2298
Milky Way Galaxy
Planet Earth
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn Public School
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The one thing Malyla Stephens hated was when people brought up the tragic passing of her parents as if it was some mistake on their part that caused their death.

She hunched forward, her arms folded on the cafeteria table at the public school in Brooklyn as her eyes scanned the glass window cafeteria.

AI lunch ladies clad in soft artificial metallic skin, their faces held a pleasant expression greeting the students. Their blue and purple uniforms made from waterproof materials to keep spills and mishaps from causing them to malfunction. They worked in unison distributing the food prepared by themselves with the help of humans controlling them from the comfort of their homes.

She twisted her strawberry blonde hair around her finger while her other hand held a fork that pokes at the extra cheesy mac and cheese on her tray.

Adel Malek's green eyes glanced at his friend, taking a bite out of his chicken strips. "Malyla," He gently said, his black hair falling out of it slicked back style. He chewed up the food in his mouth and swallowed, noticing how quiet she was. "Malyla?"

Malyla turned her head towards Adel, snapping out of her trance-like state. Her eyebrows furrowed and her expression became confused. "Oh, um, sorry, what were you talking about?" She asked, pushing the hair she had just been playing with behind her ear.

Adel pursed his lips momentarily before replying to her question. "Well, Pedro and I were discussing what to do this weekend. He asked if you wanted to go to the beach or go to the arcade. I said I'd prefer the arcade since I wanna play some more retro games."

Malyla's cheeks grew red, simply out of embarrassment for not listening to her friends and being lost in her thoughts. "Oh, sorry. Um, I don't know. Fletcher will be at the hospital working, I'd have to take Sammy with me." She sheepishly replied, folding her arms and resting them on the table.

Pedro Oliveira smiled, his hazel eyes seemingly smiling too as he sat back, pulling the beanie over his light brown hair. "Sammy is always welcome to join." He enthusiastically said, shoveling some mashed potatoes into his mouth.

Malyla frowned, she definitely didn't want her little brother coming along, but she couldn't exactly say no. "Only if Sammy is up for it. He'd probably rather stay home and watch cooking shows than play retro games." She huffed, giving her eyes a roll as she sipped on her drink.

Adel nudged her gently with his elbow. "Who doesn't love cooking shows? Well, except for that famous cooking show where the celebrity chefs hide behind the AIs and create the dishes. It's kinda dumb since the AIs are nothing more than robots with human features. Pfft, it's what? The 23rd century and we still don't have AIs who think for themselves?"

"Ah~" Pedro slammed down his water bottle after he had chugged the water down in a matter of three gulps. "We at least have flying cars - we'll, hovercrafts which are technically they are only used at the Space Exploration, Research and Aeronautics Institute for their aviation program, normal people like us, unless rich, could only get hovercraft modeled after vintage motorcycles."

Malyla groaned and laced her fingers in her hair, resting her elbows on the table. "Ugh, not SERA. Those liars! Blaming accidents on innocent people rather than investigating and finding out the truth about what really happened." She grumbled, hatred burning inside her and a fire dancing in her eyes at the mere mention of their name.

Adel exchanged an awkward glance with Pedro before looking back at Malyla. "Normally you'd be dismissive when we speak about SERA. Did Cheyenne bring up your parents again?"

Malyla sighed heavily, resting her head on the table. "Yes, she did! It was when we were asked what we were going to do when school ended. She had to make a snide comment about how she was going into Desert Sands Prep College and then into SERA's Defense Force unlike me because of my outburst over the unfortunate death of my parents." She replied, her heart feeling heavy and tighter as she spoke.

Adel reached his hand out and placed it on her shoulder. "You can't allow Cheyenne to get to you. She's just jealous that your parents are considered legends . . . despite what SERA said happened to them." He added the latter sheepishly and played it off with a shrug.

Malyla looked up at her friends, teeth gritted, her eyes still dancing with hatred. "How can I not? She said she'd become a pilot at SERA and be way better than my parents and not make the same error in judgment they did. And my parents' error caused SERA to realize they needed fighter pilots for every expedition. Everything happens for a reason. As if!" She slammed her hands on the table.

