Dragon's life in college

Chapter 14

"Come on, Nigel," Oceania called over her shoulder. "Any slower and a turtle could outswim you."

Nigel could think of less embarrassing situations then being out-competed by a turtle. "Oceania, I really don't think I should go to Drama class today." Nigel could feel his stomach twisting into knots. "What if our teacher gives me a part in the play."

It was nearly midway through the semester and the time had come for the freshmen dragons to perform their annual play. Unlike the drama majors who regularly put on various productions, this play was mandatory for all freshmen. Most of the time Nigel didn't mind Drama class too much, it was usually fairly short and consisted of a very bored looking teacher droning on about something have to do with drama and then telling them to leave. But last week she had announced that she would assign parts for their play next week, and Nigel had spent the entire week in a near-panic over being chosen to perform.

"Why would she choose you?" Oceania asked. "Everyone who knows about you knows that you'll be terrible in a play. No offense."

"She doesn't know about me," Nigel answered, hurrying to keep up with Oceania. "All she knows is that I'm in her class. I don't think she really knows anything about anyone in her class. And I'm terrified that she's going to give me a part to play."

"That's true," Oceania agreed. She cocked her head sideways, her coral earring dangling against her elegant head. "But there are a lot of dragons in this class, and you're always in the back so I doubt she's ever paid much attention to you. And she's likely not just going to pull names out of the list and assign them parts, otherwise you'd end up with an ocean dragon trying to portray a fire dragon." Oceania glanced down at her clearly water dragon scales. "And that might be a little difficult for us."

Nigel still wasn't comforted, but he didn't have time to explain his troubles more as they entered the large courtyard where Drama class was held.

Usually Drama class was broken up into many, smaller groups of dragons. But today, because the play was due to happen within a few weeks, all of the classes had been combined together. Which meant that while Nigel would have the support of Oceania, he would also have to avoid Swiftstrike and Bloodclaw, who were normally in a different class. Nigel could just imagine them teasing him about getting a part in the play.

Please, don't give me a part, he prayed as he quickly slinked to the very back of the crowd and tried to make himself as small as possible. Oceania settled down next to him, and slightly behind one of his wings. She nudged him with a wing.

"Relax, it will be fine."

"No it will not be fine," Nigel insisted. He took a deep breath and tried to focus his mind on something. He was about to calculate approximately how many square feet of ground each dragon had to stand on when Oceania's cousin approached them.

"Hi, Oceania, Nigel," Sea Turtle said as he bounded up.

Sea Turtle was one of several of Oceania's cousin that Nigel had met. While they were all tolerant of him, he still preferred Oceania to all of them and was always slightly uneasy around them. The one exception to that was Sea Turtle, or Turtle as everyone called him for short. The seaweed green ocean dragon was always joking or laughing about something. And after Nigel had accustomed himself to a dragon with such an odd name, at first he had wondered if it was an ocean dragon thing, he found that Turtle was actually fun to be around.

"What's up?" Turtle asked, flopping down next to them on the opposite side of Nigel. Nigel could easily spot the sea shell marking on one of his wings.

Oceania inclined her head and scowled playfully at him. "Glad you made it, slow-poke. Had a nice day poking around the coral reef?"

"Ha, ha, very funny." Turtle reached around Nigel and swatted Oceania with one of his wings.

Oceania patted him away, smiling as she did so. Nigel could feel himself relaxing a bit. It was always interesting watching Oceania interact with her cousins in a way he had never interacted with any of his older siblings.

"In all seriousness though," Oceania continued, "how was today?"

"Pretty good," Turtle said. "The usual teasing about the name."

"Just be glad it's your name they tease you about," Nigel commented. He wished he was only teased for his name.

Turtle shrugged in agreement. "True. But my name could also be worse. Mom could have named me Clown Fish or Hermit Crab."

"She named your sisters Jellyfish and Seal."

"Mom always thought us kids were more sea creature than dragon." Turtle shrugged again. "I guess we did kind of act like wild creatures, although I don't think Kelp ever behaved like a piece of seaweed. There was one time though when Octopus squeezed himself into a tiny crack and Jellyfish and I had to pry him out."

Oceania laughed. "I remember that. Your mother was wondering if she should have named you Barnacle instead when she caught you clinging to the rock face."

"Good thing Dad decided that one clutch of children with animal names was enough. If he and Mom and continued having eggs I'm pretty sure we'd be onto Cleaner Fish or Remora by now."

Turtle's mother was an animal enthusiast, to the point that she had named all six of her children after some of her favorite animals. Needless to say that meant that most dragons looked somewhat surprised whenever they heard their names. It wasn't that dragons were opposed to naming their dragonets after animals, but the names Turtle's mother had chosen were especially odd. Nigel had met them all and he had to say that the only names that didn't sound too strange were Turtle, as long as only the shortened form was used, and Stingray. Jellyfish, Octopus, and Chimera were the oddest ones.

"So, hopeful that you'll get a large part in our grand play?" Turtle asked.

"No," Oceania answered rather emphatically. "I don't want to."

"And you were scolding me for being scared?" Nigel asked, surprised.

"Yes," Oceania answered. "I'm not scared about getting a part, I just don't want one."

"Why?" Nigel asked.

"Because I'm worried my Aunt will come." She looked eyes with Turtle who nodded in agreement.

"Trust me," Turtle said. "You don't want our Aunt showing up to our class play."

Nigel nodded. He didn't want his mother showing up to his play either. Not because he didn't want to see her, he did, but because he was worried that she might see him absolutely embarrass himself before the entire school. Although that wouldn't be anything new.