“Tyson. Braith, I’ll need your help with this.”
We begin walking again, and Aqueous returns to leaning on Damayanti for support, much to her delight.
“What? With your outfit and stuff? Go dressed as a tramp; guys dig homeless chicks.”
I slap her arm. “Be serious!”
“Okay, okay. But he must have had his eye on ya for a while; he came up with the date thing pretty quick. He didn’t even hesitate; he must have been rehearsing it. It was pretty awkward too; you’ll have to work on that.”
My heart still hasn’t stopped beating, and my stomach feels as if it’s filled with butterflies. I have a date tomorrow. An actual date!
“I dunno.”
Catching wind of my quietness, she pats me on the back. “Congrats on your first date! I can’t wait to tell the others-”
“No! Braith, if Rocky finds out he’ll lock me in my cabin for my entire life. Let’s just... Keep it to ourselves for a while, okay?”
As much as I hate lying to my brother, I know that I have to. If he finds out he’ll probably kill Tyson and lock me away from people for the rest of my life. He’d freak if he found out that I’m going out on a date with a boy alone.
As much as I love my brother, he can go overboard with being protective.
“What about Marco? Are you going to tell him? He is your second best friend after all.”
“No, I’ll tell him... Wait. Second best friend?”
She points to herself. “I’m numero uno, obviously.”
“I don’t think that was ever established.”
“Say I’m number one or I’m telling Rocky.”
“You’re number one.”
Her arm snakes around my waist lovingly. “Good. I get loads of perks for being number one, okay? I get full wardrobe access and bathroom access. Even if you’re in it.”
With an eye roll, I refuse her terms and we spend the rest of the walk home laughing. As long as Braith behaves, getting ready will run smoothly.
23
Chapter Twenty-Three
The day goes painfully slowly. Every few minutes I check my watch and worry about not having enough time to get ready. Marco picked up on my behaviour in dragon training, and kept asking if I felt ill. Despite saying otherwise, he’s suspicious.
At five o’clock on the dot, Braith bursts into the cabin to help me get ready. She’s already picked out my outfit, a simple black dress with a sparkly belt, thanks to her new ‘perks’ of being my ‘number one’. She scolded me for wanting to put make-up on, but gave in and helped me put a tiny bit on, us both wanting me to remain as natural as possible. A dark blue scarf with frayed ends hides my markings, as my hair is still too short to cover them completely. She found it funny that the colour matched my element.
“You look beautiful! Let me take you out on this date, dump that Tyler guy.”
“Tyson,” I correct him. “And, no. I’ve already agreed to go.”
“Fine.” She passes me a small black bag. “I’ve already put your money in it. You are not walking around with that awful brown thing. It’s beyond dead, throw it out already.”
The bag slips through my fingers, making me roll my eyes as I pick it up. “If you say so...”
Finally, she lets me exit the bathroom to go out into the cabin. Some eyebrows are raised as to why I’m dressed up, but no-one asks any questions.
That is, until Wes spots me.
“Hey, what are you all dressed up for?” He closes his book to look me up and down.
“Uh...”
“Shh! Wes, Hazy’s got a date! Don’t tell anyone!” She presses her fingers against his lip but jumps away when he tries to hit her.
“A date? You’re too young for dating,” he says.
“No, Wes. I’ll be fine, okay?” I try to walk past him, but he stands up and blocks my way.
He crosses his arms stubbornly as I sigh. “Does Rocky know about this?”
“Yes.”
Immediately he sees through my lie, his mouth forming a disbelieving scowl. “No, he doesn’t. He’d never let you.”
“Please don’t-”
“I have to tell him.”
“Why? Why do you? Stop being such a tattle, Wes! Grow a pair!” Braith balls her hands into fists and pushes past him, knocking him to the floor and dragging me with her.
Aqueous and Damayanti are waiting for us outside. Damayanti is trying to get my companion’s attention, but he’s too focused on his bandages to notice. I feel bad for her sometimes; Braith says she always had a crush on Aqueous but now she thinks that he’s more interested in Winter, so she’s trying to up her game.
