Born to Die BOOK 1-Wingless-

4

The bell for the end of lunch rang, and I quickly gathered my things, grateful to leave the cafeteria. My schedule said Mathematics was next, and I could see it with Aric again. At least I'd have a friendly face in class.

After 6 minutes of consulting the map, I finally found the classroom and slipped inside. The room had desks arranged in neat rows and looked strict and orderly. Instructor Slate, a stern dragon with sharp eyes, stood at the front.

"Welcome, everyone. Please take your seats," he said in a bored tone.

I approached his desk, feeling uneasy from the stares of my classmates. "Excuse me, sir. I'm new here," I said softly.

Instructor Slate looked at me momentarily, then handed me a name slate. "Hunted Farlow, correct? Place this on your desk so everyone knows you're here. Find an empty seat and settle down."

I nodded and took the name slate, finding an empty seat near the back. Moments later, Aric entered and spotted me, giving me a slight nod before taking the seat next to mine.

Instructor Slate began the lesson by explaining dragon mathematics. Despite my anxiety, I found myself getting absorbed in the lesson. I subconsciously clenched the bloody lines on my marks that were left on the spots where I had run my knife over my arm.

During a brief break in the lesson, Aric turned to me. "How's your day been?" he asked quietly.

I hesitated, then decided to be honest. "It's been fucking tough. Some of the other dragons... they're not nice."

Aric frowned. "Yeah, some of them can be assholes. But don't let them get to you. You're stronger than you think."

"Thanks," I muttered, grateful for his support.

The rest of the class passed without incident, and soon, it was time to head to our next class: Defensive Tactics. My stomach turned at the thought of physical fighting, but I had no choice but to go unless I wanted detention.

As we walked to the training arena, Aric tried to reassure me. "Just don't let anyone intimidate you. You're here to learn, just like everyone else."

I nodded, thankful for his words, but I was still nervous. Entering the arena, I saw dragons of various clans practicing their moves. Instructor Stoneclaw, a massive dragon with a stern expression, watched the dragons silently.

"Alright, everyone, pair up!" Stoneclaw barked.

I looked around nervously, not knowing who to partner with. I looked for Aric, but he was with another dragon, a pretty Cometclan. Before I could decide on someone else, the group of dragons who had bullied me earlier spotted me and sauntered over. The leader, who had asked my name, a Deepclan, smirked.

"Looks like the new girl needs a partner," he sneered. "Why don't you fight with me, Hunted?"

I swallowed hard but nodded, not wanting to seem afraid. We faced each other in the ring, and Stoneclaw signaled for us to begin. I tried to remember the few fighting moves I had learned back home, but fear clouded my mind.

The Deepclan lunged at me, and I barely managed to dodge. He came at me again, faster this time. I tried to punch him, but he quickly blocked my moves. The next thing I knew, his punch was slamming into my face. I held a claw to my bloodstained cheek, but I didn't flinch or cry out.

"What's the matter, scared?" he taunted, eyes gleaming with malice.

"I'm not a scared!" I yelled at him, trying to hold back tears. Then think calmly in my head; 'I might look like a girl on the outside, but I feel like a boy. Always, always on the inside. Because I am a boy.'