[82.1] Alora POV: Feelings of Inadequacy

[Author's note: this chapter is from Alora's perspective]

I sat on a tree branch with my legs hanging down as I watched the courtyard from an opening in the tree's leaves. I gnashed my teeth as I watched Moni play around with Zephyr. The two of them were both laughing and having the time of their lives.

Atta sat next to me, swinging her legs with a carefree attitude. Seeing my intense gaze she wrote on her chalkboard: 'Mad?'

I replied curtly, "Not mad."

Ugh! This damn mutt!

I can't stand him!

How come everyone likes him so much!?

What's so great about him?!

What does he have that I don't?

Is it the smile?

So I only need to smile like him!?

I forced a smile on my face and heard Atta tap on her chalkboard which read: 'Scary'.

My smile dropped in annoyance, "Is it really that bad?"

She nodded without hesitation.

I rubbed my cheeks, seething in fury. "Do you think I can ever be as popular as him?"

Atta silently glanced over at her older brother and then turned back to me. She unreservedly shook her head to say no.

My shoulders slumped in frustration as I grinded my teeth, "Sometimes I just want to-"

A force from above suddenly pushed me off the tree limb, smashing me into the ground. I felt the full force of the barrier forcibly suppressing me, creating a body-shaped hole in the ground.

Atta nonchalantly hopped down and looked at me in confusion. She wrote on her board: 'Why be like him?'

My fury was restrained and replaced by a dull and emotionless expression. I felt the barrier release me as I stood up, "Doesn't matter."

I brushed myself off and walked back to the courtyard with Atta following beside me. As soon as we entered, their conversation abruptly stopped and all of them looked at me with uncomfortable glances.

Zephyr was the only one who didn't seem to notice his siblings' feelings and leaned over to wave at me, "Alora!!! I saved you a seat!!"

I walked over to him and sat beside him, "What were you talking about?"

He started pushing vegetables to my plate as he spoke, "Hm? Oh I think something boring. I don't know. I was waiting for some drama to happen but Rose already figured out I was the one who hid her hairbrush."

Rose grumbled, "You are always the culprit."

Zephyr leaned back with a sigh as if he were an old man, "I have to change up my game. People just don't appreciate humor like they used to."

I looked up and met Rose's eyes which were filled with ferocious hate. As we made eye contact, her eyes turned to slits and started brightening. 

Moni noticed this and reached out to reassure her, "Rose you're doing a good job today."

I scoffed and started eating the vegetables from Zephyr.

Moni saw this and shook his head, "Zephyr. You have to eat your vegetables. You can't just eat meat, it's not healthy."

He crossed his arms, "But I'm a fox! We are carnivores!"

"Omnivores." He corrected and added more vegetables to his plate, "Also, you're a demon, not a fox."

"But I don't want it!!!"

I glanced at Moni's plate and realized he had no meat. In fact, I don't think I ever saw him eating meat.

"And why doesn't Big Brother Moni have any meat on his plate?" My voice couldn't hide the mocking tone as I said his name, "That doesn't seem like a balanced meal either, so aren't you being a bit hypocritical?"

Silence spread across the table, making it uncomfortably awkward. Everyone looked to Moni as if waiting for the landmine I just stepped on to detonate.

Although no one knew why Moni didn't eat meat, they all knew not to bring it up.

Zephyr silently put a vegetable in his mouth, looking back and forth between me and Moni anxiously.

Astra was the one to break the silence, "He doesn't have to. He's an adult who can make his own choices."

"Oh, well that's not good. It's not healthy, right?" Smiling to myself, I pushed over my plate of meat to Moni. I tilted my head with a venomous smile that I hid from everyone except him, "Here. A peace offering for the veggies I took from you."

"..."

Zephyr, who was stuck in the middle, shifted uncomfortably, "Um… Big brother Moni doesn't eat meat."

Moni nodded with a smile, "Yes, so I appreciate the offer but I cannot accept it."

He pushed it back to me.

I shoved it back, "No, I insist. Everyone needs to eat meat. How else will you get important nutrients?"

His expression twitched and he pushed it back, "I get enough nutrients from other foods."

I pushed it back, "But what about protein?"

