When I wake up, I expect to be human but as I try to get up I realize my skin is now covered in slightly shiny, black scales and my nails are small claws.
I decide against going to school like this and let my bones crack and shift as I change. Stretching, I go to the bathroom and get dressed before brushing my teeth and going to the kitchen. Pops is making breakfast as I sit down.
"You look more tired than usual," he points out.
"I woke up a dragon," I yawn.
"Gotcha," he nods as he finishes cooking. He sets a plate of funky-looking eggs in front of me and I give him a questioning look. "Mason had a work emergency he had to help with,"
"Oh, is that why you tried to make devil eggs?" I smile.
"You make me so proud," Pops holds his hand to his heart to be dramatic before messing with his black hair. "I'll put some waffles in the toaster."
I nod and Sarah jumps around for me to feed her. I put some food in her dish and pat her head before sitting down again.
"I'm gonna be leaving a bit earlier now, I'm driving Lizzy to school and dropping her off after," I inform him.
"Okay, do you have two helmets?" he questions as the toaster pops.
"No, I'm gonna find two more when I get home," he gives me a toaster waffle.
"Good, I won't tell if you don't," he gestures to the eggs.
Sarah runs and jumps in my lap as I finish eating the waffle.
"Pretty soon you're gonna be too big for this," I laugh as she tries to lick my face. "I gotta get to school," I set her down on the floor and put on my shoes even, though she tries to steal the laces every few seconds.
"Drive safe and have a good day," Pops tells me as I throw on my jacket.
"I will, love you," I open the front door and grab my helmet.
"Love you too."
I leave the house and get on my bike as I put the helmet on. I watch the road as trees pass me on the way towards the school.
I pass my friends as they're coming outside and instead of going to school, I go to the store parking lot.
I take the helmet off as Lizzy comes outside.
"Did he stop talking about it?" I smile as I hand her the helmet.
"Only when mom made him go to bed," she smiles and puts the helmet on.
I drive us to school and find where Dani parked before we get off and Lizzy gives me the helmet.
"After school, I'll meet you outside your class with Dani," she nods as we enter the school and look for our friends.
"So that's where you went," Jackson declares as we sit with the group on the bench.
"I thought you were ditching," Dani shrugs.
"Me too," Riley agrees.
"Well, I just picked up Lizzy," I tell them.
"We see that," Dani smirks.
"You should get another helmet so you're both safe," Riley suggests.
"That's the plan," I say just as the bell rings.
We all go to class and at lunch, we sit in the cafeteria.
"What are you guys doing after school?" Jackson asks as he brings his food over.
"I have to clean my house," Riley shrugs.
"I'm helping my brother get his stuff out of the house," Dani answers,
"I'm going to play with Sarah and give her a bath," I smile.
"Sarah your dog?" Lizzy asks.
"Yeah, he got her a few weeks ago, after his surgery, and won't shut up about it," Jackson makes that clear.
"Why'd you have surgery?" She's a curious person.
"I had top surgery over the summer and we found a puppy while I was recovering," I explain.
"Oh, cool," she nods.
"What are you doing after school?" Dani asks her.
"Probably watching my brother or something," she shrugs and eats the food on her plate.
"You could take him to the arcade. There's pizza, drinks, and games. There are even one of those motorcycle racing game things," I suggest.
"Yeah, we used to go there every time we got spare change," Riley adds.
"TJ's sister would always race him on the motorcycle thing and every time she won he had to give her a quarter," Jackson laughs.
"I lost a lot of money trying to win," I nod. "That reminds me," I add. "Olivia's coming back with one of her friends this week."
"What kind of friend?" Dani asks with a smirk.
"I don't know I haven't met her yet," I roll my eyes at what she's suggesting.
"Anyway, we should go to the arcade this weekend," Jackson suggests.
"Dude, you literally said we should go to the mountain yesterday," Dani relays. "You gotta pick one."
"I think the arcade is a better choice," I shrug.
"Yeah, it doesn't take too long and you don't have to go through the whole," he makes hand gestures as he speaks. "Grr, shebang."
I give him a look, trying to tell him to shut up without actually speaking but it's too late and Dani's head is already in her hand in disappointment.
"What does he mean?" Lizzy looks around confused as Dani cuffs Jack upside the head, causing him to flinch and hold where she hit.
"Just having to go through the hassle of getting everything ready to hike up the mountain," I lie. "It takes hours to get there and then hours to get back so we don't go very often."
"Oh, sounds stressful," she shrugs and I have to force myself not to sigh in relief.
She can't find out about the fact that I can turn into a dragon. I just met her yesterday. Maybe one day but that day isn't here yet.
"It can be," I shrug instead.
The bell rings and we throw whatever trash we have away before going to class. Classes drag on slower than usual as I finish the assignments we're given.
When I'm finally let out I grab the helmet from my locker before making my way through the almost empty halls toward Lizzy's class.
"Hey," Dani nods as she joins my walk.
"Hey," I nod back.
"Aren't we supposed to be outside?" she asks as I turn into the hallway with Lizzy's class.
"I'm meeting Lizzy outside her class," I answer.
"Oh, I see what you're doing. You're trying to get her to stay friends with you," Dani smiles.
