“Kanara, come on!” Ugh… Good morning to you too, Sheeka…

“No, I’m not going. I’m sick.” I coughed an incredibly fake cough and pulled the covers over my head.

“Oh no you don’t!” For some reason, Sheeka’s voice was returning to my ears quicker than—OOF! …And that would be why…

“Get off me Sheeka. I can’t—breath!” I gasped for air as my 150 pound sister rolled off of me and my bed.

“I’m not that heavy, you lazy panda.” Ha. Normally, that would be an insult, but not today!



As I brought myself downstairs, monkey bread was just coming out of the oven. The smell of the brown sugar and cinnamon tickled my nose and warmed my soul. Okay, so a little cheesy, but honestly it’s the best way I can describe what monkey bread does to me. The sticky dough rolled into little balls stuck together dripping with a sweet sauce of brown sugar and cinnamon. Mmm… I waved towards mom and she nodded towards the table.

Good Morning! How’d you sleep? Her hands flashed to me.

Fine, I guess. Just strange dreams all night. My hands answered her. Sign language was my first language, since my mother has been deaf since she was born. She took to teaching my sister and I how to sign when we were just infants. However, dad speaks, so he wanted to make sure we could speak and sign; so we were put into a private school and we’ve been going there ever since. Sheeka, my baby sister, is a sophomore and I myself am a junior.

“Happy Birthday Sweetheart,” my father signed and said as he came down from upstairs. He was dressed in a suit and tie, same as every day.

Thanks Papa. I returned and bowed towards him.

A light tap on my left shoulder indicated that mom wanted my attention.

Yes?

You can’t go to school looking like that! Today is one of the most special days of your life! My mother was one of the fastest signers I knew, and most of the time, I struggled to understand everything she said.

I sighed…

Not sure if I got all of that-She huffed at me and pointed to my outfit. I was wearing my favorite outfit that I owned and managed to buy without anyone in my family being able to object, since I paid for it all. It consisted of black skinny jeans with a baggy “Free Hugs” rainbow sweatshirt and a white tank peeking out from underneath. The speckled converse really topped it off though, but those were from an aunt that I no longer know.

Ma! This is always what I wear… I sighed. Just because this was my 17th birthday didn’t mean I had to be a freakin’ princess.

The chunk, chunk sound of wedges-black with pink rhinestones-came down the hardwood steps as my lovely fashionista sister came down from upstairs. Let’s see, a black pencil miniskirt with a tight, lacey pink shirt, pink bow in her hair with pink bow earrings. She always did look breath taking.

Are you really wearing that for your birthday?! Of course she signed it. Wanted to make sure mom knew what was going on. I heard mom mouth ‘Thank you!’ behind my back.

I looked at myself one more time in the mirror. My sister was glowing so brightly that I think she out-did the sun. My mother’s eyes were full of tears.

You look beautiful. She sighed and kissed my cheek, then walked back downstairs.

“Thanks a lot,” I mumbled to Sheeka.
You’re welcome! Maybe you’ll actually get a dog tonight!”

“A dog?” I nearly wet myself with laughter. My sister’s signing was never as good as mine and it showed more often than not.

“A date! You know what I mean,” she snapped.

“How did you even mix those up? They aren’t even close to being alike.” My chest and stomach were beginning to cramp.

“You’re welcome!” Sheeka huffed and stormed out of the room.

The girl looking back at me in my mirror was shockingly different. A knee-length dress the color of blooming cherry blossoms clung to my body and hugged all my curves nicely. My mother had waited for this day ever since I was born. My caramel hair was in curls all the way down my back stopping at the bottom of my shoulder blades. The silver, two-inch heels my sister surprised me with weren’t too bad looking on my size 10 feet. I sighed and blushed a little, okay a lot. Mom was right; I did look beautiful…



Let your sister drive this morning; you can’t mess up your beautiful dress! You have to look absolutely stunning when you get to school. And we all know that you can’t look that way when you’re driving. You clench your brow and wrinkle your nose. Those actions will totally ruin your make-up.

“Fine Ma… You win.” If nagging was an Olympic spot, my mother and sister would be gold medalists. My sister instantly grabbed my keys from my new purse and hopped into the driver seat.

“Careful! This is MY car after all.” I looked over to Mom who only shrugged and my sister let out a cackle.

“Only works for me,” she smirked.

What? Mom asked, but Sheeka just waved.

I love you! was her reply as she started up the car. I lightly folded myself into the passenger side, shut the door and sighed. Sheeka’s foot immediately hit the gas and we flashed off.

‘Thanks a lot Mom…’ I thought to myself.



Devlon Private School. Not your everyday private school, for sure. For starters, we didn’t have uniforms. Secondly, well… How many private schools do you know of where juniors and seniors have tails and claws? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Well, that’s Devlon. As far as the look of the school, it’s pretty drab. It’s stone on the front wall on the outside and then gray brick all around. It’s one story, but it has some of the longest hallways I have ever seen.

My sister pulled into my assigned parking space and threw the keys over to me.

Love you! Mean it! And then she was gone. I rested my head against the headrest and let out a long sigh.

Tap! Tap! A toothy grin appeared at my window just as I was beginning to relax.

“Good Morning! You look purrfect today,” a muffled voice said to me. Nick, ladies and gentlemen. Bet you can’t guess what his animal his transformation is. I opened up the car door and stepped out, the silver heels dancing in the morning sun.

“Ow! Ow!” A girlie squeal pierced my ears. Lizzie. She was wearing a formfitting, bold, red dress, almost too short for the dress code, black five-inch pumps, and diamond earrings.

“Aren’t you all subtle today?” I cocked a grin at her.

