A Good Friend

Chapter 1 - Who Are You?

I don’t remember a lot of what happened before it all started. I was having a tough time and I guess a lot of it was to do with leaving high school. All of a sudden, everyone was suddenly treating me like I needed to be something great. Everyone expected something from me and I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t cope and most of it was just a blur. Before I knew it, it was my first day at college. I felt very tired. The way mum treated it like a night out only made me feel exhausted. Mum rushed off to tend to breakfast and left me to get ready. I meandered into the bathroom and looked at the cabinet window. I looked terrible and that meant lots of work to do before I looked presentable for college. I gave a deep sigh and continued to look down and pick up my toothbrush from the cup next to the sink.

When I looked up again it took me a few minutes to realise a stranger was standing behind me. I almost jumped out of my skin. Then I fell over backwards with a great crash only to get laughed at by an unknown voice.

“Oh my God! That was fucking hilarious!”

I quickly turned around to see another creature standing on the opposite side of the room with her face still scrunched up from laughing as she looked back at me. She was the same age as me with perhaps a slightly darker shade of fur. She started to regain her composure, stood with an air of confidence and she looked at me with a sort of inquisitive stare.

“Well? Aren’t you going to say something, genius?” she said looking a little uncomfortable.

I did indeed realise I was staring at her for longer than perhaps socially acceptable but what else can you expect someone to do when they have just discovered someone had broken into their house and started talking to them like they were supposed to be there.

“YES!” I yelled in response “Who are you and what are you doing in my house?!” I screamed in panic.

“Because I want to” she said suddenly snapping at me like I was scolding her for something she didn’t do.

While I was still trying to process this, mum called from downstairs asking me if I was anywhere near ready. Suddenly I remembered that I didn’t have time for this. I chose to get ready instead and try to ignore this. Surely no-one would do something like this. I must be imagining things. So I started to rush around and pick up my stuff for college.

“Alright, suit yourself. Asshole” the stranger said.

I turned to look at her but I didn’t see her in the doorway anymore. I froze for a second. Where is she?! If I don’t know where she is and she is real then she could be doing something dangerous. So I rushed over to the bathroom to find her and again I didn’t see her. I slowly turned around to go back to my room after breathing a sigh of relief only to be taken aback with shock when I saw her casually lying on my bed.

It was then that I noticed something, a long red thing trailing from behind her. I thought it was strange as it didn’t look like any fashion I had bought as red doesn’t even suit me. And then it moved. WHAT?! I yelled in my head as I realised it was a scaly tail.

“Quit staring, I thought you needed to get ready for college. So much of a smartarse you are if you can’t even get ready in the morning” she said as she rolled over to look at me and then I noticed something else protruding from her back. Were those bat wings?!

“What ARE you?” I heard myself saying out loud.

“Well, what are you, you fucking genius? Do I need to spell everything out for you?”

“B-but you have...” Then she leaned further towards me on the bed and gave me a serious and aggressive looking stare as she said “what?”

I soon realised that perhaps she had taken offense at what I was suggesting and I was wise enough to know to shut up at that moment.

Then I could hear mum coming up the stairs. I panicked and tried to tell her not to come up but mum, being the way she was, was having none of it. When she came into the room, I froze and expected the worst but she instead yelled at me for not being ready and started rushing around my room grabbing stuff for me. I looked around but I saw nobody anywhere in the room.

“What is up with you today or any day recently for that matter?” mum muttered angrily as she gathered my things.
 “Common. Put this on! Quickly!” she said as she shoved some clothes into my hands. I shook my head to try and snap out of it and started to hurriedly put the clothes on.

We were so late in getting ready mum shoved me out the door without breakfast. The college was nearby so she shut the door and left me to walk the way there. I sighed. I was tired.

“Geez, you look like shit” I heard a voice the second time running that scared the living daylights out of me.

“Can you stop doing that?!” I yelled at her.

