There was a fresh scent in the air, though it was a bit hard to fully describe. The smell of nature was one way, but that was sort of lackluster when compared to the visual of the scene. The surroundings appeared to be a thick forest of pines or oaks or whatever sort of trees grew in heavy forests. They let off an odd sort of nature-ish smell that Maple wasn’t particularly fond of. The sounds, however, were soothing enough to make up for it. There was the gentle brushing of the overhead branches as wind blew softly through them, and the subtle, scenic noise of a lightly flowing stream nearby. Maple walked through the trees a bit before coming upon said stream. It was a gorgeous sight, one that even took her breath away. The water was so clear she could see the bottom, and the way the sunlight gleamed and glistened on the surface looked so picturesque, she couldn’t believe it was real.
As she moved nearer, believing the scene could only grow more pleasant, more wonderful, she noticed something that instantly deflated her joy. Dozens of fish swam in the water, possibly salmon, or maybe they were some other sort of scaly, slimy, grotesque creature, she wasn’t certain. She watched their sleek bodies and their odd hooked faces with disgust as she stepped closer, the fallen leaves and debris of the forest crunching softly under her bare feet.
“Ewww.” she groaned. “You really ruin everything, don’t you? Nasty little things.”
Maple bent down, raised a clawed hand as if to swat at any encroaching invaders that would dare interfere with her little slice of paradise, but just as she was about to bring her hand down, an alarm began blaring in her ear. The sound drew her from her dreamscape so that when her real eyes slowly opened, she was staring at the underside of her sheets. In typical fashion, she was curled up under her blanket, sort of like a cat really. Ever since she was five, this was usually how she slept. Though, there were also a few times where she found herself curled up in boxes as a kid, and maybe one or two times as a teenager.
She threw the sheet off of her body, letting in the sunlight that slipped past her window curtains. Of course, she hated that too. It was too bright this early in the morning, but unlike the fish in her dream, there was nothing to be done about the sun. Maple wore a pair of white panties with purple pawprints on them, and her chest was covered by a loose tank-top that matched. Reddish brown hair fell messily around her head as she dug her clawed hands into the mattress, arched her back, and stretched while letting out a quiet purr from within her body. A sleek tail that protruded from her waist stretched as well, and the feline ears atop her head rose to a point in satisfaction. Maple sat back on her haunches and licked the back of her hand before bringing it up to brush against one of her ears. Another feature she had, one that she didn’t tell her friends about, was that her tongue was also changed by her powers. Honestly, since she got them, she was probably more cat than person at this point.
One of the most visible aspects to represent that change were the scar-like stripes that covered her body, making her look like some sort of tiger. As she groomed herself, she remembered that the alarm was still going off beside her so she quickly reached over to dismiss it, saying a quiet apology in case it bothered her roommate, though it was doubtful she could even hear it. Honey-colored eyes looked around the room afterward, taking in the familiar sight of her home away from home. The walls were sort of a sandy color while the carpeting was a tad gray, but those weren’t what gave the room its character. What did that was Maple’s own handiwork. She had shelves hanging on the walls that were full of portraits she’d drawn, mostly of her friends and family. There were a couple of bookshelves too that were actually getting a bit overstuffed due to all of her artbooks and sketchpads.
Of course, she also had a computer and a desk for it stuffed in the corner of the room, and she even had a digital art pad, but she always preferred pen and paper for most of her work. She smiled at the sight, as she did almost every day. It reminded her of home, having a room like this, though there was the benefit that she didn’t share it anymore. There was no older sister here to share with, so for the first time, she had the space all to herself, which made her even more happy. She missed Olive, obviously, but a bit of privacy went a long way for somebody like Maple. After a minute of trying to straighten out her hair with her hands, she gave up on the task and crawled out of bed, thanking God that her hair wasn’t as bad as Ferain’s. Maple’s hair had some ruffled areas, but Fera’s really did make her look like some sort of wild animal under the right circumstances. Honestly, whenever she was angry and she was all covered in electricity and her messy hair was sticking up all over, it was actually pretty scary.
Most of the time though, it only added to her cuteness. Maple always thought that if she was going to get with a girl while she was here, it would be Fera. She really was just adorable and perfect and all around, her type, she supposed. Of course, that was before Fera and Anita became a couple, and besides, Maple had an eye for Victor too so it was probably better with how things worked out. Maple smirked as she walked to the door of her room, thinking one of her, as Fera would put it, ‘Maple thoughts’. It wasn't all that bad though, at least not to Maple. She was only a bit curious as to whether Victor’s larger size meant he was large everywhere or just… Maple then stopped short and thought for a moment.
