Chapter One: Just an Average Day

“If you go through with this,” Trixie’s tone was pleading, but firm. “I will never forgive you and neither will Jake.”

“Well, then,” Spud’s voice was eerily calm as he spoke, so much so that it sent a chill down Trixie's spine. “I guess this is finally where we part ways.” He turned around, leaving her where she stood.

“Spud, wait!” she yelled desperately, as she lunged forward and grabbed onto his sleeve.

“Spud is gone!” he turned back and yelled as he violently tore himself away from her. “The name is Arthur,” he spat, as he narrowed his eyes and looked upon her as if she were nothing more than something stuck at the bottom of his shoe. “Because you killed Spud the moment you turned your back on him.”

“Please, understand I never meant. . .” her voice trailed off, tears threatening to fall as she looked into the burning eyes of this stranger before her. Who was this man? This could not be the boy she had grown up with. Where was the sweet, simply Spud she had once known? The boy she had come to adore? Did he even exist or was it all just an act? No, she wouldn't believe it so. “I love you,” the words slipped from Trixie’s mouth in a breathless whisper. The Spud she knew had to exist. . . he just had to.

Spud’s eyes softened at her admission, the admission he had been waiting so long to hear. He stared at her momentarily before reaching out his hand so that he could take her face gently in his touch. “Trixie, I-” he began, but he stopped mid-way in his reach for her before dropping his hand back to his side and balling it up into a fist. He then turned his head as he lowered it towards the ground. He began walking backwards, letting the shadows cover his form from Trixie’s view. “I wish, I could still say the same,” he replied sadly before he disappeared in the cover of darkness.

OoOoO

“Jake, if you don’t get your boney ass down here!” yelled Trixie at the bottom of the stairs of the Long home.

“Will you chill, Trix?” the seventeen year old Jake Long called from upstairs, in the bathroom, as he put on the finishing touches to his over gelled hair. “You know I got to look good for the ladies.” He chuckled to himself.

Trixie leaned on the banister as she crossed her arms and huffed impatiently. She then looked to her watch again for the seventh time in five minutes. “We’re already late for Spud’s competition.”

“Alright, I’m coming. I’m coming.” Jake grabbed his house keys before making his way towards one of his best friends. “How many times do I have to remind you that you can’t rush perfection?”

“Oh please, Jakey,” she grabbed his arm and practically pulled him out the door. “Give it a break. You ain’t that fine.”

“Blasphemy!” he yelled in mock shock as the two headed out the door and walked a few blocks down to catch the train across town.

As they sat, Trixie pulled out her new PDA, which had been a gift from her father, so that she could schedule the upcoming days. “You know, since you’ve gotten that thing, you have been driving me up the wall.” Jake grabbed it from her hands.

“Hey,” she yelled in protest, as Jake held it out of her reach. “Well, that's funny, considering you’ve still been late to everything.” She reached for the device, only to have Jake pull it away again. “Look here dragon boy,” she whispered. “If you know what’s good for you. . .” she began, but there was no reason to continue as Jake handed it back to her. “Thank you.”

“So is everything planned for next Saturday?” he asked her as he put his arm around her and looked on to her PDA.

“Of course,” she smiled as she pulled up a file. “Spud is going to straight trip when he sees the bash we’ve been planning for this his big one – eight.”

“So has everyone on the list RSVPed?”

“Almost,” she replied.

“And the center is booked, right?”

“Jake, will you stop buggin'. I’ve got my end covered,” she reassured him. “So all you have to do is make sure the cake is there by seven.”

Jake straightened up as the train was coming to a stop. “Wait, I’m on cake detail?”

“Well, yeah. That’s what we agreed on.” Trixie watched as Jake made a face. “Jake, please tell me you put in the order for the cake last week.”

“Uh,” Jake avoided eye contact as he scratched the back of his head. “Well. . .”

“Jake!” she cried with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry, I got this.” Jake then shot up from his seat. “We’re just going to have to make a quick detour,” he pronounced as he grabbed Trixie by the wrist and pulled her off the train.

OoOoO

“I should have known,” Trixie said angrily as they stepped off the bus into a greenery scene. “You’re late with everything else, why not this?”

