Post by dave on Dec 16, 2005 7:52:27 GMT -5
Here it is! Chapter 19! This is dedicated to Ecclestone and Magenta, my two faithful readers!
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Chapter 19: The Day Of Romance
Jake got up early the next day, ready to go spend the day with Rose. He walked downstairs to see Dave talking on the phone. “Yes. I will stop by later,” then a brief pause. “All right, thank you. Bye.” Dave hung up the phone and saw Jake. “Hey. Good morning. Better get Rose up so you can start the day,” Dave said to him. “I was going to do that after my shower,” Jake told him and Dave nodded.
Jake went upstairs to get his things ready for a shower. Dave got up five minutes later when he heard the shower running. He walked to Rose’s room she was sharing with Jake to find her bed empty. Dave looked around. “Rose?” Dave called out. ‘Is she in the shower with Jake!’ the shocking thought went through his mind. Then he felt someone grab his shoulder. He gave a small jump. “Good morning,” Rose said.
“Hello Rose,” Dave said quietly. “What are you doing up this early?” Rose asked. “Just doing some things,” Dave answered. “That involves me?” Rose asked him. “Wait for Jake. He’ll tell you,” Dave told her. “Where is he?” she asked. “In the shower,” he replied. “In...the...shower?” Rose asked with a dreamy tone. She then laid down on her bed and gave a sigh. Dave just stared at her, not wanting to know the thoughts running through Rose’s mind at that moment.
He backed out of the room quietly and closed the door. He walked past the bathroom where Jake come out, fully dressed and started to head towards the room. “Warning. Daydreamer in there,” Dave said and Jake gave him a questioning look. Dave just laughed and continued to the stairs.
Jake went to the room and opened the door quietly and saw Rose lying on the bed saying, “Oh my Jake. So beautiful in the shower.” Jake walked over to her and kissed her. “Imagining me in the shower?” he asked and rose opened her eyes and a blush appeared on her face.
“I’m sorry! I guess I...,” she was cut off by another kiss from Jake. “That’s ok baby. I don’t mind,” Jake told her. “Well, if you say so,” she said. “I guess it will...”
Dave heard a knock on the door and he opened it to find the limo driver at the door. Dave smiled and said, “Come on in.” The limo driver entered and then Dave looked at her. “Karalyn Hardison, is that you?” Dave asked. “Dave? Are you Dave Halan?” the driver asked. Dave nodded and the driver hugged Dave. “Karalyn, it’s been a while,” Dave said. “Only a year since I moved,” Karalyn said.
“So, I see you didn’t go into a dragon’s line of work,” Dave said. “Well, no. I decided to become a limo driver. It kind of helps people and I get to sometimes see famous people,” Karalyn said. “So, you are my passenger?” “No, not me. My close friend, Jake and his girlfriend, Rose. They are good people and I paid for them to go out for a day of romance,” Dave told her.
“A couple. That is sweet. I love couples,” Karalyn said. “That is good. Just please treat them nicely and everything should be fine,” Dave told her. Karalyn and Dave sat down and they chatted for twenty minutes before Rose and Jake came downstairs all dressed and ready to go out on their date.
Dave and Sarah stood up when they came into the room. “Rose, Jake. This is my friend, Karalyn,” Dave said. “Hello Karalyn, nice to meet you,” Rose said. “She is also your driver,” Dave said. Rose looked at Jake but Jake was staring at Dave. Dave took Jake and Rose outside with Karalyn at his side. Rose smiled and wrapped her arms around Jake. “Have a good day you two,” Dave said. “Karalyn, I’ll talk to you later,” Dave finished. Karalyn nodded and the three of them got into the limo and left. “Those two. They clearly love each other,” Dave said, walking back into the shop.
Jake and Rose sat in the back of the limo. They were talking and having a good time with Karalyn. They drove around New York City for a few minutes before Jake told Karalyn where to drop them off for breakfast. Karalyn pulled up to the restaurant. Jake got out and went to the other side and held Rose’s door open. She got out and smiled. They walked into the restaurant and got a seat. While they had their breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, rolls, and grave, they talked about little things. “Where did you get that dress at?” Jake asked her.
“Well, I snuck out last night. I went home and I grabbed all my clothes. I grabbed some of Dave’s as well,” Rose explained to him. “I never heard you leave,” Jake told her. “Well, I made sure you were sleeping,” Rose said. They continued to eat and enjoy the time together. Jake paid for the breakfast and they left.
They got into the limo to see Karalyn waiting for them. “I hope you were not waiting long,” Jake said to Karalyn. “I am fine. I have only been waiting five minutes. I went into that clothes store,” Karalyn said. They drove off around the city. “How do you know Dave?” Jake asked Karalyn. Karalyn was quiet for a moment. “Sorry if that was personal,” Dave said. “No, it is ok. I was just thinking about how I can tell you,” Karalyn said. She took a deep breath. “Are you two really close to Dave?” she asked. “Yes, we are,” Rose said. “Why?” Jake asked. “Does he have some secrets?” Jake asked.
“Yeah, he kind of does. If I tell you, will you continue being friends with Dave?” Karalyn asked. “Of course. Nothing can destroy our friendship,” Rose said. “Well, we were friends growing up. You see, I am what you can call a dragon. So is Dave,” Karalyn said. “Ah, you are one as well,” Rose said. “You are one?” Karalyn asked Rose. “No, she isn’t. But I am,” Jake said. “Ah you must be the famous Jake Long. Grandson of the great Laoshi,” Karalyn said. “That would be me,” Jake said. “Well, now that I know that I don’t have to hide anything,” Karalyn said with a smile. “No, don’t worry about anything,” Jake said.
