In a world where magic and creature's have collided with 2021, this is a story about Hydra, a dragon who is just trying to make the most of it while carrying the weight of her dark past on her shoulders. Will she finally be able to move on with the...
"I-I can't... I'm sorry," I whisper and gently let go of her face, tears sting my eyes, threatening to come out, but I hold them back. "hey it's okay- it's okay," she says as she comforts me instead. "Its.. its getting late- you should get to bed," I say eventually when I feel like I could speak again. "You can use my bed." There's a pause, and I think it hit her that I'm not coming with her. "Alright." I help her get up and walk her to my room, but closed the door behind her as she went in. I slump in to the couch.
I woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen. I laid on the couch for awhile with my eyes closed and listened to her soft humming while she cooked before getting up. "Oh uh hey- I cooked you breakfast," she said shyly as she handed me a plate, standing in pajamas. "Thank you," I muttered as I took a bite of bacon. Ugh I slept in my work clothes. I finished breakfast in silence with her before heading off to take a shower while she cleaned up. When I got out I put on a black hoodie with matching joggers for maximum comfort. "Hey I gotta go to work- my manager gave me more hours. It's been pretty busy at Moe's lately," she said when I stepped out of the bathroom. She had put her uniform on, and had her bag ready to go, and I felt a tiny tug on my heart. I don't want you to go,.. "Do you need a ride?"
"Oh no, that's fine- I came on the moped last night." We headed downstairs and hugged before she rode off. I watched until I couldn't see her anymore. I broke my train of thought and headed back upstairs and grabbed the number to the therapist out of my night stand and set up appointments. Anette was right, and I trust her word more than any body else. As the week went by I understood myself more with each session, and I can tell I was on the right path.
Saturday night rolled around and I was cleaning up my area when Flora had stepped inside, and gave me a small smile as she sat down at the bar. "Hey there stranger," I teased. "I'm so sorry! Moe's has been short staffed even with me on the roster. I got you a lil present in the meantime." She brought out a small box that had a small bracelet that had a small dragon pendent between the silver chain, holding it together.
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"You couldn't help yourself," I chuckled as she put it around my wrist. It was simple but elegant in its own way. "Thank you," I said when I looked back up at her. "Of course!"
Anette walked on by and saw the two of us together and smiled. "Well look who it is!"
"I know, I know," she laughed.
"Hey can you two stay afterwards for a couple of minutes to talk?"
They both agree before going on over to the booth so I could attend to customers pulling into the lot. As the night goes on, there's less and less people, and I finally close up. I tell them about how I've been talking to the therapist, the learning the comes in hand with it, and how I've been doing in general. "I'm so proud of you dear," Anette says as she puts her hand on top of mine. "You're doing great."
"I'm still stressed though.. Willow is still mad- I can tell." Anette lets go of my hand to hold her head as she put her elbow on the table. "She'll come around eventually, just give it some more time dear." I sigh. maybe she's right..
After they left I cleaned up the place and called it a night. I was able to distract myself with work, the girls, and therapy through out the time Willow had to leave. A day before she left, she finally came up to say something while I was in the break room. "Hey, I.. I'm still going to go visit family this month if that's alright with you." She didn't look me in the eyes- whether she couldn't or didn't want to, I couldn't tell. "Yeah, that's fine.." we shuffled our feet around uncomfortably. Say something! Tell her you miss her. "Willow, without you these past few days- the apple picking, hanging out with the girls, dinner after work... What I'm trying to say is-" Just then Anette showed up and interrupted us. "Hey guys, what're you two talking about?" We quickly glanced at each other and then elsewhere. "Oh uhh- I actually gotta get going," she said jabbing her thumb at the door. "And Hydra?" I look up at her, her face full of emotions.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks." And that was it as she walked out. Anette looked at me, confused. "What was that all about?"
"I think I just made a step forward in talking again maybe...?" I know she left but I still felt nervous about the situation. Flora showed up, and we all decorated for the upcoming month with bats, fake spider webs, and witch hats.
To my dismay, the following week she had left was a bit chaotic. Customers would come in costumes to have a drink and a laugh, which made cleaning up harder, but Anette and I pulled through; by the end of it, I had a tub full of lost costume bits and accessories people had drunkenly left behind. I threw it away in the dumpster out back and started cleaning my station when I got a text from Willow telling me that she was back in town, asking to talk before work. My stomach churned but I agreed. I kept cleaning to keep the anxiety at bay, and as I was restocking alcohol, the bell jingled as my back was turned. "Oh, we're not open yet- sorry," I grunted out as a set the box down on the floor. "I-it's me actually." I turned around. She had her hair done in beautiful box braids as she stood there nervously waiting.
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"Oh- hey.." There was a bit of a pause. "Your hair looks good- suits you." "Thanks- my mom did it for me while I was there.. I had a talk with her and I just want to say.. I'm sorry- you were just someone who fell in love; you've gone through stuff that I can't even imagine, not to mention all this time I've been making an ass of myself, and you still tried to care for me as your friend even when I wasn't very caring myself," she started to tear up while fiddling with her fingers.
"Thanks... I really missed you." A tear finally fell out and we ran to each other, wrapping one other into a bear hug. "I missed you too," she exclaimed. when she finally pulled away, we laughed lightly and wiped our faces dry. "Do you want to hang out after I finish stocking up? You can call up Anette in the meantime." She agreed as she sat down. When Anette got here, we went upstairs to my apartment and we all caught up with one another- I even told them about what had happened between me and Flora. "Woah. Dude you need to tell her how you feel- I know it's hard, but don't let her slip away...," Willow looked at me with eyes full of sadness as we all sat together on my bed. Anette put her hand on my shoulder. "She's right dear- you two deserve each other," she said with a soft smile. I touch the bracelet and for the first time in a long time. It's time to move forward. "Can you guys help me?"