“Come on, it’s not that bad,” Jake told her as he followed her along a dirt path up a steadily upward hill.

“Not that bad?” she turned around and spoke to him as she continued to walk backwards. “Jake, we have no cake. We can’t have a party without a cake.”

“No sweat, Trix,” he said with a smile that only annoyed his friend more. “How hard can it be to whip up a cake?”

“Do you cook, Jake?” she asked.

“No,” he answered.

“Do I cook?”

Jake looked at her oddly. “Is this a trick question?”

“Jake!”

“Alright, no.” he replied.

Trixie took a deep breath as she said calmly, “Okay, then how do you suppose we’re going to – whip up a cake!” she yelled the last part.

“I’m telling you. I got this. Come Saturday at seven, Spud will have his cake.” Jake then once again smiled at her. “You sure are going through a lot of trouble for this party. Any reason in particular?” He cocked an eyebrow in her direction.

“Shut up, boy,” she told him as she turned around so she could once again see where see was going, but that didn't help her much as her foot got caught on a root of a tree growing above the ground.

“Trixie,” Jake worriedly called out as she was in danger of falling over the side of the hill. Jake’s tail, without thinking, appeared and wrapped itself around Trixie's body before pulling her towards him. He took both of her arms securely in his hands before his tail dissolved. “Are you alright?” he asked.

“Are you crazy?” Trixie asked him, as she frantically looked around. “You could have been seen.”

Jake released his hold on her. “You’re welcome,” he said quietly as he rolled his eyes.

“I’m not playing, Jake. You’re too carefree with your abilities,” she scowled him.

Jake groaned as he continued up the hill. “Dang, girl, you’re starting to sound like my gramps. I could save the world ten times over and all he would say is how I neglected to clean the bathroom in the shop.”

“Fine,” she said as she caught up with him, walking beside him as she took his arm. “Oh, Jakey," she began with a Southern accent. "My hero, thank you. For I do declare, I would have fallen on my purdy little face if it haven't been for these gentlemanly arms of yours,” she paused, rethinking her words. "Or should I say tail?" she asked as she slapped him on the butt. She then laughed as she asked in her normal voice, “Happy now?”

Jake chuckled and playfully looked at her as if she was crazy, but before he could say anything they heard a crowd of voices. They both looked up and saw people starting to make their way down the hill. Among them was their friend Spud holding what looked to be a first place trophy. “Hey, guys. Just get here?” He greeted them cheerfully as he made his way over to them, wondering why Jake's face looked so red as Trixie let go of him.

“It was Jake's fault,” Trixie replied as soon as Spud was close enough as he let her see the trophy.

“Sorry, man. Trix and I had to make a detour at- ow!” Jake yelled out as Trixie had elbowed him the ribs.

“What was that?” Spud looked confused as it appeared Trixie and Jake were having a conversation only with their eyes.

“Nothing,” he replied as Trixie let him see the trophy. Jake then looked to Spud curiously as they started their way down the hill. “Spud, I’m glad you won and all, but I’ve been curious. When did you get into archery?”

“Uh- it’s always been a dream of mine to learn the ways of the bow and arrow,” he began as he put his arm around Trixie. “If only to one day be your cupid and pierce your heart,” he said dotingly in a way only he could pull off.

“Keep dreaming, cupid,” Trixie said annoyed, as she took a step to the side, making Spud’s arm slip off of her. Spud only shrugged as he dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his red and yellow yo-yo.

OoOoO

The sun was beginning to set as the three friends soon found themselves in Trixie’s home, sitting in front of the television, playing video games. Jake and Trixie sat on the floor as they played a two player game. Spud sat up on the couch as he waited for one of them to lose so that he could take their place. As he waited, he fooled around with his yo-yo, watching it intensity as he threw it only to have it return to him.

Jake, being skillful in the game, was able to watch Spud from the corner of his eye. Something felt off about Spud, more than usual that is. Spud had always carried around that yo-yo and now that Jake was thinking about it, he couldn’t remember a day when he had seen Spud without it, but nowadays a lot of his attention went towards it.

“Uh-oh, buddy-boy, I’ve got you on the run now,” Jake heard Trixie say and so pulled his full attention back to the game.

