Chapter Text
Funneh was perturbed by Gold's enthusiasm at 6 in the morning. Her eyes, riddled with eye bags, moved up and down, up and down, watching Gold skip around her room, spewing about how great their first day would be.
Funneh's face went blank before realizing that this routine of getting up early for school would be their life for half a year.
Letting out a yawn, Funneh interpreted Gold's speech.
"Isn't it a bit too early?"
Gold stopped jumping.
"Well, aren't you excited? I am!"
"Yes, I figured," Funneh chuckled into the palm of her hand.
Well, I was also hoping we would go on a run!"
"You've lost it. There's no way!" Funneh stopped laughing and looked at her friend in mock horror.
"Oh, come on! Get up, you bum!"
Funneh shook her head rapidly and plopped back into her bed. Gold went to switch the light on, and in triumph, she watched as Funneh squirmed, eyes adjusting to the brightness.
Hissing dramatically, Funneh grabs her blanket, meaning to throw it over her head. Gold, being used to her friend's antics, holds onto the innocent, soft material and yanks it out, dragging her friend onto the floor.
Funneh knew she had lost and got up, sorely rubbing her arms and back. She follows Gold out the door after throwing on the shorts and white tee she had lying on her desk chair. She didn't bother washing her face and hoped to return in one piece.
Like Gold had suggested, the jog was short. Though Funneh thought she was doing it for her sake. They traveled around the dorm premises, first going through the dorm space. Some were vacant, with boxes littering the lawn. Each dorm was well kept, some better than others, but the housing was pristine. They ran through the main entrance, adorned with intricately cut bushes and trees. The dull cobble was gritty, contrasting the hues of flowers planted around the premise. Afterward, the girls circled back behind the buildings where the construction had not disturbed wildlife and returned to their dorm.
As they entered, the rain descended as if waiting for their entrance. Funneh sighed in relief. She had felt the droplets a few times and rued getting drenched this early.
Gold hopped in the shower, calling "Dibs!" as Funneh prepared their breakfast and lunch.
Coming out of the shower with a sweet hmm, Gold's face soured at the smell from the kitchen.
"That's not a tuna sandwich you're making, is it, Funneh?"
Funneh quietly sighed before answering Gold. Not this again.
"It's not for you!"
"They're gross!"
"And again, not for you! You get cheese, Happy?"
Gold rubbed her stomach. "mmm, you can never go wrong with grilled cheese."
"You can, apparently," Funneh snickered.
Blushing, Gold frowned and marched to her room, ignoring Funnehs laughter.
Finishing up her breakfast, Funneh showered, dressed, and met Gold downstairs.
She slowed as she reached the last steps, watching God, who was eying her cookie. With a warning look to her friend, Gold sheepishly looked away and headed towards the door.
It was still humid and wet outside, but the rain had temporarily stopped.
On the way there, they compared their schedules, and surprisingly, they had the same classes.
Strange-it was as if they were in a high school TV show, and the director pulled some strings for them- Oh well, Funneh was not complaining. Gold hooked her arm around Funnehs and happily stepped towards the school building.
Upon getting closer, Funneh and Gold stopped to look at the spectacle before them, looked toward each other, and then back again.
Lined up all the way to the school's front entrance were musicians and vendors giving free things to the students.
Funneh began pulling Gold along with starry eyes at the scene. At some point, Gold warned Funneh that they might be late, seeing most students heading inside. Yet, Funneh persisted until she relented with one more cart at Gold's probing.
A cart selling crapes caught their eye, and they went over, waiting in line, joining the few other students enjoying themselves a bit too much.
Gold wrinkled her nose upon hearing the conversation from the girl before them.
"I'd love me a banana crepe!"
Her companion beside her only shook her head in wonder and ordered a Snickerdoodle crepe with strawberries and cinnamon.
When they walked away, Funneh whispered to Gold,
"That's new."
"And strange."
"Do you think she'll actually enjoy it?"
"Maybe? But only because she looks like a banana herself."
Funneh gasped, giggling, and covered her mouth, watching the blond girl step happily into the school with her crepe.
"There certainly are strange people in the world."
"Like you?" Gold asked innocently, but Funneh could detect the gleam in her friend's eyes.
"You don't apperciate my presence it seems like," Funneh stuck her nose in the air and moved up the line as Gold laughed.
She and Gold quickly ordered, ate, and rushed to the school with ten minutes to search for their class.
When five minutes passed, then 10, panic settled in as they ventured into the halls that looked indistinguishable from the other.
Finally, with the help of a senior, they found the class and rushed into it.
The teacher had obviously been talking and interrupted by their entrance.
They watched in chagrin as the frown on their teacher's lips turned into a sinister smirk."
Gold and Funneh waited for the mantle to drop.
"Well, we were just about to introduce ourselves. You two came in at a perfect time."
The class looked at them expectantly, annoyance showing through some faces as they held up the class.
Funneh nudged Gold forward, stepping to the side.
Gold stammered through her introduction and ended with, "I promise I won't be late again."
To the teacher's amusement, Gold bowed and sat at one of the seats opened in the front.
Expectantly, the teacher's gaze fell upon Funneh, who also ungracefully introduced herself, albeit a bit more composed than Gold.
She, too, ended with an apology and sat down.
What a lovely start to the day, Funneh sighed.
Without any more interruptions and having only talked about the syllabus, the class ended in a flash. Grateful for the homework and the task of signing the conditions of the syllabus for class rules and such.
The day went by quickly as one expected early school days to go.
In the blink of an eye, Funneh was woken up by Gold for their morning run, then went to school for long hours and spent much of their time doing homework.
It was in their 5th week that their streak of peace began to go down the drain.
It was in second-period Biology class. Everyone was given a day to self-study. The class enjoyed the tweeting of the birds and the muted noise of the outside.
Yet, each student melted in their seats, fanning themselves and wiping the sweat off their foreheads.
Funneh, who had enough, got up to open the window. The professor had warned them against opening the window without checking if the birdcage was locked.
As Mr.Draco had expressed, "Tilly is dying to get away." Just like me."
He whispered the last part, but a few heard either way.
Funneh, who briefly turned back, made sure the cage was shut and let a waft of breeze filter in. The students have out sighs of relief.
At that moment, Gold walked in, and in shock, she yelled, "Shut the window!"
But the sound of flapping wings and the cage crashing open signaled it was too late.
With unthinkable speed, Tilly was gone, flying in the wide-open blue sky. To her, it was freedom. To the class, it was a disaster.
Funneh stared, a blank, broad-eyed look placed on her face. She slowly turned to the voice of Mr. Draco's stern voice.