When the cat's away...

[Tallulah Wright]

The camping trip at the national park sounded really interesting, she gave them that, but also a bit difficult for her. She considered herself still too clumsy on her new prosthetic leg to really try it out in the woods. Even if they all saw her with nothing at all there, walking with crutches, she didn’t want to have them pity her because she constantly stumbled and fell.

It was quiet without all these students and staff gone for the trip. It was a bit strange yet, at the same time, welcomed. There weren’t as many students pushing you around or being loud like there was no one else around that may not want to hear them. There still were plenty of those but it was like they all noticed the students away and reacted accordingly.

Despite this break for those at the trip, they didn't have much rest. Tallulah still had plenty of work to do for school, something that might also have to do with the fact she spent a few nights watching dramas instead of doing them straight away. But she always finished her work, even with this little obsession of her.

She let out a sigh of contentment as she finished her work. All done. Yawning, she stretched herself against the back of the couch and looked around. She couldn’t believe she was alone around the lounge. Then she thought it was probably the time people were either at their club or whatever place they liked to hang out. Apparently, it was not the lounge at this time of the day. She meant to stand up but she stayed sitting in here for so long that her legs were wobbly and she ended up falling back on the couch. “Just great,” she grumbled, massaging her right knee right above the prosthetic. Thank goodness she had pants though to prevent anyone from seeing it.

TAG: Peyton Hobbs

[Peyton Hobbs]

The school and her classmates had been talking about the camping trip all week. Honestly Peyton was sick of it. She understood the why but there was only so much she could bare to listen to. Still with everyone gone it did give her a chance to spread her wings so to speak. At least she could move around the common rooms and not worry about hitting anyone and everyone with her wings.

Deciding to use this time to her advantage, Peyton did what any student would do. Grab a snack and go watch TV. In her case it was dried fruits. As for the TV, well she hadn’t decided yet. Peyton was just about to walk around the couch when she pulled up short. Stopping just shy of running into another student. “Oh! Sorry. Mind if I join you?” She tucked her wings tight before stepping around the stranger before taking a seat, sitting lengthwise on the couch, glad she wasn’t wearing her sneakers. Her wings hanging over the armrest.

Tallulah Wright

[Tallulah Wright]

Tallulah knew people came in all sorts of shapes but it really was only here that you could see a winged girl and not think it was some sort of costume. She had just been forced to sit again, thanks to her stupid knees giving up on her when the girl walked in. Tal looked up and saw the young girl who talked to her, asking if she could join her. It was impossible not to see them, no matter how well she tucked them in. Tal didn't mean to stare but it was kind of hard not to. Even in here, wings weren’t exactly all that common.

She did seem to get what the girl asked her though. “Oh yes! Yes, of course,” she said, getting her books from around her and placing them in a neat pile on the table near. That would offer the girl more space to sit. Tal did wonder about her wings and how comfortable she’d be but she saw how she already found a position where they’d be fine. At least, she figured they would. “It’s quiet, isn’t it?” she let out as she looked around the otherwise empty lounge. She never would have thought that taking only a handful of students from here would cause that. She sighed at the thought. “But it’s kind of nice.”

[Peyton Hobbs]

Peyton had been at the school long enough now where the students stares had started to fade into the background. At least enough where it didn’t bother her as much as it had before. She did at least understand the why of it. In truth what bothered her more now were the ones who did their best to just talk about her behind her back.

It was nice having space to sit like this. Normally she simply didn’t. Normally she would end up perched on the back of the couch or sitting on a reversed table chair. She gave the other girl a quick smile of thanks at moving a few things to give her more space. “Feel free to swat my feet if I start taking up too much space OK?”

She nodded at the other girls question. “Yeah it is. I’m not used to a school being this quiet. Even my small one back home. I know back home on a day like this I’d be hanging out with my friends. Well before I grew wings.” It really was quiet. But then this school and area was rather different than back home.

Tallulah Wright

[Tallulah Wright]

As Tallulah looked at the girl sitting down, the thought of how hard it must be for her to find a comfortable seat crossed her mind. If Tallulah sometimes struggled getting a seat when walking on crutches, she bet people could be just as indifferent of her state. How many grumbled because her wings were in the way? “Oh, it’s alright. It must be nice to finally have some space, right? It’s usually crowded. Not super crowded, but it’s not always easy to get the couches,” she replied. Sitting on the floor was a little difficult for her. And uncomfortable. Not to add having to get up afterwards. But not everyone understood or cared about it.

The girl was right, it was strange for the school to be quiet. It was not like everyone left for the camp except for the two of them. “I think the clubs organized a few stuff for those who stayed,” she said to explain why no one had taken advantage of this empty space before them. She was not worried about it though, no doubt some would join eventually. For the time being, she enjoyed having it all to herself. Well, herself and the winged girl.

She nodded to what she said. Was she bitter about her wings? Tal had been weird even before she found out she was a mutant. She never had a large group of friends. “You miss your home? How long have you been here?” She knew it could be rough at first. There were just so many things to adapt to. Not everyone had the chance to grow within a family of mutant and were prepared for that sort of thing.

[Peyton Hobbs]

She smiled at that, at the woman’s comment about having space. In response she sat up glancing behind her enough to make sure her wings were clear before extending them to their full wingspan. “ The only place I could do this normally is outside. Even my room barely gives me enough space.” Peyton stretched her arms as well, her wings moving in a way to match the motion.

