Before I knew it, two months had passed since Reeda and I started dating. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced as much joy as I have in those two months. It almost feels like I’m living a whole other life than my old horrible existence as Anon Y. Mous, Rock Bottom’s exiled son and all-around waste of oxygen. Somehow, Reeda and I have kept our relationship a secret from everyone in school. I think Trish is the only person who even suspects we are an item. But if she does, she’s kept her mouth shut about it. I don't know how to feel about that fact… On the one hand, I won’t lie and say I don’t appreciate Trish’s ‘kindness.’ It saves me and Reeda a shitload of trouble with Fang, who’s still sore with me about us breaking up. If anything, all these weeks of thinking and all the love I’ve gotten from Reeda make me realize that I should be the one who’s more pissed about her choice to break up with me. I mean, who the hell breaks up with their boyfriend because he accidentally ate the last of her chicken nuggets?! Well… that’s past bullshit. It just means we weren’t meant for each other if something so trivial made her decide I was the worst scum of the earth… Going back to Trish, the other side of her decision to keep her piehole shut makes it feel like she’s waiting for the right moment to tell everyone in school that the loner human and stoner beauty of Volcano High are, in fact, deeply and madly in love with each other. Considering how vocal she is about disliking my existence, I don’t put it past her to pull off such a petty stunt. Still, does it matter if my relationship with Reeda comes to light this late in the school year? Graduation is less than a month away, and all our big college entrance exams and other academic matters are finished. At this point, coming to school is a formality. The only big event left is prom and some final sports games; then school’s all over. Of course, Reeda’s got a reputation to maintain, even if it's only for another month. And as I mentioned earlier, the whole fiasco with Fang and myself is ongoing. It doesn’t help us any that Reeda’s already on Trish and Fang’s shit list ever since she told them a week ago she was quitting VVurm Drama. Fang and Trish—Trish especially—didn’t take the news well. The trio got into a massive argument, and they more or less stopped talking to each other completely outside of being forced to by schoolwork. For the last week, the trio’s been ignoring each other’s presence when in the same room, and they all go to their own secluded places to have lunch, Trish sticking to the auditorium, Fang opting to eat on the school rooftop, and Reeda eating her lunch right beside me in the cafeteria. It honestly sucks that things ended so badly between them, but maybe it was for the better. It's not like they were on the best of terms in the first place, what with Trish’s bossy attitude and Fang’s complete lack of self-actualization. Reeda wasn’t really a saint either, as she still suffers from her carfe dependency, but she’s at least gotten a hell of a lot better about it, to the point she hasn’t taken any carfe while at school these last few weeks. Honestly, I’m so proud of her for it. Maybe this is the first step towards her fully kicking the habit… “Anon, you’ve been, like… narrating your life story for the past five minutes,” Reeda suddenly says as she tries, and fails, to stifle a giggle. “Oh…” I say as I look up from my food tray and into Reeda’s eyes. “Oh shit!” I say, finally realizing the full weight of my Gee Eff’s words as I feel my face turn a shade of red. “Fuck. This mumbling habit’s really going to be the death of me one day…” “Nah, it’s all cool,” Reeda says as she wraps an arm around me and pulls me closer to her. “Not like you’re the only one who mumbles shit out loud. I do that too every once in a while.” “Reeda. The last time you were mumbling, you’d just taken some really hard stuff and went on a wild trip without packing any bags. Had to stay up with you watching MXC all night long until you came down and got that shit out of your system.” Reeda’s reaction to my words is to tighten her embrace on me. “Yes, and I love you so much for sticking with me when so many others would have walked out and left me to ride that mess out all alone!” “You think I’d leave my lovely girlfriend to endure that shit on her own? Hell noh!” Reeda’s eyes shimmer as she looks like she wants to plant a big wet kiss on me, but she lets out a single cough as she pulls away, suddenly looking a bit unhappy. It doesn’t take me more than a second to realize she came very close to breaking our facade of ‘just being friends’ while still at school. God. It sucks having to pretend we aren’t actually a couple while on school grounds, but I get it. I really do. I can’t afford to make Reeda’s last month at school any more stressful than it probably already is. This brought me to a topic I’d been tossing in the back of my mind for a while now but hadn’t done much to approach, both because of its sensitivity and because I felt like it was an obvious conclusion to make considering Reeda and I were dating, just not ‘officially’ on school grounds. Still, better to be absolutely safe in this case… “Hey, so… been meaning to ask you a question for a while now…” I start, all the while taking a deep breath. I'm unsure why since I’m certain Reeda will say yes. Still, a little nagging voice told me not to get ahead of myself… “... What are our prom plans?” Reeda tilts her head to the side at my question. “Prom?” she asks, almost like she’s unsure what to make of my question. “Spears asked me to be the DJ and School Mascot. That’s, like, a super huge honor ‘n stuff, dude! Couldn’t turn him down!” She taps her chin, all the while smiling. “Actually, I'm happy you brought it up, novio, oh novio of mine! Almost forgot I’d offered to that considering I’m—” She suddenly cuts herself off and instead giggles, all the while reaching for her bottle of water, which she downed more than half of in seconds. “Moving away from that, I’m guessing you were going to ask me out to prom, weren’t you?” I give Reeda a raised eyebrow in reply, which she looks at and giggles, slapping me in the back so hard that I almost “C’mmon, my dude! ‘Course I’ll go to the prom with you! I’m your best bro, after all!” Reeda says as she leans close to my ear. “And yes, we’ll do it as a couple,” she sultrily whispers as she leans away, all the while grinning earhole to earhole. “Great,” I say, though a slightly sobering thought enters my mind as I say that. “Guess I’ma have to contact my old man and ask him for a bit of cash to buy our tickets before they get any more expensive.” “Wait, ‘our tickets,’ as in, you’re planning to buy my ticket too?” “Well, yeah, why wouldn’t I?” I answer, all the while doing my best not to blush. “I know how expensive that shit can get, and you’re trying to save up for a car. Besides, I owe you for being such a damn good friend,” I say while moving closer to Reeda. “And for being the best girlfriend I’ve ever had,” I whisper, barely being able to fight the urge to sneak a kiss on the cheek of my raptor gee eff. “Awww! You’re so sweet!” Reeda answers, her face having turned almost beet red. “You don’t have to do that for me, though,” she adds, looking at me with wide, shimmering, adoring eyes. “You won’t have to spend A DIME on those tickets.” “Oh?” I ask, curious to hear just what kind of plan my girlfriend had in mind to get us prom tickets. “Yeah,” Reeda says as she reaches for her phone and brings up an HTML showing two digital copies of the prom tickets ready for scanning. “Because I’ll be working the event both as the school mascot AND the DJ, I get my prom ticket basically paid for and a plus one too, which means you can tag along. If you want to, of course.” “Yo!” I exclaim while looking between Reeda’s eyes and the digital tickets on her phone. “That’s awesome!” “I know, right!” Reeda answers