"When do you think we can practice using our powers?" Sayori asked quietly as the four of us sat down in the cafeteria, some dinner on our plates.
"It better be soon." Natsuki hissed. "I'm not going to be told I have awesomely strange powers and then can't even use them."
"Are you sure we can eat here?" Yuri asked quietly, glancing around her cautiously.
Natsuki rolled her eyes. "We can eat where ever. If those jerks can't handle us being here, then screw them."
I chuckled, "Alright, don't get ahead of yourself there."
"Yo! What's up?" Oliver called, running over to us.
I smiled. "Good evening! How was class?"
"Miss popular is still spreading rumours about you four." Adrien explains as he and the other three boys sit down at the table; we moved so we sat closer to the outside of the table.
"Why does Sasha hate us so much?" Sayori asked sadly, munching on her food.
Adrien shrugged. "Dunno, but here she comes now." He says this while lowering his voice.
I glance beside me to see Sasha, Megan, and Patrisha, along with a few other boys strut towards us. What do they want now?
"So," Sasha started.
"So." Natsuki growled back, her eyes narrowing angrily at the blond girl.
"Natsuki, we need to talk." Sasha demands, catching all of us off guard. I feel my muscles tighten defensively, and watch as Natsuki crosses her arms.
"Uh, for what?"
"It's kinda personal."
"Look, if you can bring all your friends to come and tell me something personal, then my friends should be able to hear it."
Sasha scoffed and shrugged. "Whatever, it's your choice."
"Just say what you have to say and leave." Ace growled.
"Natsuki, you are stupid." The girls behind Sasha snickered and snorted as she spoke.
Natsuki raised an eyebrow, "Really, that's the best you got?"
"I don't like all the attitude you're getting." Sasha hissed. "Be a nice little girl, will you?"
"Shut up!" Natsuki snapped back. "And you can't tell me how to behave!"
"Why?" Sasha taunted. "Is it because I'm not your mother?"
The four of us shared looks of slight hurt and confusion. Did she know we were orphans? Is she doing this on purpose?
"You can't be their mommy," Megan squeaks. "Because they didn't even get to stay with any to start with!"
"Yeah, stupid orphan kids!" A boy in the back shouted, making the others around him laugh.
They know. There's no point in hiding it.
"So what?" I asked back. "We have an adopted guardian who looks after us just fine." Lies. LaLa wasn't really our mother. Just our caretaker.
"Yeah, at least our guardian got to choose us. Your parents are stuck with knowing that you are supposed make them proud!" Natsuki added, standing up.
Oh no.
"Honey, I think you've mistaken," Sasha smirked. "You're the ones who were found on the streets. I was actually meant to be born."
Natsuki growled, clenching her fists tightly.
Sasha crossed her arms. "Face it. You're a nobody. Your real parents didn't want you, so they sent you back to where you belong, the streets. You're so worthless that no one even wanted to buy you."
"Shut it and leave!" Ace yelled. "Or I'll make you leave!"
"Aww, your little bodyguard is sticking up for you!" Sasha giggles. Not cute. "Isn't that nice? He's wasting his time trying to fix broken trash. Honestly, you four are just living mistakes!"
The group crackled in laughter. I didn't realize that I had stood up as well, along with everyone else at our table. Most of the cafeteria seemed to have known what was going on, and laughed or watched intensely.
The four boys came to our defence, yelling at the other group for us. But that's when I smelt it. Something burning. I knew the scent from a little kid. I glanced around to see fire on Natsuki's back, taking the form of.. Feathers? Wings?
Beside me, Sayori seemed to have noticed as well, as she quickly picked up her cup of water and threw it as the pinkette. The fire quickly burnt out, leaving a thin, slightly visible smoke line to dissolve into the air.
"Sayori! What the-"
"Ahh!" Sasha squealed. "I think some got on me!"
I glanced at her in confusion. Yuri was across from me and next to Natsuki, so Yuri would be the one getting the most water. None would've even touched her.