“Doing what?” She gave me a cheeky look like she knew exactly what she had done but I wasn’t willing to argue right now so I sighed and started walking. I noticed her follow alongside me for a while before she jumped in front of me.

“So you are just gonna ignore me now?” She said sounding irritated. I gently pushed her out of the way and continued to walk. She gave me a look of complete disbelief as I went by her.

“You fucking kidding me?!” She yelled out loud and I still continued to ignore her.

She must be a figment of my imagination. She can’t be real. It made no sense for her to be real. I just needed to calm down and she would disappear. I had always had an overactive imagination anyway. My mum has said so before and I always have had vivid dreams with long stories and characters. I guess it wasn’t far from understandable to come up with something like this but still I had never had my imagination interfere with my wide awake life before. Now things had become quieter. I had a strange feeling that maybe I had been a little harsh in some way. I know I had offended her earlier and then it occurred to me that maybe apologising would make me feel better and would make her disappear.

So I turned and looked at her to see how she was feeling. She was still very much there, staring into the sky with her hands behind her head and looking very bored.

After staring back at her for a while, she looked back at me before looking irritated and saying “what are you looking at?” I quickly turned away before an argument started.

She was there the whole time but we were both quiet for a long time on the walk there. Then she started to look around and make less than desirable comments about the people passing us. No-one seemed to turn around though. As if she wasn’t there at all and they hadn’t heard her. So she can’t be real surely. But she just felt so real. She was right next to me. I could sense her presence like a real creature. I could smell her. I could hear her. I could see her tail and I wondered whether I could feel her to.

But I soon got the sense that she wasn’t pleased and I was welcomed by a not so happy face when I looked up from her tail. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she said sounding quieter than before.

“I wonder the answer to that myself” I said in all honesty to myself as well as in response to her.

She sighed and she sounded rather upset. It made me feel rather guilty. Perhaps I had been a bit judgemental with her appearance. And then I remembered that she had broken into my house in the first place. And then I remembered that this train of thought was silly because SHE ISN’T REAL! I put my hand to head. I just couldn’t take it all in. ‘Please don’t let this happen to me’ I said to myself ‘not today of all days’.

“Look. I don’t know why I am here either, OK?” I looked at her with confusion and she just stared down at the floor looking forlorn. I decided it was best not to talk about it. Perhaps we were both having a bad day.

We eventually go to the college and by that point my companion was complaining about how tired she was. When she saw the college she asked excitedly if that was it and when I said yes she bolted towards the door, yelling for me to hurry up. Was she attending the college to? Perhaps she was trying to make friends? I didn’t see why she had to follow me if she wasn’t and what on earth did she mean by ‘I don’t know why I am here either?’ But, again, I digress and I guess I just have to wait and see whether she will disappear or not. Hopefully, she will disappear before I get to my first meeting in the college.

When I entered she continued to wander next to me and comment on the others. “Shit, she’s fat! Oh and look at her! I bet she is a right bitch with that jacket. Oh, do you seriously think you look good in THAT T-Shirt. Jesus Christ, what a retard.”

I desperately tried to ignore her but I drew the line at calling someone retarded “Can you please STOP!” I yelled and everyone turned around to look at me like some kind of cartoon sketch. It was horrible.
“Oh great move there, genius. What are you even studying anyway? Can’t be psycholestorol or whatever it is called. Eh I don’t give a fuck” I just put my head down and continued onward without a word for a while before she started making comments again.

“I just want to go to class and get this day over with. Please. I just want to go to class” I said to her.
She soon stopped grinning and she started to fidget a lot by rubbing the back of her neck with her right hand. “alright, alright” She mumbled quietly.

