Dancing with Dragons

Chapter One

Chapter One

"No." I babble into my cell phone. "Yes, I know. No. Yes. No... Okay." She doesn't understand airports the way I do. She doesn't understand anything the way I do.

"Orion Lyra." She scoffs, loudly. Basically screaming, really. "Are you even listening?"

No, I wasn't. "Yes Aunty, of course." I sigh, leaning against a banister. "I've...I've got to go. The plane is... The plane is here." I roll my eyes, hanging up the phone.

"Orion." A voice says from a few feet away.

"Unless you're my awful family, you should know better." I growl softly, refusing to turn. Who would possibly find me in an airport? Really.

"Right. Sorry. Riley." The voice answers.

"What do you want?" I whip around to face Charlie, a boy I went to school with years ago.  "Oh.. It's you. What are you doing here?"

"Just, ya know... Getting on a plane." He smirks, looking down at me.

"I meant here in America you toadstool." I cross my arms.

"I.. I've been living here." He rubs the back of his neck nervously. "And I'm trusting you to keep that a secret."

"Oh, mummy dearest doesn't want her baby boy to leave the nest?"

"Actually the opposite.." He states. "See, my sister is getting married. And I might just get shunned from the family for showing up dateless."

"Hm, sounds sort of familiar." I roll my eyes. "Goodbye Charlie." It seems he's forgotten that I, too, was shunned from the family. Not over a date. But over my life choices.  Grabbing my luggage, I walk away, my heels clicking behind me.

"Wait, Ry!" I hear his footsteps catching up to me. "Riley, I'm sorry." He puffs.

"Really, I have to catch my flight." I state, glancing up at the time board.

"We're on the same flight." He chuckles, continuing to follow me.

"Just go away."

"I won't bother you the entire flight. Under one condition." He grabs my arm, spinning me around. I gesture for him to continue. "You be my date for the wedding."

"As if your family would enjoy that!" I scoff, pulling away.

"Please? They'll love you." He begs, following me.

"Fine." I roll my eyes. "Only because I feel bad."

"Thank you, love!" He grabs my shoulders and kisses my forehead.  I squirm away and begin walking toward the gate for boarding.

"Well, are you coming?" I call behind me. He hurriedly catches up, walking a safe distance away from me. Smart kid.

Not so smart. He sat directly next to me on the plane. Honestly, how thick is he? Nothing has changed since our school days. Nothing.

"Have you always had brown highlights?" He questions, touching my hair. Don't touch my hair.

"I inherited the gene from my Aunt Andy." I state, looking down at my hair. Long white blonde, with some brown undertones.