“There he is, his beautiful, flushed face shining in the moonlight. He gazes at me and- what’s this? H-he’s leaning in closer to me, is he gonna-” Just then, a sharp pain hit me in my side, “Ouch! Hey! What’d you do that for!?” 

“Looks like someone’s daydreaming again.” Maple smirked as she removed her elbow from my side, “Now, would you please pay attention, Faith, your daydreaming is distracting me.” I rubbed the side of my belly and pretended to listen to the rest of the poetry class, but continued to daydream about him. Before I knew it, the bell rang. We started to leave the classroom and make our way to the cafeteria for lunch. I gave him one more loving glance before I left the classroom and walked down the hallway with Maple who was still irritated with me, “Why do you even take this class if you’re not gonna pay attention?” she asked with curiosity. As she asked, my face started to glow a bright crimson, “Oh… I see! It’s about that new boy, isn’t it?” she smiled slyly. 

“N-no!” I hissed reluctantly, “I’m just trying to find a fine art that suits me, that’s all!” 

“Calm down, no need to get defensive,” she attempted to calm me, “I just find it strange how you were never interested in poetry until you heard Flynn was taking that class.”

“Well, coincidences happen, Maple! Not everything happens for the reasons you want them to.” I lied.

“Then why’d your face turn bright red when-” 

As she was speaking, Amelia tackled her with a bear hug, “I’m so happy to see you again, Maple!” she let out with pure joy as she kissed Maple on the cheek.

“I’m happy to see you too! But it’s only been a few days.” She replied while trying to push Amelia off of her. 

“I know! A few days can feel like forever when I’m not around you two!” she said while letting go of Maple and giving me a less excited hug. We started walking to lunch together when Amelia asked me, “So, how’s poetry class going for you?” 

“Amazing!” I replied with no hesitation.

“How can it be, ‘amazing’ if you don’t even pay attention?” Maple interjected.

“I do pay attention, it’s just that sometimes I get a little distracted.” 

“Yeah… a little.” She mocked. We arrived at the cafeteria, where we sat down together and started to eat.

While we ate, I saw Flynn from across the room. I stared at him admiring his long brown hair, his well-trimmed face, and his pretty hazel eyes. I gazed at him with hearts in my eyes for about a minute until Maple spoke and said, “And here’s a perfect example of what poetry class is like.” 

As she said this, I instantly broke out of my trance and started eating my tuna and rice again.

“Oh, so she’s in love with that new boy?” Amelia asked. 

“Correct!” Maple replied.

“Incorrect.” I protested with a mouthful of rice.

“Give it up Faith,” Maple started, “He’s never gonna like you. You know why that is?” She asked as if she expected me to answer, “It’s because of these!” She said while pulling at my cat ears which made me yelp in pain, “You know it’s taboo for humans and catpeople to be friends let alone be in a relationship.” 

Her words completely shattered my heart. How could Maple be so heartless toward me? She never bullied me before, she only started this behavior when I started to go to poetry class. I sobbed over my plate of tuna while trying to suppress my sorrowful moans. My attempts were pointless; I couldn’t help but let the whole cafeteria know I was crying. 

“That wasn’t very nice of you, Maple!” Amelia said with tears starting to form in her eyes as well.

“I don’t care! She has to learn what’s socially acceptable in his world and someone’s gonna have to teach her.”

“Who hurt you?” Amelia asked, but Maple refused to answer and continued eating her plate of salmon.

My crying started to become too much to the point where I grabbed my backpack and ran off to the restroom, leaving my delicious tuna behind. I sat on the floor of the bathroom stalls wiping my eyes and nose with the one-ply toilet paper waiting for my tears to stop flowing. Later I heard two pairs of footsteps, “I’m not allowed in there.” I heard a deep voice say nervously. 

“Shut up and come on. She needs you.” I heard Amelia’s sweet voice reply. I listened and tried to stop my crying as the steps got closer, “Faith, come out… please, you’re gonna miss class.”  

“Would you give me just a few more minutes?” I groaned in reply. 

“I can but, I’m not sure if he’s comfortable being in here for much longer.” 

My ears twitched in interest, “W-who?” 

