A Walk by Dragons

Awackle

"Fine, if you're set on wasting your time," I waved my hand, nose in the air. "Lead the way, slave."

And he did the awkward chuckle. Ugh, I hated the awkward chuckle. It was something my mom's second husband did all the time.

We made our way up the way too pretty sidewalk, aiming for the regal-looking office building. A few kids seemed to notice and pointed us out to their friends, to which I rolled my eyes. Out of all the people to point out, what, did they know every person here by sight?

"So," Cecil said, hands in his pockets. "Why'd you come to live with your dad? We knew he had a daughter but, uh, well, I can understand the whole custody problem. Did your mom just decide to give him a turn or something?"

"Nah. Just some messed up stuff at home."

His eyebrows flew up again. Active buggers, those ones. "Messed up?"

"Like the spaghetti monster. That's all you need to know."

He flinched, apologized, and looked far too put off for my liking.

"I'm sorry for asking."

"Aw, jeez, don't be like that. Honestly, I wasn't offended at all, and I don't care about telling you, I just don't want to sound emo or anything."

"I guess I can understand that." How, I don't know, but at least he stopped the shrinking kitten act. "You look a lot like him, you know."

"You mean bald?" I stroked my messy, dirty-blond ponytail. "Why, thank you."

Awkward chuckle. "You know I don't mean that."

Gall, this guy was boring. Good. We could be friends yet.

The office building was just as lavished on the inside as on the outside. I couldn't help but wonder what the heck the secretaries did in here that made it so important to have all this...well...luxury. Was that a hundred-inch screen I saw over there? I didn't know they even came that big. Just get a freaking projector!

I wonder what Skyler would think of that...

I put a hand in my breast pocket to the shivering phone, then thought better of it as an office worker came forward. She was a lovely, blonde, thin lady who gave me my schedule and a map. I expected Cecil to leave after that since I had a map and, therefore, a key to the kingdom, but he tagged along with his way too nice hair. Kind of reminded me of a do Superman would have, 'cept curly. He made small talk about how I'd like it here, what the last place I lived in was like, and the usual questions until I could find my first class. He couldn't understand why I thought it was funny to see ordinary desks inside.

"Well, I expected fancy armchairs or something, but..." The other students, including the teacher, had caught sight of me. "Oh, never mind. Cya Cecil."

"Oh, this is my first class, too."

"Whaddya know. Well, pardon me, age before beauty."

He did the now familiar awkward chuckle. I had to figure out a nickname to give it. Awkle? Auwackle? Awakgle? Screw it.

"You don't know how old I am," he said.

"I'm omniscient. Like God."

Now some were staring. Cecil stepped past me.

"Um, there isn't like assigned seating, is there?" I asked.

"Nope."

"All right, then."

I ignored his surprise when I turned around and picked a desk on the other side of the classroom. The best way to find interesting friends was to meet people, right? If this didn't work out, I could always sit next to Cecil next time. I just wanted to get a taste of the spread first.

A few of the students were still staring at me. I met their eyes and waved. Whoops, too creepy. Those heads turned away fast as a flicked rubber band. Oh well.

My phone vibrated.

When the bell finally rang, no one was sitting next to me. I tried to ignore the squirmy urge in my gut to be embarrassed or depressed. It was usually like this on the first day. Cecil kept glancing back at me as though he were concerned—or confused. Probably confused.

The teacher looked like a businesswoman from a top-of-the-line Hollywood movie, with a pencil skirt and designer blouse included. She introduced me briefly and—this was the weird part—informed the class of who my dad was. There were a few whispers, and then she started the class. I had had the fortune to be told what book we were studying in English ahead of time and, being gifted as a fast reader, had perused through it over the weekend. Crime and Punishment by Theodore Dostoyevsky. Definitely not something I'd read back in the old public school. I liked it. Disturbing double-ax murderers, prostitutes, psychological trauma. What more could you ask for? And at the right end of the spectrum for my tastes.

I ended up in a better mood after class. I had been able to answer some questions and participate in the discussion. The teacher appeared surprised that I had read ahead but pleased, probably because I wasn't proving to be a complete idiot.

And sitting alone wasn't so bad. Friends would come eventually. They always did.

My phone had stopped vibrating.

___________________________________

I brought a little black kitty home and he decided my husband, who wants a dog, is his favorite human. He is now my husband's cat. Traitor. At least my husband is doting on him. Makes me want to like his cute face. My husband's, that is, not the cat.