“Who would have thought that you of all people have a figure?!” she managed to snip back.

Nick nudged my side as we walked to class.

You look beautiful today. Got any big plans for tonight? I shook my head and heard Lizzie sigh. She always hated it when Nick and I would sign to each other in front of her. She felt left out, but that was just too bad for her. Nick and I grew up signing together because we both of our mothers were deaf.

“You guuuyyysss…” And cue the whines. Lizzie let out a huffy breath and walked in front of us. Her white nub of fur swished back and forth.

“Oh come on Liz. Don’t be like that.” Nick never liked offending her, even if he was the dominant animal.

Oh right. Tails and claws. Never really explained that did I? Oops… Well, Devlon School is private for a specific reason. We’re special kids. Okay, not like that… I mean, we really are special. We start growing animal parts when we turn 17. And yours truly turned 17 today! You see, each house name has a specified animals they grow into. As adults, you learn to hide them, but until that point you have to attend a Devlon School. Elementary all the way through college. I mean, sure we can go shopping outside our community, we just have to prepare ourselves for the snooty remarks from the outside world. Most of the time we just stayed in Devlon.

“Good Morning All! Today is a very special day for our student Kanara Shealey. It is her 17th birthday!” Professor Long knew everything there was the know about our community, the families, and what animal was which household. As I walked in a couple people smiled, some clapped, but most of the class was still asleep. Transformation 301 was the eight am class for juniors. Half of the class was already forming, the others still worried how transforming would be.
“According to family records, you will be transforming into the Giant Panda…” Yep! That’s me! I’m so excited. Mom said I would probably gain some weight, but there was nothing I could really do about it.

A panda? You won’t eat me, will you? Nick signed to me from his corner desk.

Are you kidding? Pandas don’t eat lions! I giggled and rolled my eyes.

“…So happy birthday, Kanara Shealey!” Professor Long finally finished and more people clapped, but I’m sure it wasn’t for my birthday. I turned to Lizzie and signed Shopping? That was the only sign Lizzie ever cared to learn. Her frown from earlier quickly vanished and she was grinning from ear to ear and nodding quickly.
‘Good. I’ll drive,’ I mouthed.

After the final bell rang, I met Sheeka and Lizzie at my car.
“Liz get’s shotgun,” I reminded Sheeka. She sighed and hopped into the back seat.

“Thank you!” Lizzie peeped. Sheeka just rolled her eyes and threw her headphones on.

I’m going shopping with Liz. We can do dinner later! Of course my mother failed to mention we were having family time tonight. Of all days, why my birthday?

I expect you to be home by 7. We have lots to talk about, she snapped at me. Man, couldn’t even talk and her words could kill… Lizzie sat at the kitchen table awkwardly until I came down in a better outfit. She hopped up out of the chair almost too quickly.

“Ready?!”
“Yea, let’s go.” I grabbed my bag and we flew out of the house.

“Your mom scares me.” Lizzie had been telling me that since middle school.
“Liz, she’s not bad. Honest.”

“I think she hates me.”

I sighed, “She doesn’t hate you. She’s annoyed that I’m not taking transforming more seriously.”

“It’s really not that big of a deal. It’s not like it hurts,” Lizzie rolled her eyes and perked her little bunny ears up. Common garden rabbit was the Brute family’s animal. Animals, by the way, are passed through the male genes. They overpower the female’s animal gene when they mate. Lizzie’s transformation couldn’t have been more perfect. Her body shape was appealing to the eyes, her soft caramel colored fur ears complemented her red hair, and her tail was never too big.

“Lucky…” I sighed aloud while admiring her body.

“What?”

“ I’m probably going to gain weight, but you just keep losing it! No fair.”

Lizzie giggled and her cheeks turned the color of the cherry blossoms themselves.

“You’ll still be sexy! A little meat on your bones isn’t too horrible,” she smiled and pointed at a sweet parking spot in the middle of downtown Devlon.

“Not even sure why we came shopping. I’m gonna have to buy fat people clothes…” I sighed and drug myself behind Lizzie into the store.

“How about this one?” Lizzie walked out in a dark chocolate dress. A high slit revealed her left leg nicely and the back almost reached her tail.

“Your mother would flip,” I laughed.

“Yes, but Daddy would love it! He’d say it is very sexy and chic.” She began to spin in a small circle and the chocolate skirt danced around her.

“Does it clash with my ears?” The caramel fur danced with her hair and I couldn’t help but to smile.

“Guess not,” she giggled. I threw my feet up, “Anymore?”

“No, but you have yet to try any on! And it’s your birthday,” she shouted from behind the thick velvet curtain of the dressing room.

“I can’t, remember? I’m going to gain at least 20 pounds by the end of the week. By the time the ball comes, I’m going to weigh 300 pounds…” I grumbled. I have to admit, I wasn’t too thrilled about that.

“Your mom and dad aren’t that big.”
“Mom is a doe, remember? Father’s genes are the only ones to pass to children. And Dad works out and gets shots or something. Apparently it’s really expensive.”

Lizzie sighed loudly and appeared from behind the curtain. “I’d still ask for them.” She shrugged and threw the dress up on the counter. The girl on the other side took a moment and just gazed at Liz. Told ya, appealing to the eyes.

“$1,550.99.”

My mouth dropped and Lizzie’s card flew at the girl. “And it’s debit.”

I just stared at Lizzie.

“What? Daddy gave me a $4,000 limit. And that was just for the dress alone!”

And now you fully understand the Brute family.

“I have to look the best,” she chuckled at me. “Don’t you dare sell this dress to anyone else,” she threatened the girl behind the counter. And with that lovely comment, we left the store.