I would like to thank Jessica Jayme Bell, Amber Skye, brycewade1013, ASP AUS, misari kaito, and DragonMaster9521 for beta reading and helping me improve!

I am always open to feedback.

Disclaimer: I do not own American Dragon: Jake Long. American Dragon: Jake Long is owned by Jeff Goode.

Chapter 3

When Jake got back home, he contemplated what suit to wear to the dance. He recalled wearing a dark blue-grey suit, a red dress shirt, and a yellow tie, along with dress shoes. Jake remembered Rose wore a violet dress to the dance last time. Thus, he decided to wear a different outfit to match Rose's dress. After taking a shower and putting on deodorant, Jake got himself into a violet suit, a white dress shirt, a dark green tie, dress shoes, and the necklace to ensure his breath stayed fresh.

Once Jake had finished putting his outfit on, he walked into the living room, anticipating that his parents would want to take pictures.

His mother, Susan, was the first to notice him. When she did, she gaped at how her son looked. "Wow Jake! You look so handsome! I like the boldness of the violet suit and the combination of that dark green tie. This calls for a picture!" She then rushed to get her camera.

"I would like to take some pictures as well," his father, Jonathan added before he went to get his camera.

Moments later, Jake was being bombarded by the flashlights of his parents' cameras.

"Okay, Mom and Dad. I think that might be enough pictures. The flashing light from the camera is affecting my vision," Jake said as rubbed his eyes to get the stars out of them.

"I'm sorry Jake, but I just can't help it. You look so great in that violet suit! Now hold still!" Susan exclaimed as she continued taking pictures of her son.

"You know Jake, I'm thinking that your tie might fit a little better if you took off this necklace," Jonathan said as he reached out for the necklace.

"Uh, no thanks Dad. I would like to keep the necklace on," Jake replied as he held the necklace close.

"Okay then," Jonathan responded with a shrug before the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Hayley exclaimed as she ran down the stairs to answer the door.

"Excuse me, Mom and Dad," Jake stated as he followed his little sister. He remembered when she said some embarrassing things about him when he was going to the dance with Jasmine. Jake was not going to let the same thing happen when he was going with Rose.

When they answered the door, Jake saw Rose wearing a familiar violet dress.

"Good evening, Rose. You look beautiful," Jake greeted with a smile.

"Hey yourself, Jake. You look rather dashing as well," Rose responded, beaming.

"Thanks, Rose," Jake replied before Hayley decided to chime in, "My brother's never dated anyone as pretty as you. Actually, he's never dated anyone."

Jake cringed at that. He was hoping Rose would not get mad at him.

To his great relief however, Rose smiled. "Well, regardless of whether he has dated anyone or not, Jake is such a good guy."

"Oh, yes he is. He's the best. Jake sleeps with a….." Hayley started before Jake stopped her.

"Okay!" Jake interrupted and gently shoved Hayley aside before she could embarrass him further. "Anyway, you ready for the dance, Rose?"

Rose nodded. "Ready whenever you are."

Before they could walk out the door, Susan stopped them and ran right in front of them. "Hold it right there!" she exclaimed before taking pictures of both Rose and Jake.

While Jake was a bit annoyed at having his mother taking so many pictures, he nevertheless decided to let her take some pictures with himself and Rose.

Once Susan was done taking photos, she asked Rose," What is your name?"

"I'm Rose. Nice to meet you," Rose greeted before she shook hands with Susan.

"It's nice to meet you too, Rose," Susan replied with a smile. "You've done well, Jake. She is beautiful."

"Yes, she is," Jake said in agreement.

"Anyway, how did you two meet?" Susan asked.

"Not to sound rude Mom, but could we please save this for another time? Rose and I have a dance to get to," Jake stated.

Susan gave Jake a funny look, but then softened her expression before giving him a proud smile. "Okay. You two have a great time."

"Alright, I guess we'll see you later?" Jake inquired as he and Rose began to make their way out the door.

"Yes. I hope you guys have fun!" Susan exclaimed as Rose and Jake left.

Susan examined the photos and smiled. "I like Rose. She is a sweet girl."

Jonathan nodded. "I'm thinking Jake may have found the right girl for him."

