A Shade of Dragon by Bella Forrest

dark and I was the only one still awake, even though it wasn’t even nine o’clock yet. But as I ascended the wooden garage steps, I heard the sound of mournful soul vibrating through the house. I let myself in through the garage door. A lone candle burned steadily on the dining room table. A silhouette lounged nearby, and I knew it was Dad from the body language as much as from the actual cut of the shadow.
    “Hey, Dad,” I whispered into the darkness. “Decided to come home early. Party was lame.”
    “Sorry to hear that, sugar,” he whispered back.
    “What are you doing sitting in the dark?”
    “Just thinking. Billie Holiday helps clear my head.” He sighed heavily. “Zada went to go pick Sage up from his dad’s earlier today. She should’ve been home a long time ago. But she’s still out, and she didn’t answer any of my calls—so I don’t know. Maybe it won’t work out again. I don’t know.”
    I smiled sadly and took a step toward the dining room table. “Mind if I sit with you?” I asked. “We seem to be traveling along parallel lines tonight.”
    At this, Dad gestured to the nearest chair and I took it. He scooted his drink across the table next. I lifted it to my nose and gave it a sniff in the darkness: eggnog. I tipped it toward him in a mock toast. “Merry Christmas Eve.”
    “It’s supposed to snow tonight . . . I don’t know when,” he replied. “I guess climate change has really begun; they say this is the coldest winter Maine has seen in over a hundred . . .” He glanced up at my blank eyes and smiled. “Sorry. Anyway, so, what happened at the party? Would this have anything to do with the friend who couldn’t make it?”
    I grimaced. “Yeah—I don’t know—kind of,” I spluttered, uncertain where to begin describing whatever the hell Theon was to me. “I met this guy, and I really like him.” It was the first time I’d allowed myself to use the words. “And he just stood me up.” To my horror, tears developed. In the light of the candle, I was sure he could see them sparkling. “I’ve never been stood up before.”
    “Ah, yeah. It does hurt. I guess I’m being stood up tonight, too.” He pulled in a deep breath and let it out slow. “The important thing to remember is that these things happen, kiddo. People hurt other people. Sometimes it’s not your dad who does all the hurting… sometimes he gets hurt too.”
    I pursed my lips at his throwback to our earlier conversation about love and commitment.
    “You’re just growing up. You’ll see. It gets—well, it gets much worse.” He smiled without much humor. “I can make this eggnog alcoholic, if you want.”
    I laughed. “No, thanks,” I said. “Something tells me booze would make this feeling worse.”
    Dad sighed. “That’s true, too. I don’t really know what makes it better, other than time.”
    “How about a present? You want to see what I got you for Christmas? I think you’ll like it.”
    Dad feigned shock. “Could anything beat last year’s set of towels?”
    I glared at him and dug my wallet out of my jacket pocket. I hadn’t put them into a card or anything yet. I slid the tickets from the wallet and extended them to him.
    Dad examined the paper in the meager candlelight. “Oh, wow, baby,” he whispered. His eyes tipped to mine. “I can’t believe you remember. I can’t wait to go.”
    I smiled at him. “Great.”
    “It’s funny how things come full circle,” he commented, flicking the movie ticket back and forth between his fingers. “Here we are, over ten years later, going to the same movie. Here I am, floundering my way through another doomed coupling, Zada off spending Christmas Eve with her ex. And here you are, finally realizing that the same fruit which seemed so sweet only yesterday can go sour while you blink.”
    My eyebrows lowered. “It’s hardly comparable. Theon and I aren’t married. I don’t even know why he couldn’t make it tonight. Maybe something