout on his neck vertebrae.

The little girl gawked up at Ant in amazement. "Woah. Your eyes are really pretty, mister."

Ant balked, and Velvet clenched his teeth as his claws pricked his hand.

"Th—thanks?" Ant stammered.

The kid's dad turned around, visibly confused. Velvet smiled awkwardly, and to his dismay, Ant tried to copy him.

The dad took one look at Ant's mouthful of razor-sharp teeth, and his eyes widened in horror. He hastily scooped up his daughter and rushed off, and the little girl giggled, waving to Ant. "'Bye, kitty man!"

Ant waved back hesitantly.

"Maybe try and relax a little, you're scaring the proletariat," Velvet muttered.

Ant huffed. "I wasn't gonna eat it."

"Her," Velvet corrected.

Ant rolled his eyes. "There's not much of a difference between human children and raccoons."

"The worst part about that statement is that it ain't entirely wrong," Velvet sighed, pulling Ant towards the vendor as the line moved up. "Now what do you want? We can sample a little bit of everything if you want—"

"I want enchiladas," Ant blurted.

"Enchiladas it is!" Velvet remarked, and he stepped up to the window. He made sure to get the largest serving he could, ignoring the strange look the cashier gave him, especially when Ant proceeded to stare silently and unblinkingly at her the entire time they were ordering.