excitedly. “Hell yeah!” I practically shout as I wrap my arms around Reeda’s shoulders. Reeda, for her part, returns my hug just as tightly, and the two of us stay like that for about a minute before realizing just where we are returning to our regularly scheduled positions. I look around the cafeteria, feeling slightly paranoid that someone we know might have spotted us hugging and would start the rumor mill. Still, thankfully, it seems like the combination of us sitting in a somewhat secluded corner and everyone else’s general interest in their matters renders us more or less invisible. As I sigh in relief, I see Reeda’s face turning a faint shade of pink as she quickly kisses my cheek, all the while winking sultrily. I know well what she has in mind for later… With the matter of the tickets basically resolved, the only thing left for me to worry about is what kind of outfit I’ll take to prom. I don’t have anything ‘formal’ to wear currently in my wardrobe, and the only thing that comes to mind that I could wear is hundreds of miles away, back in Rock Bottom. That means I will still have to reach out to my old man to borrow one of his fancy suits. … That sure’s going to be a pleasant talk. But hey, maybe he’ll be glad that I’m taking a real-life girl to prom and not one of my imaginary waifus like I did for one of my middle school dances. “Wait, you took an imaginary girl to a dance?” Reeda suddenly asks me, looking like she’s fighting the urge to laugh in my face. “I was like thirteen, okay!” I answer, not so much annoyed at Reeda’s laughing at how pathetic I once was but more at the fact that I still can’t keep my mumbling under wraps for the life of me. “Awwww!” Reeda murmurs as she wraps around my shoulder again and presses her cheek against mine. “It’s okay, Anonimo! I’ll be your real girlfriend for prom. That should cheer you up a bit, no?” She pokes my cheek with one of her fingers as she chuckles coyly. Reeda, if you weren't so hot and awesome, I swear to god… As Reeda’s little laughing fit passes, I notice her smile seems a bit forced. I’ve been with her long enough now to know when she’s genuinely happy and when she’s got something weighing down on her. A part of me figures that it must be anxiety over the coming prom and all the preparations that no doubt have to go into it. Reeda’s acting both as the mascot and DJ, after all. She probably has to ensure the King Rex outfit is ready and doesn’t need patching and the actual DJing equipment is functional. It would absolutely suck if, on the night of prom, the equipment turned out faulty, and the whole event got left without music. Shit, I’d imagine something like that would be career and reputation ending. Despite the whole ‘pretend we aren’t dating’ thing Reeda and I have going on, I can’t help but give my raptor gee eff a big right hug to try and ease her mind at least a bit. “Uh… Anon, wut are you…?” Reeda starts asking but gradually drops as she likely comes to her conclusion of what I was doing. She leans in close to my ear, the smell of her vanilla-scented hair wash driving me a bit crazy for her. God, I wish I could fully embrace her at school. Like a damn boyfriend should be able to. Eventually, Reeda lets out a sigh and gently pushes me away. “Bro, not that I don’t… like you hugging me, n stuff… but it’s getting to be a bit too much, don’t you think?” “S-sorry,” I stammer out, looking down at the table. “It's just that… you looked depressed suddenly… and I wanted to cheer you up a bit.” “By hugging me?” Reeda asks, the blush on her cheeks growing brighter and brighter with each passing second. “Bro, that’s like… so gey !” she laughs and gives me a light punch on the shoulder. “I’m using the old-timey meaning of ‘gay’ here, though. So don’t go getting any funny ideas now…” As she says that, she leans in closer while licking her lips. “Just you wait, bro. Gonna make sure I really make up for all this cockblocking going on,” she seductively whispers, which she once again follows up with some wild giggling from her end. “...Just please… wait until we finish School today,” Reeda suddenly adds in a serious tone that gives me a serious case of emotional whip-lash. I nod, unsure what to make of Reeda’s sudden emotional flip-flop. My sudden confusion on the matter must be written on my face, though, as she smiles and grabs my hand under the table. Her soft and warm scales against the skin of my palm feel nice and welcoming. It makes whatever unease I felt earlier melt away as I think about what kinds of things Reeda had planned for me once the final school bell rang. Whatever it was… a part of me was content enough to sit here and hold on to her hand like I now was. It was such a small gesture packed with so much meaning. No wonder it’s considered so lewd by so many people… “Damn right, Anon,” Reeda whispers in my ear as she tightens her grip on my hand. “And this is just the start,” she mischievously giggled as she said those words. I will remember this afternoon for a while to come, won’t I…?’ As Reeda intertwines her fingers between my own, I receive the answer I sought. Yes. It will be an evening to remember for sure… *** Before I knew it, the rest of the week flew by. Somewhat uneventfully. Still, uneventful’s good—fewer headaches for everyone. Though the television is playing, I find myself tuning out most of the 80’s action movies playing on it. My mind instead goes back to some past glories that I managed to score with Reeda. She kept her word and then some. While we didn’t actually do the horizontal tango like I was certain my gee eff was alluding to, we tried and did almost everything else that popped into our minds. That’s how I discovered that my beautiful raptor sweetheart knows how to use her tongue. Never knew that she could stretch it out that far, either… But as the afterglow of the acts faded, and I got my post-nut clarity, I couldn’t help but wonder if Reeda was such a pro because of previous hands-on experiences… … Well, that doesn’t matter. Reeda’s my girlfriend now. If she had any prior relationships, whoever they’d been clearly couldn’t love her like I do. Otherwise, she would have dumped my ass ages ago. There honestly couldn’t be a better endorsement of my boyfriend skills than that. “Anon… you’re mumbling again,” Reeda tells me as she gives me a playful jab on the ribs. “Shit, sorry,” I say as I take my focus off the television and down to my girlfriend’s eyes. “Movie’s too boring for you, so you’re thinking back to all the fun times we had together?” Reeda purs while giving me the slyest grin she can. “Kinda. But it’s hard not to think how lucky I am to have you as a girlfriend,” I answer, all the while running a hand through Reeda’s soft and immaculate hair. Reeda giggles as she grabs my hand and nuzzles it. “Oh, Anon. You’re doing an AMAZING job as my latest boyfriend,” she teases as she gently scoots me closer to kiss me on the lips. “But no, in all seriousness, you’re the best bee eff out of a very short list of bee effs that I’ve ever had.” “Other boyfriends,” I ask, dread slowly building in me. Reeda’s eyes shoot open, and she sits back up, suddenly looking ashamed “F-forget I said that,” she stammers out, all the while trying—and failing—to give me a cheeky smile. “What happened with those other boyfriends, if you don’t me asking…?” Why did I ask that? That’s, like, the one thing you’re not supposed to bring up when you’re with your girlfriend. Anon, you idiot… Reeda wraps her tail around my abdomen and scoots even closer to me. “It’s… bullshit, really…” she lets out a sigh and gives me a weak simper. “Nothing that matters now that we are together.” “Reeda,” I start, gently caressing her cheek as I look deep into her eyes. “I’m… I won’t push you to tell me if you don’t want to… but if it’s something you need to get off your chest, I’m here for you. Always…” Reeda closes her eyes and sighs before scooting closer. “Well…” she starts, all