Everything was quiet again for a while before we reached the introduction meeting in a large room with chairs all around a stage. Not unlike a football stadium but drenched in black paint on all the surfaces and the most decrepit grey plastic chairs. Because I was late, most people had already sat down. I sat as far away from everyone as I could to avoid conversation and I slunk towards my chair like I was a government agent on a mission. I didn’t want people to notice me. Since I was so late they were bound to stare and I was right and they did. I plopped into my chair. This was turning out to be a horrible day. I felt very sorry for myself. I looked over at the stranger and she just sat quietly next to me and looked away from me when she saw me looking at her. I felt even worse.

“I’m sorry” I whimpered.

That was all I could find the power to say. She didn’t say a word but fidgeted in her chair. I was sure she was upset with me. I put my head in my hands and tried to hold back tears. The stranger stood up and left without saying a word. I stared as she slowly left me alone. Even my imaginary friend didn’t want to be with me now. I sank into myself and started to cry.

Nobody supported me or said anything about it. I hoped they wouldn’t in a way as I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. Then after a while the introduction assembly started. I started to feel a little better now I had something other than my misery to focus on. However, my mind kept skipping back to that stranger. I had offended her and I felt awful. Maybe she was just trying to be friendly. It’s not her fault if she is not good at it. Then when the meeting was over and I walked out with everyone else I felt very lonely. 

Then I looked for a secluded area to sit down outside for my break. I needed to think for a while. Then I heard some footsteps coming my way. I looked up and saw a group of young boys. Their stance was very boisterous and confident and a little threatening. I saw it coming. Something was wrong about this group. They were here to torment me. I know a bully when I see one. I have had my fair share of them before. I tried to ignore them but they didn’t like that at all. After a few threats one of them grabbed me by the neck. I cringed. Ready for the attack but then I stumbled backwards as I saw him take a clean hit to the face with a clenched fist.

As he stumbled to the floor I heard someone screaming “Fuck off, asshole! She’s my bitch!” I knew that voice and I can’t believe how happy I was to hear it.

She was back again. Not only that but she was defending me. I couldn’t believe it. No-one had cared about me like this before. But I was still scared. What if she just wanted to punish me as well? Well for now I didn’t care as long as I didn’t have to get hit for a while. The other guys just stared in fear at the sight of this creature glaring at them. Then I saw her hair stand on end and her wings raised high and spread wide. She let out this enormous high pitch screech and the guys ran for their life. I was behind so I didn’t see what they saw but the screech was terrifying enough for me.

She turned to me and I pulled back a little but she didn’t attack me. She let out her hand instead and said. “Get up”. I did as I was told. Then she said. “Are you alright?” I saw her eyes soften as she said it.

I felt like she meant it. I felt my eye as it was sore. “Godammit!” She said looking away quickly and clenching her fist. She seemed frustrated with herself. As if she had failed me somehow. Then the bell rang “So much for a break” she said without turning to face me.

“yeah” was all I could think of saying. I felt like an idiot.

“Fuck class” she said to my surprise as she broke the quiet moment “you better get to the nurse or something”

“n-no I’m fine” I said.

She looked at me and I got the feeling she was worried about me. I never felt so loved before and from a stranger. This was a very strange day. But somehow I felt obliged to her to. Whatever she was I didn’t even care. She was more of a friend than anyone else so far.

“I’m sorry” I muttered under my breath as we walked to class. She stopped but didn’t turn around

“for what?” she responded eventually

“I haven’t been very...” I didn’t know how to say it but it seemed I didn’t need to.

Soon she cut the awkward silence “I am the one that should be sorry” there was a short pause before she continued “I have been treating you like shit all day”. I looked down. I felt bad for her but I wasn’t going to lie and say she wasn’t being nasty to me earlier. “you wanna know why?” she said. I looked up at her as she turned around to look at me straight in the eyes. Then after a few seconds her face changed to look tired as she closed her eyes and faced the sky. She put her hand to her stomach and spoke up “I’m fucking starving!” I couldn’t help but laugh. I tried to cover my mouth so not to offend her but she soon started joining in. We laughed for a while before I quickly remembered we were supposed to be going to class.

