You Broke Me First (A Wings of Fire Human AU)

Sunrises and sunsets

Qibli's POV

"We need to talk." I keep eye contact, looking her in her bright eyes. Moon breaks it, and I look away too, embarrassed. Still determined though, I risk the eye contact again and look up.

"Why have you been ignoring me and avoiding me?" Moon shifts uncomfortably, and drags a chair out from under the desk and sits down. "I get it if you don't... like me that way, but you know I'm still your friend, and I'm here for you, no matter what." Moon looks out the window, her eyes glazed, like she's far away.

"Look at how beautiful the sunset is. It's so.. serene. Sometimes I wish I could just... freeze time so I could look at the sunset forever." She whispers softly, and I look out the window too, scared to break this fragile peace, this moment in time in which I wish I could be in forever too, with Moon.

Sighing, she pulls her attention back to me. Slightly blushing, I keep staring at the window. 

"You know, someone told me years ago I should take caution when it comes to love. That's never been a problem, really, until high school."

Tearing my gaze away from the beautiful display in front of me I look back at her, and she's staring at me, as if waiting for an answer. Little does she know, I actually know the answer to this. 

"Until Winter came into your life." I whisper, and she nods. 

"You're partially right." Confused, I raise an eyebrow, and she looks at me expectantly. Seeing I don't know what she's talking about, she continues. 

"You're the other reason Qibli."  Oh.

"You were funny, courageous, witty," I laugh softly at that. "Kinda bad ass sometimes, not gonna lie, kind, nice, you were literally everything I've ever really wanted. Someone to help me. Someone who saw me as I am. But..." She hesitates, and I instantly know she's going to start talking about Winter.

"Winter... was none of those things. But... he's so similar to... to..." She says the next name so softly, I can't hear her. 

"Similar to who?" She looks at me, wide eyed, then laughs sadly. 

"Never mind. It's no one, really. He was just..." She breaks away again, and this time focuses on the window, outside.

"When I was younger, my mother got divorced early after I was born, so she had to work a lot to support both of us. Our small apartment was near a jungle, forest, whatever you want to call it. Anyway, I spent a lot of time exploring the jungle. I never really got out to talk to the other children or play, so by the time I was eight I was already an outsider."

"I had no friends, so I loved hiking and exploring the jungle, listening to the macaws call out to each other, the monkeys whoop and swing, smelling the fresh, sweet air..." She breaks off wistfully, staring off into the distance again. 

"Then, one day, another girl who was vacationing there came and found me. I don't know how, for I was deep in the jungle, but she found me." She smiles. "We bonded instantly. Over what, I can't really remember now, but we were best friends." She exhales sharply, brought back to reality. 

"Then, a week came and went. I think..." She now stares at the ceiling, closing her eyes. 

"You think what?"

"I think... she was my first crush. No, maybe crush wasn't the right word for it. But, I was obsessed with her. She became my... role model, let's say."

"I started trying to be more like her, every day. I kept hoping she'd come back..."

"But she didn't. And so, life happens, yada yada, and boom! I've moved houses, transferred schools, and now I'm at Jade High. And then, I spot Winter, who seems so like her. Like, I'm not kidding, he's like the male version of said girl." 

"I think that's why I fell so bad. I... really.... liked that girl, and still haven't really gotten over her, and Winter comes into the equation, and bam! I have a new crush."

"It didn't help that I thought he liked me back. So, I guess I fell deeper and deeper, till I hit rock bottom." She breaths a sigh of relief, having gotten that burden off her chest. Hesitating, she continues. 

"I think I've always truly liked you though. Ugh! I don't know! It's just..."

"Complicated." I finish for her, and hope fills my chest. Maybe... maybe... we could be something.

"Yes." She nods, satisfied with my word choice. "I'm sorry it's awkward now though, and would like to start over with you though... if... If you'll give me a chance." Warmth fills my chest, and I nod immediately. 

"Alright then, I'd like to start. Hello, I'm Moon, what's your name?" 

"Hey, I'm Qibli." I hesitate, then just decide to go for it. 

"Hey Moon, would you like to go to Kinkajou's party with me? You know, of course as friends?" 

She ponders the question over for a minute, then with the same determination in her eyes as the day I met her, the same look in her eyes the day I fell in love with her, says: "I'd love to."