“Okay, maybe Fe-Fe has a point.” she thought, scratching her head and giggling. “Sorry, Vic, didn’t mean to think about it.” she then said to the friend that was nowhere around at the moment.
She continued her attempt to leave the room, but on cue, her phone began to sing a chirping sort of melody, meaning that she didn’t ‘accidentally’ miss the call that she knew was coming. With a sigh, she walked back to her phone and picked it up.
“Morning, Momma.” she said cheerfully into the mic.
“Oh, Maple dear. I’m so glad you picked up. You haven’t answered my calls for a week, I was getting worried.”
“I’m fine, Momma. I’m just a bit busy and I was probably in the shower or something. You know, you don’t have to always call me this early in the morning… or everyday.” she finished in a mutter.
“I know, dear, but I miss you. I want to make sure you’re doing well.”
Maple shook her head while continuing out into the hallway of her apartment. Like her room, the rest of the dorm was decorated in hanging pictures of drawing after drawing, some depicting landscapes and others containing more characters or portraits. Her roommate Nona was also an artist, though she specialized in scenery more so than people. It was something she had Maple teaching her how to do better, just as Nona was teaching Maple how to do scenes.
“I’m fine, I told you before. We’ve been over this all last year, and during break, and since I came back. I’m fine.” she said wearily, walking out into the dining and living room, seeing as they were mostly one combined space.
Her partner was sitting at the circular dining table with a boy that sat close to her side. Nona was a larger girl, being around 5’6” in terms of height, and she had a little bit of extra weight as well, but that never detracted from her appeal, at least not to Maple. She had a head of auburn colored hair, sort of like autumn leaves, and her eyes matched it pretty well. She even had cute little freckles over her nose and cheeks that melted Maple’s heart when they first met. As for the boy, he was close to six feet, had black hair mostly, but he had dyed neon green highlights within it, and his eyes had a sort of emerald hue to them. He was a bulkier person, and to Maple, seemed like a perfect match for her partner. Both of them, unlike herself, were already dressed in their uniforms.
“Morning, you two.” Maple said kindly, to which both responded in different ways. Nona, who was used to Maple’s nature, didn’t bat an eye at her state of dress or falter when returning a soft “Good morning”. The boy, on the other hand, gasped a bit at the sight of her and stuttered through his own greeting.
“Was that a boy?” her mother asked over the phone. “I thought you weren’t allowed to have boys over. Maple, you–”
“He’s not here for me, Momma.” she said, swiftly cutting the woman off before she had a chance to really get going. Unfortunately, this didn’t stop her.
“You know you’re too young for boys. I’ve told you this since you hit thirteen. No boys until you’re eighteen or you’ll be grounded until your eighteenth birthday. If I have to lock you up to keep my baby girl safe then I will. I–”
“Momma, I’m not doing anything!” Maple said loudly, interrupting her again. “No boys, no girls, no nothing. He’s here for Nona, not me.”
“Well, you tell that girl that she’s too young too. Back in my day, if I so much as looked at a boy then I’d be sent to an all girl’s school and–”
“I know, I know. You told me before. Military school, boring classes, no boys. I’ve heard it before. I’m still a virgin, okay? I haven’t done anything.”
“Good, because you're not even seventeen yet and–”
“She giving you grief again?” asked Nona as Maple covered the speaker with her hand.
“Always.” Maple replied. She then walked into the kitchen and returned her focus to her mom. “Look, I know you’re worried but I’m fine. I love you, Momma, but I have to go now, okay? I got to get ready for school.”
“Okay, dear, but be sure to answer next time. It stresses me out when I don’t hear from you. You know, your sister is the same way. She’s in college right now and she never–”
“I know, I know, Momma. I’m sure she’s busy too. I’ll talk to you later. Love ya.”
“Love you too, dear. Be safe, and remember, stay away from boys.”
Maple hung up the phone, shaking her head all the while. “Ah! She never stops with that.” Maple complained.
“She just worries about you, May.” said Nona, stepping into the kitchen.
“She worries a bit too much. She acts like I’m some sort of animal in heat or something, like I’m going to go and screw every person in the school now that I’m away from home.”