“Well, I am sure Dave told you about himself,” Karalyn said. “No. He hasn’t,” Jake said. “Oh. Well, he lived in Yonkers, New York. He lived there for about ten years. He used to live on the Isle of Draco. Then they had, one day, been attacked by the Dark Dragon. They ran and moved to Yonkers. Because Dave was so young, he doesn’t remember,” Karalyn told them.
“How did you know Dave?” Rose asked. “I was friends with him since he was three. I got to know him for two years,” Karalyn said. “How old are you now?” Jake asked. “I am nineteen,” Karalyn told him. “So, you met him when you were seven,” Rose said. “Yes, we were friends. I watched out for him. I loved to play with him. Out of all of our kind, I loved to be around Dave.” “Why Dave? Especially when he was four years younger than you,” Rose asked. “I liked him. He seemed smarter than your average three year old,” Karalyn said.
“He was? It doesn’t really surprise me with him being how he is,” Jake said. “He had a great vocabulary for a three year old. He had a good imagination and could really talk up a storm,” Karalyn said. “What about him and wearing black?” Rose asked. “Well, Dave has always mostly worn black. It shouldn’t really shock you. Our kind usually wears our colors,” Karalyn said.
“Well, you have a point. Jake does the same thing. So does his grandfather,” Rose said. “What colors do you think you would be if you were one of us?” Karalyn asked. “I am usually in pink and white so I would probably be those colors,” Rose said. “Well, that is good thinking. It is a shame you aren’t one,” Karalyn said. “I know, she would have been a beautiful one,” Jake said. “I wish I was one. Sometimes I would dream I was one. I would wake up and train harder so I would convince myself those dreams didn’t mean anything,” Rose said. “Train?” Karalyn asked.
“What do you train for?” “I...well...,” Rose hesitated and then sighed. “I am a member of the Huntsclan,” she said. Karalyn almost him the breaks. “The Huntsclan! Why are you here!” she asked angrily. “She hasn’t quit yet. The Huntsclan thinks she was kidnapped,” Jake explained. “Where are we going?” Rose asked. “To the mall,” Jake said.
The limo cruised around a little bit before pulling up to the mall. Jake got out first again and helped Rose out. They walked into the mall and Rose smiled. They walked around and Karalyn smiled and said, “I am going boy hunting.” She walked off with a wave. Rose and Jake walked hand in hand around the mall. They looked around at the stores. They walked first into the skate shop. They looked at the different boards and designs before Rose picked one out. “You can help me,” she told Jake. Jake grabbed one for himself. They went up to the register and paid for the items.
They walked out of the store and Rose whispered to Jake, “Why do you skate when you can fly?” “Because, I can’t exactly fly all over New York City all day. I got to have fun with my friends too. They can’t exactly fly as they are human,” Jake whispered back. Rose gave a chuckled and they continued to walk. “Where would you like to go for lunch later?” Jake asked. “I know this good restaurant that is a few miles away from here,” Rose told him. They walked a little bit more and then Rose saw the GAP store. Jake knew what was going to come and it came. She walked right into the store like something was pulling her in there. “Girls and their clothes,” Jake said softly before he went in himself.
Rose started looking at some dresses in the corner. She pulled out a red dress and went into the dressing room. She came out and Jake checked her out. “Red looks good on you,” Jake told her. Rose smiled and drew him into a kiss. When she pulled away, she said, “But not as good looking as you when you are red,” she said. She went back into the dressing room and changed back. She came out and headed for the shirts. She grabbed a few white shirts like the ones she usually wore.
She then tried to pull Jake over to the men’s section. “I prefer the clothes I have. Thank you though,” Jake told her. Rose just smiled and went to the register and reached in to pay for the clothes but Jake pulled out some money. “Let me, my sweet Rose,” Jake said. He paid for the clothes and they left the shop. Karalyn came back a few moments later. “Any cute boys?” Rose asked. “A few, but none as good looking as Dave,” Karalyn said. They left the mall and got into the limo. “Hey, Karalyn,” Rose said. “Yes?” Karalyn asked. “What are your colors?” Rose asked. Karalyn was silent for a moment. “Sorry if I offended you,” Rose said quietly. “No, you didn’t,” Karalyn laughed. “I haven’t changed in so long, I am trying to remember,” she said. Then said, “Pink and purple.”
“Interesting,” Rose said. She then helped direct Karalyn to the restaurant she told Jake about earlier. They looked out at the sky. It appeared like it was going to rain. They pulled up to the restaurant. “Karalyn, you are welcome to join us if you wish,” Jake said. “I couldn’t do that,” Karalyn said. “Come on in and join use. We could get to know each other more,” Rose said. “No, that is ok. But with your permission, could I check this one place quickly?” Karalyn asked. “Yes, go ahead,” Jake told her. Jake and Rose went into the restaurant while Karalyn drove off.
Jake walked in and saw a sign that said ‘Reservations Only!’ Jake stopped and pulled out his cell phone and called the electronics shop.
(At the shop...)
