Legends of Mirandis Academy

Chapter 17: Storm Incoming

Luna yawned. The morning bell rattled, filling the school with its unnecessary histrionics. Luna stretched, hefted her backpack, and set off down the hallway, not particularly concerned about her pace. Everybody at this school was so determined to maintain the illusion of control; rushing about, printing forms, filling forms, drafting rules. God, there were so many rules. Luna could arrive at class thirty seconds late—or she could get sent down to the office to write up a "Why I Was Late" form, have a singularly unproductive conversation with the guidance counselor about changing her behavior, and then walk all the way back to class. Ten minutes minimum. To prove a point.

One of the teachers walked past holding a travel mug. Luna gazed at it hungrily. There wasn't enough caffeine in the world to justify being awake at 7:45am, but it was always worth a shot—specifically several shots of espresso. Still focused on the coffee, she bumped into Irvine by accident.

"Hey! Watch where you're going." Irvine dodged around her as if she was something poisonous. He turned to one of his buddies, and didn't even bother to lower his voice. "Stoner freak."

"Like a five out of ten at best," muttered Luna. "Zero points for originality." Insults had so much potential, and that made it all the more disappointing when no one applied any effort.

She made her way through the thicket of students, heading for her locker. To Luna, nearly everyone first appeared as a torso; faceless, unless she cared enough to look up. Sometimes they didn't notice her. Josiah Clef tossed a football down the hallway, and as he ran backwards to catch it, Samson collided heavily with Luna.

"Yo, what the fuck!" said Samson angrily, as if he hadn't just pinballed Luna into a row of lockers. "Why the fuck are you here, you little degenerate?"

Luna peeled herself off the lockers. She vaguely wondered if she could maybe just fall asleep right then and there. "Wow," she said to Samson. "A four syllable word. That's pretty big for you."

"The fuck did you just say to me—"

Samson's brother distracted him before he could murder Luna. Luna supposed that it would have been more "healthy" or "adaptive" to feel some kind of fear, but it was way too early for emotions. She picked her way through more torsos. It was her Economics class first. There had to be a law against teaching equations before 9am, right?

It didn't help that she'd slept like shit. The conversation with Iridia kept driving a thread of panic through her chest. Panic, and possibly excitement. It felt weird that someone knew. Someone out there held an objective truth, like a volleyball or a chainsaw, and that meant it was real. In terms of possible destruction, it really felt more on the chainsaw end of the spectrum.

And, as Luna approached her locker, there was Iridia herself, casually leaning like she usually did as if Luna hadn't bared the deepest, darkest parts of her soul last night. Luna's walk slowed. For the briefest instant, she imagined Iridia's disapproval. Just frowning. Just leaving Luna once again alone in a sea of incredibly judgmental, tall idiots.

Luna approached, waiting for Iridia to catch her eyes, waiting for her to make a comment just so Luna knew she now despised her. But no, she didn't leave; she stayed, waiting patiently. Luna took a deep breath and came up next to her. "Christ, I would kill for a coffee."

Iridia snorted. "Good morning."

"Oh, it's really not though. I don't suppose you make amphetamines in AP Chemistry?"

"Funnily enough, the teacher has never brought that one up." Iridia stared intently at the ground. Luna waited patiently, until she said, "Y'know... there's other people in that class."

"Bestill my beating heart."

Iridia scowled. "You know what I mean. There's... there's certain people. A person. One. In particular."