"Eeeehhh!" Patrisha backed away from our table. "I forgot that they're wild!"
The group ran away from our table, leaving silence. We all slowly sat back down, and Natsuki glanced at Sayori.
"What happened?" She asked.
Sayori smiles apologetically. "Sorry, I think you were growing-"
"We needed to calm you down!" I interrupted loudly, stopping Sayori from exposing our secret. "I guess it was in the moment. Sorry."
"Are you okay?" Oliver asked, his eyes on Natsuki.
"Yeah.." Natsuki sighed. "It's just water, it'll dry."
"Just ignore them." Adrien grumbled, annoyed.
"We try." I respond bitterly, sighing. That was a close call.
Oliver then inhales, glancing at me nervously. I look up at him with a curious gaze and he smiled sadly. "You four are orphans?" He asks.
I shuffle uncomfortably. "Yeah.. Kinda."
"Sorry to hear that." Oliver sympathized. Or was it pity?
"It's fine." Natsuki growled.
Sayori laughed quickly, trying to lift the now awkward aura around us. "So, class is going good then?"
Adrien caught in to her subtle change of topic and nodded. "Yeah, it's kinda fun."
Again, another meeting in Sayori's and I dorm room, but this time, Sayori and Natsuki were the ones sitting in the bed, while Yuri stood by the door and I subconsciously paced around the room.
"Natsuki, do you even know what happened back there?" I ask angrily.
Natsuki blinks. "What? Sasha somehow knows that we're orphans and Sayori splashed me with water?"
"Sorry about that, again." Sayori giggled and Natsuki scoffed.
"You know I can't stay mad at you forever," The pinkette grinned, and I watched as Sayori laughed as Natsuki ruffled her coral pink hair.
I swallowed the feeling of dread and strange tightness in my stomach, and sigh. Why am I feeling like that?
"That's because you were growing wings made out of fire!" I exclaimed, starring at the smaller girl who gasped.
"Really?!" She yelled, jumping up and onto the floor.
"Yes!" I growl. "Because of your anger, you nearly revealed our secret-"
"No way!" Natsuki yelled, interrupting me. "That is awesome! So cool! Did I actually?"
"Yeah!" Sayori laughed, clapping.
I sigh in frustration. Yuri walks up to me and smiles. "Let her have her fun for now," She whispers quietly.
I groan. "Look, this is the final straw." I warned, earning their attention. "Sasha is obviously messing with us, and because our powers come out when we feel strong emotions, we can't let her bug us!"
Natsuki grinned. "Well, isn't miss Monika a little hot headed herself?"
"Aww, Natsuki give her a break," Sayori giggled. "She's just worried about us!"
"I can take care of myself!" Natsuki jokes, skipping around me, overly excited before stopping in front of the door. "Night girls!" She exclaimed, trotting out.
"Obviously she can't." I grumble, crossing my arms as she pinkette disappears into her own dorm.
"I think we may be feeding a small growing ego." Yuri mentioned, rolling her eyes before walking to the door. "Have a good night you two."
"You as well." I wave, and Sayori chirped a goodbye. The tall maiden closed the door quietly, and I locked it, turning off the lights.
The darkness enveloped the dorm room as I made my way back to the bed, a heavy feeling in my stomach. One I didn't feel near Sayori or before. One that made me think someone had their eyes on me.
I shook it off, quickly making my way to Sayori. She resumed the same position as usual, and even though I felt warm and happy, proud because it was me who was now running my fingers through Sayori's hair and not Natsuki, the feeling never left.
Wait.. What am I doing?
I move my hands away from Sayori's hair, embarrassed. "Sorry."
"It's alright," Sayori yawned. "Good night Moni."
"Good night Sayori." I reply, and felt my eyes eagerly close, letting my mind rest for the night.
But when I re-opened them, the feeling of being watched never left. And I wasn't in a room anymore, but a black, empty, large void, floating in it along with the three girls.
I just didn't realize that you could be watching in reality, as well as in dreams.