Present time, Monday

    The one thing you were excited for was finally happening.
    School.
    Except, you had to walk to school now. No matter, you thought, I've dealt with worse than this.
    It was a sunny day. Not too hot, but it wasn't freezing. If the sun went away, hiding itself between fluffy clouds of sky-drifting water droplets, then the temperature would plummet and everyone would get rained on and likely almost freeze.
    Anyway, you were almost at school. Allegedly, the school day actually started way later than most students got there. Most students got there at around nine in the morning, but the day start almost an hour and a half later.
    Odd.

    As you walked in the doors, you stepped off into the unusual hallway. It was unusual because one, it was a new school, and two, there were lockers. Keep in mind you were in elementary school still, as you were seven, being super close to eight.
    Also, you almost slipped on a science textbook, narrowly avoiding it and a nasty faceplant. And I avoided breaking my goggles, you observed silently, glancing down at your goggles as they hung like a necklace of leather and glass.
    You bent down and grabbed the textbook. Miles Prower was written on the front cover in bright orange marker. It looked neat, but you could still identify some previous smudges and the hint that a third grader wrote it. Weird.
    "Sorry about that," someone said—almost shyly—in front of you. You looked up to see an orange and white fox with two, super-fluffy twin tails flicking nervously. "There are bu—people who tend to knock into you and make you accidentally send your textbooks soaring."
    Now, this 'send your textbooks soaring' comment was funny to you, but you suppressed a chuckle and just smiled.
    "It's okay," you replied to the adorable fox. When you handed his textbook back, you noticed more books scattered. Then you also noticed a small team of what seemed to be the jocks or bullies of the school laughing.
    "Nice one, nerd!" one of them exclaimed. He kicked a couple books and continued chuckling away.
    "Yeah! You're such a loser, Miles!"
    "Looks like Prower is gonna cry! Crybaby Prower!"
    One comment stood out to you the most.
    "Looks like your brother and dead parents can't help you now!"
    Dead parents? Was that why Miles didn't want to be called... well, by his real name?
    "I've got this. Just go gather your stuff while I deal with those guys," you offered.
    When he nodded, you smiled a bit more then marched up to the bullies. Your smile disappeared. The bullies didn't look frightened at all—you were somehow a bit shorter than Miles, er, whatever he wanted to be called, and your not-so-tough-looking build didn't exactly scream "danger".
    "Stop harassing him. It's obvious he hates what you say to and about him, and it doesn't seem like you stop at anything to bully the poor guy," you growled lowly.
    Of course you never noticed the principal had seen the whole thing, from when you almost faceplanted from Miles' textbook, to when you told the bullies to stop picking on the little fox.
    "You."
    The bullies, Miles, and you all turned to the principal. She looked terrifying but kind at the same time. Even when you glanced to the bullies, they seemed scared.
    "My office. Now."
    You gulped. "M-me?" you stuttered. Your ears automatically pinned themselves back in fright.
    "Oh, no, of course not!" the principal said cheerfully. Her cheeriness went away. "Veronica, James, Cammie, Kailee, Jackson, Chandler. Come with me."
Veronica, the cat mobian of the group. James, the... bat? Of the group. Cammie and Kailee must be twins. They look and act so similar and at the same time, are both bats. Jackson must be some kind of hedgehog mobian. Red eyes. Looks creepy. Chandler is a... I think a monkey. He looks out of place. Maybe related to someone else? Maybe wants to be 'cool'. Little does he know, being rude isn't cool.
    "Um... hello?"
    You jumped the noticed Miles seemed concerned. "Oh, uh, sorry. Hi. Yeah? What's up?" you yammered, earning a cute chuckle from Miles. It made you want to grin like nothing else had, but instead you smiled in confusion at your words.
    "Just wanted to say thank you. I don't even know your name," Miles hinted, "and you already seem great."
    And you got the hint.
    "My name's (your name)," you said. "And no problem! I like to help others when bullies are being their bullying selves."
    Miles grinned a bit. She's really great. "As you probably understood from their... insult fest, my names Miles Prower." His grin fell. "But that reminds me of... bad things." His grin almost instantly came back. "Just call me Tails! It's what everyone who doesn't hate me for my grades calls me."
    His grades? Oh! That reminded you that you wanted to meet the mobian who was apparently as smart or smarter than you.
    "So, Tails," you started. "What's your IQ?"
    It was obvious Tails was a bit weirded out at your question.
    Nonetheless, he decided to answer the odd question.
    "300."
    It may have been one of the simplest answers he could muster, but of course, it surprised you.
This kid is the kid I've been absolutely dying to meet! you exclaimed to yourself.
    "As is mine!" you blurted out. "Or, well, 298. But it's close."

When the bell rang for recess, you almost fell out of your chair. Stupid bells.
After recovering from the shock of doing half a swan dive onto the floor, you skipped out of the classroom. You practically ran to your locker, which helpfully, was only a few away from your classes door. You opened it quickly and grabbed a chocolate bar from inside. I forgot I packed Arrow! you mentally squealed. I love it!
Walking outside, you frowned. The group of bullies was outside, seemingly stalking the peaceful Tails who sat at a concrete bench in the school's miniature forest. He seemed to be playing a game on what looked like a Nintenny DualScreen (more commonly known as the NinScreen).
"Hey Prower!" Veronica yelled. "What dweeb games you playin'?"
You ran down the dry slope.
"Oi!" Jackson exclaimed. "Get outta here, (animal type)! This isn't for nerds like you!"
Nerds. The term you always called smart people.
"Thanks for the compliment. You just called me smart," you said, the smirk obvious in your tone.
"Oh, shut up! Just go marry Prower and have your kids with him! God, are you annoying!" Veronica groaned. She, Jackson, and the rest left.
You had blushed, but not for long.
"I'm not even physically able to have kids right now," you mumbled. Then you smiled. "You're welcome, Tails," you added, playfully flicking one of his tails.
Tails paused his game and looked up at you. "Was it the bullies again?" he asked. He blushed a bit in embarrassment. "Sorry, I zone out when I play video games."
    "It's alright," you said and laughed a bit.
    It seemed the bullies were gone.
    So, what you did, was hung out with Tails for the remainder of recess.
    You just hoped you could do it longer. Luckily, science was your next subject to start on, and you had to be in groups of three.

    Was it obvious that you were already considering him your best friend?