19: Bus
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It had arrived. My first day back at school. My first day back at school as a girl. I wasn’t nervous, definitely not. You’re nervous!

“Monster sightings continue to rise across the globe, along with various individuals capable of fighting them. While many in law enforcement denounce them as vigilantes, the so called super heroes appear to be getting the job done, fighting monsters where they can.

Today, we will be doing a spotlight on the young woman that many are calling the first superhero, Gauntlette...”

Oh no the TV was talking about me again. Speculation was off in the realms of crazy right now, twitter was a minefield of confusion surrounding my alter ego. Many were talking about my new changes, fox ears and a tail, while others… well, let’s just say that Saoirse had been right. The thirst was real, and it was made all the more weird by the fact that I wasn't as old as they thought I was.

Even worse was that Eva had taken a liking to Gauntlette since the video of me taking on the nasnas went viral. Not like like, mind you, but she talked about how cool Lette was and how pretty she was. Celebrity crush, I think that was the phrase.

I was pretty happy that others had followed my lead though, because I couldn’t handle the whole world by myself. Probably wouldn’t even be able to handle the city or even my suburb by myself. I did have school and stuff after all.

“Can’t believe 2020 has given us superheroes,” Dad said, waving his toast at the TV. “They better not be reckless glory hogs like in the movies.”

“That Gauntlette girl seems alright,” I supplied hopefully. Dad better not hate on my alter ego. Although, knowing how superhero backstories go, if he doesn’t hate on me he’ll probably end up dying.

“She seems to know her stuff when it comes to those creatures, I’ll give her that,” he nodded thoughtfully. “Not sure I like the way she looks at law enforcement though, she should show more respect.”

I didn’t bother to dispute him on that one. He wouldn’t care how the cops had come at me with their guns already drawn and no desire to talk.

Down in New York, another person playing hero had straight up killed some of the NYPD for getting in the way during a dangerous monster hunt. The woman, who social media was calling Kaelstrom, had been fighting some monster that was intelligent and fast. Just as she was about to kill it, the cops had shown up and tried to do their whole macho take control of the action thing. The result had been a three way shitfest, the monster had gotten away and a bunch of cops had been killed.

Despite those momentary bursts of chaos, the world was beginning to return to some semblance of normalcy, whatever that even meant anymore. Humans were funny like that.

Speaking of normalcy… I needed to finish packing myself a lunch. Not that I needed much these days, I was so tiny I could barely fit a big mac in my stomach. Really good for being frugal, not so good for eating lots of yummy food. I really liked food…

Forlornly placing the cling wrapped carrot sticks in my little lunch box, I sighed and stared down at my disgustingly healthy food for the day. Mum had decided that I needed to maintain my figure or some shit, so I was eating nothing but veggies. I wonder if I could get Eva to sneak me something with meat in it…

“Got your lunch all packed?” the resident foxy health enthusiast asked as she whisked into the kitchen.

“Yes, Mum,” I sighed, still staring at the carrots. The damn things were as orange as her fur. Yay, now I was going to be reminded of my mother every time I saw carrots.

“And you’ve had breakfast?” she asked, putting her hands on my slim shoulders so I’d turn to look up at her.

“Yup,” I said with a nod to my bowl sitting unwashed in the sink.

She raised an eyebrow at that but didn’t comment. “Good. I also see you have declined to wear something pretty on your first day.”

Looking down at myself, I had to agree. It wasn’t pretty, sure… but it was cool. I wore a black tank top that had a mess of japanese scrawled across it as though it had been spray painted on, along with a demon looking chick licking blood off her huge fangs. I think I got it from some convention or other a year ago. Beneath that I wore one of my simple grey bralettes, nothing special and something that I wouldn’t get yelled at for wearing.

Over the top of my tank, I wore a black and grey flannel shirt that was several sizes too big for me as a jacket, cut off jean shorts and a pair of red and black vans. It was basically the same as what I used to wear, except instead of a tank top it would have been some T-shirt from the realms of nerdom. 

“I don’t care about being pretty,” I replied grumpily. “I want to be me, and this is me.”

“Alright, that’s fine,” she sighed, pulling me into a hug. I squirmed for half a second, but escape was nothing but a futile dream. Momma bear had me trapped. “Let me know if anyone gives you any trouble, okay?”

