Chapter Text
The hallways of Unstable Academy were never quiet. Students rushing down hallways, slamming lockers, chatting loudly, the concept of an ‘indoor voice’ never existed. And somewhere in the chaos, surrounded by familiar faces, was Parrot. It was widely known that Parrot was the smartest in their grade, and probably the smartest in the school, too. He got top marks in every test, pointed out mistakes in the textbook, and corrected the teacher occasionally. Also, he was insanely popular. Pretty much everyday, someone would approach him and try to start up a conversation. Of course, he had a friend group, but that didn’t stop people. Even seniors would strike up some academic talk to try and get closer to him. Parrot, obviously, was oblivious. He would answer the questions and ask ones of his own, so every person who ever approached claimed they were ‘best friends’ now. Parrot didn’t even know. He thought that they were just friendly people.
He was happy. He did well, studied well, had good friends. He had Theo, Wemmbu, Flame, even Spoke. But sometimes, in the darkness of his dorm when he thought no one could hear him, he would break down, thinking about someone. Someone who had seen the good days and the bad, and had decided they hadn’t cared. Someone who sacrificed everything for him. Someone who treated him like a person that mattered, not just for his grades, but for who he was.
Wifies.
It had been years since they’d last seen each other. Growing up together, they were inseparable. Literally. A few months older than him, Wifies was protective in the way where he was certain that Parrot would die if he was let out of Wifies’s sight for more than a minute. To be fair, Parrot had nearly gotten into accidents many times, and Wifies had saved him from all of them. So Wifies did have a reason to believe that. They followed each other everywhere, even to the toilets. But for them, it was normal. They’d spent their lives together, and had seen the other naked plenty of times (author note: NOT A SHIP… yet). When Wifies would insist on coming into the toilet with him, Parrot didn’t complain, protest, or ask him to leave. After all, it was Wifies.
Then the accident, when they were 10. They had been walking to school, the last day of that school term before the holidays. The holidays where they’d planned out every hour, every minute. Wifies had let his guard down, seeing Parrot so happy. To this day, Parrot still blamed himself for that. They had been balancing on the curb, trying to ‘tightrope walk’ in the way only they understood as kids. On any other day, Wifies would have told him to stay away from the edge of the road, but not that day. Parrot hadn’t even seen the car. Wifies, walking ahead, had. He had spun around to mock Parrot for being slower, but had seen the car hurtling towards them, a little too close to the curb for his liking. Wifies had tackled Parrot to the side, sending him sprawling onto the pavement. But Wifies’s leg hit the side of the speeding car and he was flung upwards before collapsing a few feet away like a ragdoll, blood pooling against his lips, his head and his leg.
Parrot remembered that day vividly. Wifies wasn’t moving. His body was limp on the pavement, heat draining from his pale skin. Parrot had run into the shop screaming for help, and someone finally called for an ambulance. Parrot sat next to his best friend, crying his eyes out, telling himself Wifies would be okay. He had to be. 10 year old Parrot sat there, covered in his friend’s blood, for what seemed like hours. Blood matted against Wifies’s black hair, but still the blood flowed. And that scared Parrot even more. Wifies had always been smart. Effortlessly smart. Parrot, on the other hand, hadn’t been as smart back then. He hadn’t known what to do. If the situation had been reversed, Wifies would have known immediately what to do. But him? Dumb lil’ Parrot? Well, all he knew was that he wasn’t going to go to school that day.
When the ambulance finally arrived, they lifted Wifies onto a stretcher and lifted him into the ambulance, but Parrot refused to let go of Wifies’s hand. They tried to gently pry his hand off, but he started crying and clung on, saying that he was not going to let Wifies go. Without any way to get him off, they had no choice but to let him stay. The entire journey to the hospital, Parrot muttered feverishly into Wifies’s hand as the paramedics started working, saying he’d be fine. Even though Wifies couldn’t hear him. It was more for him than for Wifies.
Minutes passed before a paramedic managed to find a pulse. Weak, stuttering, but there. Wifies wasn’t dead yet. A small spark of hope bloomed. They were almost at the hospital. It wasn’t impossible anymore. Tears of relief pooled in his eyes as he saw the signs pointing to the hospital flash by.
Then, they reached the hospital. And everything went wrong.
The paramedics lifted the stretcher and carried Wifies into an emergency room, where a nurse gently but firmly wrenched Parrot’s hand away in a single, practised movement. She ushered Parrot out before locking the door. It took the dazed boy a while to realise what happened, but when he did, it was too late. The nurse had guided him back to the waiting area and left, and he had absolutely no idea where Wifies was. A while later, his parents arrived to pick him up, but he refused to leave. At least, he tried to. His mom picked him up and brought him to their car, brought him home. They told him he could see Wifies in a week.
The week that followed was torture. Without Wifies, Parrot could barely function. Even though it was the holidays, he spent every day locked in his bedroom studying. He remembered that feeling of not knowing what to do, of being helpless. He swore he would let himself feel the same way again. Maybe if he’d been smarter, Wifies wouldn’t have gotten as badly injured. He swore he would make himself as smart as Wifies to make up for it.
