(Links at bottom of "notes and credits") CHAPTER II - Birdie I shifted between my feet anxiously as I waited where I promised to meet up with Juno. I felt my stomach tighten at the thought of what I was about to tell them. They were my oldest friend and yet this one thing could ruin everything between us. I just have to tell them. I can’t stand that they don’t know. After that phone call, there’s no going back. There are two things I really need to tell them, and I don’t even know if I can get them past my lips. Not to mention my stuttering. God, my stuttering. I made a fool of myself on that phone call. Like that’s a way to attract someone. God, I don’t even know what to think anymore. Where are they? Shouldn’t they be here by now? I started pacing, checking my watch. 8:03 They leave their house at 7:50, it only takes 10 minutes to get to school, so they should be here now right? Unless they just aren’t showing. I shook off the thought and resumed my pacing. I debated calling Juno again, just to see where they were, but I decided against it. It would make me sound weirder than I already do, make me sound desperate when that’s the last thing I want them to think of me as. I reanalyzed my thoughts again, I mean, why’d I want to be with Juno? Me and them are so different. I mean, what is there about us that is similar? They’re confident, athletic, charming, and literally everything I wish I was. They’re smart. So goddamn smart for their own good. While I’m essentially their polar opposite. While Juno is tall and athletic, I’m hardly above 5 feet tall and can’t run half a mile without collapsing. They have all the friends anyone could need, while Juno is all I have in my life. Juno is my life. With a mother who couldn’t bother to stick around and a father and stepmom who were far too busy to ever pay any attention to me, especially over my brothers, who are clearly their priority, Juno has been the one person in my life that ever cared. I spend my time with them, or swallowed by my art in my room, making gear, or sketching up new designs and characters. And Juno… Goddamn it, I’ve loved them for years. But, Juno is the most observant, perceptive person I’d ever met, so keeping it hidden had been so exhausting and not to mention the most difficult thing ever, I’ve given up. And flirting is just not my thing. Besides, Juno would probably just laugh at my poor attempts at it. I stopped pacing for a moment and checked my watch again, it felt like eternity since I checked it last and Juno was still not here. 8:04 I groaned, throwing my head back, suppressing the urge to throw that stupid thing onto the floor. It had to be wrong. There’s no way it’s only been a minute since I last checked it. I took a breath, and soon went back to pacing. And then there’s the fact that I'm an alterhuman. How would Juno respond if they found that out? Let’s say they do say yes to my romantic advances, then we’re in a romantic relationship. I already feel bad that I haven’t told them that I’m a therian, but they’re still just my friend, if they were my partner… I’d have to tell them. And I think it’ll take less than a second for them to turn and leave. Like everyone else. “Maybe I shouldn’t tell Juno.” I mumbled aloud as I paced, unable to keep my thoughts silent any longer, even if nobody was there, “I mean… it could only lead to things I just don’t want to happen.” “Tell Juno what?” My entire body went still as I heard a voice, his voice behind me. A spark of annoyance, embarrassment, and anger lodged deep in my gut. I felt my face flush a deep shade of red at the thought of Moon knowing my feelings for Juno. I gritted my teeth, feeling my entire body start to shake and I knew words wouldn’t be easy right now. “None of your business Moon.” I gritted out slowly, focusing intently on punctuating every word as not to stutter or slur my words together. I didn’t turn around to look at him. I prayed he would just walk away. Juno would get here any minute now, and I would not tell Juno how I feel in front of Moon. Well, really, Julian. His name wasn’t actually Moon. I don’t know why everybody calls him Moon, but I found it grated at his nerves in seventh grade so I decided to call him that, and it soon just became the name I called him. That may sound mean but I’ve known him since middle school and I can’t stand him. He’s insufferable, obnoxious and he doesn’t seem to care about anything. He’s just the type of person who loves to get under your skin. He enjoys making me uncomfortable. He always finds time to corner me, taunt me, walk with me, just to make me mad or uncomfortable. He relishes in it. ...
... “What’s wrong little girl?” He drawled, “I’m just curious.” I heard him walking closer to me, but I still refused to turn around and look at him. I hated that name he called me. After I started calling him Moon, he stopped calling me by my name either, making up new pet names or variations of her name. He was technically a few months younger than me, so calling me little was insulting. I turned 16 a few weeks ago, and he doesn’t turn 16 until 2 months from now. Just because he’s insanely taller than me, he thinks he’s better than me. He, like Juno, is the athletic type, he plays football and is well over 6 feet tall. Every time I look at him I have to crane my neck just to meet his gaze. It’s intimidating, yet mildly alluring in an infuriating way. There was a lot I wanted to tell him, but I didn’t trust myself not to say something I would regret later, so, I just said, “can you leave? I’m not in the mood.” My voice is a lot sharper than it ever is. I suppose that’s something odd about Moon, he brings out something in me nobody else does. He’s the only person in my life I can speak my mind to, even if it’s only because I hate his a$$ more than anybody, it is refreshing in a weird way “Ok…” Moon drawled, stalking up to her so he was standing right behind her. I felt the whisper of his lips on my ear and his warm breath as he continued, “Just don’t get too heartbroken when Juno rejects you.” The moment I felt the ghost of his touch on my shoulder, I lost her self control, quickly jumping away and spinning around to face him. I looked up to meet his smirking gaze, his eyes sparkled with amusement when he looked down at me, his perfect face alight, making me grit my teeth. His dark blonde hair fell in tousled waves in his face, his broad shoulders seemed to cast a shadow across my entire small frame. The sudden shadow sent an unwanted shiver down my spine and under his amber gaze I felt bare and exposed in my crop top and cargo pants, despite the fact that it’s the same clothes I wear every day and he sees me like this all the time. I refused to acknowledge the words he said to me. The raw conviction in his words, as if he knew Juno would say no. My heart sank. My hands suddenly felt clammy and I fiddled with my chain bracelets, letting the cold metal ground me back to reality. But before I could say anything, his smirk widened and he turned to walk away, “Just think about it little bird.” He practically threw the words over his shoulder, “You’re more naive than I thought if you can’t see it already.” Then Moon was gone, and I waited another 20 minutes before the bell rang and Juno never showed. First: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1274844656/ next: Coming soon previous: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1274844656/