“To be fair, she does have a point to be worried about that.” Nona said. “You’re never a fun person to be around when you do go into–”
“Don’t bring it up. It’s really embarrassing. Besides, I keep myself contained when I get like that, right? I’m always in control.”
“Most of the time. You tried to sleep with me last time though.”
“Again, don’t bring it up.”
“I don’t know, it was actually kind of hot.”
“Nona!”
“Sorry, I’m just playing around, trying to lighten the mood. Anyway, be grateful for her, she won’t always be around to worry, you know? I left some boiled eggs in the fridge if you want some. I’m gonna head to school with Ika a bit early so you’ll be on your own again. Or… perhaps you won’t be alone, hmm? I’m sure that big hottie will be waiting for you outside like he usually is.” Nona then leaned in the archway of the kitchen. “Speaking of, when are you going to make a move on him? Despite what your mom may think, people always start a bit early nowadays. If you don’t do something, you’ll miss your opportunity.”
“Nah, that’s impossible. Victor won’t–”
“Don’t be so sure that he won’t pick a different girl, May. I’m sure there’s plenty of hungry eyes looking at him all over the school. He’s handsome, he’s strong… he’s really big. There’s probably a lot of girls interested in him. I mean, if I didn’t have Ika, I wouldn’t mind trying him out.”
“I know, which is exactly why I told you to stay away from him.”
“Don’t be like that, you could share a little. I’ll let you try Ika out if you give me a chance with Victor. He’ll be gentle with you.”
Maple couldn’t help but imagine it, but she quickly refused the idea. She wanted Victor, and despite the temptation she had to agree, she didn’t really want to share him. Those sorts of things were better left to her doujins and her imagination, but in reality, she wanted a good relationship, like what Fera and Anita had.
“I’ll get around to it.” said Maple, putting a final note on the conversation.
“I’m sure you will.” said Nona, who turned and began her exit. “Remember, just don’t wait too long. Bye, May.”
“Bye, Maple.” said Ika from the dining room.
“Bye, guys.” she called back.
She heard the door close behind them as they left the apartment, leaving Maple alone to get ready for school. She showered, did the rest of her morning routine, which for her, was usually a bit of a hasty mess, and she quickly ate an egg after peeling off the shell. By the time she made it to the elevator and down into the lobby, most of the other students, the early risers, were already gone. She was among the few stragglers that had a fifty-fifty chance of making it on time or being fairly late. As she rushed through the wooden doors of her dormitory, she saw Victor leaning against a nearby street light, eating what looked like a banana. The image almost made her laugh, as the sight instantly reminded her of a monkey. It wasn’t a nice comparison, but she couldn’t help it.
“Morning!” she shouted, waving a hand to catch his attention.
“Hey, Maple.” he said softly, finishing his breakfast and tossing it in a garbage bin nearby. “Running a bit behind this morning, eh?”
“Nah. It seems pretty normal, doesn’t it?”
“Not really.” Victor replied. “If we don’t get a move on, we’ll be late again. Not like Mr. Haris will care any, but still, it doesn't look good on our records if he decides to actually note it down.”
“That man will never pick up anything other than a porno mag.” said Maple, waving a hand dismissively. “We could probably walk in during the last five minutes and he wouldn't even notice we were gone.”
“You’re probably right.” Victor agreed, as he began walking away. Maple hurried to follow him. “We’ll still need to be worried about the checkpoints. They keep track of when we pass through them. If we’re late getting through, Headmaster Hakamura will notice.”
“But then we’ll just have Fe-Fe bat her eyes a bit and get us out of trouble. He has a thing for her, I know it.”
“You shouldn’t spread rumors like that,” said Victor.
“It’s not just a rumor.” Maple said, sounding certain. “There’s something between them, I just know it. She calls him by his first name. Doesn’t that seem weird to you? When was the last time you called a teacher by their first name?”
“Never, but–”
“Exactly!” Maple shouted, pressing herself against him to be sure their words were private. “He has to be sleeping with her.” she whispered.
“I highly doubt it.” Victor said. He sounded bored of the topic, or that it was so unbelievable that he couldn’t even spare the energy to consider it. “Everybody is different, Maple. Maybe she just really respects him and–”
“That doesn’t matter. I respected my gym teacher in middle school but I never called him by his first name. Even if I did want to.” she murmured.
