Wildhearts

Chapter One

Zanna dropped her lunch on the table with a loud THUD. She kicked her feet up on the table, ignoring the glares from the lunch monitors. Amy sighed. Zanna caught her eye and grinned, but swung her feet back under the table.

Zanna leaned forward, eyes sparking like sharp-cut diamonds. "Soooo....." She said, cupping her face in her hands, fingers flaring like the petals of some radiant flower. What's she planning now?  Amy wondered wryly, recognizing the look on her best- and only- friend's face.

"Have you seen the new kids?" asked Zanna, feathery wings twitching excitedly. Amy nodded warily. "The twins? Yeah. Why?" She slowly chewed the berries Zanna had given her when she couldn't afford lunch at the private school they attended. Amy tilted her head, trying to appear casual.

Zanna wasn't convinced. She leaned back, face opened in her signature grin. "You up for introductions?"

Amy groaned. "Do I have to? We both know you don't need me." For anything, she thought to herself. "You'll do better on your own." The Angel frowned. "But I want you to come! You aren't nearly as unlikeable as you think you are."

Amy glared doubtingly at her.  "Come on," said Zanna, standing and offering her hand. "Give it a chance." 

Amy sighed and shook her head, but she was already standing. She smiled and let her friend lead her across the small but sparsely populated cafeteria towards a pair of red-headed cat-people.

The two weren't happy to see them. They watched them approach with suspicion clear in their eyes. Zanna paid that no heed.

Zanna sat down next to the twins with the same confidence she displayed in every movement. Amy wasn't quite so bold. "Hey, guys!" Said Zanna. "I'm Zanna, and this is my sidekick, Amy. What are your names?"

The 'sidekick' hurts. It shouldn't- after all, it is true. But it still feels like a bucket of dry ice poured over my head.

The twin closest to us leans back, yellow eyes narrowed. The two are identical but for the length of their hair- the closer one has short, spiky hair and looks more androgynous. They both have red hair and russet car ears and a burnished red tail with an identical black tip. They both have freckles, but not in the same pattern.

"Kai." says the closer one. "And this is my sister, Kayley." Their face gives nothing away, but 'Kayley' looks worried and just a little scared. "Kayley goes by she/her pronouns and I go by any. It's they/them at the moment."

Zanna's mouth drops open. Amy mentally face-palms. "You're genderqueer?" Kayley catches Amy's eye and they sigh in unison. Kai crossed their arms. "Genderfluid. You got a problem with that?"

Zanna shook her head vehemently. "Of course not! I've just never met someone whose genderqueer before." Kai almost relaxed but caught themself just in time. "Hmph." They said instead.

Kayley could see this conversation hitting a wall, and she could also see that this Zanna person was immensely important. She had heard of the Angel before even moving to the part of their city-state where the school was located. So she did the only thing she could think of. Changing the subject.

"So what classes do you guys have next? We have Therianthropy together." Amy shrank, dipping her head. Kayley knew immediately she'd made a mistake. 

Zanna was oblivious to the tension, as usual. "Oh! I have Wingfeathers- we're flying today!" Kai smiled broadly. "Cool! What's flying like?" Zanna was breathless. 

"It's amazing! Even better than hot-fudge sundaes."

"Really? I'm lactose intolerant, but I've heard of those. Aren't they supposed to be unbeatable?"

"I'm so sorry you can't eat them! They are perfection. Maybe flying isn't as good as Saemy's hot fudge, but soooo goooood."

Kai turned to Amy. "What class have you got next?" A strand of mousy brown hair fell into Amy's eyes. "Advanced Mathematics..." She mumbled. Kai blinked, surprised. "Isn't that a little's class?" 

Amy nodded, barely perceptively. "Yeah."

"You mean you aren't Awakened yet?" 

"I thought you were just a Shape-shifter or wizard or something. You are our age, right? Sixteen?"

The twin's voices were confused and unbelieving. Amy's eyes burned. She clenched her hands in her lap. I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry.

A feathery wing wrapped around her. Zanna. Zanna was always the perfect one. Oblivious, but she could always be counted on. She was powerful, beautiful, kind, perfect.

Amy would always be the sidekick.

She stood abruptly, shaking off her friend's comforting white wing. She rushed across the cafeteria, feeling eyes burning into her. "Amy! Wait!" 

She was sobbing as she locked herself in a restroom stall. Amy. Poor, UnAwakened Amy. Powerless Amy. Worthless Amy. 

Zanna only kept her around out of pity, or so she thought.

She couldn't have been more wrong.