Pedro furrowed his brows as he chewed up the food in his mouth. "But your mom was the engineering officer and command module pilot and your dad the communications officer and lunar module pilot. It was Margaret O'Doherty who was the pilot of the Atlas 293, not your parents."

Malyla nodded, giving yet another heavy sigh. "Yes, we know that. But everyone seems to forget about her. I can only guess it is because she's not nearly famous enough for people to remember." She mumbled the last bit, feeling bad that she had gone forgotten.

Adel reached over and rubbed her back. "Still, it doesn't matter what people like her say. They're ignorant and closed-minded. One day they will be proven wrong and have to swallow the harsh pill of eating their own words." He flashed her a sympathetic smile.

Pedro scratched the side of his head as his eyes glanced between Adel and Malyla. "But there was never a report of the Atlas 293 crashing. Communications went dead. So, there is no way to prove what really happened, so, it's all just speculation and blindly agreeing with one side of the story." He whispered to his friends, side eyeing around them.

Malyla groaned, tilting her head to the side with an unimpressed look. "We know that! But everyone else believes it because that is what the SERA said. They're the be-all end-all." She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Pedro didn't like where this was turning so he quickly piped up. "Look on the bright side, three more hours until school is out! Wanna go to your house and have a study party before we go to play retro games? I'm in the mood for whatever Sammy is cooking up." He suggested excitedly, grinning once Malyla and Adel agreed with nods.

Cheyenne Harper, who was at the table beside theirs, looked over at Malyla as she got up and approached them. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help overhearing what you were saying." A devilish grin grew on her peachy glossed lips, her blue eyes sparkling as she tucked a lock of ash blonde hair behind her ear.

Malyla clenched her jaw and turned towards Cheyenne, sucking in a deep breath and putting on the fakest smile she could muster. "Eavesdrop much, Cheyenne?" She asked sweetly, hoping she could get her to go away as soon as she could.

Cheyenne, in return, gave a fake smile, clearly knowing what game Malyla was trying to play. "I wasn't eavesdropping, how could I not hear when you were speaking for the whole school to hear." She sweetly spoke, a hint of sarcasm dripping off her voice.

Malyla dug her nails into the palms of her hands. "We were whispering." She forced out through gritted teeth. "Do you have something to say? Because I'm ten seconds away from leaving." She narrowed her eyes, wishing not to deal with this girl more so than she already had.

"Goodness, chill," Cheyenne placed her hand over her chest and gasped dramatically, drawing attention. "No need to leave. It's just - I don't understand why you can't accept the error your parents made." She slyly said the corner of her mouth inched into a smirk she was trying to hide.

Malyla could feel her blood begin to boil. "There was no error and it was Margaret O'Doherty who was the pilot, not my parents." She calmly corrected, trying to remain calm.

Cheyenne could tell Malyla was trying to remain calm, and she smirked. "Still, they were part of a team and if one fails, they all fail. Isn't that what our teachers say when group projects get a low score. It's everyone's fault. Not just a single person. It takes two to tango, doesn't it?" She placed her hands on the table and leaned closer to Malyla.

Malyla was trying her best to remain civil. "Did you just come over to say that and get a rise out of me?" She bitterly forced out, her anger bubbled like a volcano about to burst its top. "It's not working."

Cheyenne sighed, resting her hand on her cheek while crossing her other arm over her chest, resting her other elbow on it. "No, not only that. But dear Malyla, one of these days you're going to have to accept the truth SERA told us instead of letting conspiracy theories fool you with lies. All three of them were the cause of the Atlas 293 crashing and killing everyone. Now that error they made is being used as a learning experience for all cadets not to make the same mistakes they did."

