Relaxed on the top bunk of the boys’ dorm, Dawn lay back on the soft mattress with her ginger hair sprawled out and her legs loosely hanging from the bed’s height. Gently swaying her legs, she played with one of her dead ends while absent-mindedly watching reruns of the cheesy sitcom she enjoyed as a kid. At the same time, she listened to Baron type out someone on his keyboard, as Abel silently sketched at his desk. Remaining silent like they had been for some time now, Dawn enjoyed the moment of calm since, including her and Abel’s decision to help out Baron’s ‘Spriggan activities’, she was already busy accounting for school and ballet.

  And while she had a few bad dreams the night after discovering that shady bunker from a few days ago, Dawn felt herself hardened compared to Baron. So to make herself feel better, she’d been focusing on providing support to her emotionally vulnerable friend - even if it was truly only to shift her attention away from the lingering imagery of the terrible stuff they saw.

  Instead of allowing herself to drift back to those horrid things, and ruin the good day she’d been having. Dawn took in a deep breath of the room’s fresh air to regain a sense of focus on her show. There were many things she enjoyed about being at the boys’ dorm; most of all, she liked the natural touch due to the many potted plants Baron brought from his greenhouse. The room also appears more alive thanks to its lush green vines and blossoming orchids. Adding to the ambience, Abel’s speaker lightly played a slow instrumental, which was one of the other things she greatly enjoyed about their place; although she wished he’d be less stingy when it came to taking turns with the music.

  Hearing the wheels on Baron’s office chair roll around, she sat up from her relaxed position to see him clicking away at his phone. Oh, young love. She safely assumed that he was messaging Rose, since not only were they texting all the time, but the only other friends that she believed he’d talk to were currently in the room with him. In place of her relaxed boredom, a small, mischievous smirk grew on her face when she noticed the rosy color of his round cheeks. At the same time, Abel continued to sketch as he remained unfocused on the world around him.

  “So, Baron. What's the status between you two currently?" Dawn asked. She was curious since Baron hadn’t shared what they discussed alone, and she didn’t feel it right to pry - though Dawn believed herself able to get it from him if she desired.

  “Oh uh…” Baron said hesitantly, the hotness in his face obvious from her vantage point. How sweet. Amused, she smiled down at the adorable embarrassment of her friend's gentle brown eyes. While not attractive to her by any means, she did find the softness of his round features and the endearing nature of the naive optimism he carried in his smile. Always enjoying finding his reactions to things funny, she’d begun to assume that this was what having a goofy little brother you wanted to protect must be like. Despite feeling too old for it herself, Dawn found his naive optimism endearing and worth protecting.

  “Come on, dude, are you guys finally dating yet? Or have you still been too scared to ask her out?” Dawn teased as she leaned sideways with the support of her arm. “Don't tell me that you’re waiting for her to ask?” But Baron wasn't the type to understand the romance of being the one asked out by someone handsome and confident. Shit, I’m not sure he understood anything other than plants, altruism, and how to stand around awkwardly during a function.

  “No! I mean. No, I wasn't too scared,” Baron responded in a flustered defense. She giggled to herself. Dawn always seemed to find amusement in how easy it was to get under his skin. “I actually did ask her out,” he bit back with a recently learned sass in his tone. Dawn, shocked by the update on her friend’s relationship, sat up straight as a mix of interest and pride grew with the shared happiness she expressed

  “And?” Impatient, Dawn urged him before he spoke again.

  “We’re dating,” Baron said awkwardly, like the words weren't natural to say just yet, but she could see the obvious glee coming from Baron.

  “Yay! I’m so excited for you!” She excitedly cheered. She’d been really rooting for them to work out, even if that meant she had to tolerate more time with Jen than she already had to. “So how’s it feel to finally not be single for the first time in your life?” She amused herself with her wording, but she really was hopeful to learn more about her new favorite couple.

  “It’s really, really nice. I’m just not used to saying it out loud. It just doesn’t sound real when I say it,” he answered as Dawn watched the giddy embarrassment through his shrinking body language. While they talked, she glanced over to see Abel still sketching with little awareness of the chaotic world he described.

  “That’s just so awesome!” she reaffirmed with an excited tone full of supportive energy.

  “Exciting news,” Abel said monotonously, though she was sure that Baron could see the happiness on his face, as he suddenly swiveled his chair toward them. Admiring his work from her height on the top bunk, Dawn could see the drawing within his sketchbook. It looked like an abstract tangle of noodles, though she couldn’t make out any of the finer details from her range, and she never seemed to understand his work until he explained it.

