Page 9 of Fire Dancing For Icey Dragons

"Isn't that what today is supposed to be for?" I say once I've recollected my thoughts.

"I don't think I actually expected you to go for it," she admits.

"You helped me write the emails to the other societies," I point out.

"Yes, but I thought you'd get all control-freak-Zara on it and back out."

"I'm not a control freak," I mutter.

My best friend gives a sharp laugh. "You'redefinitelya control freak. You are many things, Zara, but chill isn't one of them. Look at you now, you could be playing with fire, and instead, you're standing on the side watching everyone."

"I'm a dragon, I can play with fire any time I want."

"Right. So when was the last time you went flying?" Yuri asks.

A familiar itch makes itself known, backing up my best friend and the fact she's right about the last time I actually shifted. I don't do it enough. "Shouldn't you be practising with the others?" I mutter instead of answering her question.

"Sure." She flips her hair over her shoulder and heads back to her group, leaving me alone to watch what everyone's doing and try to ignore what she said.

I know who I am, so why is it hurting so much to hear what other people think of me?

Chapter 6

ZARA

After an intense hour of learning how to fire dance, the squad seems full of life. Or maybe that's because they're disbanding and no longer have to listen to me. As much as I don't want to admit it, everything that both Blaze and Yuri have said to me has gotten into my head and I'm starting to doubt myself.

The fire dancers have packed up, and all but Blaze make their way off the practice pitch. I take a deep breath and head over to him, a little bit nervous about the interaction after reinforcing his idea of me by ordering the squad around. I think the feelings are especially strong after seeing him interact with members of his team. I know it's a completely different situation, but I can't help but feel self-conscious about it. But I also need to check that the payment has gone through right. I can deal with having a reputation for being a hard captain, but I don't want to get one for not paying the Sapphire Sparks bills.

"Did you get the money?" I ask him, pushing some hair out of my face from where it's fallen out of my ponytail.

He nods. "Before we came here. Thanks."

"It's me who should be thanking you," I respond earnestly. "You didn't have to come and teach."

"You paid us," he reminds me.

"I know. But still, thank you." I resist the urge to shuffle my feet. Even if the squad has already dispersed and all that's left for me to do is pack up, I don't want anyone to see me being so insecure.

He raises an eyebrow. "Even if you didn't get a chance to try fire dancing yourself?"

"It was more important for the squad to try it," I say. "And for me to get ideas about how I can use it in the routine, I can do that better by watching." Though I have to admit, there's a little part of me that's disappointed that I haven't had a chance to play with some fire. But that's just the dragon part.

"Do you need to be anywhere now?" he asks.

"No," I respond slowly, not entirely clear why he's asking that.

"Okay, then take this." He holds out one of the batons he hasn't put away yet.

"What?"

"You didn't get a chance to try it yourself, so now you can. And none of the squad are around to see if you fail."

"That's not why I didn't do it..."

"So you say." He nods to the space in front of me.

I'm intrigued enough to step into position and twirl the baton around. It's heavier than I expect it to be and it kind of hurts my wrist.

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