OoOoOoOoOoO

As Rose and Jake walked towards Millard Fillmore Middle School, Jake thought about what happened when he brought Jasmine along to the dance. They had a great time together, until Brad Morton stole her from Jake and just left Rose sitting all along at a table. While Jake immediately went over to comfort Roes and reassure her, he completely forgot about Jasmine needing to head home due to her being a Nix. She ended up sucking the souls of numerous students, including Brad himself. At the end of it all, Trixie and Spud had their bodies switched. While Jake was relieved that none of that would happen this time around, he was nonetheless worried about what Brad would do to him. Jake hoped that Brad would not make any attempts to beat him up like he did when Jake asked Rose to the dance.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Jake took a deep breath to calm himself down.

Rose and Jake arrived at Millard Fillmore Middle School. Once they reached the entrance to the gymnasium, Rose and Jake took each other's hands.

"Are you ready for a good time tonight, Rose?" Jake asked, smiling.

Rose beamed. "Yes, I am, Jake."

The two entered, and Jake saw Trixie and Spud with familiar outfits; Trixie was wearing her green dress and Spud was wearing his brown suit with an orange dress shirt, a blue-green tie, brown pants, and dress shoes.

Rose and Jake approached the two. "Hey guys! How's it going?" Jake greeted.

"Dude. I like the boldness of your suit. It matches Rose's dress. You both look great," Spud praised with a thumbs up.

"Not bad yourself, Spud," Jake responded as he gave Spud a fist bump.

"Thank you, Spud. You and Trixie are both looking good tonight," Rose added with a smile.

"Thanks Rose," Spud replied with a thankful nod.

"Hey Jake? I noticed that Brad Morton isn't here at the dance tonight," Trixie said.

"He's not?" Jake asked as he looked around. He didn't see Brad anywhere.

"I'm surprised he isn't here considering how popular he is even though he's a bully," Trixie stated.

"Same here. Anyway, Rose and I are going to do some dancing. Would you guys like to join us?" Jake inquired.

"Yeah dude. Let's get to-" Spud started before Trixie cut him off.

"Give it a rest, Spud. We ain't gonna-" Trixie started before noticed Jake looking at her with a raised eyebrow. She smiled sheepishly before saying, "We would just like to relax and chat for a little bit."

Jake nodded with a smile. "Have fun guys. We'll catch up with you both in a little bit." He then led Rose into the crowd.

Once they found an open space, Rose and Jake began to dance with each other.

"You know, Rose? I feel very lucky to be dancing with the prettiest girl in the room," Jake said.

Rose blushed and smiled at the compliment. "You think so?"

"I don't think so, I know so," Jake replied with a wink.

Rose laughed as the young couple continued to dance to the music. As they danced, something caught Rose's attention. She saw someone outside one of the windows she was facing. Rose looked closer and saw that it was Brad Morton glaring at the couple. Upon seeing Rose looking at him, Brad immediately disappeared. Rose had a feeling that whatever Brad had in mind, it was not good. She reminded herself to keep her guard up in case Brad attempted to hurt Jake.

Jake noticed Rose's uneasiness and stopped dancing with concern on his face. "Hey Rose? Is everything okay?"

"I saw Brad outside that window over there," Rose said, pointing to the window she saw Brad.

Jake turned to the window, and although he did not see Brad, he gulped. He sensed that something might happen. "Do you think he might try to do something to me?"

Rose placed her hands on his shoulders to comfort him. "I'm afraid so, Jake. If he makes any attempt to harm you, I will make sure to protect you."

Jake smiled gratefully as he took Rose's hands in his. "I will do the same thing if Brad tries to hurt you, Rose." His face then became serious. "I cannot stand the thought of you getting hurt."

"Me too. I would not want you to get hurt either," Rose stated before deciding to change the subject. "For now, though, let's get our minds off it."

Jake nodded in agreement. "Would you like to get some punch to drink?"

Rose smiled and nodded at the suggestion. "Yes. I'm thirsty."

The young couple took each other's hands before they walked over to the refreshments table. Jake retrieved two cups before he filled them with punch. He then handed one to Rose.

"Thanks Jake," Rose said after receiving her cup of punch.

"You're welcome," Jake replied as they clinked their cups together before sipping their punch.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Trixie and Spud were watching Rose and Jake dancing together, and they were smiling at how happy Rose and Jake were together.

