Page 25 of The Dragon's Perfect Omega
I looked down on myself. At least my pants were dark and by the time I was home, they might have dried enough that my parents wouldn't notice.
10
Zim
"Ididn't thinkyou'd be out so long," my mom greeted me when I stepped into the house. Her expression was stern—it always was, but there was a kindness in her eyes that never went away either. "Did you say hello to Derick from me?" she asked.
Right, I'd told her I was going out with my friend. Slipping out of my shoes, I walked further into the house, toward the kitchen. After walking around in the sun all day, I really needed to get some liquid into me. "I told Derick you said hi," I muttered, opening the fridge once I got to the kitchen.
My mother stood behind me. "I hope you're not looking for snacks. Dinner's almost ready. I made you some, even though I didn't know whether you were coming. Honestly, didn't you check your phone?"
"Um..." I hadn't thought to look at my phone all day. How could I when I had a hot dragon to distract me? Not that I could tell my mom. Kindness in her eyes or not, she would flip. Probably check me for bite or claw marks too. "My battery ran out."
My mom shook her head. "Those smartphone batteries are so unreliable, it's a shame. And to think that phone your father and I bought you is supposed to be top of the line." Still complaining under her breath, she went to check a pot on the stove. The moment she lifted the lid, I was greeted by a heavenly smell.
"You're making melon and chicken pasta?" I asked, mouth watering.
"I was going to make this for your birthday yesterday, but there was no time with all the party preparations. I figured better late than never."
"You're the best, Mom. I'll just go up and put my bag away."
"You do that. Tell your father to come on down too. He can go back to work after he's had dinner with his family."
"Sure thing." I laughed a little as I left the kitchen, but the smile died on my lips as soon as I was out of sight and earshot. Guilt nagged at me as I entered my room and unpacked my bag. I could never tell my parents where I'd been today, what I'd done.
Gingerly, I took the present that Lowen had given me out of my bag and unwrapped it. It was their latest album. Taking Flight. It had a photograph of a red dragon over a volcano on the album cover and over it, Lowen had signed his name in gold. I traced the signature with my finger. I’d bought this album on release day. I hid it in a box under my bed, the way other people hid their porn.
I turned the album over in my hands. Lowen told me to give it a listen. Hah. As if I hadn't already listened to it a hundred times. He should know. He'd noticed me singing along at the show.
Wondering if there was anything more to his words, I cracked the album open to look at the disc. And something fell out. A piece of paper that sailed to the carpeted floor of my room. I stared at it. Nothing had fallen out of the album I'd bought at the store. Had Lowen left another message for me?
I picked the piece of paper up and turned it over in my hands, studying it. 'Congratulations,' it said. 'You're a winner!'
I blinked. Wait. Was this...? I read the back of the paper.
I was being invited to the solstice celebrations on the Island of Dragons. Was this for real? My heart thundered in my chest as I read the paper over and over again. This couldn't be coincidence. Lowen must have known what he was giving me. He wanted me to come to his island.
But could I?
My phone rang, pulling me out of my thoughts. When I glanced at the caller ID, it was Kathy. Mygirlfriend. Inwardly, I groaned. Yet another reason I couldn't take Lowen up on his invitation. Trying not to let my frustration show, I answered the phone. "Hey, Kathy."
"Hi there, stranger. I just wanted to ask how your night out went. I haven’t heard from you since."
No, she hadn't. She hadn't even been on my mind while I was with Lowen. Kathy was a lovely girl, but something in my freakish nature made it so I found the dragon's abs more alluring than my girlfriend's cleavage. I couldn't deny that. At least, not to myself. "My night out?" I asked. "You mean the concert?"Good, Zim, keep it casual. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.
It felt weird to be keeping things from Kathy. I hadn't told her of my unhealthy obsession with the male form, but other than that, we'd been partners in crime for as long as I could think back.
"You had fun at the show?" she asked. "I still can't believe you went."
Oh Kathy.I wondered just how shocked she would be if she knewallthat had happened. She would never forgive me, would she? How could she? I'd cheated on her. With aman.With adragon.How could I go back to being the guy she thought I was when I wasn't even sure who I was anymore? "The show was really great," I made myself say even as I stared at the winning ticket in my hand. This was Lowen asking me to take things a step further. "Kathy, I think..." I paused, even though I knew what needed to be said. I had to take Lowen up on his offer. Ihadto. It was either this or never seeing him again—and I couldn't even consider that option without my chest constricting so hard I couldn't breathe.
"Zim? Are you okay?"
"I'm okay," I assured Kathy. "But I think I need to leave for a while and if I do this... we can't be together anymore."
For a long moment—exactly twenty heartbeats—Kathy didn't say anything. Then, "You're gay, aren't you, Zim?'
What? My stomach squeezed together. How could she know that? If she knew, who else knew? Had she told anyone?