Dave answered the phone. “Canal Street Electronics. (Thank you “Keeping Shop” for the name of the store!) This is Dave Halan speaking. How can I help you?” “Dave?” Dave heard Jake’s voice say over the phone. “Jake, how are you?” Dave asked. “We are great. Could you do us a favor?” Jake asked. “Sure, what do you need?” Dave asked. “Can you call a restaurant for us and get us reservations?” Jake asked. “Will do. Just give me the number and name of the restaurant,” Dave said. Jake gave him the information and Dave made the reservations. He called Jake back. “It is all ready to go. It is under your name,” Dave told him. “Thanks Dave. I owe you,” Jake said. “No you don’t,” Dave said. They hung up and Dave sat back, relaxing during the slow day.
Jake and Rose entered the restaurant. “Reservations Please,” the waitress said. “Jake Long,” Jake told her. “Ah, yes. Right this way,” the waitress said and brought Rose and Jake to their table. They sat down and ordered Sprites and the waitress went off to get the drinks. Rose and Jake sat there quietly and stared into each other’s eyes. They then looked at the menu and decided on grilled chicken lunches. The waitress come back three minutes later and set down their drinks. Rose ordered their meals and the waitress left again. She came back about ten minutes later with their meals. They ate and talked about Rose.
“So, your uncle is really the Huntsmaster,” Jake said. “Yes. And you were the one in our Huntslair when we were rehearsing for the play,” Rose said. “Did you know that the magical beetle was in the Huntslair that day?” Jake asked. “It was? Damn, under our noses the whole time,” Rose said in mock anger, causing both of them to laugh. They ate a bit more before engaging in conversation again. “And, do you remember that time when you captured me when I had those shape shifting powers?” Jake asked her. “That was you too? I thought there was something familiar about the clothes,” Rose said. “And please don’t tell me that was you shape shifted as Aaron.” “Yep, that was me,” Jake said. “I thought it was too strange for a pop star to be in a school like ours,” Rose said. They finished their meal. Jake paid the bill and left a tip. He helped Rose out of her chair and they walked out of the restaurant.
The limo was just pulling up when they walked out the doors. Jake and Rose got in and they noticed Karalyn hiding something under the passenger seat. Jake raised an eyebrow but Rose put her hands on his to tell him, without words, not to mention anything. They started to get closer to kiss but stopped. “Jake,” Rose said softly. Then a beeping sound came from the front. Jake asked, “What is it?” to Rose softly. “Hold on, got to take this call,” Karalyn said and closed the barrier between the front and back of the limo.
“Ok, now that we got privacy,” Jake said. “Ok, first of all, what she was hiding. It looked like a Huntsclan suit,” Rose said quietly. “Second, that beeping sound is the same sound that was on my communicator whenever Huntsmaster tried to contact me,” Rose finished. Jake sighed. “Not on our date,” he said. “Don’t worry, we will deal with it later. It could just be a coincidence,” Rose told him. “You are right. But, I still wonder,” Jake said. “Wonder this,” Rose said and then pulled him in close and kissed him. Rose pushed Jake down lightly onto his back. Jake pulled her down on top of him and they continued to kiss and hold onto each other.
Rose and Jake secretly wanted to go further but they both thought the other person didn’t want to go that far and that they couldn’t do anything anyways as they were in a limo. They heard the barrier start to go down and they quickly sat up, trying to regain their breath. “Sorry about the call. Just my boss wanting to check on me,” Karalyn said. “That is ok,” Rose said breathlessly. “Where to now?” Karalyn asked. “The theaters please,” Jake said.
Karalyn drove to the theaters nearby to let Jake and Rose get out. Before they did, she told them, “I am going to get some gas and check in with my boss. I will be back in about an hour and forty five minutes.,” “All right. Be careful though,” Rose told her. Rose got out of the car, taking Jake’s hand as he helped her out. They walked up to the ticket booth. “What movie do you want to see?” Jake asked. “It doesn’t matter. What do you want to see?” Rose asked. They argued lightly but settled on a movie. When they entered, they got a seat in the very back. Luckily, there were only two other people there, another couple. They seemed not to notice Jake and Rose.
Jake put down a seat and sat in it. Rose climbed into his lap. “Do you mind?” she asked. “No,” Jake said happily. Jake kissed her. When the movie started, Rose stretched out on Jake’s lap. Her legs, resting on the armrest while she put her head on Jake’s chest. They remained like this through the whole movie and come out two hours later with a smile. They got into the limo to feel the air conditioner on. “That feels a little good,” Rose said, not wanting to say anything about coming out of a cold theater.
Jake pulled out his cell phone and started to make reservations for a restaurant later that night. Rose snuggled closely by Jake and held onto him. “Dinner isn’t for another few hours so what do you want to do?” Jake asked her when he got off the phone. “Well, we can do a little mini-golfing,” Rose suggested. “Let’s do that,” Jake said and Karalyn drove to the golf course.
Karalyn drove the long way to the golf course just as they requested. When they pulled up, Rose offered Karalyn to join them. This time she accepted. They got out of the limo and went to pick out their balls, clubs, and to pay for the game. Rose found a pinkish ball and Jake found a red ball. Karalyn seemed interested in looking at the young man behind the counter. She finally tore her eyes away from him and pulled out a purple ball. They then picked their golfing clubs for the game and approached the counter. “Hello, welcome to the Golf Land. How may I help you?” the man asked. “You can go out on a date with me,” Karalyn said softly so the man couldn’t hear her and Rose and her walked away, giggling and talking rapidly. “A game for three please,” Jake said. The man rang up the total amount and paid for the game.