"That error could have been avoided if they didn't decide to go rogue and not follow protocols which just so happens to be your parents' motif. Even if Margaret O'Doherty was the pilot, she still listened to your parents which was what got them killed! You can't blame SERA for anything since they didn't do anything wrong, your parents did! Just accept the truth Malyla and stop living in a fantasy world. They're dead. They're not coming back. SERA told the truth of what happened, believe it or not. Because I sure as heck won't make the same mistake your parents did when I become a -"

Malyla clenched her jaw and shot straight up out of her seat and lunged at her, sending her fist straight into the other girl's face, showing no mercy. All her pent-up anger was finally bursting through like a mento in a coke.

A crack sound could be heard along with a thud of both girls falling onto the floor. Blood splattered on Malyla's fisted hand, on her sleeve, and some on her shirt.

"Ow! What the heck Malyla!" Cheyenne cried, blood dripping from her nose down her face and onto her perfectly white lace button down shirt. She grabbed onto Malyla's arms and tried to push her away. "Get off me!"

Malyla didn't listen, her fists were sitting coming into contact with whatever opening skim she could find on Cheyenne. "Take it back! Take back what you said about my parents!" She yelled, a growing crowd egged on the fight between the girls.

Cheyenne managed to grab onto Malyla's hair and pull at it. "Get off me! I won't take it back because it's true. You just can't accept the fact your parents aren't perfect." She yelled back, managing to roll Malyla over and was now sitting on top of her.

Malyla's legs kicked around the air, her knees trying to hit Cheyenne's back but to no avail. "Ow, let go of my hair, you witch!" She yelled, grabbing onto Cheyenne's wrist and trying to pry her hands out of her hands. "Let go!" She cried, sending another punch, after not being able to get her hair free.

Cheyenne held onto Malyla's hair no matter how hard she punched her. "Stop hitting me you twit!" She yelled, feeling her back hit the floor, Malyla now on top of her, grabbing her hair. "Let go of my hair! I just got extensions! You'll ruin them!"

Malyla didn't care whether she had extensions in or not. "Should've thought of that before you mouthed off." She yelled, ripping out some of Cheyenne's extensions. She tossed them on the floor. "Ow!" She cried out as Cheyenne returned a few punches, hitting her cheek eye.

A whistle came from two teachers who grabbed each girl and pried them off each other. Both Cheyenne and Malyla were still yelling insults at each other as they fought against the grip of the teachers to get back to fighting.

Dolores Delgado walked up to the two girls and stood in between them. The disappointment of their actions was written all over her face as her brown eyes glanced between them both. "To my office NOW!" She sternly spoke, pointing her finger out of the cafeteria.

Malyla and Cheyenne pulled away from the teacher that held them and silently followed the principal to her office. They didn't even look at each other, not until they got to the office and the school nurse had gave them both an ice packet and rolled two paper towels for Cheyenne's nose.

Dolores sat at her desk, thanking the school nurse as she left, closing the door behind her. "I am quite disappointed in both of you girls," She finally spoke, her voice level and calm. She looked down at each girl as she brushed her brown hair from her face. "Especially you, Cheyenne." Her voice held disdain as she said her name.

Cheyenne's eyes widened as she frowned. "What? Why me? She's the one who punched me and broke my nose and pulled my extensions out!" She exclaimed, jabbing her finger at Malyla who glared in return. "She also got blood on my brand shirt! It costs more than her whole outfit -"

Malyla scoffed and rolled her eyes and scoffed. "After you so rudely blamed my parents and Maggie for their death!" She snapped back, moving the ice pack higher on her face so it now covered her eye and cheek.

Dolores pitched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "That is exactly why, Cheyenne, you know better than to bully your classmates. What you said to Malyla wasn't kind, especially since we don't know what happened." She didn't take too kindly to bullying.

Cheyenne couldn't believe that Dolores was taking Malyla's side over the whole thing. "But we do? How can you say otherwise? SERA said it was an error -"

Dolores held her hand in front of her, cutting Cheyenne off from saying anything else. "Still doesn't give you the right to say those awful things. Malyla lost her parents, how would you feel if you were in her place?"

Cheyenne fell silent as she looked off to the side, holding a small ice pack against her nose. She looked off to the side hoping her silence would tell Dolores everything she needed to know.

