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P1 - Chapter Three

September 22nd, 2020:

"Moon! How was your week?" My mom asked me as I entered her house with my luggage. "How was Dad? Was he decent?"

I knew I'd be risking a lecture if I asked Mom the question that's been lingering in my head all the way back to her house, but I wanted to see if she would consider it. Also, there was a school festival that I'd like both of them to attend, anyway.

"Hey, Mom?" I asked and she raised both her eyebrows at me expectantly. "Can you and Dad get back together?"

"*"

I went to school the next day with a hoodie over my head. Sure, moping wasn't going to help whatsoever, but it sort of made me feel better.

I should've never asked Mom that horrendous question.

Don't ask what happened.

I poked at my food with a plastic fork, my appetite gone. I felt stupid. My parents used to fight all the time and I seriously had to ask for them to live in the same house again just to start fighting again.

"Didn't know we switched tables," Qibli said as he sat down next to me, Kinkajou, Turtle, and Winter close behind them. Kinkajou sat down in front of me with Turtle and Winter.

"Okay, so have you guys been thinking about the Halloween party coming up on October 31? 'Cause I definitely have," Kinkajou said, instantly turning on her talkative mode. "Like, holy crap, it's going to be so cool."

"That's not until, like, what? Five weeks?" Turtle asked. "Why are you thinking about it now?"

"Because I saw a flyer about it and now I'm excited," Kinkajou said with a shrug. She flicked her hair out of her face before continuing, "Plus, who wouldn't be thinking about it now? Like?"

"Halloween is for babies," Winter scoffed, pulling out his phone. "Dressing up as movie characters who act like seven-year-olds is unprofessional."

"Everything is unprofessional to you," Kinkajou said with an eye roll. "But in reality, you just lack the ability to have fun."

"Or to make a fool out of myself," Winter said.

"Come on," Qibli said. "You know you want to go. Don't be like that. You just need to let loose."

"Hey, Moon?" Turtle suddenly asked. "Are you okay?" I looked up at Turtle to notice he was staring at me in concern.

"Yeah," I said, sitting up straighter. "I'm fine." Winter glanced up at me and scoffed before looking back down at his phone. I shifted my gaze from him and focused my gaze on my fries. "I just really love my fries."

"We've had the exact same lunch for three weeks now and you've never behaved like this before," Qibli pointed out. "I think this is about more than just your fries. What's on your mind?"

I was absolutely relieved when a girl with long blonde hair came marching over to our table with a girl with dyed blue hair close behind her. The blonde one angrily plopped down next to Kinkajou and ignored all of our confused expressions.

"Glory?" Kinkajou asked. "What's wrong?"

"Kinkajou, tell your sister that she's in denial and that I'm right and she's wrong," the one with blue hair said.

"Kinkajou, tell Tsunami that she should shut up and go away," the one named Glory huffed, turning away from her. Kinkajou stared from Glory to Tsunami before sighing.

Glory stared at me for a long moment before looking away as if she didn't have the strength to ask me who I was.

"What is it this time?" Kinkajou groaned. "You guys fight, like, every day."