I open my eyes and all I see is blue not some ocean blue, no, sky blue. Everything starts to fill in around me, clouds, the land below, and the horizon in front of me. I was flying. I felt free, free from everything that could possibly hold me down. It was wonderful, and I longed for it to never end, But it all came crumbling down.

My Alarm went off.

"Uuuuughhh, WHY does it always have to be the good ones that are cut short!"

I lay there in bed after turning off my alarm trying to convince myself to get up and get ready for school. It was just one of those mornings where you just wake up feeling good and you're nice and comfortable, but you just don't want to move. It's only Tuesday but I was already wishing it was Friday.

I manage to convince myself to get out of bed and get ready for an other dull day. Now not every day was dull but it usually was on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday that things where interesting. But today was a Tuesday and it already felt like it was gonna drag on forever.

I finished getting ready for school, now I'm just waiting on my mom since we carpool. I know I could very easily walk to school with how close it is, but that would just give the jerks at my school a chance to get at me when no one was around. Teenagers are vicious, that's why I don't drive myself either, I don't need my car getting keyed.

Now I arrive at school and immediately go to the band room to drop off my bag there, since it's my first period class, that way I can go hang out with my friends without any real concern about rushing back. However after I drop off my bag I get this strange pain in my back right by my shoulder blades. I just chock it up to some sore muscles after the 14 hour day I had at school yesterday and continue with my day. I meet up with my best friend Ralf shortly after.

"Hay Ralf how are ya doin today man!"

"I'm doing pretty good, how bout you Sam?"

"I'm alright, those after school activities kicked my but yesterday. My back is still sore from it"

We continue on, talking about various things like video games or over the top AP teachers. We talk to each other about practically everything. I mean, he still hasn't told me that he's gay, but I also haven't told him that I figured it out either. We still have a deep trust for each other, I wouldn't doubt for a second that we would have each other's backs on anything.

We were right in the middle of ranting about the latest episode of an anime we've been watching when the bell rings for us to start heading off to our first period.

"See ya later Ralf!"

"See ya man!"

I'll see him again in 3rd period, but until then I have to survive my band teacher. I usually consider the 3rd period the start of my day since it is my first non elective class in my schedule, but today planned on just dragging on for me and I'm blaming it on my sore back. Which has turned from being a pain in the back to being a pain in the ass. Not only does my entire back ache but it feels like I'm sitting on my tailbone. So by the time I do make it to 3rd period I feel terrible and a little drained. Ralf notices almost immediately and starts to get visibly worried.

"You ok man? you don't look to hot"

"Damn dude, I know I'm ugly but ya don't gotta rub it in"

I retort with as much humor and sarcasm as I can muster, if to just keep him from worrying about me. I don't think it worked very well though, he's giving me his classic, I don't believe you but I'll go along with it, look.

I managed to make it through the day, but it was rough. Ralf kept asking if I was ok the whole day. It was like he thought something bad was going to happen to me, but I appreciate the thought. It was the end of the 7th period so I thought I was home free. I let out a relaxing sigh, but then it hit me. My entire body began to hurt, it felt like my skin was trying to squeeze the life out of me. I can barely noticed it, but I'm slowly getting bigger. My arms are the first thing I notice expanding. I can see the skin getting tighter on not only my arms but my whole body. It really is starting to hurt and I'm wondering why I'm not crying out in pain yet. Then I realize that the entire class is looking my way. That's when I finally here my teacher asking if I'm ok.

"I'm fine Mrs. Jinkens, why?"

"You're crying Sam. Are you sure you're ok? Do you need to see the nurse?"

I raise my hand up to my face and wipe my cheek and it feels wet. That's when I realized I had been silently crying that whole time. I was in shock for a second trying to process what was happening to me. When suddenly, there was an explosion of pain in my back and a few people screamed, including myself... When I finally caught my breath I noticed everyone had shuffled to the opposite end of the classroom from me. They were all looking at something behind me, so naturally, I turned to see what it was. I wasn't prepared for what I saw.

Behind me was a pair of silver wings, but they were covered in… blood. I begin to panic just like everyone else in the room because no one understands what's going on. However I reacted, and my first thought was to get out of there. I grabbed my bag and booked it toward the front gate. I made it barely halfway before I collapsed to the ground from another explosion of pain, this time when I looked back to see what was up. I found that I now had a tail! My day has officially gone from long and dull to Agonizing and terrifying.

"Sam! What's happening to you!"

I really start panicking now that Ralf has spotted me like this. All I could do was sit there on all fours and look at him with tear filled eyes, unable to explain what was going on. Then it got worse there were now dozens of people looking at me, many of which had their phones pointed at me. I try to hide my face from all of them, but I know it's no use, they know who I am. Then right when I thought it could not get any worse. I get one final explosion of pain and with it came the sickening sound of flesh tearing. It rings out into the courtyard for everyone to hear I only get a moment to look but I could see that my face is starting to elongate and that my scales are silver and covered in blood

Then I faint from what I can only assume was blood loss

Ralf's POV

I'm terrified, I just can't tell if I'm terrified for Sam or from him. What am I thinking! He's my best friend. I gotta help him! I get closer to him to see if he's ok. I mean his skin just ripped off of his body, but he is still breathing so he's still alive. Then I hear one of the staff screaming as I approach.