They walked out of the shop and walked to the first hole to begin the game. Rose was allowed to go first, then Karalyn second, and Jake last. “Let’s make a bet,” Rose said. “Not me,” Karalyn said laughing. “All right. I’ll take a bet,” Jake said. Rose gave a semi-evil grin. “Here is the bet. You win, you can do anything you want,” Rose said. Jake thought about this and said, “What if you win?” “If I win, you have to fly me around New York City at least once a week,” Rose told him. Jake tried to hold back a smile. ‘I was going to do that for you anyways baby,’ Jake thought and then said out loud, “I agree.” Rose held out her hand as in a mock agreement. Jake smiled finally and shook her hand. “Well then, let’s play mini-golf!” Karalyn said.
The game then started, to see who would win the bet. Karalyn won the first hole with Jake coming in second and Rose in third. They moved onto the second hole, continuing to play, gently at first. Rose coming in first, Karalyn in second, Jake in third on the second hole. The third hole, Jake came in first with Rose in second and Karalyn in third. The playing continued, no clear winner having yet been decided.
At the end of the first nine holes, Rose was in first, Karalyn in second, and Jake in third. “Looks like I am going to win,” Rose said with an evil smile. “You wish you could baby,” Jake said. “Oh, I don’t wish, I know,” she said. “Hey, I will let you two finish this game alone. I am going to talk to that hottie employee,” Karalyn said and took her club and ball and left.
The game got even fiercer. Jake and Rose kept trying to outdo each other. Finally, they reached the final hole. “You need to get a hole in one to win,” Rose said, putting her ball in the hold on the first stroke. Jake closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened his eyes and hit the ball. It balanced on the edge of the hole for a moment before it went in. “Looks like you win,” Rose said, getting closer to Jake. “Here’s a victory kiss,” she said and she reached in to kiss him. They held onto the kiss for a few seconds, then broke away. They went in to return the clubs. They saw Karalyn pocketing a piece of paper. They returned the clubs and got into the limo a few minutes later. They gave a sigh as they realized how dark it was.
They drove off, heading for the restaurant that Jake made reservations to. “So, how did it go with that guy?” Rose asked Karalyn. “It went fine. His name is Brian and is only a year older than me. He gave me his number and address,” she said. They continued to ride on, Jake looking out the window at the beautiful lights. He could never get enough of them. He loved everything about New York City. He wished that he never had to leave, no matter where people wanted him to move to.
The drive continued in silence, the only sound was those of the noices from the outside. Rose placed her head on Jake’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Jake stroked her hair and kept an eye out the window at the sights. Karalyn looked into the rearview mirror and saw the sight of Jake and Rose. She smiled and closed the barrier to give them privacy.
Jake leaned back, turning his attention to Rose. He planted a kiss, softly on her head. He then thought back to some moments they shared. Jake, leaning into Rose for a kiss in the snow before the ski trip. Jake, meeting Rose for the first time. He smiled at the thoughts and thought about all the times they fought and how horrible he felt about it now. Rose was thinking about the times she fought against Jake in his dragon form. She couldn’t believe all the time she fought against him. ‘All those times I fought him. Him as a dragon. All right, a cute dragon,’ she admitted to herself silently with a grin.
They continued thinking about all their times together, both the good and the bad. Rose finally lifted her head up and looked directly into Jake’s eyes. They leaned in and kissed each other, holding each other closely.
They finally pulled away just as the limo pulled up to the restaurant. Jake and Rose took a moment to get ready, then they got out of the limo. They walked up to the counter. “Reservations please,” the waiter said. “Jake Long,” Jake told him. The waiter checked and then marked his name off the list and brought Rose and Jake to their table. After they were seated, Jake and Rose ordered their drinks. When a waitress came with their drinks, they ordered what they wanted.
Karalyn meanwhile took off with the limo, going to see her boss before Jake and Rose finished eating.
Jake and Rose had a good time, eating and laughing about their past experiences,. They finished their meal and paid about an hour later. They kindly tipped the waitress and left the restaurant just as Karalyn was pulling up. They got back into the limo and gave each other a quick kiss. “Where to now?” Karalyn asked. “Back home please,” Jake said and they drove the rest of the way home in silence. When they pulled up to the shop, Jake helped Rose out and they went inside with Karalyn right behind them. Dave greeted them. “How was it?” he asked. “Just perfect,” Rose said as Jake picked her up bridal style and headed for the stairs.
“Thanks a lot Dave,” Jake said to him. Then they headed up to the bedroom. Dave motioned for Karalyn to sit down. “So, how was it?” Dave asked her. “They truly love each other. I loved driving them around,” Karalyn said. “I know that they really do love each other,” Dave said. Dave paid Karalyn and gave her a huge tip. “Good night Karalyn. Keep in touch with me,” Dave told her. “Don’t worry, I will,” Karalyn said and left. She drove off in the limo. Dave headed for the couch where he slept. ‘A perfect day of romance for them. I hope that they will be happy together for the rest of their lives,’ he thought as he laid down and went to sleep.
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There you go, Chapter 19! I am going to write the last of the chapters this weekend and post them on Monday and Tuesday so I can work on the sequel while I am at my dad's house for the Christmas holidays where I don't have internet access.