“Do you want us to walk ya over?” My friend grabs my hands and squeezes them tightly.
“No, we’ll be fine. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, I promise.”
“Okay... Now is your last chance to swap him for me...”
I giggle and hug her quickly. “I’ll stick to the original plan, thanks.”
* * *
Once at the park I decide to sit on a bench near the entrance in the shade. I’m glad Braith mentioned the scarf; it is cold today. Aqueous sits bolt upright beside me, his worried eyes locked on the entrance.
With each second my stomach fills with more and more butterflies. I swear it’s going to explode.
Calm down, it’s just a date.
“Hey.”
Tyson sits down on the bench next to me, his hands stuffed into his jeans pockets and a large smile on his face. Pine goes to say hello to Aqueous, and the two dragons seem comfortable enough to sit together.
“Hey.” I smile shyly back, already feeling my face warm up.
“You look nice.”
“Thanks. Are you cold?”
He smirks and looks down at his hands. “You aren’t?”
I feel like my face is on fire, so no.
“Not really.”
“I’ve found a nice place for dinner. Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
It feels incredibly awkward to walk beside him and make small talk, especially since I know nothing about him except his name.
“So, what are your family like?” I ask.
“My Mum died a few years ago. I don’t remember much about her. But my Dad is a miner; he’s quite cool.”
“Any siblings?”
“Nope. I’m an only child. What about you?”
“My Dad left soon after I was born, and my Mum is a waitress. She tries her best, but she struggles. I have a brother, though: Rocky. We’re really close.”
“It must be nice to have a family member here,” he mutters.
“Yeah, I love being able to see him every day.”
We soon make our way to the restaurant, a quiet little burger place. It’s nice to get into the warm, but I feel sorry for Aqueous and Pine, who have to stay outside in a paddock while we eat. I know they don’t really feel the cold because of their thick scales, but I still feel bad.
As the evening goes on we begin to feel more comfortable with each other, laughing and chatting about our lives. We don’t leave until half eight; they were late bringing our food. I don’t really care; it’s nice to be able to talk to Tyson for a bit longer.
He’s nice enough to walk me home, despite the freezing cold wind that blows in our faces. I’m both relieved and sad that the date is over, but I don’t let either show.
“Thanks, I had fun.”
He chuckles and looks down at his feet. “Me too.”
“I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow, maybe?”
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
For a second we just stand there staring at each other, but then he steps towards me and leans forward.
Kiss back, idiot!
My heart is beating faster than ever before, and my lips feel red hot despite having been exposed to the cold air. When we pull away, I can’t stop smiling like a crazy person.
“Goodnight,” he whispers.
“Night.”
A
s he and Pine leave, I squeal as silently as I can before stepping into the cabin. As I thought, loads of people are awake playing games or chatting. My gaze falls on Wes, who is sat cross-legged on his bed looking sour.
Here goes nothing.
“Hey, Wes,” I say carefully as I approach him.
“Hey.”
“I’m sorry about-”
He cuts me off by putting his hand in the air. “It’s not your fault. I’m angry with Braith; she pushed me over and everyone laughed at me.”
“They’ll get over it.”
“I know. I’m sorry about the way I acted. I didn’t actually tell Rocky.”
I throw my bag on the bed and sit next to him. “Are you okay? You’ve been grumpy lately. I ask you an innocent question and you practically bite my head off.”
Unable to meet my gaze, he stares at the floor, kicking his feet slowly. “I’m sorry. I’m just struggling, you know? School, research, dragon training, dragon fighting... And we’ve got an exam at the end of the year! I just...”
Gently I rub his back, surprised to see a tear forming in his eyes. “We’ve all offered to help with the research, Wes. You don’t have to do it all on your own. I know you want to make Ray proud of you, but I’m sure he is anyway for how much work you’ve put in.”
