Forever 21

I roll over and a sharp pain rips through my arm. I growl and look at my arm where a strange tube is attached to my vein near my elbow. I sigh and look around, taking in the scenery. The room is white and full of machinery. I glance at the bed I'm in and groan when I realize I'm in the hospital. What happened? I place my hand on my chest, still feeling the fire that moved through me just moments before. A nurse is standing over me, fixing a bag. I hear the crinkling of the plastic and shake my head a little. She looks down at me and smiles a cheery smile. Her deep tan skin looks soft and her smile seems a little too inviting. I glance at her and for a moment, I swear I see a flicker of a red light behind her.

"Oh, so you're awake," she says merrily. "You gave us quite a scare there, Mr. Cayos." I sit up a little and nod. I think back to what had happened and rub my eyes. "Are you feeling alright?" she asks. I nod a little.

"Just a headache."

"I can give you--"

"No," I say. They wouldn't work anyway. "No thank you. It's just a little one. I think from the lights."

"Oh yes, that's right."

"What happened to me?" I ask.

"You fainted after losing a lot of blood. You saved your friends from a very serious gang attack."

"Are they alright?"

"Oh yes, yes. They're fine. The boy, Wayne Leonardo, has a broken arm."

"Right…I remember a nurse trying to tell me that before I…passed out."

"Yes. It's nothing to worry about. We've got you on an IV for now, giving you more blood." I glance at the bag and nod a little.

"Is he alright?" demands a soft voice from my door. I look up and see a fair haired woman. Her hair is a beautiful gold color is almost to her knees. Her face is soft and fragile and looks like it did when she was twenty-one, even though she was well over that age. Her left hand is clutching the robe she's wearing and her right hand is steadying herself on her IV.

"Mom, go back to bed." I say as I move to get out of mine. I look at the nurse. "Can I take this out?" I indicate to the tube in my arm and she hesitates. "I really don't need it and my mother needs to sit down." She starts towards my mother and I yank the chord from my skin slowly. I clench my teeth and fight down the rising yelp of pain. I hand her the needle and place my hand over the now bleeding spot. The nurse quickly moves to grab a band-aid as I make my way to my mother. She is alright…. As I help her sit down, I stare into her face. "I was worried about you." I whisper. I sigh and get on my knees in front of my mother.

"You didn't come to visit." She says as she take my hands in hers. They are small and frail but they are still so strong. I remember the times when she would hold me when I was scared. I am so much bigger than her but I still feel like a child in front of her.

"Dad wouldn't leave your side. He didn't want me around." I say, lowering my head. She nods a little and rubs her thumb slowly over my skin. Her hands are warm and gentle. Like a real mother's.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Wh…why are you up?" I ask.

"He told me you were here. I came to see you."

"Mom, you're sick."

"I'm fine." She says stubbornly. The woman puts a band-aid on my arm and after the nurse puts on my band-aid, she leaves. The woman in front of me was a well trained dragon who had lived for many years. Illness couldn't keep her down.

"I missed you," I say softly. She smiles at me, a kind, gentle smile, and nods. Her gentle green eyes are nothing like the kinds I saw that day.

"I missed you too, Damian."

"Everyone's here, Mom. I don't know what to do." I say as I look down at her hands.

"What do you mean?"

"For Elaine. Her birthday is next week and they came for her 21st party."

"Not for yours?" I shake my head a little and she cups my cheek in her hand. "My poor son," she whispers as she kisses my forehead. I hug her tightly, my head buried in her shoulder. I feel so small and innocent again. My mother had been the one thing that brought me happiness, brought me a sense of peace with all her knowledge. I feel safe with her again. "Elaine is twenty-one, hm? How the years have gone by. She is going to become a dragon this year."

"I know, mother."

"And Amanda will be going on her third year." I nod in agreement. "And my darling son will be on his second year, is that correct?"

"First full year, mother. I turned when I was 17."

