Dragon Rider

Chapter 5

Laria picks up my communication device off the desk, thrusting it toward me, and ignoring the other two people in the room with us. Sighing loudly at her because I know she will not drop this until I do what she wants, and take the device. Requesting a video call with my parents, and wait for them to answer which they do a moment later with a confused smile.

"Hey, Larken, is everything okay?" papa asks with furrowed eyebrows.

"Um, hi, I, ah, was injured while practicing my Saber today," I nervously answer. "The holographic program glitched, and the safety guards went off, and I was stabbed in the shoulder by the hologram. The Medics fixed the injury, and it is bandaged, and I have to go back in four days to have it evaluated."

"Well, I told you that the program of yours would backfire on you one day," dad grunts with a frown, and I know would be the first thing he would say.

"Well, I told you, so bye now," I sigh, hanging up the call, not waiting for either of them to respond.

Glancing at Laria, asking; "Happy now? I knew dad would say what he did. Not trying to be rude, but can I go to sleep now?"

Mercy and River lowly chuckle at me as Laria glares at me; "Fine. You are being a dick. Daddy loves you, and you were being an ass to them just because daddy called you out on your shit program."

"Laria, get out, now," I groan in frustration as I point toward the door before glancing at Mercy and River. "Sorry about this."

When they leave the room, River pauses behind Laria and Mercy to give me a wink before shutting the door. Sitting up, I grab my pillow to scream out my frustrations into this, and tears fill my eyes because I feel like no matter what I do in my life, my dad will never be proud of me. Sighing when sleep does not overtake me a few minutes later, I climb off the bed, straighten my clothes to leave my quarters.

Wandering slowly to the cafeteria to have an early dinner. Getting myself a slice of pizza with pepperoni and a soda. I pay and make my way to a two-person table. Facing my back to the wall, I start slowly eating while becoming lost in my thoughts. Jumping when a metal tray clanks softly down on the empty side of the table. Snapping my eyes upwards, I find River's blue eyes staring back.

"Hope you do not mind my joining you?" River asks as he sits down, settling in the seat. "You look like you could use a friend."

"Friends are overrated," I mumble, taking a sip of my drink with a raised left eyebrow in challenge for him to argue with me about this comment, and he raises his eyebrows in response to me without comment, instead just asks 'why?'

"I am here to learn and train for my future career, not make friends," I reply. "Besides, all friends do is leave and bully you when you state your sexuality if it varies from theirs."

"Those are horrible people who you definitely do not want as your friends," RIver replies with a nod of his head.

"Hence why friends are overrated," I reply, feeling vindicated.

"What is your view on romantic relationships?" he blatantly asks, causing me to choke on my food that I had just taken a bite of.

Roughly coughing until I regain myself; "What the hell? Why would you ask me this?"

He grins at me with a light chuckle;; "To get a reaction from you, and I got one. Would you consider dating someone who is older than you? Say someone who is four years older?"

Staring at him in silence at his last question for a moment in shock before answering with a shrug of my uninjured shoulder; "I dunno. I guess it would not be a problem for me. The age difference, I mean, but I do not want to be in a relationship while I am here."

River watches me the entire time I am speaking, and his face is neutral; "That is a reasonable reason."

His tone sounds strange when he is answering me, and I cannot place my finger on why he would sound strange while answering. Mentally shrugging to myself because I do not want to ask him why, and invade his privacy.

"How is your shoulder? I know it has not been long since the incident happened," he asks with a frown. "I am sorry how your father responded, and that your sister nagged you until you told your parents."

"Thanks, but do not worry about this because I am coming to terms with how I am a disappointment to him," I shrug my good shoulder, finishing my meal with a sigh.

"You should not feel that way about yourself and a parent, or anyone important in your life," River states, and I just shrug again in response.

"It is what it is," I mumble, looking around the room, realizing that people are staring at us. "Um, people are staring at us."

"So?" he answers, like he truly does not feel this is a big deal. "Let them stare. We aren't doing anything wrong. We are just two people having a meal together in a public place, and having a conversation."

"Okay," I mumble, not fully convinced, but I am trying to let this not bother me if he is not bothered by this.

We continue to talk while River finishes his meal, and once he has finished, we part ways.

"See you tomorrow in Instructional, Larken," River grins. "But you will not be participating until you are healed, and cleared by Medical."

"See you in Instructional, Instructor Vincent," I reply with a small smile.

I already know I would not be allowed to participate in Saber training until I have been cleared by Medical. I also cannot stop thinking about River's question to me about dating someone four years older than myself. I wonder if he was referencing himself as the person four years older than me.

No, why would he question this? He is an Instructor, and I am one of his current students, an actual child compared to him.