Dolores took her silence as the answer she was looking for. "I thought so," She then turned to Malyla and narrowed her eyes. "As for you, I know it's hard to not want to defend your parent's honor, but starting fights isn't the way to go about it. Just this semester alone this is your fifth fight, and I've been lenient because I feel bad."

Malyla looked down at her lap. She knew what was coming. "If you want to expel me I deserve it." She mumbled sadly, a bit of self-pity laced her voice as she would take the disappointment of expulsion.

"Don't, don't do any of that self-pity." Dolores said, her tone unimpressed with the card Malyla was trying to pull. "I'm not expelling you. Instead, you will be staying after school and helping out the after school program for impoverished kids for the rest of the school year."

Malyla's eyes widened and her face shot up and looked Dolores in the eyes. "But, how am I supposed to study for the SATs?" She exclaimed, abruptly standing up from her chair, the legs squeaking against the dark oak linoleum floors.

Dolores motioned with her finger for Malyla to sit down to which she complied. "Not my problem, Malyla. You'll just have to figure that out on your own by managing your time. We could have avoided this beforehand if you only had stopped getting into fights." She sternly said as the door opened.

Fletcher Wiess' stepped in, his blue eyes landed on Malyla, who was still wallowing in self-pity. He had been told briefly by the secretary what had happened. He was disappointed in Malyla, his expression clear as day to anyone who saw. "I'm truly sorry Mrs. Delgado," He apologized, shaking his head as his slicked-back brown hair fell around his face. "I will give her a long, stern talk once we get back home about how her actions were wrong."

Dolores stood up from her desk as Fletcher entered the room clad in a shiny neon blue tie and crisp white lab coat. "I would expect no less, Mr. Weiss. I'm truly sorry I had to call you away from work." She apologized, knowing how busy he was at this time of day.

Fletcher offered her apology a thankful smile and nod. "It's not a problem, thankfully the higher-ups are much more understanding and allow me the rest of the day off as long as I go back and do one surgery and clock out." He glanced down at Malyla and then at Cheyenne, both of whom were looking at the floor.

Dolores stood up and shook his hand, giving him a soft smile. "Have a good day, Mr. Weiss." She was pleased with how he had handled it. "And Cheyenne, your parents are picking you up. You're also banned from all extracurriculars for the rest of the year, courtesy of your parents if you had another issue like this."

Cheyenne's eyes widened as he sat straight up. "What? But, I am the captain of the cheer squad and we have daily practice! Who, who is going to be in my place?" She cried, standing up out of her chair and planting a hand on the table.

Fletcher could tell that Cheyenne would be there a while until her parents came. Kt wasn't any of his business, so he motioned for Malyla to leave the principal's office. "Come now," His voice stern, clearly showing how displeased he was with Malyla.

Malyla silently got up and left the office. She looked up at him once the door was closed. "Before you say anything -" She tried to talk her way out of this situation, but Fletcher had cut her off so she couldn't.

"We will talk at home." Fletcher stopped momentarily and looked down at her. "Gather your things for your locker and I'll meet you in the car in ten minutes. Any longer and you'll be in deeper trouble than you already are." With those words said he walked towards the doors.

Malyla swallowed as she pivoted on her heels and walked towards the lockers. She quickly gathered up her things and stuffed them in her backpack. She closed the locker, slung the backpack over her shoulder, and rushed out the doors.

She knew what awaited her at home would be nothing compared to what she had ever endured before.

🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑

A/N:
I might have procrastinated a little on this chapter. It was more of a mix of being tired and not having much idea on what to do. Thankfully I ended up getting a burst of ideas and tried to get it down as fast as I could.

Phew, and yes you will see more of Cheyenne and Mrs. Delgado much, much later. They aren't just characters that appear once, they'll play a major part in (the last book of the series?) I dunno, I'm still working out the whole thing.

Chapter Talk:
So, the spat between Malyla and Cheyenne is a little rough. By the time you're reading this I should have it polished up. I'm not that experienced in writing fight scenes like these nor the whole search Cheyenne did that made Malyla lose it. It's a WIP no doubt but hey it's a fun learning experience.

Thanks for reading!