“Gross.” Victor said.
“I was a little girl, shut up. At that age, you see a handsome guy and you just, I don’t know, you get a bit of a crush, it happens. I’m sure you saw some hot girl at that age and fell head over heels.”
“Yeah, but never a teacher.”
“Oh, who was it?” Maple asked excitedly, gripping his arms tightly. “Wait, let me guess. Ummm… Ah! It had to be that actress, ummmm… Shit, what’s her name? Miaka something.”
“Maika Uni?” asked Victor.
“That’s it! It was definitely her. Even I had a crush on her.” Victor shook his head. “Don’t be such a prude. Come on, was I right? Was I?”
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“Yes.” he admitted.
“Hah! I knew it!”
“Alright, keep it down. Look, even with all of that being true, that doesn’t mean that Ferain is sleeping with the headmaster. I’m sure it’s completely platonic, nothing strange.”
“Hmm… I’m not sure.” said Maple. “I wonder if Anita would know. I mean, maybe not because if she knew Fe-Fe was cheating on her with the headmaster, she might be a bit upset. I would definitely keep it a secret. Hey!” Maple suddenly shouted as she was lifted off of her feet. Victor had grabbed her bag and hoisted her up.
“Enough with that, okay? She’s our friend, we shouldn’t be talking like that behind her back. If you really want to know what’s going on, just ask her.” He dropped her back on the ground and continued towards the checkpoint.
“But will she tell me the truth? That’s the question right there.” Maple said, cupping her chin.
“You’re never going to let this go, are you? I’ll ask her for you, then. During lunch, I’ll bring it up and we’ll see what she says. How does that sound?”
“That sounds like you’re going to invade her privacy, big guy.” said Maple. “You can’t just put that sort of pressure on her, especially in front of Ann. We’ll need to do this stealthily, like question-asking ninjas.” Maple leapt gingerly up on Victor’s back as her tail draped over his shoulder. She perched on his shoulders and leaned her face down so it was in front of his. “What do you think about that?”
As if she really was just a house cat, he lifted her by her sides and then set her gently back on the ground. “I think you’re being ridiculous. I’ll ask her at lunch and we’ll see what she says. Whatever answer she gives will satisfy you and that’s that.”
“Oooh, I like it when you take charge.” Maple said, bounding in front of him on all fours and looking up at him. “Do it again.”
“Quit fooling around.” he ordered as he stepped around her.
“Yeah, like that. You’re pretty good at it.” Maple said, before pausing and watching Victor pass through the checkpoint.
The smile faded from her face as her tail slowly flicked around behind her. She stood straight up and followed him through the archway that led to the school grounds. Mr. Haris’ class was as it always was. Boring, useless, a complete waste of time, really. Victor was distracted by a book he brought, something about an upcoming history exam that he had to study for so he wasn’t exactly thrilling company this morning. If this was last year, Maple would just turn around and bother Ferain, but seeing as she now had Professor Itani’s class in the mornings, a new boy took her old seat. There really was nothing for her to do but to stare out the window and do exactly what Ferain always did. She thought. Mostly it was about what Nona had said that morning.
Every now and then, her eyes would flick to the corners to see Victor with his head down, his nose practically touching the book. He wouldn't notice her staring when he was like that. He was too focused. Sometimes, she would even catch herself staring at his lips, his chest, and a few other parts of him as well. With a huff, she blew some hair out of her eyes and turned to face the window again. There was nothing interesting out there but fields and walkways and students running around, but it kept her from staring at him so it would have to do.
“Maybe I should just confess.” she thought, puffing out her cheeks in frustration. “What if it screws things up though? Eh, it probably wouldn’t, but still, he might not really like me. That would suck.” She watched his reflection in the glass and sighed. “You’re so stupid.”
“What was that?” Victor asked, looking up at her.
This took Maple by surprise, seeing as she thought she was thinking the words, not saying them, and she thought Victor was too into his studying to take notice anyway. In her shock, her frozen brain decided to double down. She looked at him with red, puffy cheeks. “You’re really, really stupid.” she said childishly. Maple grabbed her bag, rose from her seat, and began walking towards the door.
“Asani, where do you think you’re going?” asked Mr. Haris, in an unenthused tone of voice. In fact, he was so unenthusiastic that he wasn’t even looking at her. His eyes were still glued to the dirty magazine that he hid behind the novel he pretended to read every day.
