Page 11 of Snapdragon

I realize she’s holding my hand, and I squeeze her fingers once.

“OK. But I’m coming home with you.” She declares.

“No, you don’t have to. I swear I’m fine.” I let go of her hand. “Besides, I have an early start tomorrow.”

I’m trembling by the time I get home and shut the door behind me.

I sink to the floor, my head in my hands as I begin to sob. My chest constricts with heaving breaths and all I can do is lean into it.

I was just so shocked by Cian’s reaction. People don’t like Monsters, I get that. But to have such a visceral response. The reason had to have run so much deeper, right? He had said that his Father was important… maybe he was indoctrinated since birth into a crazy family. But still, how could someone hate with so much fire? Why did he care?

I think back to the Uber driver on the way to the club too. He was the same.

Were the Monsters that I met particularly kind? No. But did they deserve this kind of reaction? I don’t think so. They may have been rude, but no one actually did anything to me. They could have, too. There was hardly any security in the studio. If they were all so bad, they would have taken advantage somehow, I’m sure of it.

Pulling out my phone, I look at the photos of me and Sebastian properly.

He really is looking at me like he cares. It’s such a juxtaposition to what I experienced in person. I wonder if I was silently judging them with my own preconceived notions. Maybe I was no better than Cian, or the Uber driver.

I realize what I need to do.

I can’t sit here and judge anyone else for their reactions. Not when I have an opportunity to change things. I can show people that a Human and a Monster can be friends. That they can go on dates. That they can interact without the world imploding.

I open up my text chain with Frank, the words ‘Dragon Shifter’ seeming to jump out of the screen at me.

My fingers hover over the keys. Am I really going to do this? I don’t know anything about Monsters, but I’m smart enough to know that a Dragon sounds pretty dangerous.

I’m shaking, and I have to delete and retype my message twice before hitting send.

Two words. Two simple words staring back at me.

I’m in.

Chapter 6

I know things have been bad lately, but resorting to self harm isn’t the answer.

Clearly, I have turned to self harm though. Because there is no other explanation for being in a dance studio the morning after a night out. So self harm it is. I wonder if I need therapy.

My head is pounding, and it’s only made worse by Cleo patting me on the back.

“Wake up, buttercup.” Her and Daisy share a giggle at my despair.

I’m currently bent at the waist, panting heavily. The room spins a little as I straighten and take a sip of my water. We’ve only finished warm ups, and I feel like we have been dancing for days. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and look away as quickly, I don’t need to see that.

Daisy and Cleo are two of my backup dancers on stage, that’s how we met. Being on tour grows strong bonds, and so I do a few dance classes with them every week. It helps me to stay in shape, and it’s worth it for the gossiping we do.

“So… we saw a little sneak peek on Noma’s socials this morning!” Although, it appears that I am the topic of gossip this morning. “Tell us everything.”

“Oh,” I reply to Cleo. “I didn’t see that they had posted anything. I literally just rolled out of bed and into my car this morning.”

“Here, look!” Daisy holds out her phone to me.

Noma shared a sneak peek, alright. It’s individual head shots for now, nothing with the couples. I must be still drunk because I can hear myself telling them that there were couple shots too.

“Which one?”

I point to the smoldering photo of Sebastian.