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Chapter 19: The Day Of Romance
Jake got up early the next day, ready to go spend the day with Rose. He walked downstairs to see Dave talking on the phone. “Yes. I will stop by later,” then a brief pause. “All right, thank you. Bye.” Dave hung up the phone and saw Jake. “Hey. Good morning. Better get Rose up so you can start the day,” Dave said to him. “I was going to do that after my shower,” Jake told him and Dave nodded.
Jake went upstairs to get his things ready for a shower. Dave got up five minutes later when he heard the shower running. He walked to Rose’s room she was sharing with Jake to find her bed empty. Dave looked around. “Rose?” Dave called out. ‘Is she in the shower with Jake!’ the shocking thought went through his mind. Then he felt someone grab his shoulder. He gave a small jump. “Good morning,” Rose said.
“Hello Rose,” Dave said quietly. “What are you doing up this early?” Rose asked. “Just doing some things,” Dave answered. “That involves me?” Rose asked him. “Wait for Jake. He’ll tell you,” Dave told her. “Where is he?” she asked. “In the shower,” he replied. “In...the...shower?” Rose asked with a dreamy tone. She then laid down on her bed and gave a sigh. Dave just stared at her, not wanting to know the thoughts running through Rose’s mind at that moment.
He backed out of the room quietly and closed the door. He walked past the bathroom where Jake come out, fully dressed and started to head towards the room. “Warning. Daydreamer in there,” Dave said and Jake gave him a questioning look. Dave just laughed and continued to the stairs.
Jake went to the room and opened the door quietly and saw Rose lying on the bed saying, “Oh my Jake. So beautiful in the shower.” Jake walked over to her and kissed her. “Imagining me in the shower?” he asked and rose opened her eyes and a blush appeared on her face.
“I’m sorry! I guess I...,” she was cut off by another kiss from Jake. “That’s ok baby. I don’t mind,” Jake told her. “Well, if you say so,” she said. “I guess it will...”
Dave heard a knock on the door and he opened it to find the limo driver at the door. Dave smiled and said, “Come on in.” The limo driver entered and then Dave looked at her. “Karalyn Hardison, is that you?” Dave asked. “Dave? Are you Dave Halan?” the driver asked. Dave nodded and the driver hugged Dave. “Karalyn, it’s been a while,” Dave said. “Only a year since I moved,” Karalyn said.
“So, I see you didn’t go into a dragon’s line of work,” Dave said. “Well, no. I decided to become a limo driver. It kind of helps people and I get to sometimes see famous people,” Karalyn said. “So, you are my passenger?” “No, not me. My close friend, Jake and his girlfriend, Rose. They are good people and I paid for them to go out for a day of romance,” Dave told her.
“A couple. That is sweet. I love couples,” Karalyn said. “That is good. Just please treat them nicely and everything should be fine,” Dave told her. Karalyn and Dave sat down and they chatted for twenty minutes before Rose and Jake came downstairs all dressed and ready to go out on their date.
Dave and Sarah stood up when they came into the room. “Rose, Jake. This is my friend, Karalyn,” Dave said. “Hello Karalyn, nice to meet you,” Rose said. “She is also your driver,” Dave said. Rose looked at Jake but Jake was staring at Dave. Dave took Jake and Rose outside with Karalyn at his side. Rose smiled and wrapped her arms around Jake. “Have a good day you two,” Dave said. “Karalyn, I’ll talk to you later,” Dave finished. Karalyn nodded and the three of them got into the limo and left. “Those two. They clearly love each other,” Dave said, walking back into the shop.
Jake and Rose sat in the back of the limo. They were talking and having a good time with Karalyn. They drove around New York City for a few minutes before Jake told Karalyn where to drop them off for breakfast. Karalyn pulled up to the restaurant. Jake got out and went to the other side and held Rose’s door open. She got out and smiled. They walked into the restaurant and got a seat. While they had their breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, rolls, and grave, they talked about little things. “Where did you get that dress at?” Jake asked her.
“Well, I snuck out last night. I went home and I grabbed all my clothes. I grabbed some of Dave’s as well,” Rose explained to him. “I never heard you leave,” Jake told her. “Well, I made sure you were sleeping,” Rose said. They continued to eat and enjoy the time together. Jake paid for the breakfast and they left.
They got into the limo to see Karalyn waiting for them. “I hope you were not waiting long,” Jake said to Karalyn. “I am fine. I have only been waiting five minutes. I went into that clothes store,” Karalyn said. They drove off around the city. “How do you know Dave?” Jake asked Karalyn. Karalyn was quiet for a moment. “Sorry if that was personal,” Dave said. “No, it is ok. I was just thinking about how I can tell you,” Karalyn said. She took a deep breath. “Are you two really close to Dave?” she asked. “Yes, we are,” Rose said. “Why?” Jake asked. “Does he have some secrets?” Jake asked.
“Yeah, he kind of does. If I tell you, will you continue being friends with Dave?” Karalyn asked. “Of course. Nothing can destroy our friendship,” Rose said. “Well, we were friends growing up. You see, I am what you can call a dragon. So is Dave,” Karalyn said. “Ah, you are one as well,” Rose said. “You are one?” Karalyn asked Rose. “No, she isn’t. But I am,” Jake said. “Ah you must be the famous Jake Long. Grandson of the great Laoshi,” Karalyn said. “That would be me,” Jake said. “Well, now that I know that I don’t have to hide anything,” Karalyn said with a smile. “No, don’t worry about anything,” Jake said.