"There's protein in other foods." He pushed it back, "I don't need it."

I grabbed the plate and threw it under his nose, "But just smell it. Doesn't it make your mouth water?"

His expression started to turn pale, appearing as if he would vomit at any moment.

Astra slammed her fist on the table, "ENOUGH!"

We all jumped, looking at her in surprise.

Her childish face wore a grim expression as she glared at the two of us. She turned her furious eyes towards me, "Stop. Just stop! Do you think this is going to help you fit in!? Or do you want us to just hate you more!?"

I flinched but forced myself to hide any emotions. The plate in my hand lowered as I felt a cold sweat break out across my back.

Atta looked between all of us, not understanding the situation.

"What's going on?" The Great Fairy walked over, yawning into her hand, "I heard arguing."

Asmonious causally pushed the plate of meat back to me while smiling at her as if nothing happened, "Just a little misunderstanding."

I sneered and put the meat into my mouth, making sure to chomp on it as gruesomely as possible.

Unable to endure my torment, he suddenly jumped up from the table and ran off with his hand covering his mouth.

The Great Fairy was speechless as she twisted her unobservable face to look at everyone, "????"

"AGGHHH! YOU ANNOYING RAT!" Rose screamed and threw her plate of food at me, covering me with it, "Can't you just leave and die already!?!"

I blinked as the food plopped down from my head and onto my lap.

The Great Fairy shouted, "Rose! You can't just say that-"

"Can't I!?" She screeched so loudly her voice cracked, "Why don't you ask your new pet project what happened!?"

She stormed off with a furious scream.

The Great Fairy turned to the rest of us, "Can someone explain what happened?"

Astra and Zephyr closed their mouths, pretending like they hadn't seen a thing. She turned to Atta who shook her head to show she actually had no idea.

I plucked the food off my head and answered, "I made Moni uncomfortable and Rose was just standing up for him."

She glanced at me and spoke with slight hesitation, "And how did you make him uncomfortable?"

I paused for a moment then answered obediently, "I encouraged him to eat meat."

She put her face in her hands, "Alora! Did you really!?"

I averted my gaze, "Yes."

"From now on, you're not allowed to do that. What you did was very inconsiderate and rude."

And it wasn't rude for them to treat me like they did!?

I pursed my lips and gave a nod.

"I expect you to apologize to him later."

I looked at her in disbelief.

She crossed her arms, "I'm also going to give you more homework as punishment."

I clicked my tongue and averted my gaze as I nodded.

She stared at me for a few moments before looking at the ones remaining, "Talking about homework, have you all finished yours?"

Zephyr tried to slip away but was promptly caught.

"Zephyr."

His expression paled, "I… I forgot."

"No candy for you."

"MAMA NO!"

I ignored their conversation and focused my hearing to listen further into the distance. I could hear Moni retching while Rose rubbed his back and tried to encourage him.

The corners of my lips quirked up once I realized I managed to get a hold of his weakness.

Later that night as I fixed the pillow on my bed, Zephyr cozied up to me. "Alora, why do you hate Moni?"

I paused, "I don't hate Moni."

"...But, it seems like you do."

I laid my head on my pillow and replied curtly, "We were simply born to be enemies."

He curled up to me, "What do you mean?"

I didn't answer and closed my eyes, showing that I intended to sleep. Realizing he wasn't going to get any gossip, he let out a sigh and closed his own eyes. As I listened to him drift off to sleep, my eyes reopened. The room was dark, but not as much as it was in the temple.

My eyes were drawn to his sleeping face and twitching ears. I calmly reached out to push his unruly hair behind his ear. The silky strands greeted my fingers and fell between them, gently caressing each one.

I whispered in a low voice, "Do you also love him more than me?"

Feeling my hand brush against his cheek, he snuggled in closer to me completely unaware of the churning of my heart.

I pulled my hand back and brought it close to my heart. I could feel my own heart thumping quickly inside as a nauseating feeling swirled around in my throat.

Just how long will it take until you realize I'm not the person you think I am?

Soon…

Soon he will get bored of me.

My hand tightened into a fist.

Before that happens, I have to figure out a way to chain him to me so he can't get away.