Wings of Fire As Humans

[3] Now We're Even

"You do know that I am a very experienced runner, right?" She asked.

"I think racing my brother to the couch every morning makes me pretty experienced, so why are ya stalling? C'mon."

"May I objected," Deathbringer said, politely raising his hand. "If you are so experienced, Ms. Kestrel, then you could probably take all of us on, right?"

"True," exotic boy said. "I'm a pretty good runner, but probably not as good as you."

"Right," Blue eyed guy—Winter—said. "I'm terrible at running, so I won't be a problem, right?"

Everyone started adding themselves into the race and the look on Kestrel's face was totally worth it. I nudged my brother with my elbow and smiled at him. "Thanks."

"Sure thing," he said, ruffling my hair.

I frowned as I fixed my hair and this time, I stared at Kestrel.

"Pish posh," Kestrel growled. "I'm not about to get challenged by a bunch of second-graders."

"That's just Winter," I pointed out. "I'm a perfectly civilized woman in highschool."

"You know what," Kestrel interjected. "Fine."

"If I—we win, then you're going to have to promise to let us do what we want during gym," I said smugly. I was only saying that because who wanted to run 20 laps every day?

"And if I win?"

"Then... you get to make us doing anything you want."

"Not good enough."

"Winter will rub your feet for a week!" I quickly cried. A slow smirk went onto Kestrel's lips and she clasped her hand. "Well, then, let's get this started."

"What," Winter cried frantically. "I didn't agree to this! What?!"

"Don't worry," I said, turning towards Winter. "I'll make sure we win, and if we don't, at least we'll be even."

"I don't want to be even!" he cried. I merely shrugged as Ms. Kestrel led us all out to the football field. It was blazing hot outside and I stared as half the girls almost died without even starting the race.

Pfft, I'm going to be the one to win it for us. These low minded babies, tsk.

Kestrel ordered us to get in a line on the track meet. Everyone looked determined for their they-can-do-whatever-they-want-during-gym reward. Kestrel's eyes gazed around the whole track and smirked. She lifted the whistle to her mouth and blew.

Everyone blasted forward, running as fast as they could. I, though, kept a nice steady pace. That's the one thing I learned from one of my tutors. When running, start off steady and slow and let the others waste all their energy in one go. Then, when they're all tired, use all your speed and run right past them like it's nothing. Didn't they learn that, too?

The heat was an advantage to my win. I sighed happily at all the dumbfounded faces glancing back at me, confusion clearly shown in their expressions. I grinned back at them and winked. I had this in the bag.

Kestrel glanced back at me and burst out laughing saying, "Such lack of effort! Hah! You were mistaken, miss."

I simply ignored her and continued off in my own world where I win and I get to laugh in her face."

"Pick up the pace," Winter called from ahead of me. "I just saw a snail pass you!"

"Do you want me to run faster so I can catch up to whoever asked?"

There was a little bit of laughter but most people were already too tired to laugh. When I was halfway there with Kestrel a quarter farther than me, I kicked my legs forward flew past most of the dying people collapsing to floor. I laughed out loud when I saw Winter choking at how fast I could run.

"Hey, look!" I said happily. "Looks like no one asked!"

Kestrel's slowing down. I'm a winner, my mind sang.

I zoomed past her, a huge grin on my face. Kestrel loudly gasped, which made me laugh even more. The wind whirled into my face, making my hair flow in all directions, but I honestly didn't care. Mother would probably find this "immature." I rolled my eyes.

Not Deathbringer seriously taking notes of my behavior in school to use against me, I thought as I saw him smirking at me. What is with that dude and smirking?

"What?" I remember Deathbringer saying once when I asked him about it. "It's my signature look."

I stared forward at where the track ended, and was it only then did I hear the cheering of all the kids behind me. They were screaming my name.

My foot reached out to cross the line when I felt hands against my back and one thing leads to another and I'm tumbling on the ground. I land awkwardly in a handstand before frantically kicking my feet in the air, surprised at my current stance, and landed forward on my legs—spraining my ankle.

I clutched my leg but didn't really care since I WON.

"HAHAH," I cried. "In your face! Guess who's-"

"*"

"Why are you here, Moon?"

I sat calmly in the principal's office.

"I challenged the gym teacher to a race and I won but she was being a sore looser 'bout it," I said rolling my eyes. "May I also add the she put her grubby hands on me and pushed me, causing me to sprain my ankle. I'm sure there's something in the school policy about stuff like that."

Principle Morrowseer nodded, saying, "There is. I'll take care of it, Moon. You get back to class, now."

"No punishment?" I asked.

He gave me a weird look. "What for? The teacher got mad at nothing but a game and put her hands on you. If there's anyone getting in trouble, it's Ms. Kestrel."

I smiled. "Alright then. Have a good day!"

A twinge of recognition made flashbacks from a horrible past hit me in the face, but I shook it off before the memory got to me.

I jumped out of my seat and strutted out the room to find Winter there with with a devious smirk. He was there with exotic boy, too.

"Why so cheeky?" I asked.

"Did you see the way you fell?" Winter teased. "How did you fail that miserably?" At this point he was straight up laughing. I, though, was not.

"I bet that's what the angels said to God when he brought you into this world," I offered. "Where's Deathbringer?" I looked around and started walking.

"Also," I said, "you shouldn't even be laughing. Kestrel's still making you rub her feet, and not for a week, but for a month."

Winter sucked his cheeks and looked away. This time I laughed at him.

"Well, would you look at that," I said happily. "Now we're even."

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