“Bathroom.” she answered.
“Make sure to come back.” he said, which she took as permission as she pushed the sliding door open to let herself out.
Of course, she didn’t even make it around the corner when she heard Victor’s unmistakable stomping feet coming after her. She resigned herself to stopping to allow him to catch up.
“What are you doing?” she asked him. “I’m using the bathroom, you aren’t supposed to be following me.”
“We both know that you’re not using the bathroom, Maple. What’s up?”
She looked away from him. “Nothing. I was being stupid. It’s something Nona said this morning and it’s gotten under my skin a bit.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked her.
“No, not right now.” Maple answered. “I’m sorry for calling you stupid.”
“Don’t sweat it. How could I get mad when you look like that?”
“Like what?” she asked him, inflating her cheeks again.
His face instantly went scarlet as he looked away. “Uhh, like nothing. Like you usually do. Umm, you know, cute, I don’t know…”
“Cute?” gasped Maple. “Did you just call me cute?” she asked him.
His cheeks darkened even more. “What else am I supposed to call you? You’re cute, that’s just what you are.” He cleared his throat and turned around. “If you’re good, I’m going back to class. Don’t take too long or even Haris will write you up.”
“Vic, wait up.” Maple said, but Victor had already bolted around the corner. Maple hit herself in the head. “Stupid. That was my chance. God, why am I so stupid?”
It was an awkward time once back in the classroom, but the air cleared up pretty quickly once Lunch came. Maple and Victor found Anita and Ferain at their usual seats in the cafeteria. For some reason, though it really was a common occurrence, Ferain didn’t have her own tray of food. Instead, she was stealing bits off of Anita’s tray, which was full of potatoes and some diced up meat. For some other reason, Ferain had a tendency of just going for the potatoes when delving into her thieving ways. Actually, as Maple got closer, she noticed that Fera had something in her other hand, and that she seemed quite distracted by it.
“Seems like you’re not the only one studying.” Maple said to Victor.
“Oh, she’s not studying.” Anita said as the pair of them sat down.
“I am, in a way.” Fera chimed in. “Guji gave me a bit of homework that I’m having some trouble with.”
“Yeah, but you’ll figure it out. We all have faith in you to make the right decisions.” Anita said with a large smile.
“What kind of homework does the headmaster give out?” asked Victor, taking a seat across from the two girls, and right next to Maple, who fell onto the bench with her legs crossed.
“The important kind,” said Anita.
“More than important,” said Ferain. “If I pick the wrong matchups, it could ruin a person’s school career. If I pick too hard of an opponent, they might not level up, and if they don’t level up, they might be discouraged from trying again. If that happens, who knows how that might affect them lat–”
“Oookay.” Anita said, putting a hand on Fera’s shoulder. “Enough of that line of thought, yeah? You’ll drive yourself mad if you keep that up.”
“What are you talking about, Fe-Fe?” asked Maple.
“I don’t really know if I’m allowed to tell.” Fera said, looking up at her. Her round yellow eyes looked rested, which was always nice to see, especially after the way the year started, but they still had a sort of tenseness within them. Maple couldn’t explain how she saw that, but she definitely noticed something off.
“You told me. They should be fine as long as they promise not to tell.” Anita said, rubbing Ferain’s back.
“Of course we promise,” said Maple excitedly. “Spill the beans already.”
“It’s the advancement test next month. Guji put me in charge of picking who the challengers fight. I’m kind of at a loss at the moment.”
“She hasn’t even gotten past the first page.” Anita said to the others.
“I told you, I skimmed through them.”
“Sure you did. So, whose name is at the top of the next page?”
“That’s easy, it’s… Umm…” Fera reached for the corner to turn the page but her hand was quickly swatted away by Anita’s.
“See, she hasn’t.” Anita then said to Maple and Victor.
“Alright, fine! I haven't. I thought it would be easier to go page by page.” Ferain tossed the folder into her bag and rested her head on the table. “This is too tough.”
“It’s only the second day.” Anita stated. “Have some patience, girl.”
“Easy for you to say.”
After a second, Maple saw Victor lean closer to the pair across the table. “Hey, I know now might not be the best time, but I have a quick question for you, Ferain.”
Maple’s eyes widened and she instantly reached out her hands to cover his mouth. “Quiet, you. There’s no need for– Hmpph!” Unfortunately, for her, Victor was a lot stronger, and instead, she found her own mouth quickly shielded.
