Chapter Seven : Keep Going

After the medical stunt we pulled on Timothy, he fell asleep. Perhaps because of the pain. Cassius bandaged his injury like a pro.

It was four in the afternoon and I was sipping on my strawberry flavoured Strongbow.

"So, who is he?" Cassius finally asks the golden question.

"He's...a friend." I say. Truth is, Timothy is a person from my past. I wouldn't exactly call him a friend, because friends don't let each other down. He lived in the same neighbourhood I lived when my mom was alive.

As kids, you play and you laugh and you make friends whom you can go play hide and seek with in the park or have icecream and climb the trees. But as the time passes, you begin to change and the change it's not always as good as we expect it to be. After that trauma with my mother, Timothy left me for hanging. I tried contacting him multiple times, but he'd cut me off. As I said, I never had many friends and I was always considered weird, so people avoided me. Timothy's parents got along with my mom and we had opportunities to hang out every day.

And one day, he abandoned me without any words other than "You don't understand anything. I just can't do it anymore.".

I figured something was up and I tried talking to him about it, but had no luck whatsoever, so we distanced from each other. I haven't heard from him until now.

"You don't sound too convinced." Cassius says and I nod.

"Why are you helping him?" Cassius is full of questions today. But I don't really mind.

"I couldn't let him there. I couldn't abandon him. I don't know if he would have done the same, but I just couldn't." Truth is, I don't like letting people down. I've always been scared about not being good enough, because I thought that was the reason I was a loner. But now I've learned to enjoy life while I still can. Times flies soo fast and everything could be over in a matter of seconds. I learned to appreciate the little things that make me happy and I concentrate on having fun and loving life. Basically, I want to live, not just to survive.

"I think you have a good heart. Even though you seem to often mask your kindness with a protective armour made of sarcastic remarks and superiority syndrome." he sustains and I laugh knowingly, because his words are the perfect description of myself. They also find their way into my soul.

"You know, I am glad you moved next door." I tell him truthfully, contemplating if I should open up.

"How so?" he looks into my eyes and I know he means no harm.

"I don't feel so alone anymore. And I enjoy your company. Sylvia's too." I admit and I realise that months ago I couldn't have brought myself to say that out loud.

"Are you a natural brunette?" Cassius turns slightly pink after subtly changing the subject.

"I wish." I laugh. "But no. I am not a natural brunette. Even though that would have been awesome." I say and I remember I'll have to dye my hair again soon.

"It looks good on you." he says and I feel my cheeks heating up. I still don't know how to take compliments. He laughs at my disconfort.

"Thank you." I respond and I drink all the remaining substance from the bottle.

"How come you live alone?" he plants another question and I think a little before responding.

"I'm sorry if I touched a sensitive subject." Cassius tells me apologetically. I decide not to explain this to him. He is soo lucky to have Sylvia. She is great, from what I could see.

"No, it's fine. I just don't really want to talk about that right now." I tell him truthfully and he nods, understanding.

"So..." I begin after some minutes of complet silence. "Who is Mister Cassius Kane?" I ask with a devious smile.

"Just some guy." he says, matching my features.

"I've got an idea. It may sound childish, but it'll work." My voice sounds sappy.

"Hit on."

"Let's play Twenty Questions." I say and Cassius looks at me skeptically.

"Twenty Questions? Really?" he laughs at my choose of activity.

"Why not? I've always wanted to know what your favorite color is." I say and play the innocent card. I've never had the opportunity to play this game before and it's never too late to act childish.

"I'll let you know it's red." Cassius drinks the last sips of his apple Strongbow and smirks.

"Mine is blue!" I say.

"Purple." he mentions, confusing me a bit.

"What?"

"Never mind." Cassius backs off casually as I think of a notable question.

"What's your full name?" Cassius seems such a royal name, it has a nice ringing.

"Cassius Henric Kane." he finally says after contemplating whether to tell me or not. How I said, royal.

"It's a beautiful name." I voice out. From where all this bravery of saying things this sappy?

"Shouldn't the boy be complimenting the girl?" Cassius Henric Kane asks and again, it sounds like flawed stereotypes to me. But I really do like his name, so what's the big deal?