“It would be easier if you just came out. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” 

I slowly swung open the door and saw the two standing there, Amelia and Flynn

“Hey Faith,” he started with his handsomely deep and powerful voice, “would it be too much trouble if we took this conversation to the hall.” 

I nodded in agreement and followed them out of the restroom. As I followed them out, my heart started to race, my face started to burn, and the butterflies in my belly started to go crazy. I felt so happy and so nervous at the same time, I finally get to talk to the boy I have been daydreaming about for weeks.

When we reached the hallway, he leaned against the locker doors and said in a relaxed voice, “I heard from your friend here that you had a love for poetry.” he pulled his hair from the front of his face and tucked it behind his ears, “How would you like to write some together sometime?” 

My heart started beating out of my chest, “Yes! I-I mean of course that would be so much fun!” I said with joy.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Great,” he replied, “Meet me at the library after school, then we can write together.” 

“It’s a date!” I blushed, realizing what I said, “W-well not that kind of date. What I meant was-” 

“I know what you mean,” He said in a cheerful voice which calmed my embarrassment, “I’ll see you around.” He said and started walking down the hall.

“See you too!” I replied with an awkward and unnatural giggle. 

Amelia and I waved goodbye to him until he turned down the corner when she said with excitement, “Won’t it be super fun! You and Flynn, writing poetry together; why, it’s just like a romantic anime!” 

I turned to her with fear in my eyes, “Are you crazy!?” I shouted in horror, “I know nothing about poetry!” 

“But, don’t you take poetry class?” 

“I do, but Maple was right,” I started to cry again, “The only reason  I took that class was so that I could look at him.” 

“Oh my… This isn’t good,” She started biting her nails, “Well I guess… Oh, I have an idea!” A look of excitement overtook her face, “We can ask Maple for her help, I know she’s really good at poetry and literature!”

“You really think she’d help me with this?” I clenched my teeth, “You saw what she did to me in the middle of the cafeteria! She completely humiliated me!” 

“She’s our friend, I’m sure if you explained it to her she would be happy to help you!” 

“Forget it.” I replied, “I don’t want to be hurt by her again today.” 

“But Faith.” Amelia grabbed me by the hand and pulled it close to her heart, “This could be your only chance; not just for the two of you but possibly for the whole school! A catperson and a human have never gotten together, you and he could finally break the stereotype of us being lower than humans; we could finally be treated equally. Please faith, do it for me.” she smiled and shed a tear.

“You really think we could be treated as human?” 

“Yes, I truly believe it. Flynn is a nice boy, he is one of the few that has actually treated me as an equal.” 

“Then yes, I’ll do it.”

In an instant, I was entangled by her arms and nuzzled by her cheek, “Thank you so much! I knew you’d do it!” I smiled and wrapped my arms around her happily and walked with her to class. 

After I finished all my classes, it was finally time to ask Maple if she would help me with poetry. I met with Amelia outside of the biology classroom, Maple’s last class, and waited for her to emerge from the classroom. 

Finally, after a few minutes of waiting, Maple came out of the classroom along with the other students quickly spotting us and rolling her eyes knowing we were going to ask her a favor. She put a smile on her face and greeted Amelia with a hug, “What are you guys doing out here?” 

“Waiting for you of course!” Ameilia quickly responded with a shimmer of nervousness in her voice.

“Oh?” a smirk appeared on her face, “And what do you guys want?” 

“Well,” Amelia started, “Faith needed-”

“I need you to teach me poetry before Flynn’s last class is over!” I blurted out interrupting Amelia’s response.

“Very well, I’ll he-” 

“And I know you don’t want us to be together but please help me I’m begging you! Amelia told me it could help all catpeople and we could finally be treated as human!” 

Maple laughed, “Yes, I’ll help you; I’ll always be there for you, that’s what friends are for.” 

Amelia was just as surprised as I was at this response as we said in unison, “You will?” 

“Of course, I will. It’s clear that I can’t stop you from wanting to be with him so, Might as well not let you embarrass yourself. Now, let’s get to the library; there’s a lot to learn in thirty minutes.”  I winced at the thought of only having thirty minutes to study. 