  “I really appreciate you guys,” Baron thanked them. His bubbly joyfulness came to the surface with a childlike smile, before he smoothly dapped up her and Abel. “I know neither of you enjoys hearing it, but thanks for everything, especially with the stuff that I’ve gotten us into.”

  “Speaking of that. We need to agree on our next move after last night.” Skimming past Baron’s gratitude, Dawn noticed him trying to avoid lingering on Baron’s thankfulness. Not that she blamed him, she just hated that tickling feeling of warmth that came from his gratitude. After all, this was the least I could do for you after what you've done for me.

  “I didn’t find anything but trashed files, so I’m not sure I’ve got anything that could be helpful,” Dawn quickly said to move the conversation along from the moment of appreciation. Though she couldn't read their other friend's mind, Dawn felt that both she and Abel were gratified by his praise deep down.

  Silently observing with a hum, Dawn watched Baron visibly think as Abel slowly blinked while trying to help come up with something on his own. She’d try to put something together herself, but what did she have to go off of? After all, she believed that they needed her because of her awesome strength, not some detective abilities they currently needed

  “What about the laundromat I mentioned? I know it's here in the mundane world, but surely we could sneak in without making a scene,” Baron offered, with a glance between her and Abel. Shrugging, she also looked to their pale friend for his opinion.

  Subtly flustered for a moment, she watched as Abel appeared to lock in on something as he played with the wavy curls of his hair. “I did look into it, actually. The news said that multiple witnesses saw a washing machine explode, though no one got hurt, and they stopped the fire from spreading,” Abel informed them with an unsure tone.

  “What? But that’s not what happened. The people there saw us using magic,” Baron, while looking at Abel, confused, tried to correct him. Believing him, Dawn looked toward Abel as well.

  “I know. Personally, I’m prone to believing that an organization similar to the F.B.C. covered it up. I thought about it, and maybe it’s just how they regularly work to cover up when Cognizants go rogue in mundane society. Or maybe, they’re covering something up that specifically connects to what happened to you that night,” he suggested.

  “Why couldn’t it be both?” Dawn, with her legs rhythmically swinging to the soft music, chimed - the speaker playing a slow and melodic indie song.

  “Does that make it our next stop tonight?” Their vigilante friend asked with a serious look. Dawn wasn’t used to seeing it in this form.

  “Sounds like it,” Abel confirmed with a subtle smile, yet she knew that Baron, like herself, could feel the supportiveness behind the slight tilt of his defined lips.

  “Yeah, I’ve just got practice here in like forty minutes, then I’m good,” Dawn warned, after briefly glancing at the clock above the door.

  “Same, I’ll be out with Marcus and Simon for some Schism stuff, but I should be out in time,” Abel noted with the undeniably handsome cut to face - though Dawn didn’t find it attractive herself.

  “And maybe I can catch up on school work before then,” Baron said, his anxiety over school visible to them both. Sadly for him, he chose a harder career path and had more work than she or Abel tended to.

  “Thank god spring break is coming up.” While she spoke, Dawn grabbed her phone that had been resting with her on Baron’s bed and slipped it into the pocket of her leggings.

  “Wait! I totally forgot that it's only a few weeks away!” Baron excitedly celebrated with a quick, high-pitched voice and a clenched fist raised toward the sky.

  “Yeah, then we’ll have plenty of time to be like those F.B.C. secret agents to take down some wild shit like this,” Dawn joked. Watching the reactions of her friends to the joke, she saw Abel crack an unusually amused smirk while their ruffled-haired friend chuckled at the idea with his child-like giggle.

  “Alright, we’ll meet on top of Dirk’s New York building at ten,” Baron planned out. Nodding in mutual agreement, Dawn finalized her plans for later tonight with the boys. Though she still had something she’d like to ask before leaving shortly.

  Swiveling around in his chair, Abel turned back around to continue the odd sketch, which Dawn considered artistic, so as not to insult her friend. After all, she wouldn’t say anything negative about her friends behind their backs, and only ever teased them because it was playful fun. On the other side of the room, Baron wholesomely smiled while looking toward his vibrating phone, and as she looked down at him, Dawn felt his contagious joyfulness spread to her before she began smiling to herself.

