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P1 - Chapter Ten

October 6th, 2020:

Monday morning I was floating on cloud nine as I looked around the halls for Kinkajou. I eventually found her sitting on Turtle's lap in the school garden as she busily talked to him. I ran over.

"Hey, Kinkajou!" I called, more enthusiastic than I usually was. Kinkajou saw me and her face lit up.

"Hey, Moon," she said, getting off of Turtle and hugging me. "You seem more happy than usual. Spill the tea!"

"Okay, first," I said calming myself. "How are you? Don't let what Winter said get to you. He was just mad about Qibli and me."

"It's fine," Kinkajou said with a casual shrug as Turtle walked up from behind her. "Speaking of you and Qibli... how was the date?"

"Ugh, it was amazing," I said, my insides melting again. "He took me to this enchanted place in the woods. It was just wonderful."

"Nice," Turtle said before stopping. "How's your... arm?" He said, suggesting what he really meant to say was "Cutting?"

"Better," I said, answering both his questions as I looked away.

"Winter called me yesterday," Turtle continued, changing the subject. I turned back to him with raised eyebrows. "Why does everyone come to me with their love-life problems?" He thought aloud.

"Probably because you're the only one he knows who's in a successful relationship. Anyway, what'd he say?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing," Turtle said with a small shrug. "Just something about how horrible you are and how he was going to murder Qibli."

"What did he do this time?" Kinkajou asked with an exaggerated sigh, not seeming surprised.

"Winter caught Qibli and me on our date," I answered. "He was pretty pissed. He was being an asshole about it, too. He was acting like him and I were dating when in reality, I only viewed him as a friend. It's Qibli I like."

"It's who you like?" Qibli's voice called from behind me as he made his way over to us. "Sorry for eavesdropping. You guys just talk really loud."

"Really?" Turtle asked as I ducked my head in slight embarrassment. Qibli definitely heard what we were talking about. "Were we talking that loud?"

"Pretty much," Qibli said with a small laugh as Kinkajou bounded over and welcomed him with a hug. "So, what are we talking about?" he asked, purposely turning his gaze to me with a small smirk.

"Oh, just how much Winter wants to kill you," Kinkajou said in a 'no-need-to-worry' tone.

"Fun... subject," Qibli slowly said.

"Speaking of the Devil," I grumbled as Winter's figure made its way over to us. Winter wasted no time in angrily walking towards Qibli, but Turtle quickly stepped in front of Winter, stopping him.

"Winter, don't," Kinkajou said as Qibli raised an amused eyebrow in his direction. "You shouldn't even be mad at him. It was Moon who picked him instead of you," Kinkajou said way too enthusiastically.

"Really, Kinkajou?" I asked as Qibli said, "That's not the best way to word that, Kink."

"Yeah?" Winter scoffed before turning to me. "Well, you chose wrong, Moon. Don't you remember Sunset? How could you get with a guy that would do something like that?" Now Qibli was frowning but he still wasn't saying anything to defend himself.

I narrowed my eyes at Winter. "I'm sorry. I know you're mad, Winter, but you're making things worse right now." I tried reasoning with him, because even if he could sometimes be a little sour, he was still one of my closest friends, and I would do anything for him. "We can still be friends."