Chapter 4: First Day of School (part 3)

I sweat as if I was in Death Valley. This was impossible for me. I just couldn't do it.

"I'm giving up! "I don't want to take this test anymore," I screamed, pushing the test packet over my desk.

Mrs. Bing Bong stood in front of me like a giant who's hungry for chicks. "I will not tolerate such behavior in my classroom. You can either leave and earn a zero or you can stay and earn something else!"

Chicky was there, so I refrained from running out of the classroom from objects made from frustration and annoyance. It would have been a mistake I would sooner or later regret to leave my only sister and best friend behind.

Having not heard from me, she took a deep breath and made her way back to her desk as calmly as she could.

I knew I may seem like a troublemaker, especially on the first day of school; at home, Maggie and Evelyn were her favorites, too. I just wanted to get attention. The only thing I could wish for was another caring family; I thought matching my tone with theirs would be the least I could do.

Chicky said, "I'm done with my test."

 "Are you sure of that?" Ms. Bing Bing noted that content in second grade is more challenging than in first grade.

She must be against us as well, I suppose?

Chicky calmed down and queried, "Can you grade it?"

I was grateful for one thing about her: she wasn't as strict as Mrs. Bing Bong though still supporting them.

Later, she returned with a neutral expression on her face.

"Chicky, you got a 75%, but it's okay because it's just a pre-test."

Chicky's face boiled as much as water on a stove, but her words cut my thoughts in half.

"Thank you."

As I was scribbling random numbers on the page, Mrs. Bing Bong appeared behind me, causing me to gasp in shock even though I wasn't cheating. All except Mrs. Bing Bong reacted to my noise.

 "Tina, stop overreacting! I was literally here the whole time while Ms. Bing Bing was with Chicky...Anyway, what I wanted to tell you was that time's up."

  I can't believe it... a whole hour has passed by in a flash?!

The thought of facing my grade made me want to hide under my desk.

I saw her glaring at me with her wing out, which was what I assumed that I needed to give the paper of fate on.

  Tina, it's too late...better luck next time.

I pouted internally because that asinine little voice in my head was killing me, causing me to slam my paper onto her wing of willpower and strength.

 I watched her walk back with a serious look on her face a few minutes later. I felt like my life was going to end right here in the classroom with every step.

STEP

STEP

STEP

"Tina, you got an F! That's why you don't skip a grade!"

  DING

DING

DING

DING

That's a relief! Thank you, bell! It's time for recess!

As I was getting up from my seat, Mrs. Bing Bong began talking.

"Ah, ah, ah! Everyone sit down! The bell doesn't dismiss you. I dismiss you."

I rolled my eyes since if the teacher dismisses a class, then the bell would be worthless.

"Class, before I let you roam around like a bunch of cows, I need to make a couple of announcements. If everyone earns a candy, there will be a class party, unless you have been benched; candy does in fact eliminate you from getting a bench ticket. As much as we would all love a party, Tina is benched today, so nothing today!"

She never made any sense to me why she constantly picked on me...I thought everyone would give me a dirty look, but I was wrong! Not everyone. I asked Chicky why she wasn't vexed at me, and the answer warmed my heart as much as a bath would to my temperature: Because you are my sister and the transition had been difficult to deal with for both of us. A class party nor a bench ticket doesn't define who you are.

"Tina, we will require you to stay after school every day until winter break to complete extra work! I have a huge pile of work on my desk dedicated just for you," she said, pointing to the pile of papers that was at least five times the size of me. "You are so unique and lucky."

"So three more months?!"

"Yes, we will start next Monday."

 The news struck me hard. My feathers drooped. I wept an ocean of tears. It would take a century to complete that amount of work...

  You'll find your way out of here, Tina. Do not panic. Is there a way to-

Mrs. Bing Bong continued her speech before I had a chance to think.

 "By the way, if only one student earns candy here, they can to leave school early without any homework, but since Maggie and Evelyn received candies, they can't do that. Instead, they gain an extra-long recess! Based on what happened today, they'll get a thirty-minute recess, Chicky will get a regular twenty-minute recess, and Tina, sorry, a ten-minute recess."

 Her tone of 'sorry' made me gag; I could see her face contort into an ugly heart shape.

 At least there was still a recess. This is my life now, isn't it? On the first day of school, she hates me, and everyone else feels the same. How is it possible for me to live like this for an entire year and for the years to come?

 "Off you go, class!" Mrs. Bing Bong dismissed us.

 I saw Maggie and Evelyn walking together, laughing, and getting their candies out of their wrappers.

"I must have your candies now. Or else-" I screamed, storming up to them like a monster.

  Oh, shoot! I forgot to include the threatening part, which is the key to success…

Maggie deserved to have her candy taken away since she cheated and still "earned" candy.

