The Not so Human Mate

Chapter 3

Ava

I walk into my room, and close the door. I quickly change into a long sleeve t-shirt and sweatpants. I brush my teeth and crawl into bed. I'm really not tired, but I need my parents to think I'm in my room. I wait though, knowing Mom would come check on me.

Around 9:00, I hear my door sqeak open. I can picture Mom poking her head in and checking on me. I wait until the door closes, and her footsteps go down the hallway towards her and Dad's room.

I jump out of bed and lock my door. I quickly put on some beat up Converse, and change into a shirt that already has holes in it.

I go over to my window, unlock it, and push it so it swings all the way open. I look down at the drop, and hop down. I land in a crouch, and run into woods.

You're most likely wondering what a 17 year girl is doing running through the woods, well let me explain. I'm a dragon shifter. Yes, there are such things. I first shifted when I was 13, and I was so scared that I never told my parents. At night I sneak out so I can go flying.

Now the cool thing about being a dragon shifter is that I can fully shift or I can partially shift. When I fully shift, I change into a whole dragon, which is very very painful to do all of the time, but when I partially shift, I only let my wings out which isn't as painful, so I do that more often.

I come to a clearing in the woods where I usually go to shift. I concentrate on the beast within, and let her partially take over. A tingling sensation runs up and down my spine and in my shoulder blades. My skin breaks, and the familiar weight of big leathery wings weighs me down slightly.

I flex and flap my wings a little. They're a little cramped from me not going flying in a while. I bend my knees, and push myself off the ground and into the air.

My powerful wings catch an updraft which carries me higher into the air, so that I'm flying up above the trees.

I flap my wings faster, gaining altitude and more speed. I break through the clouds, letting out a whoop of joy. It's an amazing feeling, flying. You just forget there's a world around you and you can just let go.

I do a couple of spins and loops, until I decide to try a new trick I came up with. I go back above the clouds, and I hover right above the clouds. I snap my wings shut, and do a back dive. I keep diving down, the ground getting closer and closer, until it's 7 feet away.

I snap my wings open, catching an updraft, and I go soaring back up into the clouds. I fly back down, and I go to a big fur tree. I sit in a spot where my wings won't get caught, and I watch the sky. All of the twinkling stars and the moon look beautiful.

I decide I stayed out long enough, and decide to head back.

I push off of the tree, my wings snapping open, and I soar above the trees. I land in the clearing with a soft 'thud'. I retract my wings, a slight ache in my shoulders. I take off through the woods, and back towards the house.

When I get back home, I climb up the side of the house using the drainage pipe, and pull myself into the open window. I softly close the window, and flip the latch, locking it. I walk over to my bed, and take my shoes. I pull the sheets over me and I fall instantly asleep.

***

The buzzing of my alarm clock wakes me up the next morning, not Luca, which is a very good thing. I look out my window, and I see it's raining. I get out of bed, and get ready. I don't bother showering, since I took one yesterday. I put on clean undergarments, then I tug on black leggings. I look around my closet, and decide on a warm peach sweater.

The warm summer months are fading fast, and winter will soon be here, so the weather will be getting colder now. I pull on warm ankle socks and black high top Converse. I grab my bag, and head down stairs.

Mom and Dad aren't down here, most likely already at work. Luca is already down in the kitchen with a bowl of cereal in his hand.

I walk over to the fridge, grab the bagels and cream cheese, and walk over to the toaster. I take out a bagel and place it in the toaster. I put the bag back as I wait for it to pop.

Once it is done, I slather both halves with cream cheese, and sit down to eat my breakfast. Luca and I sit in silence, and just eat our breakfast. When I finish, I brush my teeth quick, and head out the door. I hop into my jeep, and head down the road. I pull into the parking lot, and park next to Piper's red pickup.

I look over to see Vangie, Peter, Piper, and Jesse all in the truck. They all live closer together so they drive together all of the time. I hop out of the car, and go over to the truck. Piper opens the door, and practically jumps into my arms. I give her a quick squeeze and let her go.

"You are never going on vacation for half the summer ever again," I say sternly to her. She just giggles and nods. Jesse walks around the front of the truck, and I pull him into a hug next. "And you, you need to get your ass home from camp faster! I suffered through torture because you weren't here," I say while poking his chest.

"No guarantees." I shake my head at him. Jesse is like another brother to me, and so is Peter. They both see me as their sister so their girlfriends don't care that I boss them around from time to time.

More and more cars start pulling up in the parking lot, but one mode of transportation catches my eye. A black and silver Harley Davidson pulls in. The roar from the bike draws the attention of everyone in the parking lot.

The bike parks a couple spaces down from my jeep. The rider takes their helmet, and I'm surprised to see it's Geo. He swings his leg off, and walks over to Luca and his friends. "It's true then," Piper says following Geo with her eyes. "Geo is back."