“Well, I am sure Dave told you about himself,” Karalyn said. “No. He hasn’t,” Jake said. “Oh. Well, he lived in Yonkers, New York. He lived there for about ten years. He used to live on the Isle of Draco. Then they had, one day, been attacked by the Dark Dragon. They ran and moved to Yonkers. Because Dave was so young, he doesn’t remember,” Karalyn told them.
“How did you know Dave?” Rose asked. “I was friends with him since he was three. I got to know him for two years,” Karalyn said. “How old are you now?” Jake asked. “I am nineteen,” Karalyn told him. “So, you met him when you were seven,” Rose said. “Yes, we were friends. I watched out for him. I loved to play with him. Out of all of our kind, I loved to be around Dave.” “Why Dave? Especially when he was four years younger than you,” Rose asked. “I liked him. He seemed smarter than your average three year old,” Karalyn said.
“He was? It doesn’t really surprise me with him being how he is,” Jake said. “He had a great vocabulary for a three year old. He had a good imagination and could really talk up a storm,” Karalyn said. “What about him and wearing black?” Rose asked. “Well, Dave has always mostly worn black. It shouldn’t really shock you. Our kind usually wears our colors,” Karalyn said.
“Well, you have a point. Jake does the same thing. So does his grandfather,” Rose said. “What colors do you think you would be if you were one of us?” Karalyn asked. “I am usually in pink and white so I would probably be those colors,” Rose said. “Well, that is good thinking. It is a shame you aren’t one,” Karalyn said. “I know, she would have been a beautiful one,” Jake said. “I wish I was one. Sometimes I would dream I was one. I would wake up and train harder so I would convince myself those dreams didn’t mean anything,” Rose said. “Train?” Karalyn asked.
“What do you train for?” “I...well...,” Rose hesitated and then sighed. “I am a member of the Huntsclan,” she said. Karalyn almost him the breaks. “The Huntsclan! Why are you here!” she asked angrily. “She hasn’t quit yet. The Huntsclan thinks she was kidnapped,” Jake explained. “Where are we going?” Rose asked. “To the mall,” Jake said.
The limo cruised around a little bit before pulling up to the mall. Jake got out first again and helped Rose out. They walked into the mall and Rose smiled. They walked around and Karalyn smiled and said, “I am going boy hunting.” She walked off with a wave. Rose and Jake walked hand in hand around the mall. They looked around at the stores. They walked first into the skate shop. They looked at the different boards and designs before Rose picked one out. “You can help me,” she told Jake. Jake grabbed one for himself. They went up to the register and paid for the items.
They walked out of the store and Rose whispered to Jake, “Why do you skate when you can fly?” “Because, I can’t exactly fly all over New York City all day. I got to have fun with my friends too. They can’t exactly fly as they are human,” Jake whispered back. Rose gave a chuckled and they continued to walk. “Where would you like to go for lunch later?” Jake asked. “I know this good restaurant that is a few miles away from here,” Rose told him. They walked a little bit more and then Rose saw the GAP store. Jake knew what was going to come and it came. She walked right into the store like something was pulling her in there. “Girls and their clothes,” Jake said softly before he went in himself.
Rose started looking at some dresses in the corner. She pulled out a red dress and went into the dressing room. She came out and Jake checked her out. “Red looks good on you,” Jake told her. Rose smiled and drew him into a kiss. When she pulled away, she said, “But not as good looking as you when you are red,” she said. She went back into the dressing room and changed back. She came out and headed for the shirts. She grabbed a few white shirts like the ones she usually wore.
She then tried to pull Jake over to the men’s section. “I prefer the clothes I have. Thank you though,” Jake told her. Rose just smiled and went to the register and reached in to pay for the clothes but Jake pulled out some money. “Let me, my sweet Rose,” Jake said. He paid for the clothes and they left the shop. Karalyn came back a few moments later. “Any cute boys?” Rose asked. “A few, but none as good looking as Dave,” Karalyn said. They left the mall and got into the limo. “Hey, Karalyn,” Rose said. “Yes?” Karalyn asked. “What are your colors?” Rose asked. Karalyn was silent for a moment. “Sorry if I offended you,” Rose said quietly. “No, you didn’t,” Karalyn laughed. “I haven’t changed in so long, I am trying to remember,” she said. Then said, “Pink and purple.”
“Interesting,” Rose said. She then helped direct Karalyn to the restaurant she told Jake about earlier. They looked out at the sky. It appeared like it was going to rain. They pulled up to the restaurant. “Karalyn, you are welcome to join us if you wish,” Jake said. “I couldn’t do that,” Karalyn said. “Come on in and join use. We could get to know each other more,” Rose said. “No, that is ok. But with your permission, could I check this one place quickly?” Karalyn asked. “Yes, go ahead,” Jake told her. Jake and Rose went into the restaurant while Karalyn drove off.
Jake walked in and saw a sign that said ‘Reservations Only!’ Jake stopped and pulled out his cell phone and called the electronics shop.
(At the shop...)