Spud made a move to get another cup of punch, but Trixie stopped him. She noted that Spud had already had several cups of punch. "Listen, Spud. I think you've already had enough punch as it is. If you have any more, you will be taking frequently bathroom breaks while we are dancing."

Spud smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Trixie, but that punch is just so refreshing."

Trixie shook her head. "You should also know how much sugar is in there as well. We can't have you getting yourself into a sugar rush."

Spud frowned, but nevertheless nodded in understanding. "Okay then."

"Now are we going to dance again or not?" Trixie inquired.

"Yes. Let's do it," Spud replied before they made their way back onto the dance floor.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Slow dance music began playing in the room. Rose wrapped her arms around Jake's neck as Jake wrapped his arms around her waist. They gently swayed to the gentle music in the background as they smiled at each other.

Jake smiled when he saw Trixie and Spud dancing with each other across the room. Spud smiled and waved when his eyes met Jake's. Jake winked with a thumbs up.

Once the slow dance music ended, a livelier tune began playing. Rose and Jake began to pick up their pace to keep up with the song.

"Are you having a good time, Rose?" Jake asked.

"Yes. I am having a wonderful time, Jake," Rose responded with a smile.

"Glad to hear it," Jake stated, grinning.

After dancing for a while, Rose and Jake decided to take a break. They sat down at a table with Trixie and Spud.

"Hey guys! Are you all having fun tonight?" Jake asked.

"We sure are, dude. How are you and Rose doing?" Spud wondered.

"You could say we are having one heck of a time," Jake said as he wrapped an arm around Rose's shoulders. Rose smiled at the gesture. She appreciated Jake's loyalty to her.

"I was trying to make sure Spud didn't have too much punch tonight. He had like four cups of punch before I stopped him from having another one," Trixie explained.

Jake chuckled. "Hey Spud. Look, it's always good to have refreshments, but you wouldn't want to overdo them. You also gotta make sure there are some left for everyone else."

"I guess you're right man. That is what Trixie was saying," Spud replied.

Trixie rolled her eyes, which earned a chuckle from everyone.

"Anyway, I feel like I have had enough sugar for tonight. I am going to get myself some water. Would anyone else like some water as well?" Trixie asked.

"Yes, I would like some water as well please Trixie. Thank you," Rose said.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

"Sure thing, Rose. What about you guys?" Trixie wondered, turning her attention to Jake and Spud.

"You know what? I could use some water about now please," Jake stated.

"Me too," Spud added.

"Alright then. Be right back," Trixie responded as she left the table to get water for everyone. Soon she came back with four cups of water for herself and everyone else.

"Thank you, Trixie," Rose said with a smile as she accepted her cup of water.

"Anytime, Rose," Trixie replied with a nod.

"Yeah, thanks for the water, Trixie. I feel like my mouth is a little bit parched," Jake said with a thumbs up.

"Same here. Thanks Trixie," Spud added.

"Sure thing, y'all. Staying hydrated is very important, like my parents have always told me since I was little," Trixie explained.

Everyone nodded in agreement before they lifted their cups of water to clink them together before they began to enjoy their drinks.

Once the four finished their water and threw the cups away, they saw the rest of the students gathered around, watching another student on the stage performing some acrobatic and crazy dance moves.

"Whoa! That guy has some moves!" Jake exclaimed, impressed.

"He sure does," Rose replied in agreement. "I wonder who that is?"

Jake looked closer at the student. He did not recall whether he had ever met him in the previous timeline or not, but Jake sensed that he was likely one of the most popular students at the school.

"I don't think I have ever met him. Maybe we should see who it is?" Jake suggested before adding, "If that is okay with you?"

Rose nodded with a smile. "Of course."

Smiling, Jake and Rose took each other's hands before they made their way to where the other students were gathered. Trixie and Spud followed them.

The four managed to get up front and get a better look at the student. He was tall, slender, and had a good amount of muscle on him. His hair was brown, and his eyes were hazel.

The student performed a successful backflip, which earned cheers from the crowd.

"Is everyone having fun tonight?" the student spoke through the microphone, which earned loud cheers from the crowd. "Is there anyone who would like to show me what they got?"

Jake looked at Rose. "Is it okay if I show him what I got? I just don't want you to feel like I am abandoning you or anything like that."

