Alex

At least the food looks okay. I filled my plate with blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, grapes, and a big helping of bacon and eggs.

I surveyed the dining hall, looking for an empty table where I could eat my breakfast alone.

“You can sit here,” someone waved to me from a table right in front of me.

Can’t avoid the other angels forever. I hopped onto the perch opposite her.

“I’m Lilly.” She smiled–as much as it’s possible to smile with a beak.

“Alex.” I took a forkful of eggs.

“I take it you don’t know anyone here?”

I shrugged.

“Me neither. I live right by Saint Williams, so everyone else went there.”

“Why didn’t you?” Saint Williams was halfway across the country, and this wasn’t a very well-known school.

“I just… wanted a little change of scenery, after 22 years in the same place.”

“Yeah… I get that.” After a while, you start to feel trapped. Walls meant to keep danger out start to feel like a cage to keep you in.

I tried the strawberries, skipping my fork and just grabbing them with my beak. Nice and juicy.

Lilly gave me a look of dissapproval and disgust.

I sighed, taking up my fork again. I’d forgotten how much importance angels put on stuff like that. “Sorry.”

“That’s no way for an angel to eat. We’re better than that.”

It took all my effort to refrain from making a snide comment.

“I must have left my manners with my feathers.” I spread my pathetic featherless wings.

My not-making-snide-comments skills could use a bit of work…

She shook her head.

I’d taken care to choose a more-lenient angel academy. One that didn’t make everyone wear chastity belts. But it was still going to be a struggle.

Suddenly, Lilly grabbed half a dozen berries with her beak.

I blinked.

“Can’t be perfect all the time.” She smiled warmly and resumed using her fork again.

“Right.” I smiled back.

Maybe it won’t be so bad, after all.