Wings of Fire as Humans

Is It True?

As promised, here's the second chapter I was updating to make up for the last one. :)

Moon's POV

"Hey, I'll catch up with you later. I have to go help Fruit Bat with something in the music room." Qibli told Moon as they headed out of cooking class.

"Okay, I'll be at my locker." Moon answered.

She'd been peacefully minding her own business, taking her History text books out of her locker when someone approached her and started talking in a not-so-friendly tone.

"Hey. You. Girl who's friends with Qibli."

Moon turned around at the last sentence. "Uh, yeah?"

"You like him, don't you." It was the girl Moon had corrected in Cooking class. What was her name again? Blaze? That was her last name at least. It was only now that Moon realized she was rather pretty, and judging by the entourage she had behind her, she was popular.

She was waiting for an answer. To what question? A dumb one.

He's literally my boyfriend.

Moon decided not to answer, keeping her mouth shut.

"Hm, you may think he likes you back, Newbie, but he doesn't."

Moon stared at her. "What do you mean?"

The girl let out a laugh. "The only reason he ever pretended to like you was cause of a bet. If he could 'get close' with any new girl, he gets something. Not sure what, or who he made it with. Just thought you should know."

Moon felt sick. Is it true? No. He would never play someone like that. That's not Qibli.

"Is that all you wanted?" Moon finally asked, refusing to give in to the sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. It's not true. He didn't. He wouldn't.

Blaze opened her mouth to say something, but Moon would never know what it was cause something in her expression changed, and she plastered a fake smile across her face.

Moon wondered why, until she turned around and noticed Qibli coming to wards them.

He barely seemed to notice Blaze and her 'friends' as he turned to Moon. "Hey, sorry I kinda fell behind, then I got caught up with something in the art class."

Moon felt the dread return to her stomach. She didn't make eye-contact with Qibli as she rubbed a spot under her ribs. Doing this somehow made it seem like Moon's negative emotions were getting squashed away.

"Hey, Are you okay?" Qibli asked in a somewhat hushed voice.

Moon nodded, still not looking at him.

Blaze spoke up. "Ugh, the nerve of some people. Moon honey, when someone's talking to you, you should at least look at them. I don't get why you put up with her Qibli, when you could have someone who would give you their undivided attention."

He didn't answer. "Can I talk to you?"

Moon nodded.

"Wait!" Blaze called. "What about me?!"

Qibli ignored her as he led Moon away to a deserted hall. "Can you please tell me what's wrong?"

Moon took a deep breath to assure herself that she wouldn't start crying. "Is it true?"

Qibli gave her a confused look.

Moon sighed. "Is it true you made a bet with someone, and you pretended to like me cause of that?"

Qibli's eyebrows scrunched together. "Who told you that?!"

"So it's true?" Moon backed away from him.

"No! No, God, no! Moon I swear I would never do that. To you, or anyone else. Please believe me. I really like you. I really do." He took her hand. "I promise."

Moon didn't pull away. "Really?"she asked, meeting his pleading eyes. "A-are you sure?"

"Yes. Of course I am! But please just get that idea out of your head. I would never do that to you."

"But..." She hesitated. "Blaze is so pretty... and so are you! I'm just... Me. I'll never be as pretty as some girls here, and definitely never as popular and I feel like you deserve—"

"Shut up for a second." Qibli cut her off. "Do you really think I care about any of that?" He stepped closer. "I care about you, Moon. And you need to know that just cause you don't look like her, doesn't mean you're not beautiful."

Moon looked at her feet. "I don't see it."

"You will." He cupped Moon's face in his hands, brushing the hair away from her face. 

In response, Moon reached up, placed her hands on the back of his neck and pulled his head down, pressing his lips to hers.

Qibli slid an arm around Moon's waist, keeping the other on her cheek as she stood on her tippy toes. At this point, Moon was sure her knees had melted away, and the only thing keeping her form collapsing was Qibli's arm around her waist.

Moon could have sworn she heard footsteps, then Blaze gasp and yell a bunch of curse words. But it was all just a blur. It didn't matter. Nothing seemed to matter at the moment. Except Qibli. And her.

When they finally pulled apart, Moon felt a tear in her eye. A happy one.

"Whoa!" Qibli said, wiping it from her cheek. "Are you crying? You're supposed to cry when things go wrong, Moon."

Moon laughed a little. "Hey, I think this is the first time we kissed and no one interrupted."

Qibli laughed at that. "Let's hope they're'll be more. And I think we're really late for class."

Moon shrugged. "It was worth it."

Qibli agreed, and they walked towards Web's classroom, fingers intertwined.

~~~

~Maya B. 💙