Wings of Fire as Humans

Boba Tea!

Just a slice-of-life filler chapter that I wrote after like, a whole week of author's block.

There are many advantages to being the oldest in your friend group. You can tease your friends about how much taller you are. You can give them advice about life. And if someone hurts them, you can teach them how to commit third degree arson. But there are also disadvantages-namely, the fact that when you're the only one who can drive, they rely on you to take them everywhere.

"Stupid traffic light!" miffed Peril, furiously honking on the horn of her flame orange jeep. She had been employed by her friends to drive all of them to Pantala university, where Winter would be starting his art classes. Obviously, she hadn't been there to witness it, but Winter told her and the others that his father would let him participate in the program-not because he was convinced and willing to let his son pursue his dreams-more like he was only going to tolerate it. The program was going to take place over the course of a month (in which Winter would miss school, lucky!) and they were headed to the university to see him off.

Unfortunately, Pantala was a full hour and 45 minutes away-farther than Peril had ever driven before-and between red stop lights and her friends trying to force her to sing road trip songs with them, she wasn't sure she would survive this.

"I AM NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT, I AM NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT!" Sang everyone in the back seat. Qibli, Kinkajou, and Turtle were jamming out the hardest and Moon chimed in every now and then-even Winter was lip syncing-probably due to his good mood. This had been going on for more than an hour, and Peril was on her last nerve. These Alexander Hamburger songs were getting old. Luckily for her eardrums, the song ended, just as Pantala appeared in the distance.

Unlike Pyrrhia, which was perched on a small hill, this town was on completely flat ground, with swaying, tall grasses surrounding it. Pantala was obviously much larger than Peril's hometown-Skyscrapers towered over the marshlands. Peril had always thought of skyscrapers as metallic and modern, but these blended right in with the landscape- calmly colored and majestic. She felt calm, but at the same time intimidated by them.

She suddenly turned around to face the teenagers vibing in the back. "Hey, we're here" She said. Moon rolled down the jeep window to poke her head out. "wow...it's beautiful. You're so lucky, Winter" she whispered. Winter smiled genuinely, probably for the first time since Peril had met him.

As they drove into the city, Peril experienced her first taste of actual traffic. Pyrrhia was only a small college town, nothing like this. FINALLY A REASON TO HAVE ROAD RAGE! She thought, sitting back in her seat comfortably while honking at a minivan that was driving waaaaaay to slow.

"Oh my gosh guys, look, it's BOBA TEA!!" Shrieked Kinkajou, pressing her face against the window. Sure enough, there was a posh-looking shop called 'Honeydew' over to their left-and Peril knew all too well that you can't keep Kinkajou away from boba tea for too long. She pulled over to the side and parked her car in front of an orange sign.

"Ummmmm Peril, I don't think we should park here..." mumbled Turtle, looking at the sign. Peril turned around to check it again. "Nonsense. It says 'parking fine'. Parking IS fine." The boy sighed and they walked in to get their tea.

The group of them walked out holding their tea-Winter was trying his for the first time. He took a sip and all the others looked at him in anticipation. "...so?" asked Qibli.

Winter smiled. "It's good."