the while she tightens the grip of her tail on my waist. “...Calling those fuckers ‘boyfriends’ is kinda pushing the definition. But I don’t know what else to call ‘em…” She lets out an exhale, her breath shaky and strained. “Nothing but assholes out to get into my pants or to get drugs out of me,” the pink raptor bitterly remarks as she continues to look deeply into my eyes. “...And I was a stupid whore myself, letting those fuckers use and abuse me because I wanted to feel loved… only to get used and then discarded like a smoked-up weed joint…” “...Fuck…” is the only thing that comes out of my mouth as I take in Reeda’s revelation as a cold yet burning sensation starts to spread in the pit of my stomach… Reeda lets out a bitter chuckle as she turns back to look me in the eyes. Suddenly, the bitterness and hostility of her previous memories vanished as a loving gaze that honestly made me feel warm and fuzzy. “Anon. I can’t ever thank you enough for being the only guy I’ve ever been with that’s seen me as more than just a pussy to fuck or as a drug dispensary to get shit from. It honestly means the whole fucking world to me.” I open my mouth to say something, but I suddenly find myself unable to say much of anything, Reeda’s revelation filling my heart with a bit of hurt. It’s one thing to have it confirmed that you aren’t the first guy your girlfriend ever dated, but it’s another to have her not just confirm that but also that those relationships left her battered and hurt. I’m almost tempted to ask the names of the fuckers who hurt my gee eff so much so I can go find them and punch them in the face. Repeatedly. “Anon…” Reeda suddenly says, placing a soft hand on my face. “I know what you’re probably thinking… and I can’t blame you if you suddenly feel repulsed by the fact that I’ve been used and abused before… but please, don’t let the anger fester. You’re way too fucking kind for that…” Without further thinking or hesitation, I wrap Reeda in the tightest, most loving hug I can give my girlfriend. “Reeda,” I start, holding her as tightly as possible, considering she’s practically lying on my lap. “While that revelation does make me a bit… uncomfortable… It’s shit that’s in the past now. What matters to me here and now is doing EVERYTHING I can to make you as happy as you goddamn deserve.” “Oh, Anon…” Reeda whispers as a soft smile spreads on her rosy lips. “...I don’t deserve you…” “And I don’t deserve you,” I answer, trying not to appear too cheesy. Obviously, I fail since my words only make Reeda furiously blush and giggle almost uncontrollably. Well, I already have gone this far. I might go the extra mile at this point. “I’m serious!” I add, looking as deeply into my raptor gee effs’s eyes as I possibly can. “Going out with you has been the absolute best thing to ever happen to me!” “Oh? Even better than hooking up with Fang?” Reeda cheekily asks. “I mean, that was good. Not gonna lie about that. But she’s the one who dumped me over some stupid nugget bullshit, remember?” Reeda’s eyes harden as a scowl forms on her face. “Still can’t believe she would toss you aside because of that stupid nugget obsession she has. Fucking lost out on an amazing guy.” “But hey, that means I’m all yours now!” I exclaimed, letting out a small chuckle that may have been more smug than expected. “Honestly, I can’t wait to see the look on her face when we reveal that we’re going to prom together!” Reeda’s expression turns a bit dour at the mention of prom, and she sits up to look me straight ahead, though she keeps her tail wrapped around my waist. “Something wrong, sweets?” “Yeah… about prom,” Reeda starts, all the while letting out a tired sigh. “Because I’ll be working as both mascot and DJ, I won’t be able to be with you during prom itself.” “Like, at all?” I ask, unable to hide the disappointment that no doubt rings in my voice. “The price to pay for getting free tickets, my dude,” Reeda answers, the disappointment just as audible in her voice as it no doubt was in mine. “But hey, on the plus side, you don’t have to worry about trying to dance with me while I’m wearing the King Rex outfit,” she adds, trying to sound cheerful despite the sobering situation. “But… what if I don’t mind dancing with King Rex?” I say, giving Reeda my best pair of puppy-dog eyes. “Think of the story we can tell everyone when we are old and about to go senile.” Reeda chuckles as she coils her tail around me just a bit tighter. “Can’t promise you’ll get a dance with King Rex, but I’ll more than make it up to you. Promise.” “Okay,” I say, feeling a bit hot in the face as I wonder what kind of treat Reeda will have in store for me to compensate for our lack of a prom dance. But that does make me wonder what I’ll do the entire night if I can’t dance with my girlfriend for prom. “Meanwhile, while I’m handling the job, you should socialize with the others. Maybe get a dance or two in other gals at prom. Live a little and enjoy one of the biggest nights of our lives!” Reeda adds, almost as if to answer my question. “I mean… I guess I can probably ask Stella or Rosa for a dance, but you know I’m not good at the whole ‘socializing’ thing, right?” “Brah, you are underselling yourself TOO much!” Reeda says as she tries to give me a big, encouraging beam. “Mumbling aside, you’re ready to become a social butterfly. Like me!” “I don’t know, Reeda. The last time I tried to be ‘social,’ I ended up pissing off half the class when I accidentally called them meteor dodgers…” “Yeah, there was that incident. But brah, it was fucking HILARIOUS!” Reeda remarks as she wraps an arm around my neck. “You say you suck talking with people, but you’re actually an amazing listener and have so much empathy that anyone would be lucky to know you as just a friend!” I can’t help but feel my face light up on hearing Reeda say those words. The faith she has in me is simply unbelievable. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that she’s just playing the supportive girlfriend card and doesn’t mean her words entirely… “You also have to get started on being more social now so that, when you’re in college, you’ll have no issue becoming the big popular guy you deserve to be!” Reeda bombastically declares, giving me her biggest, widest smile. College… now that’s a thought that hadn’t really crossed my mind for a long time. It probably should have, considering it’s part of my father’s big ultimatum once I finish High School. College or the military… either one is daunting to me. Either one promises to take me away from what I’ve grown accustomed to… as well as away from the girl I love more than anything… “...Nah,” I tell Reeda as I gently put my forehead on hers. “I’m good when it comes to socializing. I’ve got you, and that’s all I need.” Reeda frowns a bit as she slowly takes her arm off my neck. “Anon… you shouldn’t… ping all your hopes on me, you know…” As soon as she says those words, she diverts her gaze away from mine. As she does, though, her tail only coils around me tighter, almost like she’s expecting me to jump away from her suddenly. “Whut?” I ask myself, unsure what Reeda meant by those words. “No-nothing!” Reeda stammers as she scoots closer to me again. “So, back to prom prep talk, what kind of suit did you end up talking your old man into loaning you? “Well…” I start, reaching for my phone and pulling up a snapshot of my chosen outfit—a simple yet sharp ensemble featuring a plain white polo shirt and dark gray chino pants. “Looking good, bro,” Reeda remarks as she inspects the picture with growing interest. “Can’t go wrong with a business casual outfit.” “Yeah, but I kinda wish my old man had been more understanding and loaned me his old tux…” I say, feeling dour at the fact that I’d be wearing the same outfit as one of those Chinese lao-bans on my first formal. “At least you’ll get to show off your outfit. I’m stuck wearing the King Rex costume the entire night, so there’s no point