"Then why don't they?" I mock him playfully.

"There's something called ego sometimes. Or fear of rejection maybe?" he seems like he's questioning himself rather than me.

"Yikes, that hurts like a bitch." I say and he nods; I assume he's been on that path aswell.

"My turn. What's your favorite book?" Now this is a question I like. Books are the best way to put the stress at ease, to clear your head and live the life the author gives through characters.

"Hmm, the Red Rising trilogy. It's Sci-Fi and the plot makes me wanna be a part of the scenario. It also makes you question your own strength at times. I totally recommend it." I say and I want to elaborate, but if he didn't read the book I'll just ruin the beautiful work of art if I gave away spoilers. Man, I always hated spoilers. It takes away the fun.

"I would have taken you as a rom-com type of girl. Or detective genre. You're surprising." Cassius admits and I just have to ask.

"In a good way, I hope."

"Of course." he responds.

As I prepare to ask another question, I hear a loud bang. I turn my eyes towards the source of the sound and jump off the chair, rushing in that direction.

I find Timothy lying on the floor, his hair all messy and a puzzled look on his face.

"Are you okay?!" I ask while helping him get up. I try to place him back on the couch when Cassius comes to help. He easily picks him from around his waist and places him on the burgundy colored couch, seeing that he's much taller than Timothy's slightly petite frame.

"Who are you?" are the first words that come out of Timothy's mouth, those being adressed to Cassius.

"The one who saved your butt." I answer for him, getting a little angry by the tone of his voice.

"Oh." he says. "Thank you then."

"Yeah, sure, no problem." Cassius's voice hums through the silent room.

"What's going on, Timothy?" I finally ask, feeling a little anxious about the answer.

"Nothing, all's fine." he says flatly.

"Fine my ass! You've got your freaking arm almost ripped off and you've got the guts to say it was nothing!" I raise my voice.

"I got into some problems and shit. Usual stuff for our kind." Timothy answers and looks at me, his eyes holding an unknown gaze.

"They were looking for you." he adds and I feel the hairs on my neck going stiff, my blood freezing.

"How's that possible? Who was looking for me?" I ask, thinking if I pissed someone off lately.

"The Clan wanted to know where you were. I told them I had no fucking clue. They didn't bite that, although." Timothy says and rests his legs on the coffee table and his healthy arm on the edge of the sofa. I slap off his feet.

"The Clan?" I ask. "Is that some mob-gang's fancy name or something?" I laugh it off.

"No, not really. And you should know better than to mock them." his voice comes out ferm and it takes me aback for a second.

"I have no idea what's it that you are talking about. Did you also hit your head? Do you have a concussion? Fever?" I ask, giving him a pretty annoyed look, ironically checking his forehead with the back of my hand.

"The Clan? The most powerful and 'just' tribe of Dracofaes? The ones who make the laws of The Land and who has an incredible long list of illogical rules?" Timothy goes on and on, sounding really perplexed by the fact that I think he's all about bullshit.

"Yeah, I honestly have no idea what you're going on about." I tell him truthfully.

"You are clueless, aren't you?" he asks incredulously.

"Pretty much, yes."

"Maybe lover boy here should enlighten you?" Timothy cocks his head towards Cassius's direction. "You two seem to get along quite well."

"I don't care who explains to me whatever there is to explain. What Clan? What Dracofairies or however you called it?"

"Oh God, this is gonna take a while." Timothy exclaims.

""""""""""""""""""""

After what seemed like forever, both boys looked exhausted from all of my questions. I feel overwhelmed by the upcoming facts relating that I am, in fact, partially human, partially dragon. Talk about drinking alcohol in the afternoon?!

Basically I went through another history class, learning about this foreign species called Dracofaes, which kept on hidding for almost three hundred years. I also learned that there are four stages a Dracofae has to go through to become fully grown, but a lot of them rarely reach the third stage because of some ruling overpowered kind that calls themself The Clan. This Clan, suppossedly, should keep the balance and the order among the species, but over the time, they became hungry for leadership, resulting in a crappy book of rules that could get you hunted and killed if you break the codes.

