Page 5 of Dryad, Try Again
While he takes their order, I lean on the counter. Despite my sore feet, I can’t wipe the optimistic smile off my face. A new mummy friend and a party to meet his sexy suitemate? I know boys should be off-limits?my life should be all about earning my tuition?but tell that to my hormones. Maybe studying at Creelin U is the start of things finally looking up for me.
3
KOVI
My reading is interruptedby my suitemate plopping five massive bags onto our wooden table. We share the common living area, so I only blame myself for not hiding out in the library. I wanted to munch on my werebear claws in the privacy of my own suite, and maybe read about agriculture. But with my other best friend back, it seems I’m done.
“I think I have everything we need for tonight.” Blake smiles triumphantly and puts his hands on his hips. He grins and nods, and his tangle of brown curls bob along. While he’s not as promiscuous as Seth, Blake loves a good party. To be fair, the move-in weekend bonfire is a long-revered tradition among students. I’m fairly certain Dean Yaga knows of its existence and turns a blind eye since the event doesn’t cause trouble?that she knows of, anyway.
“Are you sure?” I deadpan. “I didn’t hear a police report, so you couldn’t possibly have stolen enough liquor.” Pilfering through his bags, I find there are, indeed, dozens of glass bottles filled with all sorts of drinks.
“Ha ha, very clever, Kove.” We proceed to pull out the bottles and he grins. “We only get to have one first weekend of junior year, so we need to make it count.”
“Clearly,” I reply. I skeptically read each bottle. “Vampire vodka…tentacle tequila…genie gin. Damn, Blake, you went all out.”
He beams at me. “Thank you, sir. I want the year to get off to a good start. So am I missing anything? My people on the baseball team are bringing kegs of Boowery beer.”
He rubs his hands together and grins, and I look down into a bag.
“Did you remember cups?”
“Shit.” He frowns, and I snort. I sit back down and close my book while he waves his hand. “It’s fine. That’s what the dining hall is for.”
“And snacks?”
“Again, dining hall.” Blake nearly vibrates in joy, and I chuckle. “I am so pumped. We’re upperclassmen now, and we gotta party hard before classes start.”
I shrug and lean on the chair. “How hard? Because I don’t want to hold Seth’s wraps up while he vomits again.”
Blake guffaws. “That night was hilarious. But come on, first party of the fall! Live a little, let your branches out and shakes some leaves, or whatever.”
He raises up a hand, and I eye it skeptically. I’m far from a wet blanket, but I actually enjoy studying my major, environmental science. Still, my friend has a point; the first weekend of the year has always been a spectacle “I suppose…since we don’t have homework yet, letting loose will be fun.”
I take his hand and give him a bro-hug. “You know it, Kove.” He takes out a milk crate and gently packs away the liquor. “Plus, it’s the first year partying with humans. Should be sick.”
My anxiety creeps up again. I have to mingle with non-monsters? “Um…too bad we didn’t invite any humans. Since we uh, don’t know any.”
“Oh, Seth did.”
“What?!” I yelp.
“He texted me saying he’s working with one now. He invited him and a few others, and they pretty much invited all of the human transfers.” Blake shrugs and hoists up his crate of liquor. Before I can school my expression, Blake studies me. “Look, dude,” he says with a lower voice. “It’s no big deal.”
I swallow and take a deep breath. Seth, Blake, and I have had plenty of heart-to-hearts over the past two years, so he knows about my past. “You’re not some kid anymore. You have your shifting down on lock.”
I tuck my book closer to my chest and nod again. Blake’s right, but I haven’t spoken to a human other than my parents since who-knows-when.
“You can always hang out with us at the party.” Blake’s tone is soothing, and I’m glad my best friend has my back. I’ve shared with him my baggage, and he understands my trepidations when it comes to mingling with humankind. He smiles, and his green eyes shimmer like his scales in his monster form. “And hey, if you get nervous, that’s what liquor is for!”
He cackles and saunters off, and I’m left alone in the common room. Seth seems to have already made friends with humans. Blake is more than ready to hang out with them. The question is, am I?
(TWELVE YEARS AGO)
Homeschooling is boring, but at least now I live near a park. Mommy and Daddy even let me go out alone since our apartment is only two blocks away. There are several massive oak trees and patches of wheatgrass past the small baseball field on the far side. The middle has a big blue jungle gym with slides and swings.
My parents say it’s dangerous for me to be around so many kids because I’m a monster. Still, some public school kids come here at the end of the day. I like to come here, too, and pretend I’m one of them. Friends would be nice.
But no one wants to talk to the weirdo shifter kid, even though I look like a normal Sri Lankan human. I walk with my hands outstretched to the sides around the park, listening to the trees and their whispers. Most of the plants are perfectly happy. None of the grown-ups understand that plant life doesn’t think in words like we do. The OME says there are very few dryads in the world, and most are in Asia.