in me wearing anything fancier than a simple dress and my trusty beat-up kicks.” “Guess it’s a good thing we didn’t spend any real money on our prom outfits then, huh?” “You read my mind, bro,” Reeda answers as she hands me back my phone. “By the way, where’s your stuff now? I didn’t see you bring it over this morning.” “Left it back at my apartment. Didn’t think there was much point bringing it over since you have to head in early to finish setting things up anyway, and lugging it around opens it up to getting dirty. Especially with the luck I seem to have…” “Yeah… sucks that we’ll have to cut our pre-prom hangout short, but you know how things are when it comes to the preparations. Gotta make sure everything’s working as it should.” Reeda remarks, her mood suddenly growing somber as she once more averts her gaze from mine. “...Gotta make sure everything’s perfect tonight. Otherwise…” “Uh… otherwise what?” I ask, unsure what to make of Reeda’s rather ominous words. Reeda's response to my question takes me completely by surprise. Instead of offering words, she employs her previously coiled tail around my waist to pull me toward her gently. Once we are practically intertwined, she envelops me in a warm embrace, wrapping her arms around me and pressing her face against mine. “Oh, Anon… I know I keep sounding like a broken record, but I’m SO going to make it up to you tonight. I prom—” Reeda doesn’t finish her words as the sound of keys working her front door’s mechanism snaps us out of whatever we were thinking and makes us both look towards the living room. Just as I'm about to ask Reeda who’s at the door, another pink with white stripes raptor dressed in a blue tank top and a pair of ripped black jeans. My eyes widen as I take in the features of his face, and I look between him and my girlfriend, at once realizing that he shears almost the same facial features as Reeda. If I didn’t know any better, I would have said I was suddenly looking at a male version of my girlfriend, albeit five or so years older than us, if the wrinkles under his eyes were any indication. “Sis, that you?” the raptor asks as he strides into the living room before coming to an abrupt halt as he seemingly takes in the scene of me sitting next to Reeda. “O-Orson!” Reeda stammers as she slowly lets me go from her hug. “Why are you home so damn early?!” “What? What the hell are you talking about? You know well I have shit to pack up and—” Reeda’s brother suddenly cuts himself as he finally seems to acknowledge me entirely. “Uh… who’s the guy ya got your tail wrapped around?” “Oh shit,” Reeda whispers as she looks between me and what I’ve more or less deduced is her brother. “Well… this here is Anon. He’s my… very special friend…” she says uncertainly. …Very special friend? Wha…? Orson looks at me with a raised eyebrow and then back to Reeda. “If he’s your fuck-buddy, just say so. No point in dancing around the subject, especially this late into things.” Reeda’s brow furrows as she stands up, all the while keeping her tail wrapped around my waist. “He’s not a fuck-buddy! He’s my boyfriend!” “Boyfriend, you say?” Orson asks as he again turns to look at me, this time with a look in his eyes somewhere between interest and concern. “Reeda… do I need to remind you—” “No, you don’t!” Reeda snaps almost as soon as Orson starts talking, fixing him with a harsh glare. “I have things well on hand!” “Well, if you say so,” Orson replies as he walks up to me and extends a hand. “Well, seeing as this is the first time I’m meeting you, amigo. Might as well make some introductions. Name’s Orson and I’m Reeda’s big brother.” I reach and shake Orson’s hand as tightly as possible. “Anon. Pleasure, I guess.” “Wait, Anon?” Orson asks as he once again turns to face his sister. “THIS’S the Anon you keep mentioning is your ‘bestest bro for life?’” “Shut up!” Reeda hisses as her face starts to turn dark red. Orson howls with laughter as she shakes my hand with greater vigor than before. “Shit, man! I didn’t think Reeda’s best friend would turn out to be her boyfriend too!” “Uh… aren’t those things usually the same thing…?” “You’d think so, but that isn’t always the case,” Orson answers as he lets go of my hand and sits beside me on the couch. “Fuck man, my sister CAN’T shut up about you! She’s always going on about how you’re the best friend she’s ever had and how you’ve made her life all the better these last few months, and—” “Orson!” Reeda exclaims as she suddenly glares daggers at her brother. “Stop talking! NOW!” she shouts with such fury that I’m surprised she was capable of such an outburst of emotion. “Why?” Orson asks as he wraps an arm around my neck, similarly to how Reeda does it. …I wonder if Reeda learned the gesture from him… “I mean, if Anon’s here and sticking by you despite knowing what’s gonna happen next, then he’s definitely keeper material!” Orson exclaims in a cheery, almost triumphant tone. “Wait a sec, is he tagging along with us?” “ORSON!” Reeda screams this time at almost maximum volume, prompting me to recoil a bit from seeing my gee eff so pissed off; an emotion I didn’t even know was possible for her to formulate. Orson’s reaction to hearing her sister shouting is to chuckle and patt me on the chest. “Gee. Sorry lil’ sis. Didn’t mean to piss you off. Just got curious, is all.” “What are you talking about?” I finally ask, desperately trying to make sense of Orson’s comments. Orson blinks a few times with visible confusion as he looks between me and Reeda a few times. Then, his eyes widen as he lets go of my shoulder and stands back up, walking up to his sister with a sudden grim expression. “Wait a sec… Sis… You haven’t told him yet…?” “Told me what?” I can’t help but ask, still desperate to answer my questions. “Nothing!” Reeda snaps at me before turning, glaring at her brother. “Orson doesn’t know what he’s talking about, and he should know to keep his snout out of my business, especially when I have it all COMPLETELY handled.” …I’m not entirely sure what Reeda’s going on about, but it makes Orson sigh, shrug, and shake his head. “Well, guess if you say you’ve got it handled, then you’ve got it handled…” he says as he pivots to look at me directly, placing a firm hand on my shoulder with a gravity that catches me off guard. “Anon, I’ll leave you and my sis to enjoy the rest of your Saturday. …” he glances back towards Reeda one last time before turning back to face me. “...Make the absolute best out of it, you hear me?” he comments almost solemnly. “Don’t worry, we’re going to make the absolute BEST of our time before prom!” Reeda loudly and excitedly snaps back while yanking me to her side via her tail and wrapping me in a tight hug. Orson reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes, all the while giving Reeda what to me looks like a knowing smile. “I don’t don’t you’re going to try and have some fun n shit, but I was directing my words at Anon,” Orson says as he takes a ciggie out of the pack, puts it in his mouth, and lights it while taking a long drag, the smoke swirling around him as if adding a layer of mystery to his words. He takes the cig out of his mouth and uses it to point directly at me, his gaze suddenly intense. “Just be ready for whatever crazy shit my sister pulls, you hear, Anon?” he practically commands, prompting me to swallow hard and nod in reply. Without another glance at Reeda or myself, Orson begins to make his way toward his room, disappearing into the depths of the house. The weight of his words lingers in the air, leaving me with a sense of both intrigue and a newfound awareness of the day ahead. Still, the whole interaction confuses me, so I turn to face my gee eff and lock eyes with her again. “What was all that about?” I ask her. Reeda’s expression is hard to describe. Angry comes to mind first, but I don’t think that quite describes her expression. Sad also springs to my mind, but what would Reeda have to be sad