Rose chuckled. "I know you wouldn't do that Jake. You go right ahead," she encouraged.

Jake smiled before he came up to the student. "I'd like to show you some moves!"

"Alright! Let's see it man!" the student exclaimed.

Jake backflipped and earned cheers from the crowd. He then performed some other awesome dance moves as the crowd roared.

"Cool dance man!" the student praised with an impressed smile.

"Thanks dude!" Jake responded with a wink.

"Anytime man!" the student responded before inviting Jake onto the stage.

Once on stage, Jake spoke into the microphone, "Party time everyone!"

The crowd roared before Jake and the student got off the stage and performed some dance moves together, which concluded with them masterfully hi-fiving each other. This earned a massive roar from the crowd.

"Wow dude. You seriously got some moves. To say I'm impressed would be an understatement," Jake said as he shook hands with the student.

"Not bad yourself, man," the student replied with a grin before he asked, "What's your name?"

"I'm Jake. Jake Long," Jake greeted.

The student smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jake. My name is Codie Kemper."

"Nice to meet you, Codie. Would you like to meet my friends?" Jake asked.

"Sure!" Codie exclaimed as Jake led him over to where Rose, Trixie, and Spud were to introduce them.

"Rose, Trixie, and Spud? This is Codie Kemper," Jake said.

"It is nice to meet you all," Codie greeted with a smile as he shook hands with everyone.

After everyone was finished greeting each other, they decided to sit down at a table to get to know each other more.

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Where are you from originally?" Rose asked.

"My family and I are originally from Philadelphia. We moved to New York City two years ago," Codie replied.

"Don't you have a date for tonight? If you don't mind me asking?" Jake wondered.

A sad look appeared on Codie's face. "I was supposed to go with someone tonight. Unfortunately, she came down with a bad cold and couldn't make it tonight. She didn't want to spread it to anyone else."

"Why didn't you ask someone else?" Trixie asked.

"I have been best friends with her since I first moved here. She is really the only girl I have interest in. Therefore, I felt that I wouldn't have been a good friend if I had asked someone else to come to the dance with me. Loyalty is important to me," Codie explained.

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"What's her name?" Spud asked.

"Her name is Allison. She is my best friend," Codie stated with a beam. "It looks like you guys are all best friends as well."

"Yes. Rose is the love of my life, and Trixie and Spud are my best friends," Jake replied with a smile.

"You and Rose are a good-looking couple. It seems you two are perfect for each other," Codie praised.

"Thank you, Codie," Jake responded as he fist-bumped Codie. "What is your favorite sport?"

"My favorite sport is soccer. I have been playing it since I was a toddler, and Allison plays soccer as well," Codie said. "What about you guys? Are you into any sports?"

"We like to ride skateboards," Jake replied.

"Oh cool! I like to ride skateboards as well. While soccer is my favorite sport, I'd say skateboarding is a very close second," Codie stated, smiling.

"What do you say we go skateboarding sometime?" Jake suggested.

Codie nodded and grinned at the suggestion. "I would love to." He then glanced at the clock. "How about we dance some more? I would rather not take away any time from you guys enjoying yourselves."

"Sure thing, Codie. You are more than welcome to dance with us," Jake said with a wink.

"Thanks, Jake. You are one cool dude," Codie responded with a nod of approval.

"You are pretty rad yourself, Codie," Jake replied as he and Codie high-fived each other.

"I appreciate that," Codie said gratefully as the group of five went back to the dance floor.

OoOoOoOoOoO

After the dance, Rose, Trixie, Jake, Spud, and Codie were talking to each other. Jake liked Codie. He thought Codie was such a nice guy.

Jake now was considering revealing his secret to Codie. However, he reminded himself that he and Codie had just met. Therefore, Jake decided that he should know Codie for a longer period of time before revealing his dragon form to his new friend.

"What position do you play in soccer, Codie?" Rose asked.

"I play forward. The main objective of forwards is to score goals for their team. Because of that, forwards tend to get more attention than any other position in soccer. Thus, I know I cannot just stand there expecting the pass. Normally the forward does not go any closer to their own goal than the midfield line. Whenever the ball is near my own goal, I just stay at the midfield line so that I can let my defensive players attempt to stop the other team from scoring. Whenever the ball comes back my way, I need to put myself in position to be ready to score," Codie explained.

