Dragon's life in college

Meeting a friendly face

The tears came faster and harder and soon Nigel could think of nothing but how lonely he was and how long it seemed till winter break. So thick were his tears and so loud were his sniffles that he didn't see the water dragon gracefully poke its head above water. It wasn't until the dragon had spoken for a second time that he even realized that another dragon was present.

"What's wrong?" the female dragon asked in a friendly voice.

Nigel turned to look at the dragon, blinking through his tears and trying desperately to get his crying to stop. In between tears he could make out the head and neck of a water dragon, staring at him from the lake waters.

"No-nothing," Nigel managed to choke out between sobs. The water dragon watched him with knowing eyes. Then she dipped her head below the water again and Nigel could see ripples form in the water as she swam away.

Nigel turned away from the water. Hopefully she would forget all about him and go about her business. The last thing he wanted was for more dragons to know how odd he was. Dragon's don't cry, was a mantra hammered into him by his father. At least, real dragons don't, his father had always said, looking at his older siblings. Nigel had always nodded and tried to be more like the dragon his father wanted, but he had always failed. And after a while, he had stopped trying. His mother had always encouraged him to be who he was, even with the fears and love of math.

Nigel cried even harder when he thought of his mother and all the love she had shown him and his younger siblings. Yes, she had loved her older children as well. But she had never hidden the fact that, for some reason, Nigel and his younger siblings were her favorite. Nigel thought about her and all the times she had rebuked his older siblings for teasing him, or glared at his father for remarking again about how real dragons were or for mentioning about how they should have abandoned him when he had hatched. Nigel knew he was here only because his mother wouldn't allow his father to abandon him. He also knew it was why she had raised him while his father had raised his four older siblings.

Nigel then thought about Ember and his other younger siblings. He missed them and wanted nothing more than to be back with them, looking after them and teaching them math. He wondered what new trouble they had gotten themselves into and how they were doing. But most of all he just missed their presence, especially Ember who had been his constant companion since hatching. Ember, who had always been there for him. Knew exactly what to do to encourage him or to get him to think about other things. Who was always ready to stand up for him, even against adult dragons.

A slight smile crossed Nigel's face as he remembered Ember's word to the older dragon during registration.

"That's better."

Nigel whipped around. The water dragon had returned.

Nigel watched stunned as she climbed out of the water, her long, sleek body dripping as she shook herself lightly. Sprays of water glistened in the air like diamonds as they descended.

She walked forward and placed a cloth-wrapped bundle next to Nigel.

"Smiles are better than tears," she said, with a smile of her own. She nudged the bundle with a webbed claw. "Eat this, fire dragon. It's my favorite fish to eat whenever I'm feeling sad. Maybe it will help cheer you up."

Nigel stared at her, unsure of what he should do.

"Well, go ahead." She tapped the bundle again. "I'm not leaving until you eat it."

Nigel unwrapped the bundle. If there was anything he had learned in life it was not to argue with a female dragon, even if this dragon was his own age.

Inside the bundle was a long, silver fish. Nigel wondered if she had caught it herself or if she had brought it from the college cafeteria.

"Don't you want some?" he offered, managing not to stammer as his tears slowed a little.

The water dragon tilted her head to one side. "No," she replied. "I brought it for you. Go on and eat it, you won't insult me." She settled onto the ground. "Eat," she repeated.