The Vampire's Requiem II [malexmale]

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen (Daimonas)

Starling came back later when it was dark out.

He brought popcorn and candy and a stuffed dolphin. I didn't even ask him to. He just showed up with them, smiling and pretending that I wasn't leaving tomorrow. I was happy he didn't talk about it. I don't think I could bring myself to discuss it. I didn't want to say goodbye.

"And so I got grounded for, like, two months after that." Starling informed, popping a handful of popcorn into his mouth with a noisy crunch, making me grin. He was telling me about the time he left school to join a skateboarding tournament and his parents grounded him. I felt sorry for him, though. He got second place, why wouldn't his parents be happy for him? Was it the skipping school part?

"You get grounded a lot." I pointed out. Starling shrugged, picking up a candy that he called a starburst and popping it into his mouth and folding up the wrapper. He extended one of his nails into a claw, making me watch in awe as he placed the wrapper on the tip of his claw.

"My parents think I'm a wild child," He paused, wrinkling his nose, "I am a dragon. My people don't like being confined. We need to be free. They don't get it and I can't very well tell 'em I'm a dragon. They'll withdraw everything from my savings." I frowned, tilting my head.

"What's a savings?" I asked, confused. Starling looked up with a polite smile.

"Savings. It's where all the money I earn and my parents set aside to send me to college. I've got quite a lot in there." He answered.

"You're going to college?" I asked with interest. Starling paused, averted his eyes, shrugging a bit uncomfortably.

"I could," He responded, "I mean, I should, but... I dunno. I kinda wanted to continue skateboarding and join in more competitions." I cocked my head at that. It suited him. It was probably the closest to flying Starling could get. At least, that's what it looked like to me when I saw him skateboarding to school on my first day. He moved fast and he had good balance, but that didn't surprise me. It made sense for dragons to be fast and be well balanced.

"I want to go to college." I offered. Starling smiled.

"I bet you'd have fun there. It's better than high school."

"Really? High school's already fun."

"Aha, that's what it looks like now," Starling admitted with a frown, "But, ah, it doesn't stay awesome for long. At least, not until you graduate." I blinked at that.

"Graduate?"

"It's when you're done with high school and go to college. And then you graduate from school. I graduate this year."

"So you'll be all done with school?" I asked in awe. That must mean he was really smart. I wondered if I would ever graduate. How long would I have to stay in school? Starling caught the look on my face and smiled warmly.

"Yeah, but you'll be there soon, Daimonas. You're smart." He commented. I blushed, shifting a little as I reached up to brush a lock of hair behind my ear. I grabbed a candy and popped it into my mouth, wincing at how sour it was. Starling laughed at my expression and I pouted before chewing it.

"I dunno," I said after a while, picking up another candy to put in my mouth and dull down the sour taste, "I'm not that smart. I just ask too many questions." Starling smiled, tilting his head to look at me as I ate the candy and squeezed the stuffed dolphin in my arms.

"Don't say that," He scolded lightly, "You are smart. And asking questions is a good thing. That's how we learn."

"But people look annoyed when I do." I admitted softly. Starling scrunched up his nose.