I wasn't going back. Not now, not ever. My legs pumped faster, the pedals of my red motorized mountain bike whirring beneath me. I kept the motor off, saving the battery for when I really needed it. For now, adrenaline was enough to propel me forward. My breath came in sharp bursts, the wind tugging at my loose beanie and the flannel shirt my parents hated. They always said it was too unfeminine, too unrefined. But I didn't care anymore. I was free.
I blinked against the morning sun, tears stinging my eyes, the cool breeze sweeping through my wings, and rustling my hair. The house was far behind me now, just a distant memory fading with each push of the pedals. I hadn't told them anything. Not where I was going, not even that I was leaving. If they reserved me a room at the school, I'd just give it up and find a place they couldn't track me down. I was done with them and their demands, their suffocating expectations, their endless control.
This was my chance. My escape. I could finally breathe without their voices echoing in my head, telling me what to do and who to be. For once, I was in charge of my own life.
The path stretched out before me, the early light casting long shadows on the road. The world was wide open, indifferent to me—an unknown that didn't care about my past or the strings I'd just cut loose. I wiped a tear from my cheek, feeling a strange mix of fear and exhilaration. Sure, it was terrifying not knowing what came next, but nothing was scarier than the life I left behind.
When I got there, I was going to celebrate. Crack open a six-pack of beer at the gas station—the one thing my parents always hated the most. It wasn't about the drink; it was about freedom. The rebellion. The chance to be someone else, anyone else. Five years away from them, maybe more if I played my cards right. And if I could make friends—real friends, not the ones Mom and Dad picked out for me—I could finally have a family that felt like mine. One that wouldn't suffocate me wouldn't try to mold me into something I wasn't.
Family. Yeah, maybe this time I'd find the right one. One that didn't hurt.
I closed my eyes for a moment, trusting the road to guide me. I had time to think and time to dream about the life I could build from scratch. I lived a life where I was free to be myself.
other pov
The air was crisp as I soared through the sky, the first rays of sunlight stretching across the horizon. I could see it now—Dino High and the town surrounding it. It was even more majestic than I'd imagined, and my breath caught in my throat as the sprawling campus came into view. Gothic Victorian spires rose like sentinels, towering over lush grass fields and vibrant ecosystems, each one meticulously crafted to mimic the diverse biomes of the world.
There were endless green plains, enclosed forests, and a massive greenhouse dome that housed a rainforest. Elevated platforms simulated high-altitude cloud forests, while carved rocks and mesas recreated the arid beauty of deserts. Hills rolled over the steppe plains, and valleys cradled farms, rivers, and deltas that flowed into a warm swamp. The artificial sea sparkled under the morning light, divided by a vast lake whose waters cascaded into a synthetic waterfall, feeding ravines and underground rivers, complete with glowing mushrooms and mosses that lit up the darkness below.
I'd never seen anything like it. It demanded respect and awe—a whole new world in itself.
As I glided closer, I noticed the wind beneath my wings weakening. Damn. My glider's power was almost gone. I should've known six hours of travel would do that. I'd woken up early, thinking I'd get here with time to spare, but now it seemed I was barely on time. Mom was right, as usual—I really needed to plan better. I scanned the ground below. Did this school even have a landing strip?
That's when I spotted her—a small figure on a red bike, wings catching the breeze as she pedaled furiously along the winding road below. She looked like she was running from something—or maybe toward something. I couldn't tell which.
I circled lower, easing my descent until I was gliding just above the girl on the red bike. "Hey!" I called out, waving at her to catch her attention.
She looked up sharply, startled, her expression a mix of annoyance and something else.
Her wings fluttered awkwardly, and she slowed her pace, her eyes narrowing as if trying to size me up from a distance. Her wings flapped once, steadying her bike slowing its speed down to a crawl.
just enough for me to hover beside her. She wiped at her eyes hastily, like she didn't want me to see something. There was a wariness in her movements, like a bird ready to take off at the slightest sign of danger.
uhh hi. I repeated myself, careful not to startle her, lowering my voice, making my tone something less enthusiastic to match her body language she was displaying.
"Hi," she said, her voice clipped and tight. She quickly brushed her hand across her face, but I could see the streaks of ruined makeup and eyeliner. "Kalina," she added, not bothering with pleasantries. "Didn't think I'd run into anyone this early," her eyes quickly flicking away as if she'd rather be anywhere else looking to the school and the landscape around us.
There was something tense about this girl, and I could feel it. I kept a safe distance, hovering nearby. I'm Auzr," I replied, sizing her up. She looked at me, weirded out by my name. I get that a lot.