Dave answered the phone. “Canal Street Electronics. (Thank you “Keeping Shop” for the name of the store!) This is Dave Halan speaking. How can I help you?” “Dave?” Dave heard Jake’s voice say over the phone. “Jake, how are you?” Dave asked. “We are great. Could you do us a favor?” Jake asked. “Sure, what do you need?” Dave asked. “Can you call a restaurant for us and get us reservations?” Jake asked. “Will do. Just give me the number and name of the restaurant,” Dave said. Jake gave him the information and Dave made the reservations. He called Jake back. “It is all ready to go. It is under your name,” Dave told him. “Thanks Dave. I owe you,” Jake said. “No you don’t,” Dave said. They hung up and Dave sat back, relaxing during the slow day.
Jake and Rose entered the restaurant. “Reservations Please,” the waitress said. “Jake Long,” Jake told her. “Ah, yes. Right this way,” the waitress said and brought Rose and Jake to their table. They sat down and ordered Sprites and the waitress went off to get the drinks. Rose and Jake sat there quietly and stared into each other’s eyes. They then looked at the menu and decided on grilled chicken lunches. The waitress come back three minutes later and set down their drinks. Rose ordered their meals and the waitress left again. She came back about ten minutes later with their meals. They ate and talked about Rose.
“So, your uncle is really the Huntsmaster,” Jake said. “Yes. And you were the one in our Huntslair when we were rehearsing for the play,” Rose said. “Did you know that the magical beetle was in the Huntslair that day?” Jake asked. “It was? Damn, under our noses the whole time,” Rose said in mock anger, causing both of them to laugh. They ate a bit more before engaging in conversation again. “And, do you remember that time when you captured me when I had those shape shifting powers?” Jake asked her. “That was you too? I thought there was something familiar about the clothes,” Rose said. “And please don’t tell me that was you shape shifted as Aaron.” “Yep, that was me,” Jake said. “I thought it was too strange for a pop star to be in a school like ours,” Rose said. They finished their meal. Jake paid the bill and left a tip. He helped Rose out of her chair and they walked out of the restaurant.
The limo was just pulling up when they walked out the doors. Jake and Rose got in and they noticed Karalyn hiding something under the passenger seat. Jake raised an eyebrow but Rose put her hands on his to tell him, without words, not to mention anything. They started to get closer to kiss but stopped. “Jake,” Rose said softly. Then a beeping sound came from the front. Jake asked, “What is it?” to Rose softly. “Hold on, got to take this call,” Karalyn said and closed the barrier between the front and back of the limo.
“Ok, now that we got privacy,” Jake said. “Ok, first of all, what she was hiding. It looked like a Huntsclan suit,” Rose said quietly. “Second, that beeping sound is the same sound that was on my communicator whenever Huntsmaster tried to contact me,” Rose finished. Jake sighed. “Not on our date,” he said. “Don’t worry, we will deal with it later. It could just be a coincidence,” Rose told him. “You are right. But, I still wonder,” Jake said. “Wonder this,” Rose said and then pulled him in close and kissed him. Rose pushed Jake down lightly onto his back. Jake pulled her down on top of him and they continued to kiss and hold onto each other.
Rose and Jake secretly wanted to go further but they both thought the other person didn’t want to go that far and that they couldn’t do anything anyways as they were in a limo. They heard the barrier start to go down and they quickly sat up, trying to regain their breath. “Sorry about the call. Just my boss wanting to check on me,” Karalyn said. “That is ok,” Rose said breathlessly. “Where to now?” Karalyn asked. “The theaters please,” Jake said.
Karalyn drove to the theaters nearby to let Jake and Rose get out. Before they did, she told them, “I am going to get some gas and check in with my boss. I will be back in about an hour and forty five minutes.,” “All right. Be careful though,” Rose told her. Rose got out of the car, taking Jake’s hand as he helped her out. They walked up to the ticket booth. “What movie do you want to see?” Jake asked. “It doesn’t matter. What do you want to see?” Rose asked. They argued lightly but settled on a movie. When they entered, they got a seat in the very back. Luckily, there were only two other people there, another couple. They seemed not to notice Jake and Rose.
Jake put down a seat and sat in it. Rose climbed into his lap. “Do you mind?” she asked. “No,” Jake said happily. Jake kissed her. When the movie started, Rose stretched out on Jake’s lap. Her legs, resting on the armrest while she put her head on Jake’s chest. They remained like this through the whole movie and come out two hours later with a smile. They got into the limo to feel the air conditioner on. “That feels a little good,” Rose said, not wanting to say anything about coming out of a cold theater.
Jake pulled out his cell phone and started to make reservations for a restaurant later that night. Rose snuggled closely by Jake and held onto him. “Dinner isn’t for another few hours so what do you want to do?” Jake asked her when he got off the phone. “Well, we can do a little mini-golfing,” Rose suggested. “Let’s do that,” Jake said and Karalyn drove to the golf course.
Karalyn drove the long way to the golf course just as they requested. When they pulled up, Rose offered Karalyn to join them. This time she accepted. They got out of the limo and went to pick out their balls, clubs, and to pay for the game. Rose found a pinkish ball and Jake found a red ball. Karalyn seemed interested in looking at the young man behind the counter. She finally tore her eyes away from him and pulled out a purple ball. They then picked their golfing clubs for the game and approached the counter. “Hello, welcome to the Golf Land. How may I help you?” the man asked. “You can go out on a date with me,” Karalyn said softly so the man couldn’t hear her and Rose and her walked away, giggling and talking rapidly. “A game for three please,” Jake said. The man rang up the total amount and paid for the game.