My friend nods slowly and wipes his nose on his sleeve. “Thanks.”
“No problem. Who won the dragon fight thing anyway?”
“Asteroid came in fourth.” He smiles slightly. “Bumble came out on top; his partner is a friend of Ray’s.”
I shiver at the thought of that yellow dragon dragging Aqueous around the ring; the determination in his eyes was terrifying. “So, what happens next?”
“No idea. Ray’s currently sorting each dragon into an allotted job. All dragons who lost in round one will be cleaning and serving, that’s all I know.”
My mind flicks to Cerberus and Damayanti, I hope they’ll be okay with not having a higher job. Marco told me today that Drea came in third, so she’ll most likely get one of the highest jobs. I have no idea what Aqueous will get though; it could be anything.
“Why are you smiling so much?” Wes raises an eyebrow playfully.
“We kissed,” I mutter, my smile growing wider.
“Oh, how did your date go by the way?”
“It went really well. I hope we can do it again.”
“That’s good. How are you going to break the news to Rocky?”
“I have no idea. It won’t be pretty, that’s for sure.”
He shrugs. “If you’re happy, he shouldn’t have a problem with it.”
“He’ll have a problem with it, regardless of how happy I am. If Tyson wants to, we’ll go out on a few more dates, then I’ll break the news to Rocky.”
“Does Marco know?”
I shake my head slowly. “I’ll tell him tomorrow. I wanted to wait until after the date, so then he wouldn’t randomly show up half way through.”
My friend’s mouth widens in a large yawn. “I’m tired.”
“Go to sleep then. And actually sleep for once. No reading, and no fretting. Give yourself a break, Wes, we all know you deserve it.”
Mouthing ‘okay’ he gets up and starts getting ready for bed. I should probably do the same, but I’m still buzzing after the date.
I hope Tyson kisses me again.
Despite trying my best to stop, I’m still smiling. It felt nice, and his lips were so soft...
Go to bed. I’m seeing him tomorrow.
24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Tyson and I have been seeing each other for three weeks now, and it’s going well. He admitted that he’s liked me for a while, ever since he saw me hanging out with Wes and Marco in the library. However, he was always too shy to approach me, so decided to take a chance at the dragon fight. I really like him; he’s kind and has been nice to my friends. I’ve met one or two of his and they seem alright; a little immature, but alright.
Unfortunately, it means I have to tell Rocky.
I’ve asked to meet up with him after today’s Cindaraan meeting, Ray has finally allocated each dragon a job and has decided on working hours and pay.
“What do you think Aqueous will be doing?” Marco asks, glancing back at my partner, who is happily trotting ahead of Drea.
“I dunno. Hopefully nothing too taxing.”
“What about lover boy, huh? What’s his companion doing?”
After the second date, I told Marco what I was doing, and he was supportive. He isn’t a huge fan of Tyson though. He doesn’t like the fact that he’s a year older than I am; he says it will cause ‘problems’.
I blush and whack him on the arm, flicking my hair over my face in embarrassment. “We’re finding out tonight, remember?”
My friend rolls his eyes and brushes my hair away with a finger. “I know that, smartass. But his dragon lasted until the third round, didn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
The hall is quite full as we walk inside. There’s no seats left, so we just lean against the wall next to our companions. Ray is already at the front, sorting out his notes. I scan the aisles for Tyson, but I can’t see him or Pine. I spot Braith and Rocky near the front, however, seemingly in the middle of some jokey argument.
“Speak of the devil.” Marco nods towards the door.
“Tyson!” I wave him over, making my friend roll his eyes irritably.
Pine mixes with Aqueous and Drea, chirping to them both excitedly. The three dragons are soon engrossed in conversation, listening to each other intently.
We kiss each other gently, making Marco sigh loudly. Tyson wraps one arm around my waist and leans against the wall as Ray calls for silence.