The best part is, however, the superpowers. Is that word suitable? Maybe not, but still, as the time passes, apparently, you'll increase some of the basic abilities such as hearing, speed, precision, visual aspects and concentration. Also, the Dracofae actually lives inside of you and your soul. It's like being possessed. I knew I wasn't crazy when I heard my self talking to myself. Either that, either someone kept sliding weed into my cigarettes.

"I think it's time you'd say something." a voice steps over my thoughts and brings me out of the trance.

"It's cold outside." I remark suddenly, not really sure why my mouth just blurted that out.

"I meant about what we've been telling you for some time now."

"Oh." it's all I can say.

"She thinks we're talking bullshit." Timothy says. "You think we're talking bullshit, aren't you?" he asks immediately.

"Can you blame me?" I say as I look absent-minded through the window as a crow suspiciously glances our way. "I mean, dragons? As in, real living fire-spitting creatures living inside us? What is this? Game of Thrones? Do I look like the Mother of Dragons to you?"

"Skeptics." Cassius tells Timothy in a girly way. They weren't soo close before.

"Okay, so let's say that this all makes sense. I am a Dracofae. What am I supposed to do now? Wear a cape and save the town? Because let me tell you, I don't see much salvation for Primdale anytime soon." Maybe I am being childish with my remarks, but I swear to God I can't help it. My mouth won't cooperate.

"Maybe we should do a demonstration to have her believe us." Timothy suggest and I don't know what he's up to, but sure as Hell, nothing good.

"You said it's cold, huh?" he asks while watching me cautiously, the gleam in his eyes easy visible. "Do you happen to have any candles?"

I eye him suspiciously, "Yes, I do."

"Can you bring a couple? You, skeptics, always need a palpable evidence of anything you can't comprehend." Wow, keep going buddy.

"Now you're a pyroman?"

"Why do you ask soo many questions?"

"Why don't you?"

"Because curiosity killed the cat." So he also threatens cats. Lovely, Timothy, lovely.

I stand up and go to my bedroom to grab some lavander scented candles, contemplating whether am I being rational or just purely on the path of dementia.

As I open the door, Dante jumps off of my bed and wiggles his tail at the sight of me. He catches a glimpse of my guests in the living room and stiffens his position.

"I know boy, I wish I could hide in here too." I say as I rub his little golden head. I, then, take the candles and get out. I place the candles on the table and wait for Timothy to do his trick.

"Ready?" he asks and I slowly nod.

Just as a wave of electricity was sent through the air, the three round, purple candles light up with a tall flame, making me lose myself in the fire. I feel the urge to touch it, but I don't. Only after a couple of seconds I realise that my old friend didn't use anything specific to light up the candles.

"How'd you do that?" I ask.

"Simple. Magic." he says, a smudge smirk spreading on his face.

"Okay Harry Potter, and more specific?"

"I think you already know the answer the that. It's one of the Dracofae's abilities. Dragons and fire? It seems pretty logical to me." Timothy answers full of sarcasm.

After a long pause, I decide to light up a cigarette. I don't really like smoking around them, but the urge is too big. As I inhale deeply from it, I feel the question rising again. I see flashbacks of my childhood that now are starting to make sense.

"How come I never knew about this?" I finally let out my disappointment. Maybe if I knew about this earlier...Maybe I could have prevented my mom's death.

"There are always signs for a Dracofae. But perhaps, someone didn't want you to know."

"Timothy, you knew my mother." I say and he nods. "Was she also a Dracofae?" He nods again.

"I remember one night she came to our house. It was half past midnight and she was pacing around the place, talking with my mother. She was concerned. For you." Timothy's eyes look void as he is searching in his memory. "You were sixteen and even though your powers were supprimated, they began to show. I can recall listening to their conversation and she said she didn't want this life for you. With all the hiding and the secrets." I can't remember ever discovering that I had some sort of abilities, other than staying at home and indulging in books.

"Is there any way to get my powers back?" I ask, trying my best not to give away the sadness in my voice.

"I can take you to see someone, if you'd like. But you should also begin training. If the Clan finds you, you wouldn't resist five minutes. I mean, I've known my whole life who I am, but still, look at me." It's that moment I actually begin to see and understand the danger I'm in, and now it's not the time to back out. Out there is nothing, and I have to keep going.