"You have a lot of knowledge dude," Spud praised. "What else do you like to do for fun?"

"Besides soccer and skateboarding, I also like to play video games, make new friends, and swimming," Codie said. "I'm glad to have met you all today. You all are amazing people, to say the least."

"Thank you, Codie. I am glad to have met you as well," Jake replied as he and Codie shook hands.

"Since you play soccer, I would assume you run a lot. Wouldn't you get tired from all that running?" Trixie wondered.

Codie shook his head. "Not really. I exercise a lot and have a healthy diet to ensure I can play at a high level for as long as I can. While I feel like the best of myself is still ahead of me, I'd rather not get ahead of myself. I still have a very long ways to go before I realize my full potential."

"I like your humility, Codie. Ever since we met, I have realized that you are rather humble compared to Brad Morton," Trixie said.

Codie shook his head in disdain. "I would never want to be like Brad Morton. He is arrogant to no end. I also don't like how he bullies other students for no reason."

Jake nodded in agreement. "You said it, Codie. He nearly beat me up the other day after I asked Rose to the dance."

Codie's eyes widened in shock. "No way man! How could he do something like that?"

Jake shrugged. "I guess he was just upset that I asked Rose out before he did."

"That still doesn't justify him trying to hurt you," Codie responded. "Besides, I think you are a far batter match for Rose than Brad Morton could ever be. Unlike Brad, you have a good heart, Jake. I can tell that you genuinely care about Rose's happiness and well-being," he praised.

"Thanks a lot Codie. I would do anything to make Rose happy," Jake replied determinedly.

"Spoken like a truly loyal boyfriend," Codie stated with a smile.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Codie's parents soon arrived to pick him up. Before leaving, Codie shook hands with everyone and wished them a great rest of their night. Codie also suggested that they hang out soon, and Jake and his friends were more than eager to accept the suggestion. Jake realized that he made another friend that night.

Soon Jake and his friends began to make their way out of the building. Before Rose and Jake left the building, they decided to stay behind a little longer.

"Where are you going, Jake?" Trixie asked.

"We'll catch up with you guys in a little bit," Jake said.

"Okay dude. See you soon," Spud replied as he and Trixie made their way out of the building.

Jake led Rose to a more private area of the building where no one could bother them.

"Did you have fun Rose?" Jake asked.

Rose nodded with a smile. "I had a wonderful time, Jake. Thank you very much for the fun night."

"You're welcome, Rose," Jake replied with a smile.

"It seems we all made a new friend tonight as well. Codie is a nice guy," Rose said.

"He sure is. I also like how he thinks that you and I are a good-looking couple, because we are," Jake said.

"I would not have it any other way, Jake. You are the one for me," Rose stated as she placed a hand on Jake's face.

"I could say the same for you," Jake replied with a blush.

Rose and Jake looked at each other in the eyes and they leaned forward. Soon their lips met. Both of them were filled with a sense of wonder. Jake remembered how it took them much longer to have their first kiss. For them to have their first kiss a lot sooner was like a dream come true to Jake.

Once the young couple ran out of breath, their lips parted. They walked to the exit of the building hand in hand, smiling at each other.

"I love you, Rose," Jake said.

"Oh Jake. I love you too," Rose replied with a blush on her face.

The young couple made their way to the steps when Jake lost his balance. Before he could fall though, Rose was able to pull him back up and get him steady again.

"Are you okay, Jake?" Rose asked with concern.

"Yeah. I'm okay. Thanks Rose," Jake reassured, which made Rose smile.

"You're welcome, Jake," Rose said as the young couple reached the bottom of the stairs.

They met Trixie and Spud outside the building. After talking for a little while longer, Trixie and Spud's parents picked them up to take them home.

Sometime after Trixie and Spud left, Jake was suddenly grabbed from behind. Whoever grabbed him then threw him to the ground.

"Jake!" Rose gasped as she immediately went over to check on him.

Jake landed on his back with a grunt and looked to see who it was that had grabbed him.

It was Brad Morton. He was wearing an infuriated look on his face. "How did you get to go to the dance with Rose instead of me, you loser?"

"Because I asked her first, Brad. Plus, I care about her more than anything," Jake retorted.

