Wings of Fire: Jade High School

Pizza!

Kinkajou's POV

After a busy day of school, Kinkajou was ready to go to sleep and most definitely didn't want to do any sort of math problem. It was only the first day, yet Kestrel wanted to punish them already. She'll warm up to me someday. 

 She sat on the couch in front of the TV, working on homework. Well, she was at least trying to. Glory's cat Silver was sleeping soundly beside her. Kinkajou reached out her hand and scratched the cat behind the ears, receiving a loud, "purr." She looked down at her homework, but it felt like her mind has turned to mush. I can just do it later. No big deal, She thought. She finally gave in and pushed the math problems away from her, turning her attention to the screen.

The TV came to life, showing someone was trying to guess the name of some small town in Pennsylvania so he could win a new car. She grabbed the remote off the coffee table and switched between the channels. Boring, boring, boring, and boring. Ug! There's nothing good on!  

Kinkajou sighed angrily and turned it back to the game show. The guy had miraculously gotten the question right. Maybe he cheated... Eh, it didn't really matter. Confetti was falling from the ceiling and the man who'd won was being extremely overdramatic.

The show was interrupted by a knock at the door. Kinkajou sprung from the couch, making Silver jump and hiss loudly at her. She slid across the floor using her bright neon socks as skates and stopped near the window. Peering through the flowy green curtains, she recognized Glory's lavender messy bun waiting impatiently. She unlocked the door and barreled into Glory, giving her a tight hug. 

"I missed you!" Kinkajou said enthusiastically. 

"Oof! Kinkajou, don't squeeze so tight! You just saw me about an hour ago," Glory said, but Kinkajou could tell she didn't want her to stop. She did anyway when she realized that Glory had a pizza box in her hand. Kinkajou snatched it and ran toward the counter.

"What kind of pizza did you get? Yes! Hawaiian!" She said as she opened the box, preparing to grab a slice.

"Kinkajou, wait for me! Don't eat all of it!" Glory hastily took off her shoes and jacket and put them in the closet. She took a seat beside her little sister and grabbed it away from Kinkajou. "You can't eat it yet," Glory paused dramatically, "unless you don't want breadsticks!" she pulled a small box out her purse and set it on the counter.

Kinkajou hugged her again before digging into the food. The two of them talked and laughed while they ate, which almost resulted in a food fight.

"Did you meet anyone new? I know you nearly know everyone, but there are new students as well," Glory said as she ate her pizza.

Kinkajou nodded her head slowly. "There was this one girl. Her name was Moon. She was the one that Winter was being mean to before that other guy rode in on a white horse," she said. Glory chugged down soda from her cup and finished with an "Ahhh" before answering her.

"I think it's great that you talked to her. I'm keeping an eye on those boys, though," she said.

Kinkajou licked the remnants of the breadsticks off her fingers. "I think you should," she said. Glory checked her watch and frowned.

"I'm afraid it's time for your bedtime." Glory pointed out, causing Kinkajou stopped mid-lick.

"I'm 16. I don't have a bedtime," Kinkajou said. Glory grabbed the pizza box off the counter and dumped it in the trash and started making her way toward Kinkajou.

"No. Glory, I see what you're doing. Stop it right now!" Glory lunged and started to tickle Kinkajou. "Eeek! Glory, stop!" Kinkajou said between laughs. Glory carried her into her bright pink bedroom and threw her on her bed, and then plopped down beside her.

"I officially degree that you DO have a bedtime. Now go brush your teeth and change out of your school clothes," she said sternly, but the large grin on her face undercut the effect.

"Fine," Kinkajou whined. 

Kinkajou stood up with a groan and brushed her teeth and changed into her nightgown. Glory had left to go back downstairs to stay up late, which apparently only ADULTS could do. Not that she wanted to be one. Kinkajou crawled into bed and pulled a small photo out from under her pillow.

It showed a man and a woman standing in front of an elementary school with two girls between them. The little girl was named Kinkajou, the older one was Glory, and the two people beside them were their parents.

Kinkajou smiled at the photo, remembering that day. One of the final days she had left to spend with her family. Although it happened over nine years ago, it hurt more than it did than the day it happened. 

"Hi, Mom. Hi Dad. I had a great first day," Kinkajou said, trying to stay positive, but finding it hard to keep the tears out of her eyes. "I'm a sophomore now. It's pretty neat, I guess. I just wish you were here. You always made things better." Kinkajou told her parents about every minute of her day, from talking to Tamarin in the morning to hanging out with Glory. She wiped the tears away from her eyes and tucked the old photo underneath her pillow. She fell asleep to the chorus of crickets outside her window.