Daemonophobia; The Fear of Demons

I stand in front of her desk and stare at my shoes. I can feel the air shift as the Dragon daemon forms. I don't even need to look up to know that it's there.

"So, Gry. What's up?"

My eyes snap up and stare at her in shock. Are teacherallowed to be so informal?. My pale blue and forest green eyes meet the red glare of the demon. It sits still, swinging it's tail back and forth. It shakes my sound mind.

"I- I- I was thinking about something else and so I didn't hear-" I break off my sentence and look back down at my shoes.

"Hmm, " Mrs. Jones grinds her teeth and I start to ache under her stare. I turn to go, but the sound of her clearing her throat draws me back. I look up from my shoes and address her.

"Yes, Mrs Jones?"
"Is everything okay? Like at home, with family and everything?"

My eyes go wide with surprise, and even the daemon looks shocked. Mrs. Jones looks at me. Mrs...She's married. I wonder if her husband...

"No. Everything is fine." I respond gently, "Um... Is there something you wanna talk about?"

For a moment her eyes flash with a silent cry for help, but she quickly covers it over in indifference with so much speed I almost think I'm mistaken. The daemon shakes in fury.

"No no, I'll write you a hall pass and you can go." Mrs. Jones scribbles down on a pad and waves me out of the room.

I stand at in the doorway after closing the door and try to wrap my head around the situation.

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~||Time Lapse||~

"Hey, Gry. Guess what?"

Mikey whispers to me in the pre-dawn dark of the room. I roll over and open one eye to see him, his face inches from mine.

"get out or i'll beat you with a pillow." My voice grates against my throat with sleep.

"Sheesh, That's no way to talk to m- OW! Why you- I'll show you!"
"Hey! Get out of my bed."
"Not till you apologize for hitting me with that pillow."
"Never! Why are you here, Mikey?"
"It's a snow day. Now go back to sheep, Grumpy pants."
" You woke me up for that? And, you're still in my bed, Mikey. Out."
"No, you're warm and I'm too tired to go back to my room. So please let me under the covers."
"Mikey...uuugh, Fine. Hurry up or you'll--AH! You're feet are freezing!"

"Hush and go to sleep, Gry." His voice whispers gently in my ear and his arm drapes around my waist.

Mikey pulls me close to him, and in my back I can feel his chest go up and down with his steady breathing. In, Out, In, Out. I sigh contently. We'd done this before, and I'd never felt safer then when I had Mikey beside me.

Sleep slides its warm fingers along my limbs. Slowly, it over takes me and my mind settles into a murky mute world as I drift into silence. I hear Mikey mumbles something but I don't hear it.

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"So, Gry . . .um"
"Danny, we're sitting on a snowy bench. In a park and we're here because it's a snow day."
"Gry, you are marvelous at observation."

"Thank you, Danny" , I smirk and roll my eyes, "I think you're being sarcastic."

Danny chuckles softly. I smile and kick at the snow with my boot. Winter had set in oddly heavy this year. After I'd woken up, I'd gotten hold of Danny and he'd asked for me to meet him here.

"Do you like snow?" He asks, standing up from the bench. He reaches his hand out for me and I take it.

"Your fingers are cold." I say, "Oh, and yes. Snow is okay."

"Your fingers are cold, too." He laughs and the sounds rings clear in the muffles world. "Well, I ... kinda asked you here if you... wanted to make snow angels or...some-"

"Danny, what's on your mind?" I laugh softly at his nerves. For the months since school started, I've become familiar with his occasional fits of twisted tongue.

"I like you," His voice is small, and he acts like he hasn't spoken.

"What was that?" I smile; I heard him.

Danny sighs heavily in defeat, "Nothing. Forget it."

I unlace my fingers from his, and bend over to make a snowball. Danny watches me, but I can tell he's confused. I stand, snowball at the ready, when finally realization dawns in Danny's eyes.

"Say it again, Danny." I work the snowball in my hands, feeling it bite into my bare hands.

"Na, I'd rather...Do This!"

In a flash, he darts forward and wraps his arms around my waist. I lose my balance, and we topple into the snow. My spine shakes inside my coat. I look up at Danny as he props himself up on one elbow to hover over me. I feel my cheeks redden, more from a blush than anything.

"Ha. Ha." Danny smirks down at me, "I win."

I roll my eyes and fling a clump of snow into Danny's face. His eyes widen in surprise, making me laugh. Danny gets a smug look on his face and wraps his cold fingers around my wrist. Suddenly I'm hyper aware of the fact that Danny is laying on top of me in the snow.

His face hovers inches from mine and my mind races. My eyes dart from his eyes to his lips, which are blue, and I mentally slap myself for looking at them.

"Danny, I-"
"Gry, I like you. Would you go out with me and be my girlfriend? And maybe possibly forgive me for not asking sooner?"

I'm shocked. I'm numb. I'm so happy. I feel my cold face smile brightly and Danny smiles too. "I'd like th-th-that." I shiver, the snow finally getting to me.