  “Well, shit. I should probably get going, boys,” Dawn told them before dropping down from the top bunk, where she slipped on a pair of worn Converses that once were white. “I need to get out of here before I’m late to the subway since we can’t just soar through this city like we were last night.” Dawn joked, though she did think it would make the bustle of New York City more bearable.

  “Cya later then,” Abel said as he peacefully shaded the sketch with a gentle hand. On the other side, Baron rose to dap her up as she made her way towards the door.

  “Bye, Dawn,” He said as she pulled the door open. Damn it, they won't know if you don't tell them.

  Before she stepped through, she stood in the passage, as a sense of inadequate worry kept her from stepping out. At least not until she found the courage to see if her friends could attend her recital - not that she thought they’d say no - but it always made her feel nervous to ask for people’s support. Not understanding these feelings, she figured everyone felt this way.

  Turned back toward the boys, her shoulders tensed up as she clenched her jaw tight. “Did you guys hear about my Ballet recital coming up? If you guys maybe had some time, it would be pretty cool if you guys could come and meet my dad." Dawn asked in a casual tone that made her feel like less of a beggar. Though she really did want them to be there.

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  “Of course, just get us some good seats,” Abel plainly noted, as if it was never a question to begin with.

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Baron encouragingly said. Thank you for making that easy; that's one of the many reasons you two are some of my favorite people. Dawn’s anxiety melted into a confident smile full of joy.

  “Hell yeah. I’ll make sure you three have nice views,” Dawn said before closing the door behind herself with one last wave farewell. In the dorm’s familiar hall, the short walk toward the elevator began before she passed a pair of guys who puffed on a fruity-smelling vape. Not paying them any mind, she continued with a relaxed posture - the joy from her friends notable to any passersby that could observe the pep in her step.

  Reaching the elevator, she stepped into the contained space that held her draconic reflection within the back wall’s mirror. She saw that same wicked sight of herself, like she always did. But she didn’t allow herself to falter. Through the unsavory look of her ugly self, she lightly weighed on the platform as she stepped into the elevator and moved toward herself. Dawn, with the lingering support of her friends this time, had little issue pulling her stubborn focus from the image of her deformed body.

  Slowly, the elevator descended, and for the first time since that awfully lonely day not long ago, Dawn felt like she knew who she was at this moment. I’m me! I’m this smooth-skinned girl with a pretty face, a nice body, and the same features as every other human. At least that’s what she told herself on the surface. But even if she still knew it was a masquerade deep down, she put her faith into the disguise not only for others' acceptance, but for her own, most importantly.

  Shortly after the downward trip, a chime played through the speakers before the doors slid open to reveal the same groady mainfloor she’d seen so many times before. Dawn stepped out from the metal box into the rowdy corridor, where boys the same age as her gathered into scattered cliques. Damn it. Doing her best to pay them no mind, despite seeing Xavier nervously eye her from a distance, Dawn continued with a smile. She wasn’t going to let his or anyone else’s thirstiness throw off her vibe.

  Toward the warm beams of light that peaked through the exit’s glass doors, she kept to her relaxed pace. She could hear a set of quickly approaching footsteps against the sticky, uncleaned flooring. Then, despite the explosiveness of their last interaction, Xavier decided to take up the space next to her with his slicked-back hair and cheap cologne.

  Sauntering beside her in his main-brand t-shirt and sweatpants, Dawn nodded to acknowledge his presence in her own way of saying sorry for the last time. Even if she didn’t believe her forgiveness was entirely warranted, she didn’t want to create strife with a leader of the goons in the dorm she always visited. Since the majority of them gave her dirty looks and gossiped about her for weeks after her outburst against Xavier. It took her a few nights to convince herself it didn’t poke at her insecurities, but instead made visiting her friends harder for her.

  In a pair of expensive sneakers that didn’t entirely match the monotone colors of the rest of his outfit, Dawn forgot, like her roommate, that this guy’s family had enough money to spoil him - something she found herself envious of when Jen acted ungrateful. But she didn’t worry about her bratty roommate right now. Instead, she wished that Xavier would continue to remain silent as they passed a group of arguing boys.

  “So, did you ever reconsider my invitation to the Red Door?” Unfortunately, with a cocky smirk, he broke the silence between them. The half-raised lip to look unbothered wasn't nearly as charismatic as he believed it to be, but Dawn didn’t feel like telling him.

  “I’m alright.” I’d rather gouge out my scales again. Dawn answered without saying what was on her mind, or speaking with the same venous ire she had last time. Thankfully, the exit was quickly approaching, and then she could shake off this insistent dorm-boy. Just need to be a little patient.

