Heina: The Red Demon Dragon

HEINA

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going. I apologize."

Huh? Did someone just apologize to me? I'd have not believed them if the voice wasn't sincere.

I raised my head up...and blinked. A guy. An attractive one at that.

He had a pair of deeply wonderful winter grey eyes that housed kindness and open curiosity. No male had ever talked to me kindly, except for my dad.

I didn't know how to deal with this.

"Are you hurt? Did I step on you too hard?" He further inquired, genuinely apologetic. He frowned. "Are you crying? Your eyes...they are filled."

I was too stupefied to make a comment. Any comment. I was thinking this was a dream I'd wake up from. A handsome boy who wouldn't look more than nineteen...twenty...was talking to me. Not at me. Around me. Over me.

But to me. And he wasn't being a mean asshole about it.

"Are you ever going to say something?" His gaze was narrowed curiously this time.

"T-thank you." My voice was low and emotions ran high.

I never thought I'd see the day where I wouldn't be treated like a trash for something that wasn't my fault. Or be understood, even if it was, that it was unintentional.

"For what exactly?" He seemed amused now.

I wanted to say 'for being kind' but that sounded... I don't know...too pathetic.

"I-I have to go." I walked past him, ignoring stares from fellow students.

The place was too big. I was trying to find the principal's office or even the admin's office. I didn't have a guide.

I stopped halfway and turned to see the guy already talking to someone... possibly a friend. I swallowed. No one here would talk to me, I could bet that, seeing the stares they were casting my way.

Inhaling deeply, I meekly walked up to him and his friend. The latter looked at me strange. Not unkind, but strange.

Well, strange was better than unkind, in my book of experience.

"Do you want something?" He asked kindly.

"Y-yes." I cleared my throat as if to banish nerves lodged in there. What if he declined helping me? What if he finally realized he wasn't supposed to be talking to someone like me?

No one had ever gone out of their way to help me before. So why should he? Maybe I'd imagined the whole good guy scenario. Maybe I should just do it by myself so avoid insults.

"I-I'm s-sorry to bother you." I apologized, my tone low and pitiful.

I turned to leave, a hand clamped around my wrist. I was surprised by that. There was nothing abusive about his hold on my wrist. Rather, it was simply to stop me.

"You're not a bother. Also, I can see you're a new student. You need help navigating the place?" His eyes smiled.

I cast a nervy look at his friend before nodding. "Yes, please. I-I need to locate the admin office or block."

"Alright, I know the place. Give me a minute." He said, then turned to his friend. "Would you like to go with us? I want to take her to the admin office so she'll be fully registered."

"No, I'll catch up with you later. I have someone I want to meet." His friend declined.

"Alright, see you later." This nice, handsome guy bumped fists with his friend and focused his attention on me. "This way."

We walked through the long, gleaming hallway.

"What's your name?"

He was taller than me so I had to look up to meet his gaze.

Silence.

"It's fine if you don't want to tell me." He stated, not angry or impatient one bit.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, it's just..well, no one has ever paid this much attention to me before."

He smiled, not fazed. "It happens. Sadly, there are shitty people everywhere."

I totally agree with him. "I'm Heina."

He frowned, stopping a little to study my expression. "Your parents named you that?"

I shrugged. This name must be a bad thing here in the dragon tribe. "I'm not from around here." I didn't want to ruin this nice conversation.

"Hm. Could be it has a different meaning where you're from. Where are you from, if I may ask?"

"Uhm...Jertrix. You might not know there."

"The human world?" He sounded surprised. "You're human?"

Truly, two weeks ago, I'd have found that question ludicrous and looked at the person like they were crazy. I mean, everyone was human...or so I thought.

But now, I didn't know. Maybe I was and all of this was some mistake...or a really, really, horrible nightmare I was yet to wake up from. Or it wasn't and I'd be stuck trying to understand who I was and how I fit in here.

I mean, I saw my parents transmute and display powers I didn't think was scientifically possible. I was studying to be a doctor back in Royal Ridge.

I loved science and excelled at it.

But this defied every principle of science.

"I like to think I am." Was my decided response.

"Not sure what that means but okay." He adjusted the strap of his backpack. "How did you find your way here? I mean, how did you end up here?"

I shrugged. "Long story. I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I'm ready to tell it." I sounded apologetic.

"It's okay. No rush. I believe I'll see more of you, right?"

We climbed stairs, stopped at the second floor.

The way he was so free and how he smiled at me, it made me blush. I had to avert my gaze so I didn't look smitten. "I'm... certain you will."

"Good. We're here." He stopped before a wide office and knocked.

"Come in." A gruff voice answered.

I was thankful he was with me, else, I'd be too scared to go in. I went in after him.

It was a man with long, wild beards and an equally long golden brown hair. He really looked like someone who'd be found in such paranormal environment.

"Oh, it's you Aslan." His small, beaded eyes rounded on me and narrowed. "Who's she?"

"She's a new student. She's here to fully register." He said.

"What's your name?" The man asked, inviting us to have a seat.

"Heina. Heina Duxwell, sir."

The man snapped his head of wild hair up, his gaze narrowing. "What kind of parents give their child such... abominably vile name?"

"She's not from around here, Professor Usto. So the name has a different meaning from her land of birth."

"Where's she from?" I heard the curiosity in his tone.

"From a city named Jertrix in the human world. And don't bother, Professor Usto, she's not ready to talk about that part of her life yet."

I was so grateful for Aslan, as the man called him. I didn't mind he was answering for me. Now I knew I'd not be able to come here on my own.

"Is that so?" The man cleared his throat, staring intently at me before he began the process of registering me into the school's system log.

After what seemed like hours, I had my lecture schedule and student ID card.

"Thank you so much, Aslan. I couldn't have done this without you. I'm sorry I took up your time, I'm sure you have classes, right?" We were coming down the stairs.

"Not really. It's more of a practical day for us third years. So we'll basically be out on the field."

"Oh. Sports?"

He looked at me, the ghost of a smile on his lips. "Something like that. You should come watch."

"What about my class? I wouldn't want to miss more than I already have."

"Check your schedule." He gestured to the folded paper in my possession.

I carefully unfolded and scanned through. What the hell?! What sort of courses were these? Draki For Beginners - DB 111? Potions And Power - PP 101? Red Moon History - RMH 121?

My confusion was palpable because he was asking. "Not what you're used to, huh?"

"What the hell is Draki?" I just had to ask. I'd thought I'd continue studying medicine here.

"It's the ancient language of dragons." He explained.

"What?!" I flailed my arm helplessly, an exasperated sigh leaving my lips.

I wanted to be a doctor, not a dragon.