"Oh, my darling boy!" she says as she kisses my forehead again. "Tell me, have you been practicing?" I shake my head a little and she sighs. "You've had it rough this past year, haven't you." She asks rhetorically. I nod into her shoulder and she pets my black mane. "I know it's tough but you're going to be okay. When I come home, we'll work through it together."

"What happened tonight, Mom?" She smiles at me and brushes her thumb against my cheek.

"Did you change?" I nod. "And the burn?" I nod and put my hand over my chest. She pushes my hands aside and pulls the Johnny forward to inspect the large mark on my chest. I frown and touch the raised, red skin. It's a dragon scar. There's a large dragon head, scales, wings and snout made out. It is in the shape of a circle about the size of my palm right on the center of my chest. I frown, rubbing the tender flesh gently. She smiles and nods a little. "Well, my dear son, you are a full dragon."

"What's this thing? What about 21?"

"You are special, Damian. You have always been special."

"That doesn't help, Mom."

"Well, that burn is a symbol that you are a full dragon. It means someone has give you their power." I stare at her.

"Not you,"

"I had one to spare."

"What one?"

"You'll figure out soon enough."

"Mom--"

"And you were turned at 17, so you don't follow the same rules as most dragons."

"What about the family? They'll hate me more now."

"Perhaps," she says. "But you are strong, Damian. I mean, look at what's happened. You turned on your own, fought on your own, lived on your own. I'm sure you can handle fighting them on your own. It just takes persistence and determination."

"I can't do that alone, Mom."

"You're never alone."

"What….they think you're going to die."

"I'm fine!" she says with a laugh. "I'm just getting old. What dragon doesn't get old after 300 years!" she demands as she crosses her arms with a huff. I smile and she pets my head tenderly. "I'm leaving soon."

"You are?" I ask.

"I am. Your father was being stubborn but that's not my fault. I told the doctor I wanted to leave and he said we'd check in a few days. I feel fine! It didn't take any strength at all to come here. And I've been seeing a lot of people, dragons and humans alike, helping them through their troubles. I even used my fire to help the hospital that night we had that big storm!" I smile at my mother and she continues on with her accomplishments.

"You seemed to be doing well here on your own," I say.

"Oh I'm terribly bored." She says as she rolls her eyes. "I miss my house! Have you been doing well in school?"

"Wayne Leonardo is helping me with physics."

"Physics? Doesn't your cousin teach that class? Why not ask her?" I shrug a little and she smiles. "No matter. I'm going to hope you are doing well in every other class?"

"Emily is helping me with English and Melissa is helping me with Calc."

"Those two girls," she says smiling. "I've missed them. You didn't sleep with them do you?"

"I go over their house when I get lonely but no, I haven't had sex with them."

"Have you had sex with many girls?"

"Mom," I say with a warning tone. She shrugs and sighs a little.

"I just want to know what's going on in my house. I hope you used protection. You may be a dragon but you can still get a girl pregnant." I start to laugh and my mother smiles at me. "I missed that laugh of yours, Damian. Have you been happy lately?"

"Mom, I'm never happy at school."

"Oh? No smiling?"

"Nope."

"I heard through the grapevine that you smoke now. It's not as cool as you think. We can't get cancer but still. It's not a good image to project." I shake my head, a grin still lingering. "And that's a lip ring correct?"

"I had this for two years!" I say laughing. She shrugs and crosses her arms over her chest. "You're definitely acting better." She starts to laugh and I smile. "Damian, it'll be you and me for a while, okay?"

"What about dad?"

"I told him he had a choice; you and me or someone else. He chose someone else."

"He loved you," I say.

"But he didn't love you. I'm starting to think only I love you."

"Mrs. Cayos," says Emily from the door. She is dressed in her pink and black dress, her long brown hair tied up neatly. She looks like she got hit by a car but her outfit makes her look like she got hit by a fashion truck. "I know three people who love your son and they're all standing right here." I look at my three friends and stand.

"Turn around, I wanna see those bare buns." Melissa says with a grin. I shake my head and look at Wayne, who is laughing. His face is scraped up a bit, but it's okay. I can still see his handsomeness seeping through. My mother starts to laugh and stands up.

