It's been three days and my friends have come over after school with my homework to help me do it. It's hard but we manage. It's Saturday now and I'm already feeling a bit better. I'm not in as much pain and I can move around a bit but changing will be difficult.
"Hey!" Jack's voice yells as my bedroom door bursts open.
"Fucking hell, Jacks," Dani sighs. "Do you have to be so damn loud?"
"Yes."
I look at the door, Dani, Jack, and Riley smile at me as they come in. "Olivia said you were gonna try to change back today," Riley says.
"You look better, you'll probly be able to," Dani adds. I simply nod and Sarah jumps down from where she was sleeping by my tail. "Alright, you guys should wait in the living room, you can talk to him after he tries to change back," Dad comes in with Pops and Olivia.
"Okay," Jack jumps to the door.
"We'll just talk to Bree," Dani smirks, making Olivia roll her eyes.
"Okay, you ready?" Pops looks at me and I nod. Olivia covers me with a blanket. The smart thing to do.
"Whenever you want you can try," Olivia says.
"But if it hurts too much, don't do it," Dad orders. I nod and focus.
As I focus, I can feel my bones shifting and I can hear the cracking. It hurts a lot but not too bad. As my bones are cracking and moving, I let out a lower roar than last time but it's still loud enough to hear throughout the house.
The dragon-like roar shifts to my less terrifying, pain-filled yell. As I finally change, I feel my bones stop moving and the pain turns into more of a sore feeling, leaving me to a slight whimper as my chest, head, back, and left arm throb.
"Fucking, damn! That hurt!" I exclaim as I hide my face in my pillow and clench my jaw.
"I'll bet," Pops sits near my blanket-covered feet.
"You okay?" Olivia asks in a caring tone as she and Dad sit down too.
"I think so," I nod. My voice is raspy from not using it for days and then yelling. I look at myself. The bandages that covered me are hanging loosely. The one that was on my wing sits on the blanket while the others are easily slid off due to my dragon form being bigger than normal.
"Here, put on some pants and we'll have a look at those cuts," I nod and feel a bandage on my head move.
I had one on my head? They leave the room and I sorely grab the sweatpants next to my bed to put on. "You're good!" I call through the door and everyone comes in. My friends and family.
"Holy shit," Dani says.
"It looks like you lost a blood match," Jack adds.
"I did, four days ago," My voice is still raspy and hoarse.
"What?" Dad gives me a concerned look as I sit on the edge of the bed so he can help with the cuts.
"I took Sarah for a walk out back and a giant wolf attacked me. It didn't even run when I changed like they normally do. It bit and scratched through me like I was a chew toy. I don't know how it even happened." Dad cleans the cuts on my chest and I wince as any filth in the cut comes up to be dabbed away with a cold, wet cloth.
"A giant wolf?" Riley gives me a confused look.
"Yeah, it was a wolf but it was so much bigger and faster than a regular wolf. And it acted more like it was on a mission than like it would if it were hunting," I slightly shrug while Dad looks to see if there are any cuts on my back.
"So, where'd it go?" Olivia asks. "When we got there it was just you."
"It ran off after I got a few hits on it. It has a few cuts too."
"Well, until we figure out what happened and until you're healed fully. Stay out of the woods," Pops orders.
"Got it," I nod.
"Oh, Lizzy gave me this. She told me to give it to you without reading it. Seems kinda' suspicious but whatever," Dani shrugs and holds out a folded piece of paper. I flinch a little as Dad cleans up all my cuts. At this point I know there's a gash in my back along with the ones on my arm, though my chest is just some scratches that hurt. Maybe ill have some badass scars. I take the folded paper as Dad finishes bandaging my arm.
"Thanks," My voice is still raspy. We all talk while Dad looks at my head.
"We're gonna have to cut your hair," he says after Dani shuts up.
"Why?" I question.
"Your hair keeps getting in the way and in the cut,"
"Oh, Bree can do it. She cuts mine," Olivia volunteers Bree.
"Okay," I shrug.
"You could just do these areas if you want," Dad draws a line on my head with his finger.
We go into the bathroom and Bree shaves around the sides of my head, leaving the top as it was. After cutting my hair Dad finishes bandaging me up and I go back to my bed, already tired. Dani stays for a little longer after Riley and Jack leave.
"You scared the shit out of us, you know?" she pushes the side of my bed slightly.
"Yeah, I scared myself too," I nod. "How's it going with your brother?"
"Well, he's out and I don't have to deal with him hogging the TV so, pretty great," she smiles. "Do you think that wolf will come back?" She gets more serious.
"I hope not. I don't know how to fight and I definitely don't have anyone to help me with it. I'm the only person that can change into a dragon," I admit. "And right now's not the best time to be getting into another fight with that thing."
"Yeah," she nods in agreement. "You better get better quickly. I don't wanna have to beat the hell out of Leo by myself next time he starts shit."
I let out a slightly painful chuckle and nod before saying, "you know me. I'll be back to school on Monday."
"Good, call me at some point this weekend, just because the TV hog left doesn't mean I won't have shit to rant about with you," she stands up as she speaks.
"I promise," I smile and we do one of those handshakes that are just a simple high five and fist bump for no reason before she leaves. After Dad stops trying to baby me I fall asleep for a while. When I wake up I remember the paper Dani delivered. I pick it up and unfold it to read.
Travis,
Olivia told me what happened. I'm glad you're okay and I would come to see you, but Dani said you need rest. If you get a chance, you can call me if you want to. I hope you get back to school soon.
She leaves her number at the bottom of the small paper and I grab my cracked phone, add her as a contact, and press call without looking at the time.