about? “Don’t… worry about it…” Reeda finally answers, forcing a smile back on her lips. “Let’s just… watch some more TV before we go and get lunch. That sounds good?” she asks. Her tone tells me she’s desperate for me to drop the subject and agree with her request. “Sure,” I answer, unwilling to push whatever I’d just witnessed and risk upsetting Reeda any more than she may already be. Just as Reeda and I return to the couch, we hear Reeda’s house’s front door open again. Reeda lets out another groan as she turns to face the door. I don’t know who she expected to walk through the door. Still, I certainly wasn’t expecting to see an older white-toned and orange-stripped raptor wearing a pretty fancy business suit and an expensive-looking leather briefcase that, if I’m being honest, makes the guy look like he’s some Japanese salaryman. “D-dad?!” Reeda exclaims as she locks eyes with the older raptor, who in turn looks at my gee eff first, then at me, and then back to her with what I can only describe as tiredness. “Yes, sweetie, it’s me,” the older raptor tiredly answers as he tries to put on a warm smile. “Probably asking why I’m home so early in the day, right?” “Yes, actually,” Reeda absentmindedly answers before she raises her hands to stop her father before he can speak. “Nevermind. I think I know why you’re here early.” She looks sideways, a slight sneer escaping her lips. “You don’t need to say a word out loud about it. I know the situation well and what I must do later…” The raptor patriarch nods in understanding as he looks at me with newfound interest. “And who might you be, young man?” “Oh,” I comment, startled by the sudden acknowledgment. “I’m Anon. Nice to meet you,” I say, extending my palm to shake the hand of my girlfriend’s father. “Anon, you say?” He asks as he firmly grasps my hand and shakes it like only a true businessman knows how. “Then you must be my daughter’s boyfriend. It’s so nice to meet you at last. Although…” he turns to look at Reeda with a somewhat corned look. “...I find it strange that I’m only meeting you now despite—” “Despite having started dating you like three months ago!” Reeda quickly interjects, cutting off whatever her father had planned to say as she gives her father a somewhat harsh gaze. “Yeah, sorry about that, dad. Kinda slipped my mind!” she adds with what I can only describe as a forced laugh. Reeda’s father raises an eyebrow as he looks between me and Reeda. After a few seconds, though, his eyes widen, almost as if something suddenly dawned on him. His expression then turns somber as he shakes his head, a tiny smile forming on his lips as he puts a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “I won’t pry into your business… but even you have to realize what you must do soon, don’t you?” Reeda’s eyes widen as she looks into her father’s eyes with a sad expression. “Yes,” she answers, gently removing her father’s hand from her shoulder. “I will take care of it. Promise.” Reeda’s father gives her daughter a nod as he finally turns to look at me with a soft, warm, yet sad simper on his lips. “So, Anon. Tell me a bit about yourself.” “Well…” I start, not quite sure how to best answer his question. “My name’s Anon… Anon Mous… and I’m… your daughter’s boyfriend…” “You don’t strike me as a local kid. You from out of town?” “Actually, yeah,” I answer truthfully, finding no real benefit to lying by this point in my life. “Used to live in Rock Bottom, but I moved to Volcaldera to finish the last half of high school after a… small incident back home…” “Ah,” the raptor patriarch comments softly and understandingly. “Sorry to hear that your life got uprooted so suddenly. I hope that Volcaldera’s been treating you kindly.” “It has, yeah,” I answer, glancing towards Reeda. As our gazes meet for a second, I can see her cheeks turn a light shade of red as my gee eff gives me a very tiny smile. “By the way, I don’t believe I’ve properly introduced myself,” Reeda’s father comments as he adjusts his tie. “My name is Ron. I know I already said it, but it’s a pleasure to meet the ‘best bro for life’ my daughter always goes on about.” “DAD!” Reeda shouts, her cheeks turning an even darker shade of red, a sight she tries to hide from me. “I don’t think I’ve seen my little darling be as happy as she has been these last few months… and that’s something I can’t thank you enough for…” Ron comments as she steps towards me. “You’re welcome in this household anytime, son. Just…” he comments as he pats me on the shoulder, although his words sound... sad? Depressed? "Just...?" I ask, not sure where Reeda's father was taking his words. Ron chuckles as he steps back, the smile on his lips never wavering. “Eh. Don’t worry about it. Just go out there and enjoy the rest of this Saturday alongside my little darling. Enjoy the prom to the best of your capabilities, okay?” “Uh… sure. Will do,” I find myself answering, unsure of just what I’m answering. “Reeda,” Ron starts as he turns to look back at his daughter. “Don’t forget what we talked about, okay?” “Yes, daddy…” Reeda answers half-heartedly. After a few seconds, Reeda’s complexion deepens to a more intense shade of pink. She inhales deeply and locks eyes with me. “Anon, we’re going to get that lunch NOW!” she practically commands as she bolts for her house's entrance. Before I can get in a word of protest, I find myself getting pulled along with her, still tethered to my gee eff by her tail, which remains steadfastly coiled around my waist. As Reeda guides me through the house, I feel a sense of urgency in her steps. As I turn back to look at her father, I can't help but observe the melancholic—almost despondent—expression on his face as he also gazes into my eyes. The air is tinged with an unspoken sorrow, leaving me curious about the emotions he is trying desperately to hide from Reeda and me… *** Reeda and I walk about fifteen minutes to a nearby kebab place that is practically around the corner from her neighborhood. It’s a tiny place located in one of those strip malls. Joint has a weird Middle-Eastern-sounding name; probably the owner’s name or someone from their family. Reeda’s told me all about the little restaurant in the past. She always goes to it when she wants to chill and be away from whatever’s troubling her. Or whenever she wants to smoke some strong stuff without getting her family high. It helps that the restaurant owner doesn’t seem to care if she smokes weed as long as she does it in the hookah bar area. And that’s exactly where Reeda and I plop our asses as she munches on a hearty kebab sandwich while inhaling her favorite brand of weed, which she passes to me every once in a while. As I sit next to my lovely raptor girlfriend, smoking her weed and occasionally sharing a bite of my food with her, I can’t help but wonder why she suddenly wanted to get away from her family. They didn’t seem at all to be angry with her. If anything, they seemed welcoming… certainly a hell of a lot more welcoming than my own folks would have been had they suddenly come face to face with my non-human girlfriend. … Fuck it, I think we’re relaxed enough because of the weed for me to try and pry a bit of info from Reeda… “Hey, so…” I start, taking a quick gulp of my drink as I look into Reeda’s eyes. “Why’d you not want to keep hanging around your house when your bro and pops showed?” Reeda takes a deep inhale of her joint and slowly exhales, all the while diverting her gaze away from me. “...Just… suddenly felt the urge to get high before getting ready to prom. That’s all…” … Well, that’s not at all the truth of the situation, but I can tell that it’s something Reeda doesn’t want to talk about right now, so I drop it and instead turn my thoughts back to my gee eff’s older brother and her father. I still couldn’t believe how much Reeda and Orson looked alike. The guy was basically a male version of my girl, even down to their similar tone, albeit lower in pitch. It would explain the similarities if they were twins, but Orson looked a few years older. It could be that genetics work differently with dino folk, and siblings could come out looking relatively similar even years apart… but that was way beyond my field of expertise. Reeda’s father, however, was the one that drew my attention even more. Just from my brief interactions with him, I could tell that he was a man who was a professional in his field. Whatever that field was. He was also very much not into drugs at all, judging by how professionally lucid he carried himself. Guy looked more like an executive at a fancy tech firm that made billions annually. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was one of those top-paid programmers. That did beg the question of why Reeda and her family seemed to live in such an average-looking house if her father was doing so well financially. Eh… could be a money-saving decision. Sometimes, it’s best not to live more frugally than you can afford to. “And speaking of prom…” Reeda suddenly comments as she munches on the last piece of her sandwich, “I’ve decided that we’ll spend the rest of our time before it at your place. We’ll go to school from there together.” “You sure?” I ask, all the while taking another sip of my soda. “I mean, your stuff’s still back at your house, right?” “Yeah… should’ve picked up my makeup bag and other shit before taking off to get lunch… fuck…” Reeda brings her weed joint to her lips and inhales what remains of it, puffing out the pleasant strawberry-scented smoke as a grimace starts to spread across her face. Finally, after a few seconds of pondering her options, she sighs and gives me a weak smile. “Let’s drop by back at my place to get my shit, and I’ll call us a cab.” “Sure thing, sweets,” I say, stuffing the rest of my food into my gullet and standing up. With a nod and a smile, Reeda leads the way out of the restaurant, but not before dropping by the counter to thank the older Middle Eastern human shop owner for the grub. She pulls out a twenty-dollar bill and drops it into his tip jar before leaving. The owner calls back to us with a thick Arabian accent, and I wave farewell to him as I rush to keep pace with my girlfriend, who suddenly seems to be brimming with energy. Probably because the weed she’d just finished smoking was actually of the upper variety. Hell, I could feel the energy coursing through my being as I took several good hits of her stuff, even sharing a smoky kiss with her that honestly felt way too good. Because of our quick pace, it only took us eight minutes to return to Reeda’s place. As soon as we are a few meters from the main entrance, I notice there are three cars now parked in the driveway, which lets me know right away that there may now be a third member of her family back home. Possibly her mother. “Yeah, that’s my mom’s car,” Reeda suddenly comments somberly, prompting me to give her a sudden and panicked stare, only to realize that I must have mumbled my comment out loud. Reeda lets out a deep sigh and turns to face me. “Sorry to have to ask this of you suddenly… but can you wait for me out here?” I let out a small chuckle as I crossed my arms. “Let me guess, your mom’s not fond of the idea of you dating anyone?” I ask in complete jest. “Nah. She doesn’t like humies,” she answers with such nonchalance that I have to do a double take on her words. “Uh… perdon?” Reeda lets out a giggle in response. “Relax! My mom’s not a racist or some shit like that. She just dated this cave-dude back in college, and it apparently ended badly. Swore that she’d never let any of her kids date skinnies, so if she sees me bringing you home, she might flip on me and give me the big ‘talk’ about relationships and shit, and we DON’T have time for that today.” … …Not going to lie, that story smells a bit of bullshit, but Reeda’s also given me any reason to doubt her so far. Besides, part of a relationship is being open and trusting of your partner, and I’m not about to start being ‘that guy’ who doubts everything his girlfriend tells him. “Okay, I’ll wait out here then,” I answer, walking up to her house's curb and taking a seat on the jagged concrete. “Just don’t take too long, okay? Don’t want your neighbors to think I’m some homeless person squatting on their street.” “Thank you!” Reeda says as she ducks next to me to hug me and kiss me. “Be out in, like, ten minutes. Promise!” she says as she rushes off to her house, leaving me sitting all alone on the street. Not even a minute passes before I start to get bored out of my mind. That’s when I pull out my trust phone and browse my usual Mongolian throat singing forums to pass some of the time. “Yo, Anomigo!” I hear what I first think is Reeda flawlessly pitching her voice down. I turn around to see what my GF wants and see another pink raptor walking my way. Once again, it feels like I’m somehow looking at a gender-bent version of my girlfriend, which I won’t like fucks with my brain like nothing else. “Uh… Orson, was it?” I ask, standing from the curb to greet Reeda’s older brother. “That’s right, Anon-man!” Orson replies, all the while giving me a pair of finger guns. “Whatcha doing out here?” he asks as she looks me up and down, almost like he’s trying to seize me. His nostrils suddenly flare, and he lets out a chuckle. “Strawberry-flavored weed huh? I getcha. My sis probably told you to wait out here so as not to freak our mother out.” “Yeah,” I reply, rubbing the back of my neck. “She told me your guy’s mom isn’t fond of humans.” “What?” Orson asks while scratching his head in confusion. “Reeda. She told me how your guy’s mom doesn’t like humans because of some bullshit relationship in college.” “Oh, THAT!” Orson comments as he once again wraps his arm around my neck. “Nah, brah! She’s been over that for YEARS now! In fact, I think she actually likes humans more than she likes her own kind sometimes!” he exclaims, all the while guffawing. “Then why…” “My sis probably told you to wait outside, so she didn’t have to explain why she and her BF both smell of kebab and strawberry weed. Also, the whole boyfriend thing too.” “Right…” I comment, feeling a bit downcrested. “Still can’t believe she didn’t tell any of you that I’m dating her…” “Well, that’s because—” Orson starts, but he cuts himself off before saying anything else. “Uh…” he continues, all the while looking me deep into my eyes. “...Say, Anonamingo, anyone ever tells you you’re pretty hot stuff?” “W-what!?” I suddenly ask, unsure what to make of Orson’s comment. “Yeah!” Orson continues, all the while running a finger over my cheeks and chin. “If you weren’t already dating my sis, I think I’d try to hit you up and see where things went,” he comments with a sultry tone that makes me somewhat uncomfortable. “Uh… I… I appreciate the comment… but I don’t swing that way…” I find myself stuttering, desperate to try and diffuse the conversation in any way I can. Orson laughs again as he lets go of my shoulder and gives me a hearty slap on the back. “Kidding, Anon! Kidding!” He says as she wipes away a tear from his eye. “I’m bi and all that, but I know my boundaries. Besides, even if you weren’t my sis’ BF, I don’t date jailbait.” “But I’m eighteen…” “Still too young for my tastes,” Orson comments as he reaches for his pack of cigarettes. “Trust me, you don’t want to date anyone coming right out of high school, especially when you’re ten years older than them.” “You’re twenty-eight?” I ask, finding myself shocked at how young Orson looks despite our age gap. “Twenty-nine, actually,” he corrects as he lights his cig. “And yeah, I know I look fucking young as fuck. One of the benefits of my work as a bike courier. Get a lot of cardio out of it. Keeps me nice and fit.” “That’s pretty cool to hear,” I answer, still feeling a bit uneasy about having gotten hit on not just by a guy but a guy who happened to be the older brother of my girlfriend… and who