Where My Demons Hide

Chapter Nine - Ohm

"You have a date?" Dragon asked.

My cheeks flushed. "It's not a date." I retorted shyly. "I wanted ice-cream and wasn't looking where I was going. P'Eagle and I crashed into each other."

"P'Eagle?" Dragon asked. "I think I might know him."

I described Eagle even though I knew Dragon knew him. The moment I'd see P'Eagle I was attracted. But they seemed so close. Even now as I described him, I stopped in midsentence as I realized I was practically gushing.

Dragon laughed softly. "You don't have to blush. I know him. He's the brother of someone I used to know. He's a sweet guy."

"Um—so, you and P'Eagle..."

"Yes?" He shifted to level his fiery eyes on me.

"Well, are you two—" I poked the tips of my index fingers together.

Dragon laughed. "No. P'Eagle is like a brother to me. I was close with his brother."

"Oh—good."

"Does that mean you're interested? Is that why you're going on a date?"

"It's not a date!"

Star was off his phone call and had entered the room then. Dragon chuckled as he exited, leaving me alone with my best friend. The truth was, I was on the verge of calling to cancel with Eagle. The truth was, I wanted our night out to be a date, especially since he said he would have kissed me at the end of the night.

I'd spent the night before dreaming of his lips, the laughter in his eyes even after I'd crashed into him. Star got us snacks and we sat on the back porch, enjoying the cool breeze floating up from the ocean and listening the waves crash ashore.

"Tell me the truth—is this a date?" Star asked.

I shook my head. "I told him it wasn't. Honestly, I don't know what I'm doing. And I shouldn't have asked him out before speaking with P'Dragon."

"Why not?"

"We thought—" I stopped to ensure we were alone before leaning closer to Star and lowering my voice. "We thought he was dating P'Dragon, remember?"

"And he's not?"

I shook my head. "P'Dragon said they're friends—that he was closer to P'Eagle's brother."

Star seemed in deep thoughts as he popped a chip into his mouth and chewed.

"I'm nervous." I admitted.

"What is there to be—" Star paused. "You want it to be a date, don't you?"

I nodded, gasped then covered my face for a moment. "I don't know. I mean—I don't even know I called him in the first place.

"Look, both of us can't be cowards." Star leaned closer. "And I think you can assume I'm the coward in this group. I'm practically living with P'Dragon and there's nothing I can do because he hates me. You don't have that problem. You can go out with P'Eagle, and have fun and be yourself and he won't think you're completely usless."

"You're not useless."

"Maybe you should talk to P'Dragon about me first before you come to that conclusion." Star sighed. "All I'm trying to say is your life doesn't have to be complicated. You and P'Eagle can start off on a good foundation. Go do him, and try not thinking of any bad things."

Though I didn't want to leave Star in his current mindset, I had to if I was going to make it in time to meet P'Eagle. I dressed at Dragon's father's place and drove straight into the city and to the ice-cream shop. I barely made it on time but P'Eagle was already sitting by a window, reading from a book with a cup in front of him. For a moment, I froze by the door, staring at him, wondering what in the world I was doing with this man.