Dragon's Tail

Chapter 5: I Beg Your Pardon?

"Hello?" I ask tentatively, still half inside the doorframe, and I gaze at the person standing a little too close, somehow. A girl my age with black hair and a perfectly sculpted face, with stunning green eyes. Beautiful, in other words.

"Hello!" she replies, cheerily, seemingly not noticing my discomfort. "I am across the hall down here. Hey! What's your name anyway? I'm Aleeza!" She rambles on, not giving me any time to respond. "I like to greet people I'll live next to, might as well start off on the right foot, right?" She smiles, and I back out of the door. I still don't know much about her, but getting a better look, she is so petite, she wouldn't be able to pick me up or do any real damage. 

"I'm Dragon," I answer to her earlier question "Dragon Flake; and yeah, no use giving each other the cold shoulder." I give my own attempt at a smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace. Perhaps I should text dad now. I was lost in thought so much so, I didn't notice a new face coming down. 

"Hello, ladies! would you be interested in buying some home-baked cookies? Made with love and everything sweet!" Says a girl about a year older than me, blond hair, way too much 'natural' makeup, and a perfectly smooth dress. In other words, a total bitch. Truthfully, the plate of cookies she was holding smelled delicious, but I don't need any more comfort food.

"No thank you." Both I and Aleeza replied simultaneously, and the edges of the cookie girls smile wavered. 

"Very well." she spat through clenched teeth, and bid us farewell. As she stalked away, I heard her mutter under her breath something along the lines about 'us being assholes' and 'I expect to get some money for this'

"Well, that was strange, don't you think? she shouldn't expect us to buy her cookies on the first impression, can she? Not bound by the innocence of girl scouts." I say to nobody in particular. "this is a dorm, no less. kind of genius, kind of ridiculous." I explain when Aleeza gives me a strange look. "everybody will be needing some comfort food, but what about those who aren't even here right now? People will have gotten settled a while ago and would be spending these last few days at home, and come the night before. Besides, she doesn't seem to happy at our refusal; must not be doing well."

Aleeza walks across the hall and true to her word she unlocks the door directly across from mine. "Well, I best be on my way. I'll see you in class, hopefully!" she calls, cheerfully.

"Yeah, you too," I reply with much better than normal smile. She nods, apparently accepting this answer, and walks into her own dorm, leaving me standing in the door of my own to shake my head at optimism and close my door behind me as I walk back into my still spotless room, and text dad once how to find me.