The Boy Who Slayed Dragons

He cut off his ear

I watched him enter the library again, his long legs carried him gracefully across the floor presenting himself to me with a small smile.

"Hello Onward, that's your name I've learned your name Lucas Onward."

He says fairly proud of himself for his discovery, I nodded at him as he laid on the counter top covered in checked out books I was trying to scan in.

"My names Zayden Davis"

He says as if the name is important to me, I supposed it was if I needed to get in touch with him.

But what for, what do I need to reach him for?

"You're very quiet, I've asked people why. I've asked about you."

He says, turning around until the back of his head lays on the counter and he stares up at me in an awkward looking position.

"They say it's because you can't talk, other say it's because a cat's got your tongue and other say you're just scared." He finally stands up fully looking down at me with a smirk playing on his lips and his icy eyes gazing down at my honey brown ones.

"I like that you don't talk or ask questions, you simply listen and you don't make dumb comments" I nodded feeling as I should reply in some way or another. I watched him slide a book on Van Gogh onto the countertop and his eyes come back to mine.

"The teacher recommended it, thought I'd give it a try." I nodded and scanned the book into the computer and then checked it out to him. "Did he really cut off his ear?" I nodded "I wonder why? what would make him do that it's kind of funny, but whatever you know, to each his own?" I shrugged and watched him walk out of the library and into the hallway, I picked up my bag ready to head to class and then turned back around to find Mrs Rina looking at me with a smile. "He's trouble that boy" she says her lips curling upwards "but I think you need a little troubling."

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He was in my art class but I don't think he knew it, I sat near the back of the class by the window where the light hit good enough on my canvas.

I was doing a simple painting just random strokes getting the color scheme of the project together. Until I looked up and Zayden stared at his blank notebook, the teacher passed by and laid a hand on his shoulder gently before checking on more students.

All of a sudden Zayden's eyes traveled around the room and they landed on me. They lit up with happiness and he made his way beside me.

He wasn't wearing a jacket so I could see his tattoos going up his arm. Some of them looked like bad drawings and very faded and others were beautiful and newer looking. He sat himself down beside me and nudged me "you never told me you were in this class, oh course you never really say anything do you Onward."
I didn't reply or make any head motions this time I just stared at him and his eyes that reminded me of dancing snowflakes in front of a blue sky. He was so lovely, that was my first thought that I could come up with for a way to describe him.

"Lovely" I muttered to myself making him look at me "oh shit what did you say, lovely? What's lovely?" I only looked at him once more glancing over his tattoos and looking at some stretched hole in his earlobes he had.

"Do you wanna touch em?"
He asked coolly making me tense up at being caught staring I nodded eagerly.
He laid his left arm out and he pointed with his right.

"These really ugly ones are called stick and pokes, I did then my self when I was about 15 thinking I was so cool, I've thought about covering them up but I find them funny. All the extra space that was never tattooed around them." I carefully reached down and touched one-

"AGRH"
He cried flinching his arm making me cry out in surprise jumping out of my seat almost.
He laid his head down laughing violently holding his stomach down.
"Shit I'm sorry I didn't-sorry...fuck I can't breath." He was laughing enough to make the teacher look over. I uncoiled my body from its self and tried to shush him "I'm sorry Onward" he laughed again smiling at me.

He asked for my phone number

After class he asked for my phone number and I think my heart stopped a moment before allowing him to have it.
________________________________

I entered my house with a slamming of the door and clutching the phone in my pocket.
"Lucas are you ok?" My mom asked coming down stairs from her office.
"I-i-i gave a boy...b-boy my number" I rushed out too quick to actually form proper words.
"Really? What's his name, talk slow Lucas." I smiled at her grinning with joy and happiness, we sat down on the couch after getting a bowl of hummus we've been letting waste away in the fridge.

"His name is Z-Zayden"

"How do you spell that" she asked

"Z. A. Y. D. E. N." I said slowly taking my time with my words.

"That's wonderful, how'd you meet"

I told her slowly and carefully not wanting to mess up the words that left my mouth because I didn't want to ruin the story of the coolest guy I'd ever met. I told her about the library and about Van Gogh and about art. How he learned my name and didn't mind my silence, I told her about his tattoos and asked what stick and pokes were. She just smiled at me the whole time and she grinned kindly. "I'm so happy that you're excited to meet a new person Lucas." She said with genuine love.
___________________________

I got out of the shower after having sat in there for a few minutes longer than needed wanting to calm my excited heart and racing thoughts.

Unknown number
Hey

I almost passed out from nervousness I hadn't texted anyone in forever Jenna doesn't text me as much anymore so it's lonely

Luca
Hello,

Unknown
Make sure you put my name in your phone I don't wanna get lost with anyone else texting you I'm more important than them

Luca
I will, but you wouldn't have to worry I don't text people often.

Zayden
Really? That's crazy, who wouldn't text you The I would feel like the boy who doesn't speak would hold an amazing conversation

Luca
I'm very bad at conversations I never know how to keep it going

Zayden
You just reply with whatever goes with it, you're doing pretty good so far Lucas Onward

Luca
Why do you call me by my full name like that?

Zayden
It's a cool name sounds really smart my name sounds like I'm supposed to be giving jail yard tattoos and serving kool-aid out of a toilet lol

Luca
I'm glad you like my name thank you

I like your name too Zayden Davis it reminds me of a dragon from a fairytale or a hero in a movie. Of course, I don't tell him that, because I don't want to sound weird maybe one day. I'll just have to tell him if he's around long enough.