We started having a conversation about food as we went down the hallway and I started to feel very hungry. It seemed she noticed because she turned around and stopped me in my tracks to say “We are already late to class. Let’s just go to the cafeteria instead” she suggested. I was immediately opposed to the idea until my stomach growled at me. “Well that’s that then. Come on!” The stranger said as she pulled me along by the arm towards the cafeteria. I was surprised to find I could feel her. I had never heard of an imaginary friend being able to pull you along or punch someone or anything. I was now really confused. Why did no-one react to her on the street and yet they do when the bullies were there? Nevertheless, another question entered my mind.

“But we don’t even know where the cafeteria is” I said but soon I realised I could smell the delicious smell of curry in the air.

“You have a nose don’t you?” she said like I was an idiot yet again.

Nevertheless, I started to get the feeling she meant it in a nice way. I saw her smile wide as she dragged me along behind her. Her smile was rather sweet in a strange way. Well friends are not always perfect as my mum has made sure to tell me many times. Perhaps this is what having a real friend is like.

I was so lost in thought she had to click her fingers in my face to get my attention. Well at least she tried to but she got frustrated pretty quickly as she couldn’t do it properly. “Ugh, anyway, we are here” she said as we approached a set of doors.

“Oh, we are too late. They are locked” I said sadly.

“So? We’ll break in. all the more food for us and no queues” she said as if it was obvious and no problem at all.

“oh no no no no!” I said backing away. “I am NOT going to break into the cafeteria!”

“but you’re hungry aren’t you?”

“well yes but”

“aaand we are in!” she said as she completely ignored me and used a long claw to lock pick the doors. And yes, I didn’t realise she had long claws until this moment either.

“wait!” I yelled as she wandered into the cafeteria.

I stood outside for a while panicking. I had no idea what to do but I didn’t want her to get in trouble so I ran in to try and convince her to get out before anyone noticed us. When I ran in I was suddenly lost in the smell of delicious food. I had no breakfast or lunch so it was no surprise I was taken by the smell but I couldn’t let temptation affect me. I couldn’t do something like this on my first day! I tried to explain this to her but she wasn’t listening in the slightest and had soon pulled out some curry and tuna and cucumber sandwiches. She shoved the sandwich in my mouth before handing me the whole tray of curry, which was still hot by the way.

“ow!” I yelled as she put it in my hands and I dropped it on my feet and screamed in pain.

“Oh geez sorry. Pfft!” she tried to sound sincere but she obviously found it rather funny.

“It’s not funny!” I yelled at her but she didn’t take it seriously

“just shut up and eat. You might as well now right?” she had a point. She wasn’t going to take no as an answer and we had already messed around with everything so we might as well fill up our bellies at the same time.
I started hesitantly with the sandwich but I soon ended up losing control and scoffed the curry down. I ate almost the whole tray before she actually snatched it off me.

“woah hold your horses! Fuck!” she said as she took the tray away to put it back. Then she stopped, shrugged and chucked it on the floor.

“what are you doing?! At least put it back!” I yelled at her but she just responded

“what’s the point in that?” and I kinda agreed with her. I really wish I didn’t though.

I had never done anything like this in all my life. It was amazing how she had such a way of convincing me. Nevertheless, I was terrified. “What if someone finds us here? What if they find finger prints and know it was us?” I yelled in panic but she just put her arm around me completely relaxed.

“who cares!” she cried happily. “come on! You can’t tell me you haven’t always wanted to do something like this! You live such a stupid and boring life. Just have fun once in a while. Fuck the rules!” she seemed very proud to speak of it like she had been awoken by it like some sort of religion.

“no no no! we should be in class by now!” she sighed a deep sigh.

“ok ok I guess we will go to class now. I’m bored now anyway and there is nothing else to do here” and with that she wandered out of the room. Before I could get out of my pure disbelief of the events that had transpired she called out to me “you coming?” from out the doorway so I snapped out of it and followed.