“So, your relationship with the headmaster. Maple was curious if you were, you know, sleeping with him? If you are, we won’t judge. She was just really curious. Like, she wouldn't talk about anything else this morning.”
He removed his hand from Maple’s mouth, and she instantly started beating his arm with both fists. “You idiot. How could you just ask her like that? That’s so rude!”
But, despite the question, despite how sudden it was, or maybe it was because of that surprise, Ferain and Anita both went dead still and perfectly silent. They looked at each other for a moment and then started laughing. Fera, to Maple’s surprise, nodded her head.
“Oh yeah, we do it all the time. That’s why I decided to study under him. I thought I told you all about it last year. Ever since the level assignments he’s taken a liking to me.”
“Yeah, didn’t you know?” asked Anita.
“You knew?” Maple asked her.
“Obviously. She sucks at lying, right? I mean, I caught her pretty early on, sneaking out to go see him.”
“Really?” choked Victor. “Like, really really? Like, you had sex with him? Ferain, that’s–”
“I thought you said you wouldn’t judge me.” Fera said, sounding hurt and extremely betrayed. Maple even saw her eyes start to quiver a bit, like water was starting to form in them. “He said it was okay, that it wasn’t a bad thing. And then Itani–”
“Itani too?!” Maple yelled, slamming her hands on the table.
“Is that bad?” asked Ferain, sounding upset and like she was about to burst into tears. “I mean, it felt really good and…” Ferain stopped and then smiled.
“You’re pulling my leg.” Maple said, sitting back down.
“Of course I am.” Fera said, giggling and wiping her eyes. “How did I do, Anita? Am I getting a bit better?”
“Yeah, it was pretty believable. The tears were a great touch.”
“You’re such an ass.” Maple snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting to her left to avoid Fera’s grinning expression.
“Sorry, sorry. But seriously, what would you do if I wasn’t lying, hmm?”
“I don’t know, I’d… I’d… I don’t know!” Maple shouted.
“She’d draw it.” Victor said, looking amused.
“Shut up. Nobody asked you.” Maple hissed.
Fera smiled wider now. “It’s a bit complicated but the short of it is that Guji is my dad. I have never and would never do anything like that with him, or any other teacher for that matter.”
“Your dad?!” Maple choked again, coughing afterward as she beat her flat chest in an attempt to breathe again. “Since when?” she asked hoarsely once she was able to speak.
“Since I was born, I guess.” Fera said. “I just didn’t know about it until a couple of months ago.”
“Did you know about this?” Maple asked Victor, almost sounding accusatory.
“No, but what does it matter? I told you nothing nefarious was going on and look at that, just asking her proved it. No question-asking ninjas necessary.”
“I hate you.” Maple said sharply, jabbing a finger against his chest. “And I’m really mad at the two of you.” she added, glaring at Ferain and Anita. “You don’t keep secrets like that, it’s not cool.”
“I wanted to tell you, Maple,” said Ferain. “But…”
“But what?”
“But I was worried that you’d go and start drawing even worse things if you knew. I’m sure you got a few of me and Guji in your books, and I didn’t want more of them.”
“I only got a couple.” she said.
“And if you knew, you probably would have drawn a couple dozen more. I know you well enough by now to know what you’re into. You’re not exactly shy about it.”
“To be fair,” started Anita. “You do have some sister-sister stuff on your phone.”
Fera instantly grew scarlet and rigid before glaring angrily at Anita. “How do you know about that?”
“I might have looked while you were in the shower one time. Really, it’s some nice stuff.”
“Don’t bring that up, and besides, that’s different,” said Ferain. “It’s not as bad with sisters as it is with dads and daughters, that’s just disgusting.”
“Hypocrite.” Anita said as a feigned cough.
“Okay!” shouted Victor, his face growing more red than either of the girls’. “Okay, enough of the fetishes, please. You like sister stuff, she likes… Well, Maple likes everything. So now that it’s out in the open, can we move past it please? I don’t want to hear it anymore. God, you’d think I’m surrounded by a bunch of guys.” he said, rubbing his temple. “I thought girls were supposed to be innocent and pure and, I don’t know, not like this.”
Anita laughed. “Girls are just as dirty as guys, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. We have desires and all that too, Victor, it’s not just guys that think about that sort of thing.”
