Therian story!! - Chapter 1!

Instructions

CHAPTER I - Juno I started at the tail I held limply in my hands. My hands that at some point since I decided I would wear my gear today started to shake. *It's just a tail* I reasoned with myself, *It's not a big deal. plenty of people have tails on their backpacks, or wear it on their hips, nobody will question it.* But there's a BIG difference between someone wearing a tail on their hip or backpack rather than on the back. Why, I couldn't say. *What would my parents say...?* The thought forced its way to my conscious before I could stop it. When I found myself considering the situation, I shook my head fiercely, a fresh wave of anger and grief crashing over me at the thought. Never mind what my parents would say. I don't CARE what they think. They are the reason my life is the way it is. They're the reason I'M the way I am. I owe them NOTHING. Whether I tell them I have straight As, or they find out I'm not straight, they'll be disappointed all the same. But if they find out about this... No. I'm not a kid anymore. I'm stronger than them. I'm stronger than I was. I gritted my teeth and jumped slightly when I heard my phone buzzing from my desk a few feet away. Ditching the tail, I stalked towards my phone, attempting to expel the flashbacks that threatened to surface in my brain. I blew out a sigh of relief when I saw the name on the screen. BIRDIE. I took another breath, slipping into my mask flawlessly and answered the phone. Birdie is my oldest, and best friend, but I still haven't trusted her with... everything. And I'm really not in the mood to talk about myself right now, and Birdie has known me for so long, she'd be able to pick up the slightest tremer in my voice, and would keep pushing until I have to tell her what's wrong. It's not that I don't trust Birdie, I do - well, I trust her as much as I'm willing to trust ANYBODY if I'm being honest - I just don't want to worry her with my problems. She has her own after all. "Hey Juno." Birdie said on the other end of the line, she sounded nervous - as she always does - but it seemed like a different kind of nervous. She never speaks like this to me. My stomach tightened. Something was off with her. I decided not to mention it yet, I can read people - especially Birdie - like an open book. I learned the skill at a young age and it's proven valuable for me in my household. "Hey." I said back, keeping my tone neutral and unassuming. "Uh... Juno..." She trailed off. I imagined her biting her nails, a nervous habit of hers. "Are you... coming to school today?" She definitely wanted something from me. She's beating around the bush, trying to get my reaction, and my responses to her questions before she just tells me what she wants directly, that was obvious. "Uh... yeah, I was just about to leave." I decided not to ask *why*, knowing that she'd answer that for me. Plus, if I ask directly, it'll make her put her defenses up. And now, I'm curious as to what she wanted from me. I started to load my books and work into my backpack, not bothering with my folders, I never did. I'd always get my work done though, despite how many things I loose and redo in the process, I still have straight As in all of my classes. I pocketed my earbuds as I waited patiently for Birdie's response, I know pushing her to speak would be pointless. I saw on the digital clock on my nightstand that it was 7:42, I had to leave to go to school in 8 minutes. "I..." Birdie spoke again, then hesitated, then decided to speak anyway, "I wanted to tell you something... can we meet this morning, just the 2 of us... by the J wing? Nobody ever goes there..." When I didn't respond right away, Birdie quickly spoke again, "I mean... I didn't mean it like... I just thought that you know... I just wanted to tell you something. It's nothing bad, I promise, Just..." Her words stuttered together badly, and she had to take a breath. Before she could continue rambling on, I felt a soft laugh escape my lips, a little amused by how anxious she was about this. "Yes, I'll meet you there before school starts." I said, willing my pounding heart to calm down. Before she could say anything, I hung up the call and slung my backpack over my shoulder. As I was headed out of my room, I caught sight of my tail that I had discarded on the bed. I'd awakened as an otherkin, and therian a few years ago, and haven't uttered a word of it to anybody. Not even Birdie knew. I was too scared to lose the one good thing in my life because of this identity. What would I even say? "Hey Birdie, how are you? Oh and by the way, I identify as a dragon, a faerie, and a cat." If she doesn't already think I'm mentally unstable (which really wouldn't be a lie) then she definitely would after *that*. So, I put the tail back into my closet, shut the door and headed out of my room to meet up with Birdie, blocking out the nagging feeling that what Birdie wanted to tell me... would be anything BUT good.