  “Shi’,” He drew out in another forced accent. “How about this party tonight at Zeta Upsilon? It’s the frat I’m joining, and they know how to get lit.” How lame, flashing your Frat to impress me makes me want to vomit. Xavier spoke with pride in his ‘brothers’. The attempts at looking cool weren’t nearly as cool as he believed they were, but Dawn was too filled with cringe to tell him.

  Before speaking immediately, Dawn took a moment to think about her words. Not something she was used to practicing, she shook her head before parting her lips. “I’m alright. I’ve got things to do then,” she delicately rejected this time in a softer, Baron-like tone as she’d describe it herself.

  “Well damn. How about another time then?” he insisted. The pushy attitude he tried to portray wasn’t ‘assertive’ or attractive as he thought it was, but Dawn knew that he never went too far into creep territory; that being the main reason she didn’t beat him up a long time ago.

  “I’d have to think about it, but I doubt I’ll have time with how busy I’ve been with dance and school.” She gently pushed back as she made it closer to the door with each passing second of awkward conversation. A couple exited ahead of them with their hands held together. Xavier, stupidly thinking that his chance to take a subtle shot, grazed her hand with his own while looking toward her with his most charismatic smile. Unimpressed with his perfectly white teeth or his strong cheekbones, she pulled her hand back instinctively. Her face unintentionally scrunched up into a gross expression before going back to normal.

  Seeming to pick up on her rejection, his smile quickly deflated. “Shi’. Well, just let me know, I guess,” he mentioned a final time as his pace slowed. I absolutely will never do that. Only a pace away from her escape, Dawn silently nodded before pushing through the doors; the refreshing winds of spring blowing through her hair as she did. Paused on the outside, her lips curled upwards into the quaint smile she had all day returned after that tiny hiccup, which Dawn believed she handled to the best of her abilities. Those brief seconds in the warming rays of sunlight passed, and Dawn began the mundane journey back to Juilliard.

  …

  Finished putting on her leotard and tights in their locker room, Dawn slipped on her dance shoes before jogging over to where their coach called for them. In the center of the spacious hall of monotone modern design, the coach’s voice echoed through it as she started to instruct Dawn and the other dancers through their warm-ups with her back to the mirrored wall.

  Faced toward her coach in the group, she got into position before the stretches began. And with enough space between her and the people around her, the coach instructed them while they counted out the exercises together as a team. Her way of building a sense of team, Dawn sarcastically joked to her. She fell into an absent-minded comfort of someone who’d done it a thousand times already, not to mention she didn’t only get a physical boost from her Cognizants, but the Dragon Dimidiae from her unknown ancestry enhanced her strength, speed, and flexibility further than that. She remained in a weaker state, while in what she currently considered her true self, her Mutation developed.

  Notably, two people to Dawn’s right, Jen stood and her lackeys, who followed her around and did whatever they could to get the rich, popular girl’s approval. In particular, she had three friends Dawn considered particularly bitchy; Madison, the make-up covered blonde was the least offensive, though she was the most ditsy of them; then there was Ava with her short brown bangs and large ears, and she was one of the more directly rude girls, who’d do whatever it meant for Jen approval; finally, there was Isla with a natural glow to her and a firm body, was arguably the prettiest of them in Dawn’s opinion, but she was also a pathological liar. Dawn could hear their whispers and snickers from across the sprung floor of the dance hall. She tried to ignore them as she did Xavier earlier, but Dawn swore that Jen mumbled her name.

  Unable to make it out while the crowd of celebrated young dancers counted in unison, she did her best to focus on the exercises before they got a reaction out of her. It was something they did often to pick on her for a cheap laugh, which had the unfortunate effect of painting Dawn as an outcast to many of the cliques around them. Worse, it made her the butt of their offensive jokes. But she didn’t care for their opinions of her, at least that's what she told herself to keep it from driving her crazy.

  Again, Dawn didn’t want to sour the great day she’d had with the help of her two best friends, who’d kept her from being alone in this preppy environment she didn’t fit into. Dawn, as she believed Baron might do in a time like this, found solace from the loneliness of this expansive city in the genuine connection through their companionship.

  Damn it. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, they moved closer by swapping places with one of the girls between them. Dawn knew they did it so that she’d be able to hear them, even if she couldn’t prove it to anyone else, not that they’d care enough to listen.