They were racing cars and Jake had been in first place, until Trixie hit him from behind, sending his car veering off into the cement wall lining the track. “Aw, man,” Jake groaned as he watched Trixie’s car pass over the finish line.

“Next victim, please,” she said in a sickly sweet voice as she turned around to look at Spud.

“Here, just take it,” Jake sulked as he handed Spud the controller before sliding over to make room for him on the floor.

Spud placed his yo-yo on the coffee table in front of him. “Alright,” he began excited as he picked his car from the select screen. “Let’s put the paddle to the metal.” He then looked to Trixie. “I’m sorry, my sweet, but this will be a battle you will not win.”

“Oh, we’ll see about that, because I got this race in the bag.” Trixie then selected her next car and the two were off on the race track.

The two were three minutes into the race when something caught Jake’s eye and pulled his interest away from the screen. There was something blinking on the table. It was Spud's toy. “Uh, Spud?”

“Yeah?” he responded as he moved his body in the direction he wanted his car to go.

“Yo man, is it supposed to be doing that?” Jake went to pick up the toy, but to his surprise Spud’s hand beat him to it.

Spud then shot up from the floor before Jake had the chance to blink. He then said the first thing that came to his head, “I have to go to the bathroom.” It was followed by him jumping over the couch and ending up in the closet.

Jake and Trixie got up and looked a bit bewildered, though they honestly didn't now why, as they looked at the closet door. Trixie then shook her head from side to side. “You think we would be used to that by now,” she stated as she slide back to the floor and picked up a controller. “He’ll figure it out,” she said as Jake continued to look at the door. “He always does.” She sighed as she held the second player controller in the air. Jake soon took it and picked up where Spud had left off.

After several minutes, Jake thought he heard what sounded like a conversation happening from behind him. He paused the game as he looked to Trixie. "Is it me, or has Spud been acting kind of weird lately?" he asked her.

"Where have you been? That boy has been weird since way back in the day," she responded.

"Yeah, but what I mean is, weird even for him."

"You're tripping, Jakey," she told him as she reached over and tired to unpaused the game, but was unsuccessful.

"I'm for real," he protested.

Trixie then looked to him seriously. "So am I, because the day my boy, Spud starts acting 'normal' is the day I know something isn't right with the world. Now are we going to play or what?" With her question, Jake realized she was right, because any kind of strange behavior from Spud could only add up to one thing. . . just an average day.





Chapter Two: Countdown

Jake Long groaned as the blaring alarm that sat on his night stand stole him from his rare, peaceful dreams. With his head still under his pillow his hand with out blindly searching for the object making the offensive sound. When he found it he turned it off and rolled over in his bed. He stretched his body as he sat up, but recoiled suddenly as a shot of pain struck his body.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up before walking over to turn on the light. He then made his way to his vanity dresser. He frowned as his reflection came into view and put his hand over a part of his bare chest. “Damn, Trix,” he spoke to himself as he examined his forming bruise were Trixie had elbowed him. “Baby girl doesn’t know her own strength.” He smiled, but it looked sad to him before he shrugged the matter off and prepared for the day.

Downstairs, Jake made his way to the kitchen where he saw his sister, Haley, quietly reading a book as she ate her breakfast. He leaned over her chair and read over her shoulder knowing it was one of her pet peeves. “Whacha doing?” he asked in a sing-song voice.

“Something you wouldn’t know anything about,” she began, not skipping a beat as she turned the page. “Studying.”

“I study,” he defended himself. “Just because I’m not always on the honor roll, like some people I know, doesn’t mean I don’t put in the work. Besides-”

“If you tell me your responsibilities as the American Dragon hinders your performance in school, I don’t want to hear about it,” Haley laid down her book and looked up at her brother. “Because if it were me, I wouldn’t have a problem setting aside time to do both,” she explained.

Jake's brow furrowed at her comment. “Well, not everyone can be as perfect as Haley Long. Besides, my duties aren’t something I can keep a date book for,” he tried to explain. “When I’m called for help, I go. Anyplace at anytime and whatever I had planned for the day goes on the back burner. You can't see it now, but if for some reason, something should happen to me and you have to take my place, you’ll understand that.” He reached for her book and flipped through the pages. “There are some things far more important than what you can do in a classroom.”