“They probably will, this is high school,” I said dryly, secretly happy that she was being all protective. She’d never been this protective when I was Itias.

“Well, I’ll raise hell with the principal if anything does happen,” she told me seriously, sandwiching my head between her hands so I’d understand just how serious she was. Dang, did she get given some sort of animalistic motherly instinct when she became a fox woman?

After Mum was done mumming around, I left the front door with more than a little apprehension for the coming day of school. Hell, the coming month of school and everything after that. My peers were way scarier than any monster from legend.

I wandered down the street with my satchel over my shoulder and ears perked up as far as they would go. There were a few kids from school on my street, but no one I knew very well. Eva would be on my bus though, which was comforting. I’d need my friend for this first day.

Arriving at the stop a little early, I received stares almost immediately from the other kids, who all stopped staring when I glared back at them. None of the other kids had animal features like me, or anything different from normal at all, which had me a little worried that I’d be more of an oddball than I’d thought.

Which is why I breathed a sigh of relief when a boy with lizard eyes and a long scaly tail turned up. We exchanged a wordless nod of greeting, an acknowledgement that we were both different. It was nice not to be the only weirdo at the stop.

The bus arrived, all screeching and grinding like the old pile of junk it was, Eva waving at me from the window. I couldn’t help myself, I grinned like a loon and rushed up those stairs and into the seat next to her faster than I could really remember.

“Tia!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me in a haphazard and enthusiastic hug.

I leaned in against her with a giggle. “Eva,” I said, my voice coming out weirdly breathy and excited, but also with a sort of sombreness to it that I hadn’t a hope of understanding.

"First day back, are you nervous?" She asked quietly, face close so I could hear her over the noises of all the other kids and the ancient bus rumbling off towards the next stop.

"A little… okay, I'm a lot nervous. What if our friends aren't chill? I haven't told them," I asked, nibbling at my lower lip in worry.

Eva gave my lip a long look, blinked, then looked back up at me. "They'll be fine, trust. They're nerdy awkward boys but they're not mean."

"Can you lesbos get a room? It's gross," a girl behind us snapped, smashing the cozy moment into little pieces.

I hadn't even realised we were still holding each other, nor how close our faces had been as we spoke. Not anymore though, we quickly retreated from one another, cheeks bursting into flame.

As always, my mouth ran off before I gave it any sort of permission. "At least we're getting action. All you can do is go home and go fuck yourself."

I continued to stare her down as she goggled at me like a fish out of water while Eva gaped at me, also like a fish out of water. Screw this bitch though, we weren’t even like that, we were just happy to see each other and talking and stuff.

The girl who’d spoken up was your typical pretty popular girl, although she bucked the trend by having black hair instead of dyed blond. Maybe it was dyed that way, who knows. Either way, she was not happy with me, and I got a grumpy, half hearted kick to the back of my chair. She almost seemed to be more upset than angry. Weird.

All was made clear when Eva frantically typed out a text on her phone, causing mine to vibrate. Tia!!!!!!!!!! That’s Tonya Tucker! Her boyfriend broke up with her like a week ago over text!!!!! WOW. That was so vicious! I love it, but I think you might have made an enemy!! Fucking hell.

She didn’t mention the whole lesbian thing, but neither did I. It was a little awkward, considering I was pretty sure I actually was gay now. Being a girl who thought other girls were pretty and all, in the kissing way.

Oh shit. Ooooops, that’s kind of a little mean of me, but I didn’t know! I sent back to my friend, who was grinning at me sideways so that Tonya didn’t see.

God, Tia. Where did you get the sass from? You were like quiet and chill before! she replied, accompanying her text with a silly face.

That’s my secret Eva, I was always sassy. Now it’s just on the outside, I told her with a silent laugh.

Little Tia got  c o n f i d e n c e  now huh? she asked, almost failing to hide her laughter this time.

I’m not that small!

Sure sure.

 

Writing is still a struggle right now but I'm giving it my best. I'm also just super bored these days so that makes it harder too. Boredom saps my brain of writing juice. Wtf is up with gaming right now and there being like nothing interesting to play? No, CP2077 doesn't count. Anyway, thanks everyone, hope you enjoyed the chapter.

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