Brad stomped over and was ready to punch Jake, but Rose stopped him. The bully kept trying to strike Jake, but Rose blocked his attempts each time.

"Wow! You've got some impressive fighting skills there Rosalicious," Brad said flirtatiously.

"Don't call me that Brad. I won't let you hurt Jake," Rose warned with an angry look.

"What does Jake have that I don't?" Brad demanded.

"Unlike you, Jake had a heart. He cares more about who I am as a person rather than just my looks, and you can't ever change that Brad," Rose replied with determination.

Jake was proud of Rose for standing up for him. He was grateful that she would protect him just like he would protect her.

Brad made no further attempts to attack Jake. "Fine then. Mark my word though. The Bradster will prove why you should be with me instead of that loser!" he pointed at Jake with one last furious look before storming off out of sight.

Once she was sure that they were safe, Rose helped Jake up. "Are you alright?"

Jake nodded. "Thank you for standing up for me Rose. I appreciate you looking out for me."

"Of course, Jake. I will have your back no matter what," Rose replied while placing a hand on his shoulder.

Jake smiled. "How did I get so lucky?"

"You almost ran into me while on your skateboard," Rose pointed out.

"Yes, and I wished I had been looking where I was going. I'm just glad I didn't cause you to suffer any injuries," Jake replied with a look of shame on his face.

Rose gave him a look of reassurance. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me, Jake. You know that I trust you, right?"

Jake nodded with a smile. "Yes. I trust you too."

Rose smiled.

"Shall I take you home now?" Jake suggested.

"Yes," Rose replied as they took each other's hands and walked along.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Once Rose and Jake arrived at where Rose lived, they made sure to not allow the Huntsman to see Rose with Jake. Jake felt that the Huntsman wouldn't be happy seeing Rose with another guy.

"Well, here we are," Jake said. "Have a good night, Rose."

"Thanks, Jake. You too. I'll see you around?" Rose stated.

"Yeah, see you around Rose," Jake replied.

Rose and Jake smiled at each other one more time before Rose entered her house and closed the door.

Much to her dismay, Damien was waiting for her. "Good evening, Rose."

Rolling her eyes, Rose groaned. "Must you always be everywhere I go, Damien? Besides, it's getting late, and you don't live here."

Damien had a smile on his face that Rose didn't like one bit. "Where were you anyway?"

"None of your business, Damien," Rose retorted. "Now I suggest you go home now before I have the Huntsmaster kick you out of here."

"Whoa hey. I'm just trying to talk, Rose," Damien said innocently before he gulped at what he saw behind Rose.

The Huntsman appeared behind Rose, shaking his head. "Rose is certainly speaking the truth. It is time for you to go home and get some rest Damien."

Damien was about to argue with the Huntsman but decided against it. He realized that the leader of the Huntsclan was not one to be messed with.

"Fine then. Marks my words though. Wherever you went, you should've taken me with you, and one of these days you will be mine, Rose! Good night!" Damien declared with an arrogant smile before he left.

Rose couldn't help but sigh. Damien Cruise was even worse than Brad Morton. As determined as Brad was to make her his, Damien seemed to have an even stronger obsession with her than Brad.

She was also worried about what would happen if the Huntsman found out about her relationship with Jake. He would certainly not be happy about it.

Deciding to worry about it later, Rose turned to the Huntsman. "Due to how late it is, I shall get ready for bed now, Uncle."

"See to it that you get as much rest as possible, Rose. We've got a lot of work to do tomorrow," the Huntsman responded.

Rose bowed to the Huntsman before they made their way to their bedrooms.

OoOoOoOoOoO

The next day, Jake was hanging out with Trixie, Spud, and Codie. Rose was unable to attend as she had to do something with her uncle.

Jake was thinking about how long he would have to know Codie before he not only revealed the truth about him being a dragon, but the existence of magical creatures and Rose being a part of the Huntsclan. Once they knew each other well enough, Jake was confident that Codie would understand.

The four teenagers were at a restaurant having some food to eat. Jake, Trixie, and Spud were having hotdogs with fries on the side, while Codie was having a grilled chicken sandwich with a side salad.

"When is soccer season, Codie? I was thinking that we could attend your soccer games and support you and your team," Jake said.