“Don’t ever talk like that,” Haley told him.

Jake looked at her curiously as he lowered the book from his face. “Don't talk like what?” he asked.

“About you dying,” she said softly as she averted her eyes.

Jake sighed as he finally took a sit next to his sister. He then began slowly, “It’s been over a year, Haley. You have to learn to forgive yourself.”

Haley quickly lifted her head towards him and looked him dead in the eye. "Have you forgiven me?"

Jake blinked rapidly, he wasn't expecting that. "That's not the point," he responded.

"Yes, it is," she turned her head away as she spoke. “If only I had been stronger.” Her eyes became distant as her mind traveled a million miles away.

“No, you are strong, Haley,” he tired to convince her. “It was me; I shouldn’t have left you alone like that. I just thought-”

“That I could handle it?” she interrupted him. “That I could do it on my own? Well, I couldn’t,” she grabbed her book from Jake and stood up. “And mom died because of it.” She then grabbed her book bag off the back of the chair. “I’m not as perfect as everyone likes to believe. . . but only you and I know it.” Haley then walked out of the kitchen and out the front door.

Jake dropped his head as he sighed, for his sister’s pain was also his own. He knew as her big brother that he had to help her, but he didn't know how, and he felt he was failing her somehow. Especially when he couldn't honestly say that he had forgiven her, but how could he when he knew it wasn't her fault? Because their mother's death rested only on one set of hands. . . his own.

But he didn't have time to think about that, he convinced himself, knowing very well, it was a subject he didn't want to think about all together. So he grabbed his things along with an apple out the fridge and headed out the door to meet his friends before school.

OoOoO

"Honestly," Trixie cried as she stepped out of her front door and saw Spud sitting at the bottom of her stoop. "Just once, I would like to come out of my house in the morning, to not find you sitting there," she told him as he stood up, ready to walk her to school.

Spud only smiled at her. "Don't front, you know you would miss my face," he told her as he took the two books she held out of her hands. "Who else, but Jake, would be able to put up with your demanding demeanor?"

"True," she said, proud of the fact, as they began their walk down the Brooklyn streets towards their high school, New Utrecht.

As they continued to walk Trixie noticed how quiet it seemed. She then realized why as she looked to Spud. He was usually very cheery in the morning, going on about something she wasn't trying to listen to. “Spud?” she called.

“Yeah?” he looked to her with a light in his eyes and a smile on his lips.

“Is something wrong?” she asked worriedly.

His smiled quickly dropped. “No, nothing,” he quickly told her as he shook his head. He then shifted the books and his arms so that he could look at his watch. “We better hurry up are we're going to be late,” he told her hoping she wouldn't ask him anymore questions. He couldn't stand lying to her. “Trixie?” he spoke a few moments later. “I'm sure you already know this, but my birthday is this week. Saturday.”

“Is it?” Trixie asked, trying to hold in her smile. “Eighteen right?”

“Yeah, eighteen,” he answered as he turned his head away and sighed before looking at Trixie again. “And I was hoping I could ask something of you,” he shrugged. “You know, something like a birthday gift.”

Trixie cocked an eyebrow in his direction. “Depends. What do you want?”

His eyes filled with fear as he answered her. “You,” he whispered. Trixie froze for a moment thinking she had misheard him. “I just want to spend the day with you,” he continued. “Just you.”

“Spud. . .” she shook her head. There was no way she could do it. . . even if she wanted to. She had too many things to prepare for the day of his surprise party. She and Jake and already agreed that it would be he that entertained Spud throughout the day until it was time for it, otherwise, knowing Jake, nothing would get done.

“Please, don't say no,” he asked of her, already sensing her answer. “All I'm asking is for one lousy day,” if Trixie didn't know any better, she would have thought he sounded desperate and that wasn't like him.

So she looked at him strangely before putting her hand on his forehead to feel his temperature. “You know, since Jake mentioned it, you have been acting kind of strange lately,” she concluded.

“Woman!” he called loudly, roughly smacking down her hand. “There's nothing wrong with me!” he said suddenly angry.

