The Dragon's Gift

For the fairy tale enthusiast

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Edited by Paige Prince

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I hate dragons, but I love Maxine. Not love-love, but love in the way you love the best friend who might have been the love of your life. In my ideal world, we might have, could have, and should have been more. But Maxine, at the age of eighteen, was already busy with half the boys in town. It was obvious to me then she probably wouldn’t ever tip my way. Still, after years of friendship, she’s stuck with me through thick and thin, broken hearts, and missed opportunities. It’s fair to say we’ve built the kind of friendship to last no matter what. To me, the definition of real love and friendship are the same: it’s choosing to take on someone else’s crap and living with it, just because.

And crap is what I have to sit through—another low budget, poorly written tech college theatre production, which will further solidify my undying, never-ending, shatterproof support of my best friend. I deceive myself with my actions, thinking continuously doing such things paints me in a good light. Although I’m pretty sure Maxine is straight, there’s still a little ball of hope trying to unfold inside my heart, encouraging me to be patient, pushing me to wait for the day Maxine might come around.

Yes, I’m deluded. I can’t help it. Maxine shines the brightest in my world; always has, and undoubtedly always will.

I shift my weight trying to...