"I'm heading to Dino High too. Looks like we're both in the same boat—or, you know, sky," I said. I tried to smile, but she didn't return it. She didn't look like she belonged here—then again, neither did I.
so uhm? Is this your first time attending a boarding school? i asked.
yeh. Kalina nodded, chewing on her lip as she glanced back over her shoulder, like she was expecting someone to be chasing her. "Yeah. I'm... just trying to get away," she muttered, barely loud enough to hear over the wind. Her grip on the handlebars was white-knuckled, like she was clinging to them for dear life. "Away from everything."
I sigh quietly to myself. I didn't push her. Something about the way she avoided eye contact told me to keep my distance—both physically and emotionally. I knew the look of someone with walls up, and hers were sky-high. She didn't owe me her story, and I wasn't in the mood to pry into the mess of a stranger's life, especially when mine was complicated enough.
"Yeah," I said, keeping my voice light, "everyone's looking for a fresh start, I guess." I let the conversation hang there, hoping she wouldn't feel the need to fill the silence. baiting her into a response. the silence held for 2 minutes.
until she spoke again. "Just trying to get there without... you know, running into trouble.Her answer was quick, like she was choking on her words but barely holding back, stumbling over her own words. She could see I wasn't happy with that answer as I looked back, expecting a longer response. She sighed, giving into the pressure. After I gave her the look mom gives me when she knows I'm holding back something, and it works.
her wings twitching nervously at her sides. "A fresh start." She seemed to swallow hard, but the tension in her shoulders didn't ease. She kept pedaling, her eyes locked straight ahead, like she was too scared to look back—or maybe because there was really no home to go back to. I knew that feeling. I thought to myself. I lived at my dad's house; I could relate to the feeling.
We rode in silence for a while, the only sound being the whir of her bike tires against the road and the soft flapping of my glider's wings. The school loomed in the distance, its gothic towers casting long shadows on the sprawling grounds below. I stole a glance at Kalina, trying to read her, but she was impossible to pin down. Withdrawn, maybe scared, but not willing to show it. I knew better than to trust too easily, especially here. And she didn't look like someone who made friends at the drop of a hat either.
I tried to keep the mood friendly, even if she was putting up walls. "Yeah, me too. It's kind of overwhelming, isn't it? New place, new people... I'm excited, but I don't really know what to expect."
Kalina's grip tightened on her handlebars. She glanced at me, then quickly looked away. "I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm just looking forward to... being away from home." Her voice was flat, like she was repeating a line she'd rehearsed a dozen times.
I sensed she didn't want to dig deeper, but I couldn't help myself. "Yeah, fresh start and all that. I'm kind of curious though, why Dino High? It seems like there are easier schools to get into."
Kalina stiffened, her wings twitching slightly. "It's just... far," she said, her voice even more guarded now. "Far enough from everything." She shot me a quick, sideways glance, clearly not interested in explaining further. "What about you? "
The question felt more like a deflection than genuine curiosity, but I went along with it. "Honestly? Same. I needed a change. Some space to figure things out." I watched her carefully, hoping she might relax a little, but her expression stayed tight. I was unsure if I should push this further, testing my luck. looking for a breakthrough, an advantage I could use... against her in the future.
Kalina kept her eyes forward. I could see the strain in her posture and the way she hunched over the handlebars like they were a shield against the world. She didn't seem like someone who trusted easily—or at all, for that matter. She reminded me of dad.
I shifted the conversation, trying to keep it neutral. "So, any idea where we're supposed to land? My glider's about to conk out, and I'm not seeing a landing strip anywhere."
Kalina finally looked up, her expression still cautious. "There's supposed to be a spot near the main building," she said, her tone noncommittal. "We should... stick together, maybe. It's not exactly safe around here, with all the dinos and stuff."
I smile. This is what I wanted to hear. Did I win? or was she just using me? I caught the flicker of unease in her eyes and nodded, deciding not to question it. "Good plan. We'll find it together. forcing her to commit to finding it with me. I still had a lot I wanted to learn about this girl; I couldn't help being curious.
As Dino High loomed closer, the ornate towers and sprawling grounds came into clearer view. The reality of the place—so different from the safety of home—was starting to set in. I glanced at Kalina, her face set in a determined scowl, and realized that whatever she was hiding, she was determined to face it alone. I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. Even if she wanted to do whatever this was alone, I still wanted to watch, at least for my own amusement. I was a sucker for drama. but.
. Whatever her story was, Kalina wasn't sharing, and I wasn't asking. We had plenty of time, after all. She will crack open for me eventually. I smile deviously.