“Ow!” she yelled out, causing a few of the people around them to look at the pair for a moment. “Boy, you are tripping!” she yelled back as she pushed him.

“That's not what I meant to do,” he said quickly, reaching out to take her hand, but she pulled away before he could. “It's just-” he cut himself off as he saw her take a step back. “Trixie,” he began again, but softly. “I've never hid what I feel for you,” he told her honestly, his voice getting quieter by the word. “So just give me one day. . . to help me through the rest.”

“The rest of what, Spud?” Trixie said curiously.

Spud didn't answer her as he looked at his watch. “We should really get going if we're going to meet up with Jake before classes,” was all he said as he continued towards the school, leaving Trixie behind for a moment before she picked up her step.

Ten minutes later the two found themselves in front of the school as Jake approached them. Suddenly Spud spoke before Jake came close. “I got to run. I'll see you guys at lunch, okay?” he didn't wait for a response from Trixie as he handed her back her books before running into the school.

“Hi,” Jake spoke with a fake cheerfulness. “Where's he off too?” he asked as he just witness Spud's mad dash.

“Don't know,” she said heading into the school. “And don't care.”

Jake looked at her curiously before smiling foolishly. “Aw, did the lovebirds have a fight?” he asked playfully.

“Not in the mood for it, Jake,” she told him as she arrived at her locker and began at the combination.

Jake only shrugged at he went to work on his own lock which was a few down from Trixie's. He was still organizing his books for the day when he heard her locker door close and though his door blocked her from his view, he knew she was leaning on the locker next to his. “Remember when you were saying that Spud had been kind of off lately?” she asked him.

“Well, yeah. It was only yesterday,” he laughed lightly, finally closing his locker before swinging his book bag back onto his shoulder. “Why?”

“I think you were right,” she told him as Jake noticed the way she was rubbing her wrist. “I'm worried about him,” she confessed.

Jake then joined her as he leaned on a locker. “What made you change your mind?”

Trixie shrugged. “Just something he did,” she explained and noticing the way Jake was glancing down at her hands she pulled them apart. “Something I know he would never do, if he were in his right mind,” she paused as she looked suspiciously around hall, before leaning closely into Jake. “I want you to keep an eye on him,” she whispered. “If you know what I mean?”

Jake frowned. “You want me to spy on him?” he whispered back and she nodded. “Weren't you the one telling me that I had to be more careful with my powers? And now you want me to do something as low as spy on one of my best friends. Nah-uh, the Jake man don't play like that,” he said shaking his head.

“Jakey,” she reached out and took a hold of his sleeve.

“No,” he told her again. “Because what if the roles were reverse and it was him asking me to spy on you. How would you feel?”

Trixie looked away. “Betrayed, I guess,” she answered after a moment.

“Exactly.”

“Yeah, I guess you're right,” she agreed, letting go of his sleeve, her wrist once again taking comfort in her hand. “Anyway, he said he would meet us at lunch,” she informed him as she pushed herself off the locker and started towards class just as the warning bell was ringing.

“Cool,” Jake replied as he too made his way down the hall.

OoOoO

The cafeteria was located on the fifth floor of the school as Trixie and Jake finished climbing the stairs and entered one of the lines. Each grabbed a tray and collected their meal before finding an empty table closes to the entrance. “I'll be glad when they let us leave the school for lunch,” Jake complained as he stabbed what looked like meatloaf with his fork.

“Please, boy, don't delude yourself,” Trixie told him, pulling out her PDA to change some things around. “Jake, can I count on you for something?” she asked not looking up from her task.

“Ugh,” Jake groaned as he found a piece of hair in his food. “Trix, look.” He shoved it into her face.

“That's your hair you dimwit,” she told him pushing his hand away.

“How do you know?”

“You're kidding, right? I'd know those awful highlights anyway.”

“Well, I'm still not eating it,” he told her, pushing his tray away.

“Fine, whatever,” she said annoyed as her attention went back to her PDA. “Now are you going to do this for me or what?”

“Do what? You haven't told me anything yet.”

“Saturday. . . I need us to switch roles.”

“Say what?” Jake dropped his head. “You know me and planning parties don't mix, Trixie.”

“I know. Believe me, if it wasn't for something I thought was important I wouldn't ask.”

