A Home for Scales
Written By : SecretSerpent22
Warning: some content may be disturbing or upsetting to some viewers, discretion of/for the viewer is advised. Ok here we go!
Chapter 8; Pasts
POV change: Nikalandra
I laid in the tub, my whole body barely fit, especially with my tail. I sighed. How could I have been so careless? They're going to want answers later. I thankfully cooled down, the fresh cold water was very relaxing, I felt a little more at ease. I felt my body eagerly taking it in as my scales finished peeling and finally got properly hydrated. Good thing my last class was already done. But Hudson... did he really carry me back with Jagal? I could see the sweat forming on them, parts of his skin red and irritated. He really did save my life. He did something no one else bothered to.... Check on me. I did have a real friend here. I was grateful. I submerged again, lost in these thoughts.
An hour or so passed. My scales were feeling better, although my mouth was still partially dry. When I submerged some would leak in though so it wasn't bad. I still had my pants on but that was fine. The refreshing feeling of this water, I just couldn't get over it. I rolled, I splashed. Never before had it felt so good to soak before. The feeling was made better when more people had actually cared for me. Worried about me.
I was laying there thinking about my dumb ideas and how I could have prevented all of this, when I heard the bathroom door open. Raymond entered, and approached the sink. He noticed me and quickly did a double take. "What the..." He said before quickly averting his gaze to the other side of the room. "Dammit, lock the door next time." he said frustrated.
"Heh, no need to get so worked up." My voice finally began to return. I sat up in the tub. "I got pants you didn't see anything."
He grew irritated. "The hell are you doing in the tub with pants on?"
"Oh, soaking, wasn't me who put, well me here though."
"Oh what'd the wind bring you?" he said sarcastically, turning back slightly. "Seriously lock the door weirdo."
"Again, it wasn't me." I felt like teasing him for some reason. "I was told specifically by Jagal and Hudson to stay here." This caused him to grow confused as to why. I noticed. "Yeah, so what, I overheated. Lemme guess you don't care though?" I smirked, I knew he didn't. From day one I knew this, he mumbled all the time about me, glared at me from across the rooms. I could tell.
He suddenly smiled. "You know the rumor goes around that the big croc is on drugs. You know what that'll do-"
"Yeah yeah the others know." I sunk back down upset. "They already want to talk later about it. Plus the offices knew about it already." It was going to get out there one day I suppose.
"Yeah, well I'll let you get back to your soaking," he said in a sarcastic tone, "I gotta actually get work done." He exited. He never did try to hide his distaste for me, now he knows I have nowhere to run to.
POV change; Raymond
I exited the bathroom. I knew it, the bastard is on something. Just gotta find it. I began snooping around his side of the room. I finally had a reason to. I checked his bags, nothing. Under his bed?... Bingo! Looking through his one small suitcase I found an open pocket containing a small orange tube of some pills. I smiled when I found it. He may have told the offices but he's still a quiet and secretive guy. Bringing this up with the others will make him break for sure. He won't know what to do, or maybe overreact. Maybe he'll even try and get in a fight and I can get him expelled! I looked around his side of the room more, seeing if I could find anything else I could use against him. I opened his desk drawers, nothing important here- Well well what's this? I thought, picking up a picture frame. I studied it, looked it over. I read the hand-written portion, I saw the people, the place. Oh my, this just got better. I smirked. I already see where this'll go now.
POV change; Nikalandra
The other's arrived, and entered the bathroom. I was still in the tub. I looked away when they entered, the time had flown past. They helped me up. I cracked several parts of my body and stretched a little. It got cramped in there. They asked how I was feeling, if I was doing any better. I only looked down and nodded. We all knew this talk was coming, it was eating away at me. You don't have to share everything, just what they want to hear... It'll be okay...
Jagal gathered us in a circle after I dried, and changed my pants, and got a bathrobe. He went to talk to Raymond who said he already knew. His posture seemed off, almost eager to hear this. I don't blame him, he'll be looking for ways to get me out. "Alright, we all knew this was coming. Nikalandra? Care to explain something?" All eyes were on me. I held my robe close. I was still slightly damp but preferred that.
"Well there isn't a use in denying it huh? ... I swear it's not what you think though-"
"Oh yeah?" Raymond said, interrupting me. He tossed something out from his jacket pocket as it rolled in front me, in front of everyone. My prescriptions.
I froze. Everyone looked at me, Raymond was smiling as if he had won something. He went snooping through my stuff?! I was angry, upset, I reached out slowly and grabbed the orange container. I felt all eyes look over at me. They waited to hear what I had to say. There really was no use in hiding. That skunk Raymond...why'd he have to go snooping? "Yes...these are mine" I said through gritted teeth. "These are mine, I won't deny it, why you thought you had to go through my stuff is ... beyond me though."
"Wait did you look through-" Hudson started.
"Yes I did, and I knew it." Raymond laughed. "You're just all looks and drugs." It was silent. I felt the uneasiness grow between us all. What if they believe him more? Jagal stared at Raymond.
"Raymond you can't just go through someone's stuff?!" Jagal said exasperated. Raymond scoffed at the response.
"These aren't those... Please believe me...." I said quietly, I felt defeated, a million thoughts raced through my mind. What else did he find? I hope he didn't find it. I could only stare at the container.
"Nikalandra?.... You can explain if you want to." Hudson said. How can I look at them? They all think the same thing don't they? My mind raced for a good answer ignoring Hudson's attempt to make me feel better.
"They're supposed to help....when I get stressed..." I said quietly. So quietly that Jagal asked to repeat myself.
