Wings of Fire as Humans

No more hoodies!!!

Welcome back everyone! Also, I cannot even express how happy I am that this story is finally at 1,000 reads!!! So I will not take up much of your time trying to do so. Here is the chapter:

Moon was not a person who was ever late. Or even a person who was quick to realize she was late. But when she walked into Ms. Kestrel's homeroom, she took one look at the disapproving frown her teacher was wearing and realized she had really screwed up this morning. It was not that Kestrel's expression was unusual- sometimes it seemed like frowning was her favorite activity, because she did it everyday, but this particular frown had an edge of yes-another-late-student-I-am-angry-but-also-cannot-wait-to-imprison-her-in-detention to it.

"Hello Miss. Midnight, are you aware that you are almost 0.458 seconds late?" The teacher asked, inspecting her stopwatch (a habit she had gotten from being a gym teacher) . Moon just stood there, terrified that her perfect attendance record had been ruined, even if it was by less than a minute. Kestrel looked at her impatiently. "are you waiting for a personal invitation? SIT DOWN!" Hmm. Seems like she was feeling merciful.

As soon as Moon sat down in her usual chair, she got a tap on the shoulder. "Hey Moon, have you seen Kinkajou today?" asked Turtle from behind her. Moon was frazzled. She had not even noticed the absence of her best friend. She scanned the room, looking for a girl in bright clothes. Hmmm I guess I'm not the only one missing school today; she thought. 

Just then, a silence fell over the classroom as Kestrel narrowed her eyes to give someone the death stare-a student in the very back of the class who was wearing a grey hoodie with the hood up, completely obscuring their face. "It seems like someone here thinks they can just waltz in and break any rule they want! Must I remind you it is school policy that all hoods are prohibited?" She snapped. the kid in the back just scoffed as if Kestrel didn't frighten them at all. Or maybe they just had a death wish. who knows...

"TAKE. THE. HOOD. OFF. NOW! Don't make me send you to the office. Because I'm sure your parents would just love to hear about this!" threatened the teacher.

The mystery kid  looked up. "Ha. As if they would care." Kestrel marched over to them and pulled off the hood. She immediately looked stunned. "who...are you? I don't think you're in this homeroom.." she said quietly. The person under the hood was a girl with unbrushed straight blond hair the length of her shoulders, bags under her eyes, and smeared mascara. She looked like she had been ugly crying and decided to just give up on looking presentable. 

The girl raised her eyes to meet Kestrel's. "Yes I am in this class." She said confidently. "and my name is Kinkajou."

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After class Moon tried to catch up with her friend, but she had already disappeared into the crowd of students transitioning from one class to another. The next time she saw Kinkajou was 2 periods later during history. She took a seat next to the girl. "Hi Kinkajou! Did you cut your hair?" she asked.

Kinkajou rolled her eyes. "obviously. Now leave me alone." Moon was shocked at her bitterness. "Can you please just tell me what's going on?" The green eyed girl looked annoyed "No."

Moon groaned in frustration. "Kinakjou, please just-" She was interrupted as Kinkajou shot up out of her seat and frantically waved her hand. Mr.Webs looked at her through his foggy square glasses. "Mr. Teacher" she began "I am not feeling so well, I'm going to the nurse."

The old man scrounged around in his desk and wrote her a hall pass. Kinkajou rushed out, not even bothering to push her chair back in.

Moon had to help her friend. She ran after the girl, ignoring the side of her brain that scolded her for leaving without a hall pass.

"Kinkajou, wait!"she called, grabbing the girl by the forearm and whirling her around. Her eyes widened in surprise. Kinkajou was crying, her mascara smeared even more and streaking down her cheeks. "Just leave me alone! Let go of me!" she sobbed. Moon did not let go. "Please tell me what happened. I'm your best friend, I can help."

Kinkajou looked up at her helplessly. "No, Moon you can't help. You probably just befriended me because you felt bad for me. No one is my friend because they like me. I'm just a pathetic, arrogant, silly little girl who doesn't know what she's talking about, so just go back to class and continue with your normal life like you never knew me. Maybe I'm better off friendless because every single one of you is fake." she choked on the last few words and then let herself fall onto the hallway tiles.

Moon stood there stunned. "Kinkajou...what? Why would you think that? You're not pathetic or arrogant or silly! You're kind, smart, helpful and awesome! I am the one who would have been friendless if you hadn't talked to me on the first day! Remember?"

The girl sniffled and nodded.
"You really don't think I'm ridiculous? Even though I dress like a 5th grader?" She wrapped her friend in a warm hug. "who told you that? I don't care how you dress, you're still Kinkajou, my best frien-" Just then someone came running down the hallway, ruining her moment.

The person skidded to a stop, staring at the two girls wrapped in a hug. "oh...hehe sorry I can go...." mumbled the kid, who surprise, surprise, was Turtle (it seemed like he was always where Kinkajou was, no matter what)

The blonde haired girl raised her head. "oh hi Turtle! Do you like my new hairstyle? I did it myself! Also, what are you doing in the middle of the hall? Aren't you supposed to be in math?" she asked, back to her old excited self. "Yeah, I love it! Also I came because I heard you screaming at each other in the hallway. As did the rest of the school, actually."