Jake then smiled at her. “Something important, huh?” he asked as he threw one of his legs over the bench like seat, putting his elbow on the table before tilting his head into his hand. “So are you telling me, you're finally giving it up to my boy on his birthday?”

Trixie looked at him with deadpan eyes. “I'm going to pretend you didn't say that,” she told him. “Honestly, is that all you think about?”

“Let's see,” he pretended to think it over. “I'm seventeen, male, and as horny as hell, right now. What do you think?”

Trixie lowered her head before shaking it from side to side. “Jake, your my boy and all,” she patted his leg, “but that's too much information.”

“So the dirty thoughts I'm having with your hand on my leg, I should keep those to myself, huh?” Jake laughed as Trixie made a face and removed her hand.

“Pervert,” she called him, but couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her lips.

“You're one to talk," he replied as he moved in a little closer. "Listen, I need you to call-”

“Sorry, I'm late,” Jake was interrupted as Spud made his way to the table and sat down across them.

“Hey, man,” Jake turned himself to face him. “Was starting to think you weren't going to show up.”

“Yeah, I uh had a thing I had to do,” Spud explained before turning to looking at his other friend. “Trixie, I just realized that I never really apologized for this morning,” Jake looked at him curiously with the statement, but said nothing. Spud then held out his hands, his palms facing her as he flip them to show they were empty. He then ran them passed each other and when they parted a red, thornless rose appeared in his right hand. His skills as a magician had grown greatly since he won the talent show back in middle school. “I'm truly sorry,” he whispered gently as he held out the flower for her to take. “To harm you, in anyway, is never my purpose.”

Trixie smiled sweetly as she reached out for her present as she thanked him. “Spud, about Saturday,” she began a moment later. “Okay.”

Spud froze in his movement, his food slowly slipping off his fork until it landed with a small splash. “Okay?” he asked looking a bit dumbfounded.

“Yes,” she confirmed.

Spud looked at her seriously. “You know what this means, right?” he asked her.

Trixie's face went pale as she looked around the cafeteria. “Don't you dare,” she threatened. “No!” she said in loud whisper.

“Oh, yes,” the smile on the other's face grew from ear to ear.

“No,” she shook her head from side to side.

“Sorry, but I got to do it,” he rose from his seat. “It's in my blood-”

“Jake, help me,” she turned to Jake and pleaded.

Jake rose his arms up in a defeat like gesture. “You're on your own, Sista.”

“-I got to sing!” Spud finished his statement as he stood up on the lunch bench and cleared his throat.

Trixie groaned as she lowered her head and waited for Spud to humiliate her in public. . . again. But instead of the lyrics of a song, she heard someone call out, “Security! It's the Spudinski boy, again.” It came from one of the lunch ladies.

Two large men came over. One picked Spud up as if he was nothing more than a toothpick and escorted him out the cafeteria door. “But my song!” he complained as the doors closed behind him.

“Oh, thank Merlin,” Trixie cried softly, collapsing on the table in relief.

Jake cocked an eyebrow in her direction. “You've been reading Harry Potter fan fictions again, having you?” he asked her.

“What? They're good,” she defended. “There's this one I'm reading now-”

“I don't care,” Jake interrupted her. “I just don't understand spending all that time on a story you can't make money off of.”

Trixie sighed. “Some people just don't get it.”

Jake shook his head and was about to speak when something caught his eye. “Is that Spud's yo-yo?”

“Where?” she asked. “You know what happened last time he lost that crazy thing.”

He shuddered. “I certainly don't want to relive that,” he rose from the table, taking his tray with him and dumping it off before going to pick up his friend's toy. Trixie was close behind him as he held it in his hands. “You know, I don't think I've held this thing before,” Jake commented.

“Either have I,” Trixie said as she reached out for it, but her hand snapped back as the yo-yo did something strange and opened up as if were a compact mirror. “What the hell?” she looked to Jake curiously, but his eyes were still on the toy.

There were strange letters inside, but it had an hour and minute hand like a clock, so Jake figured they were numbers in another language. And if that wasn't strange enough they were going counter clockwise. Jake finally looked back at Trixie as he realized what it was. . . . a countdown.

To Be Continued. . .