"Melissa. Emily. How good it is to see you both."

"Same, Mrs. Cayos. It's been years."

"Only a year and a half, Emily." She says gently. "I'm going to lay down, Damian. Go home and clean up. I doubt you or our family has kept it clean." I shrug a little and help her to the door. Melissa and Emily take her from me and I smile.

"Thanks guys." I say. Wayne smiles after them and I pull him into the room. He stares up at me with a shocked look on his face. I smile and push him to sit in the chair. "How long have you three been up?" I ask as I walk over to the sink. I inspect my clothing, all of which is covered in blood. I sigh and slip off the Johnny. I look back at Wayne, who is looking away. I glance down at my lean, well-muscled body and then back at him. "I get it. Waiting for tonight." I say with a nod. I slip on my jeans over the boxers they left on. I pull my shirt over my head, put on the vest, just to please Wayne, then run my hand through my black hair. He looks up at me and I smile as I walk over to him. I pull him to his feet and kiss his lips gently.

"Oh I'm sorry!" says the nurse timidly. I glance back at her and throw her a smirk.

"Why? He and I aren't dating. Want to go home with me tonight?" I ask. Wayne punches my arm and I start to laugh. "Sorry, I guess he's taking me home." She is pink in the face and I smile more. "Relax. I thought women loved gay men. Especially sexy teenagers." She is even redder and she walks into the room, holding out her clipboard.

"You need to sign these forms, sir." Says the nurse. I nod and sign where she tells me while I watch her face turn back to its natural tanned color. I hand her the pen as Melissa and Emily come back. "Have a good night, guys." She says as she glances at Wayne, who smiles at her. She smiles back and then looks at me, nodding a little as she left.

"Ready to go?" I nod and follow them out of the hospital, giving the main nurse a smile goodbye. She stares at me with wide eyes before nodding goodnight. I frowned but shrugged none-the-less. I glance at Reginald, who is still in perfect condition, and smile. My life wasn't normal, no, but it was good enough for me. I sat in the driver's seat and drive Melissa, Emily and Wayne back to my house. They help me clean, especially the living room, which is covered in blood and broken things and when we were done, I drag Wayne downstairs while Melissa and Emily clean the kitchen and bathroom. He helps me clean my room too, throwing away the panties that are still littered in my room. He starts commenting on how I am a pig and how I should really take care of my things.

"Why would I do that?" I demand as I stop cleaning.

"Well, if you're going to have ladies down here, you might want to keep it clean."

"They never seemed to mind."

"Well, I mind."

"Oh? And are you going to be down here often?" He blushes and shrugs.

"If you'll have me over, a night of gaming wouldn't be so bad."

"Is that what you call sex? Hm. I've never played games before. Well, I mean that one time where a girl made me dress up like a cop and spank her but I'm not sure if you're into that." He shouts at me for talking so foully and starts blushing so bad his ears turn red too. I walk over to him, my face inches from his. "Do you want me to spank you, Wayne?" He stares at me in shock and shakes his head.

"Of course not!" he yelps. He glances at the door instinctively and I look back as well.

"They're not there anymore."

"What?" he asks.

"I told them to leave when we came down here. It's been you and me for about twenty minutes now."

"Wh-why would you do that?" he demands.

"I want some alone time with you. Don't you remember? You promised to give me a gift down here since you didn't bring me a real present." His face is so red that he looks like a tomato. "Aw, you look cute like that." His lips tug in a grin and I press mine to his. He kisses back and I push him onto the bed. "Think you can handle this beast?" He nodded bravely and I can't help but laugh. "Well happy birthday to me then," I say as I pull off my shirt. I run my hands over his stomach, making him moan in pleasure. I can almost hear my mother's laughter. I had heard before that dragons can bring more pleasure to a person than humanly possible. I guess her gift isn't so bad after all.

"Damian," Wayne snaps as he pulls me into a hard kiss. "Happy birthday." He pushes me over and starts to give me my real birthday present.