happens to almost look like her too… “At any rate, I’m guessing your waiting for my sis to get her shit so you two can head off to your place to prep for prom?” “Yeah, that’s pretty much it,” I answer truthfully. Orson lets out a sly chuckle as he once again looks at me with what I can only describe as a mischievous grin. “Oh, you two are gonna have a FUN time, that’s for sure.” “Uh…” “I mean it, Anon,” Orson says as she touches my shoulder. “If half the shit my sis says about you is true, she’s MADLY in love with you, amigo. Don’t be surprised if she suddenly pulls the marriage card during prom.” “W-what?!” I ask, feeling my nonexistent hair rising at the revelation. Once again, Orson lets out a hearty guffaw as he gives my shoulder a couple more slaps. “It’s the only way she’ll convince our mom to keep you around!” “Only your mom? What about your guy’s dad? Wouldn’t he mind?” “You kidding?” Orson exclaims as he again wraps his arm around my shoulder and shoves me so close we are practically cheek to cheek. “Based on your interactions with him earlier, I can tell he already likes you. Maybe not in the ‘i’ma call you son-in-law from now on’ way, but I’m damn sure he wouldn’t mind having you around once we get all the shit surrounding us taken care of!” “Shit? What shit?” I find myself asking. “Oh, nothing, just me babbling out loud,” Orson comments as he lets go of me. “It’s just that once school’s over for my sis, shit’s gonna get busy not just for her but all of us. Got plans lined up, ‘n stuff. New work opportunities and new challenges to face. And my sis… she wants to go into the medical field and study to become a pharmacist or whatever it is that you call those people that make drugs n shit. She says it's her calling. And to tell you the truth, she’s definitely got a gift for it.” The raptor takes another drag of his cigarette as he smiles. “It’s an open secret that we don’t mess around with, but my sis knows how to take bad drugs that she gets from the seedier parts of Volcaldera and turns ‘em into good drugs. Hell, the carfe she’s always chugging down is only consumable in such doses because she REFINES that shit. Takes out all the bad crap and only leaves the good pure stuff. She could probably make a version of that stuff that even YOU could ingest without dying.” “Is carfe really that bad for humans?” I ask absentmindedly. “Bro, you kidding? You know what carfe is?” “Uh… not really?” Orson shakes his head as she takes another drag of his cigarette. “Carfe’s short for carfentanil. Do you know what that shit’s normally used for? To tranquilize BIG animals, like mammoths, rhinos ‘n whales. Just TOUCHING that shit can be lethal for you cave-people.” “...Holy shit…” I find myself whispering, only now all of a sudden realizing that all this time, I’ve been kissing, french-kissing, and both eating out and getting eaten out by a girl that’s high on carfe half the time… and I’m not somehow dead because of it… “Yeah,” Orson comments as she points to me with his cigarette. “If Reeda had been ingesting any other kind of carfe, you probably wouldn’t even be here right now talking to me. So now you know I’m not lying when I say she’s got a gift for making safe drugs that provide all the good effects without any of the nasty drawbacks.” “So… Reeda’s dream is to become a top-notch drug maker then…” “Not just top-notch, amigo. THE FUCKING BEST!” Orson comments as he locks eyes with me. “This is why I’m now telling you to expect her to become busy after high school. Because that’s her dream…” Reeda’s dream… Now that I really think about it, I never once stopped to wonder what Reeda wanted to do once she was done with Volcano High. A part of me always figured she would give up the drugs at some point and find a steady job that gave her just enough to live comfortably. I wasn’t entirely sure if I’d be in the picture, but I’d be lying if I didn’t see myself being a part of her life. After all, we both had shared so much together already, and she’d made it very clear she didn’t mind the prospect of us taking things far more seriously… …But now that I know what Reeda really wants out of life, am I actually worthy to stick around? Compared to her, I’m a useless loser. I don’t really have much talent beyond a bit of sound editing and shitposting. Would that really be enough to make some career that could keep up with Reeda’s ambitions? … No. Whatever she chooses, I will try my best to support and cheer her on, even if it means I have to go through hell and high water in the process. ...Because all that matters is her... “Orson! What the fuck?!” Reeda suddenly calls out to her brother, snapping me out of my thoughts as I see my girlfriend racing up to meet me and her older brother, a scowl on her face. “Hey there, sis!” Orson answers back as he waves at Reeda with a goofy grin on his lips. “Just talking to your boyfriend a bit before you two take off for the big event.” “And just what the fuck were you telling MY Anon?!” Reeda asks. The fact that she used the term ‘my’ in her words makes me feel a bit hot around the cheeks. “Oh, nothing much. Just talking about how he’s a looker and how lucky he is to be dating my amazing younger sis!” Orson responds as he shoots me a quick, knowing glance. “I also told him about how you plan to become a chemist. Or was it a pharmacist? Well, one of those.” He frowns as he smokes the last of his cigs, leaving nothing but the filer behind. “Surprise you never told him that’s your dream.” “That’s because—” She starts but cuts herself off as a sad frown forms on her brow. “...I didn’t want Anon to think I was better than him… or that I’d abandon him to chase some silly dream of mine…” Orson tosses his cig down on the ground and stomps on it before walking up to his sister and putting a hand on her shoulder, all the while giving her a very stern look. “If that’s what you really think, then you know what you need to do before this day’s over, right?” “I—” Reeda starts, but we are interrupted when a cab pulls up in front of Reeda’s driveway and honks, letting us all know of his arrival. “Hey, kiddos. You Reeda and Anon? Got a call from ya asking for a lift, so I’m here to get the job done,” the cabbie, a yellow-looking raptor with a strange yet fancy haircut and eyebrows and just as equally a fancy beard. Reeda, still with a sad look, looks into her brother’s eyes before diverting her attention entirely to me. “Let’s go, babe,” Reeda tells me as she grabs me by the hand and gently leads me to the cab. We both hop in and shut the door, at which point the cabbie puts his car into drive, and we slowly start making our way away from my girlfriend’s house. Before the car gets too far from Reeda’s house, my gaze involuntarily returns to Orson, and I find him fixing me with a countenance that I can only describe as being laden with melancholy. Even as he bids us farewell with a wave, there's a depth to his expression that piques my curiosity, leaving me to wonder about the emotions and thoughts concealed behind his solemn demeanor. I let out a sigh and turned to the cabbie. “Uh… so we’re going to—” “Skin Row. Yeah, I know where to drive ya, kiddos. Just sit tight and enjoy the ride,” the cabbie replies with a chuckle. I wonder to myself how he already knows where to go, but Reeda must have told him over the phone. I turn to look at my girlfriend, and I can’t help but notice that she looks like she wants to let out a couple of tears. I reach out for her hand, and without prodding, she not only grasps it as if her life depended on it, but her tail also coils around my leg as she leans her head against my shoulder and sighs. … I don’t dare say anything to ruin this moment… *** It’s been about half an hour since we arrived at my apartment. In that time, Reeda and I got down to finish watching the movie we left hanging back at her house. It’s a bit weird seeing them play out of my shitty small screen, but not like we had an option considering it was either through my tv or through my crappy little laptop. Either way, we’re honestly enjoying each other’s company more than we are in the movie, something I honestly wouldn’t have believed myself thinking until I met Reeda. She’s… she’s something else alright… As the movie ends, I look down at my phone to gauge how much time we have until prom. A quick look informs me that we have nearly five hours before Reeda’s due to show up to see her equipment set up. Seven for prom proper to kick off. I could hardly believe that I’d be going to what everyone keeps telling me is THE defining moment for a high-schooler in just a few short hours. As those thoughts run through my mind, I can’t help but wonder how prom would have gone for me had I stayed back in Rock Bottom High. Considering I was made a pariah after my powerlevel got revealed to the world, something told me I wouldn’t have even been allowed to attend. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case this time around. Catastrophe averted. And hey, I even had a hot girlfriend to take to prom this time! Fate sure had opted to smile at me this time around! I look into my gee eff’s beautiful face as she finishes yet another of her strawberry-flavored weed joints, and she turns to look at me with what I can only describe as a loving gaze, one that makes me all at once well aware of how lucky I was to have her in my life. “Anon?” Reeda coos as she scoots a bit closer and hugs me. “Mumbling…” “Oh,” I find myself thinking, realizing I likely had said my thoughts out loud again. “Eh, I was going to say those things out loud anyway,” I find myself saying as I kiss Reeda’s forehead. “You really are the best thing that’s happened to me these last few months.” “Awwww!” Reeda says as she caresses my cheek with her own cheek. “Anon, you’re really laying on the lovin’ extra thick today, aren’t you?” “Absolutely, I am,” I respond with unwavering certainty. “When Fang dumped my ass, I felt like I had hit rock bottom again. I believed I’d lost everything. Yet, there you were, willing to stand by me as a friend, and then you went the extra mile and gave me another chance at love…” I lock eyes with my girlfriend, the depth of emotion reflected in my gaze. “…I… I can't express my gratitude enough. I truly love you with all my heart…” Reeda blinks several times, absorbing my heartfelt words. A profound blush engulfs her face as she averts her gaze, and a radiant smile emerges on her lips. She leisurely draws from her joint, exhaling the smoke gently in my direction, prompting a few coughs from me. Once I regain my composure, Reeda rises from our seating spot and positions herself near my bathroom entrance. “I'll be right back,” she announces, maintaining her mischievous grin. The air is charged with a mix of sincerity and playfulness, leaving an indelible impression of the moment. Having nothing to really do while my girlfriend took care of her business, I decided to open my laptop and check some of my emails, as well as do a bit of shitposting on the side while I’m at it. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of anime fans are crying right now because they have no date for prom night. Unlike me. It makes me revel in their solitude for just a moment, and It brings a sly smirk to my lips, which I can’t help but punctuate with a mischievous chuckle. “Oh, Anon!” Reeda's voice bursts with excitement, catching me off guard as I hastily shut my laptop. Swiveling around to address her, my unsuspecting gaze’s met with the sudden and electrifying contact of her lips on mine. The unexpected kiss jolts me to the point where I teeter dangerously close to tumbling off my chair. As Reeda's tongue delves deep into the recesses of my mouth, an immersive sensation that leaves me breathless ensues. My reflexes kick in, and I find my arms instinctively encircling her figure, only to encounter an unexpected coolness that registers as the smooth touch of bare scales beneath my fingertips. The surprise intensifies the surreal nature of the moment, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the already dizzying encounter. Snapping my eyes open, I gently push Reeda back enough to get a good look at her being. At this point, I realize she’s wearing absolutely nothing. Her perky breasts and gorgeous curves at last allowed her to grace the world with their marvelous splendor. “R-Reeda!” I stammer, out of breath from the face-sucking session just a few seconds ago. “Y-you’re—!” Reeda doesn’t let me finish my words as she puts a finger over my lips with her right hand while grabbing my left hand with her other free hand and helping me up to my feet. “You remember when I promised to make it up to you after prom?” “Y-yeah,” I stutter out a reply. “Well,” Reeda continues, the lust-filled grin on her lips only intensifying. “Considering how unbelievably fantastic a boyfriend you've been all day, I've decided you've more than earned that reward well ahead of schedule…” she says, her seductive words lingering in the air as she guides me toward the foot of my bed. My anticipation builds, and a devilish gleam in Reeda’s eyes intensifies as she positions me right before my bed. “So... get ready for one hell of a ride, bro,” she purrs, applying a gentle but persuasive force that sends me tumbling onto the mattress. I land with a soft thud, Reeda seamlessly descending with me, adjusting her position so she hovers over my legs. The play of shadows accentuates the curves and contours of her body, and as my eyes take in the sight before me, it feels like I'm glimpsing not just her physical form but a reflection of her very essence. The atmosphere crackles with a potent mixture of desire and intimacy, heightening the allure of the impending encounter. As I look at those amazingly pink lips between her legs, I can feel my little soldier slowly standing at attention as Reeda falls right on top of me to attempt once again to suck the oxygen right out of my lungs. I close my eyes as I feel her hands start to remove my clothes hurriedly, something that I more than try to help my gee eff in accomplishing ASAP. With each passing second, I feel my babymaker get more and more excited. Eventually, it makes contact with Reeda, causing her to let out a surprised yelp as she darts down and practically rips my pants and underwear clean off, at last revealing my love rod to her. “Got four and a half hours until prom, babe,” Reeda seductively whispered into my ear, followed by a playful nibble on the earlobe. “You better make me cum at least twice,” she playfully adds as she reaches down to grab my... … I don’t even say a word, instead taking hold of Reeda’s hips with both hands as I bring her down while I trust upwards. Reeda lets out a primal shout laden with absolute pleasure, all the while, I feel like my own slowly going numb from the heavenly bliss. The sensation is just… incredible… both physically and emotionally… Now, I just gotta make sure I live up to Reeda’s expectations of me. I start to trust faster and faster, causing Reeda to start moaning louder and louder as I start working towards bringing her to that first climax. As I do, I steel myself and put every bit of willpower that I have towards not nutting before I make my pretty, pretty raptor gee eff nut first. Reeda, in turn, shoots down and once more locks lips with me, all the while, she starts to sway her hips from side to side, increasing the pleasure for the two of us. … … Oh, god. I don’t think I’m going to be able to last much longer… this bliss… it’s… too… too… … … Reeda looks me in the eyes, all the while, she seductively licks her lips. “That’s one… for me, bro…” Reeda pants as she once more licks her lips and puts up two fingers. “Still owe me one more… babe…” Without wasting another second, I get to work on that second climax Reeda wants—that she NEEDS! … This sure will be one hell of an afternoon. One I’ll remember for years to come... …