(the reason why Parrot is top student)
The week turned into two, and then into three, and then four. The doctors said he wasn’t ‘ready’ for visitors. Parrot didn’t believe them, but what could he do? And so he waited. Finally, after six weeks of studying, being forced to eat, waiting, studying and repeat, Parrot was allowed to visit.
He was horrified by how sick Wifies looked. His skin was far paler than before, almost a sickly white, and he was covered in bandages. His black hair was messy and looked like it was about to fall off. Wifies smiled at him and tried to say his name, but suddenly coughed violently, a deep rattle that made Parrot terrified. The bone-rattling cough wasn’t the only thing that scared Parrot. The way his chest heaved with effort, the way his throat looked raw and painful whenever he tried to speak, the grating mess that was his voice… Parrot flung his hands around Wifies, tears breaking through once again.
They spoke for hours, catching up on everything, sharing jokes they’d made when they were younger that somehow seemed funnier now. Well, Parrot did the speaking. Even though Wifies could barely speak, he still gestured wildly in a way that only Parrot understood. Parrot was sure that everything would be fine. But then, the doctor told him to leave. Even as he was forced out, Parrot heard Wifies choke out, “P-parrot…” He whipped around. “P-Promise me…” Coughs racked his body and his hands were strained into fists, trying to force the words out. “Don’t forget me.” Then the door slammed shut and Parrot was alone.
That was the last he’d ever seen Wifies. A month later, when Wifies was supposedly discharged, Parrot ran down the street to their house, but it was dark. The house was empty, the gate locked with a sign that said “For Selling”. Parrot fell to his knees. What was it Wifies had said? “Don’t forget me.” He must have known.
It took over a year before Parrot spoke again. His parents tried to coax him into going for therapy, but he refused. It would take time without it, but eventually, he’d be fine. And he was. He’d made new friends, started speaking more, studied harder than he’d ever had. To his parents, he had recovered. Even so, eight years later in college, he never fully recovered. There were times when he’d look at something and instinctively turn around to tell Wifies, only for his brain to catch up a moment later and remind him that Wifies wasn’t around. He’d never told any of his friends about Wifies. It hurt too much to say. Maybe one day, he would tell them. About the boy who had once been his only world, then taught him to survive without it.
”Parrot?” A hand waved in front of his face. “Earth to Parrot?” Parrot blinked. Theo was waving his hands in front of his face. He must have blanked out. Fortunately, they were in the canteen. Unfortunately, most of the friend group had noticed. Parrot’s face flushed in embarrassment. Usually it only happened when he was alone in the dorm when he thought Theo couldn’t hear him muttering to himself. Unfortunately, he had learnt recently that Theo, in fact, did know. It had been a rather humiliating night for Parrot, but since Theo was his best friend, seconded only by him, Theo assured him it was fine. Of course, Theo didn’t know about Wifies, but he would shake Parrot out of a daze whenever Parrot spaced out.
“um… it’s nothing guys” Parrot stuttered, watching his friends give each other a look that said I know he’s lying. They had known each other for more than a year; they could definitely tell when he wasn’t telling them everything. Luckily, Flame, Wemmbu, Theo, Mapicc, Lomedy, Egg, they all knew not to pressure him. Unfortunately, Spoke didn’t come with that setting of don’t bother Parrot or even mind my own business.
“Yo Parrottttt” Spoke shouted in his ear, dragging the ‘t’. “Thinking about a secret girlfriend?”
Parrot glared at Spoke, but Spoke didn’t seem to realise that the annoyed look was directed at him.
“I don’t have a girlfriend, Spoke.”
Theo smirked. ”Is that why you’re sad?”
”BRO” Parrot looked reproachfully at Theo. “Not you too!”
The table burst out into peals of laughter. Parrot glared at all of them.
They won’t understand. They never will.
Then again, maybe Parrot is the only one here who’s ever had a friendship that actually mattered, where you knew each other’s darkest secrets. Sure, they were close, but Parrot doubted Spoke would tell him his crush or anything.
Either way, they were his friends.
They always messed with him. It was time to get revenge.
(read: prank them)
Flame stared at his bag. He looked up, his expression murderous. “Who. Did. This.” His eyes crossed the table and locked onto Spoke. “You.” Spoke jumped behind Parrot in mock terror. “Oh no! The big scary man is fighting! What should I do?” Flame lunged across the table. Spoke yelped and jumped back. “What do you want, bro? I didn’t do anything!” Flame gave him a glance. “So the person who placed a wet sponge above Wemmbu’s door didn’t fill my bag with unicorn drawings?”
”WHO DID WHAT?!” Wemmbu shouted from across the table.
”FLAME!” Spoke shouted back. “YOU SAID YOU WON’T TELL”
Parrot grinned. He’d convinced Spoke to do the water prank. And he may or may not have done the drawings. Pranking was fun. Maybe that’s why Spoke did it so often.
For the first time that week, Parrot wasn’t thinking about you-know-who.
And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.
For now.