"Really?" Danny's face scrunches up, almost surprise.

"Yeah. Now l-l-let me up. I'm st-st-starting to f-f-freeze to d-d-death."

Danny rolls off me and sits in the snow. I stand and hold out my hand for him. He takes it and pulls. Hard. I stumble forward and crumple into his lap, knees on either side of his hips. Danny gently takes my face in his hands and pulls me to him.

Our lips meet. It feels cold, and awkward, and I pull away slowly. I look at Danny, but he turns his head to the side and looks down at the white frosted ground.

"Sorry." Danny's voice seems ever so quiet.

I don't respond. Instead, I blow into my hand, warming them and my face. I'm still sitting in Danny's lap. After a second, I place my now warm fingers on Danny's cheeks, turning his head to look at me. His eyes flick up to meet mine.

"Kiss me again."

He smiles and leans close. My mind races, again. Why am I letting him kiss me? Why did I ask? Why does it feel so right? Our lips connect together and I feel the warmth vanish as his cold lips press against mine. But I don't care.

My fingers move on their own, tangling in his hair. My brain short circuits and I can't let go of this feeling. He grips the back of my neck, holding me to him. He feels...cold.

We part and I feel lightheaded, the world too bright and the snow too white. It's a new feeling, but I think I like it. My breath comes and goes in great lungfuls as I try to gain control of my rapid heartbeat, puffing out in the freezing air.

"Gry... Do ya wanna go inside?"

I open my eyes, unaware that I'd closed them. His calm blues eyes, seem to reflect my image in their crystal depths. I nod and stand up. Together we walk to my house. I open the door and feel my body prickle in the warmth. Danny stomps off some snow and Mikey looks up from the book he's reading.

"Hey, Danny" He smiles in greeting.

"What don't I get a hello?" I pout at him, putting my coat away in the closet.

"Na." Mikey says, smirking.

I glare at him, but a smile wins out. I hear Danny chuckle, and I ask if he wants something to drink.

"Hot chocolate!"
"I didn't ask you, Mikey."

Mikey huffs and shrugs. Danny just chuckles and takes a seat in the chair. I move into the kitchen to get the requested hot cocoa. I hear them start talking.

"Mikey, can I ask you something?" Danny's voice is muffled from where I am in the kitchen.

"Is it about how you're going to ask Gry to be your girl?" Mikey's voice sounds neutral, almost like he's still reading.

I hold still, not moving from my place in the kitchen. Whoa. ESP? From the living room, I hear Danny mumble something, but I don't snap back from shock in time to hear it. However, Mikey's answer comes to my straining ears.

"Of course I knew. I've seen the way you act around her, smile at her and the way you always whisper in her ear. And yes, it's fine by me. Why would you ask me that? Just because I love her doesn't mean I'm gonna stop her from dating. I love her enough to want her happiness more than mine."

A pause and then I hear him sigh.

"That's what love is."

The microwaves rings, making me jump from the sudden sound. I pull the mugs from it and make the cocoa. My hands work in a daze of automatic motion. Love? Love?! What?! I set my jaw, determined not to let it show that I heard them. Finally, I return to the living room with the three cups.

I set two on the coffee table for Danny and I. The third I put on the end table, so it's close to Mikey. I ruffle his hair, just like any other time, then go to sit with Danny in the over-sized chair.

Danny is quiet, and his eyes seem to storm with brooding thoughts. He turns sideways in the chair, swinging his legs over the arm and pulls me into his lap. I feel his chin rest on the top of head as his arms wrap around me.

I close my eyes and sigh. My mind splits and I try to follow in both direction. One, of course, dwells on Danny. I feel his heartbeat pounding against his ribs. my skin jumps and I realize he's sweeping his fingers over my hands in delicate little circles and swirls. I relax and the sensation buzzes in my head.

But. . . Mikey...My sweet Mikey. Why have you kept this from me? Or worse, have you told me before and I wasn't listening? My dear Micheal, thisis what you were trying to tell me. Oh. . . I's soblind to you.

I've always thought ofme. I've always run to you to cry or laugh or tell my secrets and worries. But. . . But I can't remember ever listening to you. Have you run to me, have I shut you out? . . . Do I even deserve your love, when I've been so selfish?

My train of thought derails as I feel a wet prickle trail down my cheek; I'm crying. Danny is still silence and I flick my eyes over to Mikey.

His sea-foam eyes grip onto mine, locking my gaze as soon as he has it. Those eyes read my soul within my pale and forest green eyes, just like always. Slowly, his puts down his book.

I raise an eyebrow as Mikey lifts his hand between us. Then he forms a heart, looking through it with one eye. His lips form a grin. I smile and form my hands in a heart in return.

From behind me, I hear Danny chuckle softly. I tilt my head up to look at him and he gently brushes his lips against my cheek. I blush, and drop my head. My eyes flash to Mikey, but he's gone back to his book.

What am I goin' do? . . . This is so confusing!