"Get away from that thing!"

"He's not a thing! He's my friend!"

I can't believe a teacher would say that about one of her own students, but then again if I saw one of my students splatter blood everywhere and suddenly have scales I guess I would be frightened for the rest of my students too.

I reach down to shake him a little to see if I can wake him up and to my suprise, I find that his scales are soft, not like mushy just formed soft, but like a smooth comforting feeling. Come on gotta stay focused!

"Sam! Sam wake up! Come on man I know you're tougher than this."

He starts to wake with a groan of pain.

"Sam! Oh I'm so glad you're ok, what happened to you!"

I reach to hug him, but then I hesitate. I don't wanna get blood all over me so I stop. Sam however sits up and hugs me anyway. A few people scream out in terror but I hear Sam's heartbeat over all of it. It's fast, he's panicking, but it's soothing knowing he's ok so I hug him back

"Thank you Ralf, for everything."

"For what?"

"For just being there and for being my friend"

I'm a little surprised at first to hear him speak, I half expected him not to be able to. Then I realize what he's saying. He plans on leaving.

"No problem man, but can you tell me what happened to you?"

His heart rate picks up and strangely, it sounded like he started, Purring!?

"What the heck dude, first you go around transforming on me, then ya go and get blood all over me, then you start purring… wow you're weird"

I'm laughing now, but I don't think I will be later when he's gone.

Back to Sam

My face starts to heat up after Ralf pointed out I was purring. I begin to make a retort when I hear something terrible. Sirens, police sirens to be exact and I can only assume they are coming for me as they are only getting louder. I have to leave now or It'll be to late.

"Thank you again Ralf, I'll miss you"

I book it for the back gate and everyone in my way scatters and screams in terror. It bothers me but I have to get out of here. The only outcome, if the police find me, is me getting shot or getting captured and experimented on. Ya, I don't even want to think about how bad that could get.

"I'll miss you Sam!!"

I barely heard it from how far I had ran, but I can probably thank my new ears for that. However now I can hear the sirens getting even close, they are definitely following me. How can I get away? I can't just keep running down the side of the road. Wait! I almost forgot, I have wings now. Now come on do your thing, I've visualized how to use wings for years come ON! I struggle to get my wings to move while I'm running for my life. Then it happens, I feel myself lighten from a single flap of my wings.

"Ok, that's something."

I try again to get myself off the ground this time however I get into the air, my wings are already feeling sore from it, but this is my chance to get away. Luckily there isn't a helicopter in the sky so I can easily ditch the cops on the ground. I take a wide path back to my house to avoid them following me the best I can. I would have lost myself in the excitement of flying if my life wasn't in danger.

Having made a sufficient enough deture, I make my way back toward my house. I sure hope my parents don't freak out too bad. I go to land but then I realize something, I have no clue how to do that, I never thought I would be able to fly so I never thought that far ahead. Now I regret not thinking of it now through. so I dive bomb into my pool hoping for the best. I quickly surface as I just as quickly am reminded it's the middle of winter.

"Damn that's cold"

I exit the pool post haste. At least the blood is off of me, but the pool has a barely visible pink spot in it now. It'll disperse before anyone notices it thankfully. Now here comes the hard part, convincing my parents. This can end one of three ways, my parents don't believe me and I have to run for it, or they do believe me but they turn me in anyway to try and help me get better or they believe me and try and hide me. However, If I get caught they would also get in trouble for hiding me… I guess my only option is to leave and try and survive on my own… I just wish I could have said goodbye. I turn to leave and raise my wings to take off.

"Sam? Is that you"

I turn around surprised, I didn't see this coming. Did my mother really recognize me?

"How did you..."

"I saw it happen Sam, I saw you change."

That's right, my mom is usually there before the bell rings to pick me up. She must have seen everything. My eyes just start watering as I embrace my mother for a hug. I can feel her sobbing, she knows I have to leave too.

"I love you mom, take care of yourself. Let dad know what happened too."

I'm starting to cry myself now I try to hold it back for my mom but she still would know I was upset, that's just how she is.

"Here, take this with you. It's off so no one can track you and it keeps its charge a little longer. Keep in touch if you can, let us know you're alright."

She slings a bag with my phone in it over my head, it catches on something. Confused, I look up to see what it got caught on. Not seeing anything, I look back to my mom with a confused look on my face only to see her smiling through some tears.

"What's so funny?"

"You have horns honey"

"What…"

"You have horns Sam. Don't tell me you didn't notice that you turned into a dragon. You've been infatuated with them since you were a kid!"

It was true, I have been infatuated with dragons since I was a kid. So it is kinda funny that I didn't notice that I became the thing that I fantasized about the most. So me and my mom shared a good laugh together at my expense, but it was more than worth it.

"Now get going before someone spots you"

"Ok, I'll miss you mom..."

"I know honey"

With a look of defeat, I turn to leave, but I go back one last time to give my mother one final hug. With that I take off to the north in search of a new way to live my life.