They walked out of the shop and walked to the first hole to begin the game. Rose was allowed to go first, then Karalyn second, and Jake last. “Let’s make a bet,” Rose said. “Not me,” Karalyn said laughing. “All right. I’ll take a bet,” Jake said. Rose gave a semi-evil grin. “Here is the bet. You win, you can do anything you want,” Rose said. Jake thought about this and said, “What if you win?” “If I win, you have to fly me around New York City at least once a week,” Rose told him. Jake tried to hold back a smile. ‘I was going to do that for you anyways baby,’ Jake thought and then said out loud, “I agree.” Rose held out her hand as in a mock agreement. Jake smiled finally and shook her hand. “Well then, let’s play mini-golf!” Karalyn said.
The game then started, to see who would win the bet. Karalyn won the first hole with Jake coming in second and Rose in third. They moved onto the second hole, continuing to play, gently at first. Rose coming in first, Karalyn in second, Jake in third on the second hole. The third hole, Jake came in first with Rose in second and Karalyn in third. The playing continued, no clear winner having yet been decided.
At the end of the first nine holes, Rose was in first, Karalyn in second, and Jake in third. “Looks like I am going to win,” Rose said with an evil smile. “You wish you could baby,” Jake said. “Oh, I don’t wish, I know,” she said. “Hey, I will let you two finish this game alone. I am going to talk to that hottie employee,” Karalyn said and took her club and ball and left.
The game got even fiercer. Jake and Rose kept trying to outdo each other. Finally, they reached the final hole. “You need to get a hole in one to win,” Rose said, putting her ball in the hold on the first stroke. Jake closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened his eyes and hit the ball. It balanced on the edge of the hole for a moment before it went in. “Looks like you win,” Rose said, getting closer to Jake. “Here’s a victory kiss,” she said and she reached in to kiss him. They held onto the kiss for a few seconds, then broke away. They went in to return the clubs. They saw Karalyn pocketing a piece of paper. They returned the clubs and got into the limo a few minutes later. They gave a sigh as they realized how dark it was.
They drove off, heading for the restaurant that Jake made reservations to. “So, how did it go with that guy?” Rose asked Karalyn. “It went fine. His name is Brian and is only a year older than me. He gave me his number and address,” she said. They continued to ride on, Jake looking out the window at the beautiful lights. He could never get enough of them. He loved everything about New York City. He wished that he never had to leave, no matter where people wanted him to move to.
The drive continued in silence, the only sound was those of the noices from the outside. Rose placed her head on Jake’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Jake stroked her hair and kept an eye out the window at the sights. Karalyn looked into the rearview mirror and saw the sight of Jake and Rose. She smiled and closed the barrier to give them privacy.
Jake leaned back, turning his attention to Rose. He planted a kiss, softly on her head. He then thought back to some moments they shared. Jake, leaning into Rose for a kiss in the snow before the ski trip. Jake, meeting Rose for the first time. He smiled at the thoughts and thought about all the times they fought and how horrible he felt about it now. Rose was thinking about the times she fought against Jake in his dragon form. She couldn’t believe all the time she fought against him. ‘All those times I fought him. Him as a dragon. All right, a cute dragon,’ she admitted to herself silently with a grin.
They continued thinking about all their times together, both the good and the bad. Rose finally lifted her head up and looked directly into Jake’s eyes. They leaned in and kissed each other, holding each other closely.
They finally pulled away just as the limo pulled up to the restaurant. Jake and Rose took a moment to get ready, then they got out of the limo. They walked up to the counter. “Reservations please,” the waiter said. “Jake Long,” Jake told him. The waiter checked and then marked his name off the list and brought Rose and Jake to their table. After they were seated, Jake and Rose ordered their drinks. When a waitress came with their drinks, they ordered what they wanted.
Karalyn meanwhile took off with the limo, going to see her boss before Jake and Rose finished eating.
Jake and Rose had a good time, eating and laughing about their past experiences,. They finished their meal and paid about an hour later. They kindly tipped the waitress and left the restaurant just as Karalyn was pulling up. They got back into the limo and gave each other a quick kiss. “Where to now?” Karalyn asked. “Back home please,” Jake said and they drove the rest of the way home in silence. When they pulled up to the shop, Jake helped Rose out and they went inside with Karalyn right behind them. Dave greeted them. “How was it?” he asked. “Just perfect,” Rose said as Jake picked her up bridal style and headed for the stairs.
“Thanks a lot Dave,” Jake said to him. Then they headed up to the bedroom. Dave motioned for Karalyn to sit down. “So, how was it?” Dave asked her. “They truly love each other. I loved driving them around,” Karalyn said. “I know that they really do love each other,” Dave said. Dave paid Karalyn and gave her a huge tip. “Good night Karalyn. Keep in touch with me,” Dave told her. “Don’t worry, I will,” Karalyn said and left. She drove off in the limo. Dave headed for the couch where he slept. ‘A perfect day of romance for them. I hope that they will be happy together for the rest of their lives,’ he thought as he laid down and went to sleep.
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There you go, Chapter 19! I am going to write the last of the chapters this weekend and post them on Monday and Tuesday so I can work on the sequel while I am at my dad's house for the Christmas holidays where I don't have internet access.