Veridis Quo

Chapter 15 - The Red Deer

"How can you understand any of that?!" I asked in disbelief.

"It's just seaspeak, it's the common language in the ocean."

"Girl, it's just blah blah blah blo blo blo-" she slapped her hand over my mouth, the rest of my tirade muffled.

"You can't say that!" She hissed, looking around in caution. No one heard that, but students were starting to notice.

I pulled her hand away, "So what? I'm right, you know I'm right."

She glanced away, the floor suddenly more interesting.

"Junoooo~ I'm riiiiight~"

"Even if that's true..." she breathed, "what if someone heard that? Your reputation-"

"-can go to hell for all I care," I walked beside her, waving to my monkey bro on his way to a different class, "I'll take the blame, don't you worry," I resisted the urge to pet her, a doggy was still a doggy! And she was adorable at times.

She pouted in resignation, "If you say so..."

"Anyhow, you got the notes?"

"Seriously?" She deadpanned.

"Come ooooon, do me a favor, I'm a slow writer," I justified, my smile cheeky.

"... No."

We turned a corner, her class ahead. Mine was a bit farther, a minute away from hers.

"Please?"

"No," she reaffirmed, adjusting her bag.

"Pleeeease?"

"I said no-"

"Pretty pleeeeeease~?" I blinked innocently, quickly adding in her ear, "I'll tell you more human secrets..."

The dual triangles perked up in an instant, her tail wagging curiously, "That... is very tempting..."

"I'll tell you how America became independent."

Her hand slapped onto mine, shaking vigorously, "That's a deal! Meet me at the library after clubs!" She then let go, diverging from the path to her classroom.

"Arlight, see you later!"

"Byeeee~" She disappeared behind the door, leaving me on my own.

That wolf was the spitting image of an extrovert. Did I already realize that? When I thought I got the schematics, she pulled a new trick under me. She was just so... good.

Continuing towards my own class, a gloom settled overhead, created by my own two halves of a brain. Not only was she very popular and well-liked in all social circles, she was everything I aspired to be. And failed to be.

She was always nice to everybody, she was way more active than me, she was a golden student. She was the peak. Compared to her? I wasn't even a third. I didn't think getting back in the groove was so difficult. I managed but not to the extent of pre-stasis. I had gotten into a fight over something trivial and...

The only reason everyone liked me was for what I was. I was human. An alien in their world. It had become such an obvious part of my life that I started to believe I was somehow normal again. I was normal, but not to them.

Slowing down to a crawl, I felt angry at myself. Life was good, so why was I so negative? It wasn't like the world was out to get me; everyone loved me. I got everything I wanted, I had a truly loving friend; Miya. She was a real friend, maybe Juno too.

The rest weren't real. During breakfast, I eavesdropped on a nearby table. I shouldn't have. I should have listened to the wolf and cheetah babble about their girly things. I was a "brute." I was an "autist." I was "too far from the earth," I didn't know what it meant but it was surely another insult.