  “Yeah? Well, I heard from some guy at their dorm that she’s been bouncing between three guys there, not even just those two roommates. Isn’t that so fucking nasty?” Isla whispered just loud enough for her to hear part of their conversation. Listening to them giggle beneath their breath, Dawn gritted her jaw as the effortless joy she carried through the day faded.

  Dawn never understood how they never got caught or in trouble for how they treated her, but she didn’t think there was much the coach could do against the collective wealth of their parents. She gave up hope that it would be stopped long before now. In silent frustration, she accepted that all she could do was ignore them while focusing on the relieving pull of her muscles with each stretch.

  “Let's not forget she was just this year’s pity pick because her dad’s broke, and that's the only reason she’s here. We all know she doesn’t deserve to be here,” Ava reinforced in a vindictive murmur. At the mention of her dad, a contained rage flared within her, but all she could do was listen helplessly.

  “Yeah, my mom said it's an inclusivity tradition the school does every year,” Madison said with an ignorant ire in her tone. Managing to keep their witchy giggling quiet, Dawn could feel the glancing eyes of her dormmate. What about your mom and dad, huh? Do you really think I haven't heard plenty myself? Dawn snapped back in her mind at Jen and her stupid, pretty face; she wanted to smack the shit out of more and more.

  As the coach blew her whistle, she began the instructions for their dance practice. An irritation boiled beneath the surface of Dawn’s tightened face, but she didn’t let them win. Not this time, when things had been going her way. Instead of lashing out with a justified rage, Dawn, with a competitive fervor and an enhanced body, vowed to herself that she’d do everything she could to outperform those four in every way possible.

  “Don't forget.” The coach called out in her demanding voice. “The final castings aren’t set in stone for Swan Lake, so keep working hard and you may end up with a prominent role,” she finished before separating them into groups to focus on choreography. More importantly, it gave Dawn something to keep away from Jen and her friends. That is, if they didn’t go out of their way to group up with her. A sly smirk crept up her focused face; she, though never something Dawn thought she’d think to herself, felt fortunate to end up in their group.

  Seizing the chance to perform at the best of her ability, which was far greater than anyone else in the room, when using the potential of her body. Dawn fell into the rhythm of their graceful dance, where she moved with a flexible fluidity that rivaled the seniors in their class. With an elegant Tour Jete - a leaping ballet move that she named her Bloodline Manifest after - she landed on reliable toes that allowed her to seamlessly shift into the next spin in the sequence. Easily putting those jerks to shame in her outstanding performance, Dawn knew that she was outshining not only her group but many of the other dancers in the program as well.

  Then, as they’d been practicing, with fast foot work and balletic swan arms that simulated the free flapping of a bird’s wings. She continued to the next part of the dance and watched smugly as the four girls who tormented her failed to keep up. After all the shit they were talking about her, Dawn’s smile returned - though it was much more smug. It wasn’t enough for her, though; she wasn’t done making them look bad until they wrapped it up for the day.

  Suddenly, in a part of the choreography where the girls needed to stand near each other, Dawn, while focused on dancing, caught a glimpse of a swinging arm. Luckily, with quick reflexes from her years of boxing, she slipped beneath Jen’s swan arms. You need to be a lot faster than that asshole. It was obvious that she messed up on purpose in an attempt to backhand her. While it wouldn’t have hurt all that much, Dawn refused to lose the rhythm's momentum after dodging and successfully shifted into the next sequence.

  “Good work, Quinn. Keep that up, and you’ll get a nice role,” Coach, referring to Dawn by her last name, encouraged her to overcome Jen in every way she could today. And with a self-satisfied smirk to rub it in, she looked over to see Jen’s sour expression turn to a scowl before they started to dance again.

  Now who’s laughing? Filled with a satisfied sense of victory, she didn’t let up after the comment, though she did wish that her dad could have been there to see her now. At least she could text him about it later, and they’d get to see each other soon at the recital. Dawn couldn’t wait to see him again after the months apart. Notably, it would be his first time meeting her new friends. Ending the day strong while looking toward her reflection on the wall’s mirror, she saw the lengthier, draconic version of Dawn that haunted her day-to-day.

  Anticipating what the future held for now, Dawn felt like the cutesy, ginger girl from the sitcom she watched as a child, who could handle anything coming her way. At least while the people she cared for stayed by her side and supported her, she could feel this way - even if she never went to meet or learn who her mom was.