"Or else what? Anyway, we don't need to hear your voice as we can just as easily tell on you right now, but...because we are way too nice, we're letting that pass. Evelyn said, putting her wings on Maggie to show that they were a team.

I have one argument: they were not nice. Smart birds can be so difficult to deal with? Who knew? My mind is on staying out of trouble...where's Chicky?

As I was about to walk away to search for her…

"Come in, Tina! It's been ten minutes," Mrs. Bing Bong called me in.

 My ears couldn't believe what I heard! Has it really been ten minutes already? My "fun" and relaxing time consisted of getting looked down upon by the blues.

 "I want you to focus on pages 3-30 now and at home; they're all due tomorrow. Have fun!" Mrs. Bing Bong said.

 Knowing that I couldn't argue, I sighed heavily. Despite my reluctance, I put my pencil to the paper and started working. The situation appeared hopeless.

"May I play with you two?" Chicky asked.

After a tragedy like the one with our parents, is she breaking our loyalty? She couldn't possibly do that!

  "Sure! Let's play 'helicopter'."

Ms. Bing Bing called her in after several laughs and falls, leaving the entire play area to the blues.

While we worked on Mad Math, Maggie asked Mrs. Bing Bong about the watery feeling the candies gave them.

"I forgot to tell you guys! As soon as you eat the first candy, you will gain water powers, meaning you can make water disappear, appear, or even manipulate it in various shapes! The more candy you eat, the stronger you will become in the water world!"

It kept getting better for her and worse for me!

What was happening?

After I multitasked for a few minutes, the blues came rushing in from their practice session and asked if they could share it with the class.

It's more like showing off something that we do not have…

As Mrs. Bing Bong left the stage to return to her desk, the entire stage was theirs.

Another way for attention...

  "Basically, we have water powers that can be used to manipulate water.

  That's obvious but okay.

I was awed by their movements and what came from their wings...

 "Can you make the water splash?" I asked, sniggering, knowing that they weren't powerful yet.

 They nodded and some of the water even got to me, which was probably made to do on purpose.

  Flashback to what happened with the gems…

Like the hate that was thrown at me, the water penetrated into my 'previously dry' feathers, sank in and never emerged. I felt a thousand pounds heavier than before and could barely stretch.

  On occasion, I've wished there was a machine or power to document the contents of my mind; I would have the ability to delete memories that have harmed me, but that wasn't likely to happen anytime soon.

 In front of the blues, I saw a water image of Chicky and me!

  Chicks matter at last!

While I could see the tension on their faces, probably as a result of all the strength they have been using to create such an incredible image, each little detail was perfect!

  That is what I call art! This miracle has finally impressed me…

They said, "Water water water, stop and go away!"

Unsurprisingly, it did.

  "Whooo, that was amazing!!" we all cheered, but I heard Mrs. Bing Bong's voice of death again...

 "Thank you, Maggie and Evelyn, for sharing that and giving us all a break from school. However, we must go back on track, so Tina and Chicky, you two need to study for your homework while Maggie and Evelyn have none."

A voice from the principal, Mrs. Bellamy, appeared over the speaker as I was writing down my task.

 "Good morning students and staff, I apologize for the inconvenience, but we have an earthquake. Keep calm and follow your teacher's instructions. I will come back when it's safe to return to normal activity."

 Evelyn! I-" Maggie attempted to say, but Ms. Bing Bing shook her off.

  Exactly what I mean by annoying...oh, why do I have to be stuck with her in such a situation?

  "Okay, everyone. Since we are already inside the school building, we will remain in the classroom. Put your chairs up, crouch under your desks, and hold onto your neck."

 Chicky began by asking, "Why our n-," but Ms. Bing Bing interrupted her.

We never really learned any safety protocols before, but we had experienced an earthquake.

 "No time to explain now, Chicky. Just do as I say."

I hope the building won't collapse before we have a chance to evacuate.

  As Chicky and I held onto each other for dear life, Maggie turned as numb as an ice cube, and Evelyn was laughing.

I asked, already knowing the answer, "What's so funny?"

"Tina and Chicky, do you remember what happened before you came into our lives?"

Chicky's face turned red like a ripe tomato. "It's time to shut up already!"

Us, chicks, had a hard time fitting into the family, not only because of our vibrant, sunshine-happy colors, but we also have small bodies and squeaky voices, which didn't help at all with arguing against the birds.

Are they using our vibrant colors to test us when we'd become either blue?

The principal saved me from exploding when she came on the speaker before I went deep in thought. The condition appeared to be a drill, but I hope everyone is prepared for a potentially life-threatening natural hazard when it actually occurs."

This can't be true...Why do they do this? If it happened, I think we'd be fine. In that sense, I still lost my parents.