As the phone rings next to my head I glance at the clock to see it's a little past 10:30. I lay on my back as the phone rings. I should just hang up. She's probably sleeping. As I'm going to hang up, a soft voice cuts through, "Hello?"
"Hi, it's TJ," I speak, my voice raspy from sleep.
"Oh, hi. I didn't think you would actually call," Lizzy seems to be trying to stay quiet.
"Sorry if I woke you up or anything, I just woke up and this is the first time Dad isn't sleeping in a chair next to my bed," I chuckle lightly and groan at the sore pain it causes in my chest.
"Are you alright?" she questions.
"Yeah, just beaten up," I smile. "I should be back to school on Monday."
"If you don't mind me asking, what really happened?" She sounds cautious. "Olivia said you fell off your motorcycle and Jack said a dog attacked you?"
"Oh no, I was messing around in the driveway and fell off my bike. Cut up my head, chest, and arm," I explain. "I'll have a few scars."
"Damn, that bad?" Have I heard her curse before? I don't think I have.
"It's not too bad. It's just gonna take a bit to heal fully," I tell her.
"Well, that's good, then." I can hear a slight squeak in the back as crickets sing. A small voice comes through, but I can't quite make out what they're saying.
"Travis," I think Lizzy's talking to the small voice. "For a minute, then you have to go to bed so mom doesn't get mad. Caleb wants to talk to you,"
"Okay," she hands the phone over and Caleb sounds excited.
"Hi," he says. "Liz said you got hurt."
"Yeah, I fell off my bike and had to miss some school," I explain.
"I wanna miss school," he comments quietly.
"Why?" I ask.
"It's just confusing. I like to learn but it's all weird," he explains.
"Oh, maybe you could talk to your teacher about it," I suggest.
"She helps me a lot. And so does Liz."
"That's good," I nod even though he can't see me. Some talking sounds in the back before Caleb speaks again.
"I have to go to bed now, I hope you can give me a ride on your motorcycle again when you're better."
"Definitely," I nod again.
"Hey," Lizzy says. "I gotta get him to bed so I'll let you rest,"
"Alright, talk later," she hangs up quickly and I set my phone on my nightstand and lay still.
"Who was that?" Olivia burst through my door, causing me to jump and wince at the pain caused by my sudden movement.
"Fucking Christ, Olivia," I hold my chest. "Don't do that."
"Sorry, who was it?" She repeats.
"Lizzy," I answer.
"Sounds interesting," she sits next to me.
"How? We just talked," I question.
"I don't know, you seem..." She takes a deep breath. "Infatuated with her."
"I am not infatuated with anyone," I say. "I'm just being her friend."
"Whatever you say."
"What about you? Are you... Infatuated with anyone?" I mimic.
"Maybe," she shrugs.
"You know that almost always means yes in this family," I point out.
"Okay, I am but that's all you get to know," she points at me as if to warn me.
"I don't even get to know if it's a human?" I smile.
"Nope, you don't." We talk for a while longer before deciding it's too late to be up and go to bed.
In the morning I decide against laying in bed all day. I get up and go to the bathroom to brush my teeth and do my best to wash with a rag and not fucking up my cuts worse than they are. After throwing on some jeans and a loose-fitting tank top I go to the kitchen. Past Bree and Olivia sitting right next to each other on the couch while the TV plays.
"You guys won't tell if I take the truck into town will you?" I ask as I get a glass of water.
"Bitch, you're supposed to be in bed," Olivia turns to face me.
"I know but I'm fine. And I want to go outside," I complain.
"I understand that but I don't know if you actually should. I'm not a doctor," she shrugs.
"I'll pay to take you guys to the arcade."
"Alright, let's go to the arcade," she gets up and Bree follows.
"I'll get my wallet and shoes," I go to my room and stuff my wallet and phone in my pockets before throwing on my sneakers and trying not to hurt myself as I go out to Bree's truck. As I get in, she starts driving I text Lizzy.
Wanna take Caleb to the arcade?
She answers after a minute.
You sure?
Hell yeah
Ok sure
With that, I put my phone in my pocket and watch out the window as we travel. After a while, the trees are replaced with houses as we enter the town. "We need to pick up Caleb and Lizzy."
"Who's Caleb?" Olivia asks.
"Lizzy's brother," I tell her. Bree nods and goes to the store. Caleb and Lizzy are waiting by the entrance to the parking lot and they get in the backseat with me.
"I thought you said the fall wasn't that bad?" Lizzy looks at the bandages on my arm, head, and the slight bandage you can see through the gaps in my tank top.
"It's not, I can still move. And that's not bad," I answer as Caleb stares at my arm.
"Are you okay?" Caleb asks sweetly, still looking at my arm.
"Yeah, just got scratched up," I tell him.
"Good, Liz would be upset if you were hurt bad," I smile as Lizzy covers her brother's mouth with her arm.
"We're here," Bree parks.
"Pay up," Olivia turns and holds her hand out to me. I take out my wallet and hand her twenty bucks before we all get out.
"What do you guys wanna do first?" I turn to Lizzy and Caleb as Bree and Olivia go off to play whatever game they want.
Thankfully, it's not too busy. Not every game is full. "I want to race Liz on the motorcycles!" Caleb exclaims excitedly.
"Okay, let's go," I get some quarters and we head to the bikes.
I cheer Caleb on as he and Lizzy race in the game. And after a few races, we play a few other games and as I'm about to win in Street Fighter against Lizzy, Caleb lightly taps my right forearm. "Just a second bud," I glance over as I win the game. "Yes! Finally!" I cheer and Caleb taps me again. "Yeah?" I look at him as Lizzy sighs.
"That guy keeps staring at you," He points to the Pac-Man game where Leo stands next to the game and Kayla plays. He's glaring at me.