Heere Be Dragons - A Be More Chill Fanfiction

Two - Rich Set a Fire

     "Christine, he bought an egg." Jeremy was looking into his coffee, the cafe bustling around him and his date.
     "Wait, you found one? I thought all the old unattended ones were lost underground like ages ago."
     "It's not good. He can't take care of a hatchling. He can barely take care of himself."
     "That's not true. Michael is super smart. He saved everyone back at the play."
     "But a baby dragon..."
     "You can help him, can't you?" Christine smiled over her coffee. "It would be like having a pet." Jeremy looked up at her.
     "Well now I'm kinda offended. Are you saying dragons are just really big lizards with wings?"
     "Hm. No, more like scaly puppies," Christine said. They both laughed. Jeremy's face fell again.
     "And how would I help? I can't let him find out."
     "Why not? You've only been friends for like twelve years. I'm sure he'll understand."
     "Yeah, that I've basically been lying to him since kindergarten." Jeremy wrapped his arms around himself. He subconsciously scratched at his skin. Heat tickled his nose. Jeremy sneezed. Christine shouted.
     "Jeremy!"
     "What?""
     "Hang on, I'm calling Rich."
     "What? What happened?" Jeremy's felt a blush creep up his neck. "Christine, what is it? Did anyone see?"
     "No, no. You're fine, just hang in there for a sec."

     "Hey, Chris. 'Sup tall ass," Rich said, swaggering over to their table as the cafe door tinkled shut behind him.
     "All I did was sneeze and she flipped and called you." Rich smirked.
     "Yup, sounds right. Not how it worked for me, but I hear that's how it usually goes."
     "How what goes?"
     "Jeremy, you're shedding." Christine reached over to him, pulling his hand away from his arm. A handful of glittering silver discs clattered on the table out of Jeremy's fist.
     "I'm nervous," he said, scooping up the objects and stuffing them into his pocket. "Michael found an egg this morning, and now you two are acting like I'm about to drop dead."
     "Wait, Michael found an egg?" Rich said, pulling up a chair.
     "At a garage sale, yeah."
     "Sweet! How far along is it?"
     "Just starting to crystalize. It probably has at least a year, but Michael is super excited and he's probably doing research and he's so close to finding out and what am I gonna do?"
     "Dude, calm down. You don't want to burn down the cafe."
     "You know I can't do that yet."
     "Yes you can, Jeremy. I saw it." Christine was almost bouncing in her seat.
     "I don't--"
     "The sneeze, bro." It clicked in Jeremy's mind.
     "Shit." This earned a laugh from his friends. "How do I control it?" He turned to Rich. "What did you do when it started?"
     "It kinda started right after I got rid of my SQUIP, so..."
     "What do you mean?"
     "Halloween, Jeremy?" Christine prompted. She sighed when he didn't react. "How drunk were you that night? I didn't even think you could get drunk." Jeremy shot her a halfhearted glare.
     "And didn't Jenna Rolan tell everyone all over the internet? 'Rich set a fire and he burned down the house.'" The short boy was smirking a bit as he spoke.
     "So what do I do? I don't want to burn anything down!"
     "You won't, Jeremy." Christine squeezed his hand.
     "Yeah, dude. The only reason I did was because the SQUIP was keeping it bottled up. Worst heartburn I've ever had. Just let it out a little at a time and you'll be good."
     "How do I do that?"
     "My parents have some special handkerchiefs. Just say you've got really bad allergies. Sneezing helps."
     "Thanks, guys." Jeremy smiled. "But what about Michael? He has to be getting suspicious. And if not, he will soon. I have no idea what I've told him when I'm drunk or stoned or anything like that. And yes, Christine, we can get drunk. It's actually easier than I think it is for you." She raised her hands in mock surrender.
     "Dude, you could just tell him. It's not the end of the world."
     "But..."
     "Or," Christine said, "you could tell him something else. Tell him some smaller thing you've been keeping secret and get at least a little of it off your chest."
     "Y-yeah! That's a great idea! But what do I tell him?"
     "How about how you and I haven't actually been dating since I told you I knew your little secret because you freaked and broke up with me on the spot?" She said it so innocently, but Rich's snort of laughter told Jeremy all he needed to know. He felt his face go red and heat build in his throat.
     "S-sorry... Wait, are you trying to get Michael and I together?"
     "Maybe," Christine batted her eyelashes. "But you should still tell him." Jeremy's blush was getting brighter. Rich slapped a hand over his mouth when he tried to open it, blocking the stream that would've spilled out.
     "Dude, getting flustered will make it worse."
     "Great. It's not like I spend half of my time blushing or anything."

     He would give it a shot, at least. Ulterior motives aside, Christine was right. He was keeping too many secrets from his best friend.
     "Michael, you still here?" Jeremy called up the stairs.
     "Yup, looking through your little treasure chest." Jeremy walked into his bedroom to see Michael sprawled out on the floor with the shoebox of trinkets. Shiny objects glittered in the carpet.
     "Dude! Don't mess with that!" Jeremy felt his face heat up again and quickly swallowed the heat in his throat.
     "Why not?"
     "It's mine?"
     "Is it? Are you a kleptomaniac or something? I don't think this was ever yours," Michael held up a golden locket.
     "I found it under a bench at the park. No one else was going to claim it." Jeremy was protesting to a brick. Michael only wanted to get under his skin. It was working a little too well and hitting a little too close to the truth. "Look, I wanted to tell you something."
     "Shoot," Michael said, tossing trinkets back into the shoebox.
     "Christine and I broke up." Michael froze and looked up.
     "Aw, dude, that sucks. I'm sorry."
     "It was months ago. I kinda got scared and dumped her."
     "Scared of what?"
     "It doesn't matter. She understood and we're still friends and it's all good. I just thought, well. You're my best friend and I should've told you right away that something as big as a breakup happened to me. Sorry." Jeremy's hand had found its way to his pocket, where he was fiddling with the silver bits he'd stowed there.
     "Dude, it's cool. You got it off your chest." Michael thought for a minute and snickered. "You're growing up, Jer. It feels like just yesterday you were wearing those fake wings around for three months straight because you just loved them so much."
     "Hey, I was eight." Jeremy blushed slightly again, but also breathed an internal sigh of relief.
     "Yup. Dork then, dork now." He smiled and looked at Jeremy over his glasses. "But that's why we're friends. Come on, we're getting stoned in my basement tonight."