"Yeah, help to numb you out of existence right?" Raymond said. Jagal stood abruptly and grabbed Raymond by the arm.
"Bathroom, now Ray." Jagal was mad? Why, though? Did he actually want to hear me? As they left and closed the door I heard their silenced conversation. Jagal was telling Raymond off for his behavior.
"Nikalandra, is that why you left for the bathroom Saturday?" Hudson's voice was weak, pained.
"Hudson please...don't get that impression of me..." I spoke, I was on the verge of tears now.
"Tell me why you have them then. Are they that important? To risk your life and pass out in the sun?"
"What?" I was shocked. I should've explained myself earlier. "No, they don't do anything like that. Hudson, they-they help me. They....keep me hydrated or make sure I can just feel relaxed. It feels like the eyes of others aren't on me, pressuring me all the time..."
Jagal and Raymond exited the bathroom and reentered back into the room. "Have something to say to him?" Jagal said standing behind Raymond forcing him to speak.
"Yeah..." Raymond said. A smile appeared on his face. "heh yeah I do." He tossed out a framed picture. It landed in front of Hudson and I. It was...of me? Wait, that's....!
I froze. I felt more tears. I panicked. What do I do.... No they weren't supposed to see that. I tried reaching my claw out to it. I felt like I was trapped in slow motion. Hudson reached out and picked it up before I could. NO!
"Good Luck to our favorite gator? Make sure to visit at some point kiddo." he repeated reading the message on the glass. "Nikalandra?" He looked back at me, then to the picture. He studied it for a second, then it hit him. He looked back up with a worried expression. "Are you..."
I sat there. I was frozen. I heard them talking to me, but everything was so muffled. I could only hear myself. My pasts engulfing me in a sea of emotions. I trembled, I remembered. Why? Why is this happening? Not now...I didn't want it to get out yet...For a second I felt an inky dark feeling begin to creep back into existence. I couldn't see it, but I felt it ready to pounce once more.
"Nikalandra!" Hudson shook me, snapping me out of my daze. I felt the invisible tears streaming down my face. Jagal came close holding onto the picture to see too.
"Oh my.... Did you really?"
"It's out now," Raymond spoke, "admit it freak, you forced yourself on drugs because you were never enough for anyone right? You got lucky to get here right? No one cared about you... right?"
I wanted to hit him, I wanted to scream at him. I could only sit in silence. I just sat there. I couldn't bring myself to hurt anyone, even back then, the alleyway, and behind the diners. I'm weak.... "Raymond... What's the purpose of this?" Hudson questioned. He too... sounded like he was ready to cry? There's no way he was...saddened to see the photo?
"This...this wasn't supposed to hap-happen." I choked out. "Not yet, I'm... not ready."
"Raymond... that's cold, that was wrong. What's wrong with you?!" Jagal said more pissed. "You've never done this before, to anyone. I've known you for so many years so why now?"
"Oh c'mon Jags you know it doesn't matter. He doesn't." Everyone glared at him. Jagal stood back up abruptly. Smack! Raymond teetered backwards. "What the hell was that for?!"
"What, all this because he's a crossbreed and you can't get over that? He's just trying to live his life dammit!" he shook his head. "I thought you were better than this." Jagal went from angry to disappointed. "If you can't deal with this....then leave. Treating him like this, tsk, how could you? He's already conscious enough about all this and you're making it worse." The room grew quiet for an unsettling amount of time. My quiet sobs were the only noise. Hudson finally broke it.
"Crossbreed?" he questioned. We all looked at him. Does he not know?
Jagal explained to him what being crossbred meant. What the mutation in them was. Raymond was sitting on his bed fuming no one had taken his side. "So he had either a mother and father of different species? A human and crocodile?" He looked back at me. "I.... never guessed that could happen."
"It does, and..." Jagal stopped, looking back at the photo. A hurtful silence returned.
"And they didn't want me...." I spoke for him, softly. "No one did. All eighteen....all eighteen years I stayed there. They were my only family." I struggled to speak the last words. I was hurt, in so many ways.
"Nikalandra...." Hudson spoke, watching me. I felt arms wrap around me. He-he's hugging me? "Why didn't you tell us?"
"I-I... I couldn't bring myself to. I didn't want to bother you all with my... story. I didn't want you all to worry. I just wanted you to....stay happy."
"And what? Let that eat away at you your entire life? No, I wish you said something. Please, I don't mind," he looked at Jagal who nodded, "We don't mind." After that my tears rolled. I couldn't stop. I don't think they wanted me to either.
It grew later in the day, the sun finally had gone behind the trees. I explained the rest of my pill situation. They were specially made for crocodiles and other reptiles with stress and dehydration issues. I went over all the things being crossbred did to me. How my stress levels would drain and stress me more than average, and how dehydrated I could get, which in turn made it deadly. I spoke about my family at the orphanage. Jagal and Hudson sat and listened. At the end of it all they hugged me. They wanted me to feel safe here, that I did belong here. Raymond was upset, but listening to all my troubles, and the fact that Jagal hit him, he might've felt bad. I couldn't tell. Apparently there was some issue in his family with a crossbreed, I'd find that out much later though. It left his opinions on bad terms. I explained the fight from the first night. Some Jacob guy and his friends, who were all juniors this year, thought it would be fun to toss me around. And I had let them. It wasn't easy breaking up the hug at the end and going to bed. Tomorrow was going to be different. They knew everything, and they were focusing on me now, whether I liked it or not. Well, not everything, but that doesn't matter right now. They were the real friends I was told I would make.