“After much deliberation, we have decided what job will be allocated to each dragon.” He steps off the stage to walk down the aisles, eyeing everyone in their seats. “All dragons who lost in round one will be cleaners and light builders. They will work from nine in the morning until seven in the evening each day until the building work is done.” Winter roars loudly as kids shout abuse. “They will earn four pounds per hour of work. Those who lost in round two will be heavy builders. They will work from eight until six, earning five pounds an hour.”
“This isn’t fair! You can’t expect them to work for that long!” someone at the back shouts.
Aqueous is going to be doing hard work; he’ll be exhausted by the time he gets home. These hours are ridiculous. If it were for something important I’d understand, but for an unnecessary expansion on a building no-one will use? Pointless.
“Those who lost in round three will be lifters. Heavy crates or material will be carried by them and dropped off at their necessary spots. They will work closely with the builders, working from eight until six for six pounds an hour. Those who lost in round four will be supervisors, working from eight until four for seven pounds an hour.”
“This is ridiculous!” a boy near the front screams.
“Finally, the dragons who finished in the top ten will work as guards, working from ten until six for ten pounds an hour. They are, in no particular order: Winter, Asteroid, Indigo, Bumble, Drea, Katana, Kilo, Holly, Feather and Spider.”
Ten pounds an hour? That’s insane!
Of course, Ray’s companion is in the top ranks. He’ll be rolling in money.
“How stupid,” Tyson mutters. “Most of those dragons are premier ones, of course; money goes to money.”
Marco squirms uncomfortably beside me at Tyson’s comment. He didn’t know. Surely it’s not his fault?
“Meeting dismissed. I will not be taking questions. But, if your dragon wishes to work overtime, they will get paid one pound for each extra hour they work.”
Ray rushes into the back room with his cronies as an army of angry Cindaraans start hurling abuse at him. They have a right to be angry; our companions are not slaves.
“I’m guessing work starts tomorrow?” Tyson says to no-one in particular.
“I
suppose.”
I turn to my companion, who looks up at me guiltily. Why is he feeling guilty? He hasn’t done anything wrong. I should be the one feeling guilty, for allowing him to fight in the first place.
“Hey, Haze? Rocky’s coming.” Marco nudges me back to reality.
“Huh? Oh, I’ll see you later, Ty.”
“Later.”
With one last kiss, I meet my brother half way with Aqueous slinking along behind me.
“Hey, hun. Are you and Aqueous okay? He’s going to have to get up ridiculously early.” He pulls me towards him in a tight hug, ignoring the people who squeeze past us in an angry fit.
“I dunno. What about Cerberus? Making her clean all day is stupid.”
He scuffs his feet on the floor, mumbling: “At least she’ll be earning money.”
“I’ve booked a table at that Italian restaurant, if you want to eat there.”
With a grin, he wraps his arm around my waist. “Sure. Let’s go; there’s an opening.”
It’s a nightmare to squeeze through the exit. People aren’t too fond of being pushed out of the way, and neither are the dragons. Once we’re out on the street, I shiver in the cold evening air.
“Why didn’t you bring a jacket?” He quickly takes his grey jacket off and forces me to wear it.
“But now you’ll be cold...”
“I’d prefer you to stay warm.”
Picking up the pace, we leave Aqueous and Cerberus outside to play in the paddock as we order. As the waitress leaves, butterflies start fluttering in my stomach.
How will he react? He doesn’t like me hanging around with Marco at the best of times, so me going out on dates behind his back won’t please him too much. Have I made it worse by not telling him straight away?
“Are you okay? You’ve gone pale.” He strokes my cheek softly.
“I need to tell you something. It’s really important.”
“Braith already told me about the Primordial Dragon hatching.”
Wait, what?
“What are you talking about?”
His expression falls. “She didn’t tell you?”
“No, when did this happen?”
Glancing around the near empty restaurant we lean in close over the table. “It hatched yesterday,” he explains. “The scientists found some kid who connected with it, and so far, it’s acting like any normal dragon would.”
Elemental Dragons Book 1: Blood and Water Page 19