We rushed to the library and sat down at a round table, “Alright wait here for a few minutes and let me grab some books.” Maple said while running off and disappearing behind the shelves of books. Not long after, Maple returned with a small stack of poetry books.

“Hm, where to start,” She pinched the bridge of her nose in concentration, “I got it! We can start off with Haikus, they’re my personal favorite. Do you know anything about them, Faith?” 

“I remember a little about them,” I started, “They’re the Japanese poems that have three lines and a certain amount of syllables in each line.” 

“That’s correct!” She said with a big smile on her face, “They’re a form of poetry focused on nature. Nature is what makes it a Haiku otherwise it would become a Senryu…”

She continued her lesson while I zoned out thinking of how strange her change of heart was. Earlier this morning I felt as if she hated me, but now I feel as if we have never been closer. My heart had never felt more confused, I didn’t know how to feel about her kindness. 

While I was deciding how to feel, I snapped back to reality when I heard her say, “Faith? Are you still daydreaming even when you want to learn?” 

“No, not daydreaming,” I decided to be honest for once, “I was just thinking of your outburst earlier; how could you be so mean? But now you’re being so nice, it just doesn’t make sense.” 

She giggled a little and kept a steady smile in her mouth but, I saw in her eyes that it looked as if she were about to cry, “I know, I confuse myself too faith. I shouldn’t have lashed out at you like that and I am so sorry I did. The reason I did was that I didn’t want you hurt, Faith.” 

“Hurt? How?” I asked in curiosity. 

“Hurt by Flynn or any other human for that matter…” She paused for a moment wiping away a few stray tears that streamed down her beautiful crimson cheeks, “You know, I had a human boyfriend once.” 

“You did not!” Shouted Amelia in disbelief.

“Shh, you gotta be quiet,” I told Amelia gesturing to the people reading in the library.

“Sorry.” she covered her face in embarrassment, “You did not.” She whispered in a quieter tone. 

“I did, it was long before I met the two of you. In my freshman year, I started coming to this school, and just like Faith, I fell in love with a super cute senior guy. I dreamt of being his wife and loving him with all my heart for the rest of my life. Eventually, I finally mustered up the courage to ask him out in this library. When I did, I expected him to be happy to take me as his beloved girlfriend. Unfortunately, I was foolish enough to believe this. Instead of a simple yes or no, he threw me to the ground and stepped on me telling me I was just as worthless as the dirt he walks on every day. After that, I couldn’t stand up, why would I after having my heart torn into pieces? And that’s when I met you, Amelia, that’s when you came looking for a book on science and saw me crying in the aisles of the bookshelves. You asked if I was okay and why I was crying; of course, I lied and told you I tripped and hit my head pretty hard on one of the shelves. You were so kind and loving that I instantly fell in love with you; you were the only one who picked me up from off my butt and onto my feet and I could never thank you enough for that. I’m sorry for keeping all this a secret, I just felt as if I couldn’t live with the humiliation. But now, I see that you two need to know why I acted the way I did in the cafeteria.”

She stopped and held her face in her hands in the same manner as I did in the cafeteria. I quickly grabbed her around her shoulder and whispered, “Thank you for thinking about me,” I sniffled, “You’re the bestest friend I could ever hope to have.” 

Amelia wrapped her arms around her as well, “So that’s why you were crying that day?” she sobbed gently, “I would have understood, you know I’m understanding with stuff like that.” 

Maple threw an arm around each of us, “You guys are the bestest friends I could ever hope for too!” she wiped away her tears, “Okay, now that that’s cleared up, we only have ten minutes left to learn all the other types of poems and literary devices.” she dug through the piles of books and handed me a thesaurus, “Here you go, this’ll be one of the most important tools at your disposal.” 

I grabbed the thesaurus and held it close to my heart as I listened, and yes, really listened for the first time to Maple’s lessons on, Haikus, Senryus, Acrostics, Tanka’s, and many more poems. 

Before I knew it, Flynn sat down with us all. We learned that this was his first time going to a public school and that is why he was happy to make a couple of friends. Eventually, came out that I knew nothing about poetry but he was happy I was willing to learn and share the same interest as him. After talking for a while with him, Maple and Amelia had to go home. They waved happily to us as they walked out of the library. After that, Flynn and I started to write our hearts out.