"I would appreciate that. Thank you. Soccer season is not until December, and it goes into February and sometimes March," Codie explained.

"Do you think you guys can win the championship this season?" Spud wondered.

"I hope so. We must take it one day at a time though. Winning the championship would be great, but we don't want to get ahead of ourselves," Codie stated.

"Why can't we have more athletes like you, Codie? They are always getting ahead of themselves and letting their talent and confidence get to their heads, and at time it ends up resulting in them losing," Trixie said.

"I guess that it how a lot of them are. It is important to have confidence though. Otherwise, you can't perform to your full potential. You are right though about not getting overconfident. I try not to let that happen to me or anyone else on my team," Codie elaborated.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"How is Allison doing, Codie? Is she feeling better?" Jake wondered.

"She is getting better, but she's not well enough to get out of bed just yet. Hopefully in a few days or so she will be healthy again," Codie stated.

"Good to hear that she's making progress," Jake said.

"I agree. Anyway, you mentioned Rose had to do something with her uncle. That is why she was unable to join us today. I can understand that, as there is nothing more important to me than family," Codie said.

"Yes. I am with you on that," Jake said. He did not want to reveal the truth about Rose being a part of the Huntsclan. Not yet at least.

"Do you guys have any siblings?" Codie wondered.

"I have one younger sister," Jake said. "Her name is Haley. She is seven years old."

"Nice! What is she like?" Codie asked.

"She is a bit of a perfectionist and a know-it-all, but deep down I know she has a lot of respect for me. I try my best to be a good older brother to her, as she does very well in school and is always trying to get the best grades in her class," Jake explained.

Codie smiled. "I try my best to get good grades as well, and I will admit that I can be a bit of a perfectionist at times as well. Nevertheless, I understand that not everything will go the way you planned all the time. Sometimes you must accept that you just can't get your way."

"That is true," Jake acknowledged. "Do you have any siblings Codie?"

"I have one younger brother named Vitaly. He is eleven years old. My brother and I were born to a Russian father and an Irish mother. Nikita is my father's name. My mother's name is Hannah," Codie stated.

"Do you and your brother get along?" Jake asked curiously.

"Very much so. Vitaly and I are really into eating healthy food and exercising a lot. He likes to body build," Codie said.

"Isn't bodybuilding bad for you? I've heard that a lot of bodybuilders use steroids and other banned substances to build muscle," Trixie pointed out.

"I guess to depends on what you are putting inside your body. Vitaly avoids steroids and other banned substances. He and I care very deeply about what we are putting inside our bodies. Even when we are going out to eat, like I am doing right now, we always make sure to look through the menu and select the healthiest options available," Codie elaborated.

"I suppose that's true. At least you know better than to put that nasty steroid stuff in your body. It would really mess up your insides over time," Trixie said.

"Yes. I have heard about steroids can do to your body, and it scares me what harmful things they can do to you. Because of that, I don't understand why anyone uses substances that can cause heart attacks, mood swings, and many other health consequences," Codie stated.

"It is what it is, Codie. There are people who use them out there for whatever reason," Trixie responded with a shrug.

"That is true. If they want to mew up their bodies, that's their problem," Codie said. "Anyway, what about you, Trixie and Spud? Do you guys have any brothers or sisters?"

"I don't have any siblings," Trixie replied.

"That's okay. What about you Spud?" Codie asked.

"I don't have any brothers or sisters, but I do have a cousin," Spud responded.

"Nice. It sounds like you guys have great families," Codie praised.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Jake confirmed with a smile.

"Same here dude," Spud added.

"You could say I have a good family," Trixie said.

"Glad to hear that," Codie responded, grinning. "What are you guys' plans for the rest of the day?"

"I have to stop by my grandfather's shop to help him with some chores," Jake said. He was going to continue his dragon training but didn't want Codie to know yet.

"Hope you have fun," Codie said. "What about you, Trixie and Spud?"

"We are going to do some skateboarding at the skatepark," Trixie replied.

"Yeah, we are going to do some cool tricks on our skateboards," Spud added.

"I hope you guys have fun at the skatepark. We should definitely go there together sometime soon," Codie suggested.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Jake replied eagerly as everyone fist-bumped each other. After they talked for a little longer, everyone said goodbye to each other before they skateboarded home.