“Yeah, I’m learning that. I’ve had enough of it for now. You three can keep going, I’m going to the library. I have to get a bit more studying in before History anyway.”
“See ya, Victor.” Anita said, smiling and waving.
“Bye. Sorry about all of that.” Fera said, looking incredibly embarrassed.
Maple’s expression grew grim as she saw him scooping up his bag. He began walking away and she remembered Nona’s words from that morning. Maple watched him walk out of the cafeteria doors before biting her lip.
“I’ll talk to you two later, ‘kay?” Maple said in a hurry, collecting her own bag.
She nearly tripped leaving the bench and didn’t stick around to hear Ferain’s and Anita’s farewells or questions as to why she was leaving so suddenly. Maple hurried past the doors and caught up to Victor as he was entering the school. She ran past a couple of other students in order to grab Victor’s backpack by the handle. There was no way she’d have enough force to stop him, but it was enough to grab his attention.
“Maple?” he asked, turning around to see her. She was red in the face and panting slightly.
“Can we talk really quick?” she asked.
“Sure? What’s up?” Instead of answering, Maple leapt over the barricade of the walkway between the main building and the cafeteria, beckoning Victor to follow her. He clumsily climbed over and began to do what she wanted. “Wait up.” he said, turning a corner of the school so they were in a shadowed, somewhat hidden area.
As he did, Maple grabbed his shirt collar and turned, forcing him into the wall as she pressed her small body up against his much larger figure. Of course, she didn’t actually have enough strength to do this if he didn’t let her, but be it from surprise or permission, she pulled it off. It really was like having a giant looking down at a kid. She looked straight up to see his eyes glancing back down into hers. There was confusion there, and quite a bit of nervousness. She could both feel and hear his heartbeat pounding against his ribcage, and as she shifted closer, fidgeting against his body from her own anxiousness, she felt it growing stronger.
“Maple, what’s going on?” he asked her timidly.
“I really like you, Vic.” she admitted, but it was so quiet, he couldn’t hear what she said.
“What was that?” he asked.
“I like you, you big idiot.” she said louder, her eyes growing teary. “Why do I have to be the one to say that? I thought guys were supposed to be the ones confessing. You’re supposed to come to me and tell me that you like me. It’s not supposed to be the other way around, you dense, stupid idiot.”
“Maple, why are you crying?”
“Because… Because I’m angry, and I’m really embarrassed, okay? You’re so stupid, you know that? I’ve been hinting that I liked you for so long and you just sat there like an idiot. What’s wrong with you? You’re a guy, you’re supposed to–”
“I like you too.” Victor said, cutting her off. He looked just as anxious as she felt, and he seemed to be having a difficult time looking in her eyes. “I like you a lot, Maple, but I didn’t really know how you felt. You flirt with everyone so it’s kind of hard to tell. You don’t need to cry about it though.” he said, building up enough courage to look into her face, and to even wipe away some of her tears. He then laughed nervously. “I thought I’d be the one crying. I was scared to death to tell you how I felt.”
“That’s because you’re such a baby.” Maple said softly.
“Says the one with a wet face.”
“Shut up.” She then collected herself and stepped back from him. “Good, well, now you know. I like you so you need to stop flirting with every girl you see, got it?”
“I have never flirted with anyone before, Maple, not even you. Shouldn’t I be giving you that rule?”
“Maybe, but I can’t stop doing that because that’s who I am. Are you saying that I need to change?”
“Not at all. I love you the way you are.” he said, smiling.
Maple let out a quiet squeak at the words, and at the fact that Victor now stepped closer to her. He pulled her into a hug, but left enough space that he could lean down and press his lips to hers. It was a quick, awkward kiss, and she didn’t even know if they had done it right, but it felt like electricity ran through her body.
“You just kissed me?” she said questionably.
“Yeah, I think I did,” he replied.
“Well, now you have to marry me. That’s how that works.”
“You’re such an idiot,” Victor laughed. “But sure, if that’s what you want.”
“Really?” she gasped. “No, t-that’s going too fast. We can’t… But… But…”
“Come on, Maple, let’s get to the library. I still have some studying to do.” he said while lifting her over his shoulder. She allowed herself to be carried all the way into the building, not believing that any of this had actually happened. Really, she suspected to see flying fish floating by at any moment, just to ruin the wonderful mood that she now found herself in.