The Deal with Dragons

September 29th

So as I’m sure you noticed, me and Kevin weren’t in school yesterday. Before you flip out, it’s because Kevin got really sick and I had to take him home. I ended up watching him until his mom and his cousin showed up. Then his cousin walked me home. Which then meant I had to keep Razor from taking his eyes out. That bird has serious issues.

            Leah shut her diary and stretched her arms over her desk, laying her head on one arm. She sighed. Kevin was still out sick, something she’d expected but still left her glancing at the clock. She still had a minute to go, not that she cared too much. There was nothing exciting at home anyway.

            Yesterday she’d had to deal with her parents after they got the phone call saying she’d skipped the whole day. She’d been able to tell by the looks on their faces that they’d thought she’d backslid. The relief they shared when she’d explained about having to take Kevin home made her feel a bit guilty. She knew she’d been a difficult child to raise, one of the reasons why she suspected she was an only child, and these days she hated to remind her parents of that time in her life.

            But because of that, they hadn’t questioned her further and had been happy to write her a note to explain her absence. She thought part of that was the idea of her having a friend. Her mom had already started making noises about having his family over for dinner. The image of Kevin and his family, in dragon form, sitting at her dining room table with her parents made her chuckle.

            The bell rang and she ignored the other students’ frantic race for the lockers, putting her stuff away carefully. She only had to join the sea of students in the hall immediately outside her classroom, most students already streaming outside. By the time she had her homework in her bag and was walking outside, the yard was mostly empty, the last bus stopped at the traffic lights just down the hill.

            As was quickly becoming the usual, Leah noticed someone standing on the grass in front of the school. She glanced up and saw Razor sitting in a nearby tree, eyes on the white-haired woman. She sighed, shifted her backpack higher and walked towards the stranger.

            Yellow eyes watched her approach and stop well short of the woman. She was taller than Leah and thin, her white hair pulled into a tight bun, with a few gentle lines around her eyes and mouth. She was wearing a loose blue dress and a blank expression when Leah stopped. “Can I help you?”

            The woman inclined her head. “I came to speak with you. Yesterday…I acted in haste with near disastrous results. I am here to offer my apologies.”

            Leah frowned for a moment then the woman’s hair clicked with the purple dragon. “Ah! No, that’s my fault as well. I thought you were going to attack Kevin.”

            “So my nephew has said. I hope you will forgive me, I had him share your memories with me,” she said, bowing her head again.

            She shook her head. “It’s fine. And it is certainly faster than trying to explain it with just words.”

            The woman smiled slightly. “Thank you. From all reports you have done well by my son, aiding him with no offer of reward. I am most impressed. It is only a pity you are not a dreigun.”

            She blinked than felt her jaw drop. “You’re Kevin’s mom? No wonder you went for me when you thought I was attacking him! I am so sorry Mrs. Anguis. Is he alright?”

            Kevin’s mother nodded. “He will be. He needs more rest but will make a full recovery. He has woken twice so far and has already requested that my nephew accompany you home. He is very concerned over your safety.”

            Leah rolled her eyes. “He should worry more about himself. I still can’t believe he came to school when he was that sick. And really, I can take care of myself.”

            “So I have heard and seen. I thank you on behalf of myself and my son. I am relieved that he has the aid of someone like yourself,” she said, offering a slight bow.

            She felt her face pink. “It’s nothing. I mostly just explain things. If there’s anything else I can do…”

            Mrs. Anguis smiled again. “I will seek you out. Thank you,” she said, nodding one last. “I believe we shall meet again.”

            Some swooping gestures and a few barked words and Kevin’s mother was gone, only a few leaves floating back to the ground showing that she’d ever been there in the first place. Leah shook her head, and turned towards home. It was odd for her to realize she was getting used to dragons randomly popping up in her life.