Page 82 of My Roommate from Hell
“For what?” I ask.
“For standing up for me. I know that must’ve been scary for you, and I appreciate it.”
“Of course. And listen, that guy is just the worst. You shouldn’t let what he said bother you.”
Zarmenus gives me a weak smile. “I know.”
“Seriously, screw him,” I say. “He’s so, just, ugh. He’s a bully, and unfortunately the world is full of them. But he’s the one who should feel bad, not you. Trust me, I bet his life is sad and empty, which is why he feels like he has to tear people down.”
“I guess,” says Zarmenus. He slumps down onto his bed. Bell jumps up to sit beside him. Absent-mindedly, Zarmenus starts petting her on the head, scratching between her ears. She starts to purr so loudly I can hear her from across the room, and she starts pushing her little face against Zarmenus’s hand so she gets petted in exactly the way she wants to.
“We can talk about it, if you want,” I say.
“It’s getting to me, I guess,” he says.
“What is?”
“The hatred,” he says. “And the thing is, I understand. I’ve seen the shows, I’ve watched the movies. I get that humans are scared of us. But I wasn’t expecting it to be this hard.”
“I get that,” I say. “But trust me, he’s in the minority.”
“It doesn’t feel like it.” He sniffs. “I never got to finish telling you how my parents messed me up.”
I go over and sit on the couch, so I’m facing him.
“The thing is, back home, there’s this, um, prophecy.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I was born on the day of a red moon, an event that only happens every hundred or so years.”
“Herald of the Crimson Moon,” I say, remembering his title.
“Exactly. A prince born during a blood moon has long beenforetold to be one of the most important demons to ever live. It was told that I am the great unifier, and would be the one to usher in peace between our two peoples.” He starts picking at his nail. “I was told about this when I was five, and it’s controlled me ever since. My parents got me the best demon tutors from all over Hell, and they all worked to turn me into who I was prophesied to be.”
“I can’t imagine that kind of pressure.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think I’ve handled it that well. I tried, but it’s hard, you know? Everyone always expected me to be perfect. And maybe it was naïve but when I got here I thought maybe I could have some fun for the first time in my life, and do what I want for a change. I should’ve known it’d only get me in trouble.”
“Is this why that guy is bothering you so much?”
He nods. “I feel like I’m failing.”
“You’re not!” I say. “You’re trying so hard, and I don’t know much about demons, but it seems pretty unfair to put that much pressure on one kid.”
“Nobody’s ever said that to me before.”
“Really?”
“Everyone back home always treats it like it’s a great honor.”
“I’m sure it is, but it sounds hard, too.”
He sits up a little straighter. “You don’t know this, but I was really trying to get you to like me when I first moved in. It hurt when I found out you wanted to leave.”
It did? He moved right past that.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I should’ve talked with you more instead of bottling things up. Because I did like you, I just found it hard to live with someone.”
He laughs softly. “You’re being polite, I was pretty unhinged.”
“I understand it now,” I say. “If you’d been controlled like that your whole life, no wonder you wanted freedom.”