Ah now that would explain why it was this quiet. In truth Peyton had been kinda avoiding the school clubs. Well avoiding most anything really. “So probably parties and get togethers and dinners and stuff? I think I’ll enjoy the relative peace.” She was just glad much like the other student was that they had a moment to enjoy the lounge like this.

Did she miss her home? That was a fair assessment really. “I miss my friends and my family. I miss my horses. My wings grew rather quickly honestly. Spooked my horses. I hid from my friends. They couldn’t find out I was a freak.” She winced slightly at that word. “Sorry.. I’m.. slowly.. Coming to terms with it all. It hasn’t been easy. I’m just not there just yet.” She knew that she should label herself or others as a freak. It wasn’t true. She had certainly been bitter about her wings before. Now she was becoming accepting. In truth she really did find them beautiful.

Tallulah Wright

[Tallulah Wright]

Tallulah said nothing but couldn’t prevent looking as she watched the other girl spread her wings a bit more. She nodded as she explained she rarely had the opportunity to do that. “I can guess,” she replied. She had a few questions popping in her mind, like if she grew restless if she didn't spread them every once in a while but she also knew how that can be tiring to answer questions like that. How many times did she have to answer whether it hurt her or not or how it happened? She didn’t want to be that girl to someone else.

Tallulah shrugged at the question. She wasn’t sure exactly what they were doing. “I’m only in the culinary club and we’re not doing anything. I think they mostly wanted to give them a chance to have some fun, since we’re stuck with school work and those at the camping trip aren’t.” This could strike as unfair but Tallulah didn’t mind. Besides, she doubted she could have gone anyway. She couldn’t see herself hiking in the woods when there were times she was still a little clumsy. She smiled though, as she too enjoyed the peace. “If you want to watch the TV, be my guest, I really don’t mind,” she assured, trying to look for the remote. She buried it under her books and it took her a moment, but she eventually found it and gave it to the girl. “I’m Tallulah, by the way.”

Tallulah had another nod of understanding. Everyone was like that when they arrived here. Bellefonte wasn’t like an ordinary school where you stayed at home with your parents and took a bus to get to it every morning. People came from all over the States, some were even transfer students from other countries. She did have a light frown at the mention of freak but she knew how she felt the same as well. She shook her head at her apology. “I guess it’s cliché to say, but things get better over time. Everyone misses their home when coming here, but you learn. And you can get back for the holidays when you get enough control. Everyone feels a little left out or weird when they arrive. Sometimes it’s hard, but things will go easier if you learn to accept who you are.”

[Peyton Hobbs]

After rolling her neck, Peyton folded her wings back in though not as tight as before. Might as well take advantage of the space. “It’s been an adjustment.” honestly she would love in a way to answer and even hear those questions. Most of the other students just avoided them. Really she understood the why but at the same time, they were obvious questions.

Peyton thought about what she would think about the camping trip. “I guess that the camping trip isn’t that appealing to me. I grew up in a heavily wooded area and could technically camp in my backyard. We have a small woods back there. A few acres.” She had camped out back there with her friends a few times actually. “I haven't joined any clubs yet.” She should at some point. She took the remote from the young woman with a nod of thanks and laughed a little when she introduced herself. “Hi Tallulah, I’m Peyton.”

She knew all of what Tallulah said was true and she found herself nodding in agreement. “It is cliché but it’s true.” She knew she would adjust in time. “The only thing is.. I’m not sure it’s control that’s my issue about going home. I’ve flown.. Once.. or twice.” And panicked when she got too high up. Peyton honestly had no idea she had any fear of heights until she found herself up there under her own power. “I think for me it’s more of I can’t blend in so I have to like you said, accept who I am and be willing to deal with all of that. I’m afraid of how my friends will react when they find out.

[Tallulah Wright]

“I know what it’s like,” Tallulah replied. She knew very well the kind of adjustment one had to do when your body changed, and she was not talking puberty here. “It’s a slow process, but you shouldn’t try to force things. You should go at your rhythm. You’ll have a lot of apologizing to do but at least you know you’ll get there eventually.” She shrugged as she said but. How often she apologized herself, dropped stuff, stepped on people’s feet or had to ask for more space because she couldn’t walk around with her crutches? Yeah, she knew how long and frustrating that process could be.

Unlike the girl, she didn’t live surrounded by woods much. But there was another reason for the trip not to appeal to her. She pulled her right pant leg to show her the prosthetic underneath. “I’m still a little wobbly on it. If I have sometimes trouble walking down stairs, I didn’t want to try uneven ground,” she explained. Tal appreciated that this leg allowed her to look normal, but she also didn’t want to pretend it wasn’t there. And she thought the girl would understand she knew what she was talking about when she mentioned getting used to the body changes. “You don’t have to. I just joined this year, now that I don’t have to walk on crutches. It’s easier to cook when your two hands are free,” she said, lifting both hands and having a little smile at it. The smile grew larger as she introduced herself. “Nice to meet you.”

Tal was about to ask Peyton what it was like to fly but a quick glance at the girl’s facial expression gave her a good idea of her thoughts on the matter. She winced at the mention of her friend, knowing she didn’t have a suitable answer for that one. “You can’t pull them back completely? You must have had some training sessions if you flew, what did your trainer said?” She didn’t want to give her hope when there was none but she didn’t know her case either.