"Well yeah, you know what happens to the few new kids we get around here," I sort of shrug.
"Yeah, they either turn into egotistical douche wagons or leave because they can't stand the ones we already have," she nods and we stop outside of the classroom.
As the final bell rings students rush out of class. Lizzy is one of the last students out and when she reaches the door she has a cheap-looking flip phone. She's typing with one hand as she holds her stuff with the other.
"Hey," I say as she gets near. She jumps and her phone goes flying up. I quickly grab it before it hits the floor. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."
"It's fine," she quickly grabs her phone and starts typing again.
"Who you texting?" Dani asks curiously as we stand in the hallway.
"My mom, it's nothing. I really need to get home," she quickly shoves the flip phone into her pocket.
"Okay, I'll make sure to be quick," I nod and we start walking towards the doors.
"Jackson said they left already," Dani informs us after looking at her phone.
"Okay," we leave the building and I hand Lizzy the helmet.
"See you tomorrow, Dani," I say as I get on the bike.
"Bye," Dani gets on her bike and she puts her helmet on.
She leaves as Lizzy gets situated behind me. When I feel her arms around my stomach I pull out of the parking lot and head to Lizzy's a little faster this time. This causes her arms to tighten around me.
As I stop Lizzy's arms release my stomach as she gives me the helmet. She starts quickly walking towards the RV before I say something.
"Here," I hold out five dollars as she comes back.
"What are you doing?"
"Take Caleb to the arcade, it's just down the road. You can walk from here."
"I have some extra money, you don't need to-"
"I know I don't need to but I want to," I insist. "I'm asking you to use these mesely five dollars to let Caleb have fun at the arcade. He'll love that racing game. I know it."
"Are you sure?" she hesitates.
"One hundred percent," I nod.
"Fine," she takes the money. "But this is it. I'm not taking anything else."
"Got it," I nod as I put on the helmet. "I'll see you tomorrow," I shout over the engine of the motorcycle as I start it.
"Bye," she smiles, and I drive away as she goes inside.
When I get home there's a black truck in the spot I normally park, so I park in the spot next to it. As I take the helmet off, I inspect the truck to see if I can recognize it.
It doesn't belong to any of us. Dad's car is parked in the same spot as usual and Pop's car is parked next to it. The family truck is in the garage because it isn't being used yet. Even if it were being used our truck is a dark red, not black.
I get off my bike and head inside. "Whose truck is outside?" I ask as I take my boots off. "And where's Sarah?" She isn't jumping at my feet like usual.
"Oh, that's my truck," a girl says from the couch. I can hear a slight Irish accent in her words.
She has short fiery red hair and brown eyes. The freckles across her nose stand out against her pale complexion.
"And your dog followed Olivia into the bathroom a few minutes ago," she adds.
"Olivia's home?!" I exclaim, excitedly as I fumble to get my jacket off.
Olivia and Sarah come out of the short hallway.
"Hey, you can wear tank tops comfortably now, " Olivia smiles as I run towards her. I wrap my arms around her in a hug. "Nice to see you too," she laughs as Sarah barks excitedly at our feet.
"You're the one that left when I was in the hospital," I point my finger at her as I pull away.
"You, hopped up on meds was hilarious," she retorts. "And I didn't want to leave, I had to get to school."
"I know, I've seen the video," I roll my eyes.
Pops filmed the whole time I was on meds to "make memories."
"Oh, this is Bree," she gestures to the girl on the couch. "Bree, this is my brother, TJ."
"Hi, I'm sorry if I parked in your spot or anything," I shake the girl, Brees, hand. Her accent isn't very prominent now. Maybe it's just more noticeable in some instances than others.
"It's fine, I was just wondering who's truck it was," I shrug.
"Oh good, you already met Bree," Dad smiles as he and Pops come out of their room.
"Trav, you got a dog, you said you were gonna give a bath after school today," Pops says.
"Right," I nod and start going towards the bathroom.
I call Sarah in as I start running the water in the tub. She sits with her tail wagging and her tongue out as I get the water to a decent height before shutting it off.
"Olivia! Can you come in here for a second?!" I yell to the living room after bubbles fill the tub.
"What'd you need?" she asks as she enters the bathroom.
"Nothing, I just wanted you to come in here," I shrug as I scoop bubbles into my hands.
"Why do you make me go places that I'm not needed?" she questions.
"Because," I get up and quickly throw bubbles at her as Sarah barks with her hat of bubbles.
"You have no idea what you started," Olivia says as the bubbles stick to her shirt.
"I think I know, and I'm prepared," I smile and throw more bubbles at her.
She starts towards the tub and we both start throwing bubbles as Sarah plays in them.
"What are you guys doing in he-" Pops stops in the doorway for a second before Olivia throws bubbles at him and he joins in.
After a few minutes, everyone in the house is in the bathroom throwing bubbles around and yelling. Even Bree is laughing and having a great time. Sarah barks and jumps around in the bit of water in the tub causing it to splash around and hit some of our legs.
After a while, we stop, and I finish bathing Sarah and change into dry clothes. Everyone changes and throws the bubble-covered clothing into the washer.