Thank youso much to Wanderer, kIrEigIrL, coolgirlc, and Lunar Lilly Muse for your kind words! Sorry, it took me so long to update, life got busy and NaNoRiMo (National Novel Writing Month) distracted me. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

-Daphne

Everyone had to be something. Some kids were Asian, some were Indian, Trixie was black, and Spud's family way back had been Irish. And Jake was a dragon. Everybody had to be something. It wasn't necessarily something he thought about a lot, probably not more than Trixie thought about being black. But today was different. Today being a dragon meant something, something big. And today Jake couldn't stop thinking about it.

A tater tot flew past Jake's head. "Earth to Jake! I'm talking to you, man!" Trixie glared at him from the other side of the lunchroom table.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about some stuff."

"It must have been some big stuff to be more important than you friends." Jake cringed and almost said something, but Trixie plowed forward. "I was saying we should do something after school, since its your birthday and all."

"I told you, Trixie. We're doing my birthday on Friday, since today's a school night. Remember? Laser tag?" Jake mimed pointing a gun at Trixie. "Ptwu! Ptwu!" He pretended to shoot her.

"I know that. What I'm saying is we should do something after school, since today is your actual birthday and all."

"Chucky Cheese!" Spud burst in. Trixie looked at him disapprovingly.

"We are not going to some lame ass kids' pizza shop."

Spud looked visibly disappointed. "But I like those little mole things. You know the ones that pop up and you can hit them with that whacker thing? I'm all like, bam! bam! take that you stupid mole! Wham!" Spud's hand came down on a milk carton ,spilling milk across the table, just missing Jake. "Oops." Spud smiled sheepishly. Trixie grabbed the nearest pile of napkins and started soaking up the mess.

"We could go down to Times Square and go to The Broadway Arcade."

"Do they have the mole smasher game?" Spud brightened up.

"I guess so..." Trixie started. Jake waved his hands in the air cutting her off.

"Thanks guys, I'd love to, but I really can't go out today. I've got a family thing and I've got to get home after school."

"You can still come to the arcade for a bit." Trixie argued.

"No, really. I've got to go home. You see turning thirteen is kind of this big thing in my family and... and..." Jake struggled for the words. And I have to begin my responsibilities as a dragon! He thought "And it's a tradition." He finished out loud.

"What are you suddenly Jewish, now?" Trixie asked. Spud placed a hand on Trixie's shoulder and gave her a very serious look.

"Trixie, Jake's not Jewish. He's Asian. Asian." Trixie smacked Spud's hand off her shoulder.

"I know that."

"Look guys," Jake didn't want the conversation to get much further, "I don't really know what the big deal is, okay? It's just a family thing" Trixie and Spud both seemed to accept that answer and Trixie started talking about the new half pipe in Morningside Park. Jake tried to pay attention, but his stomach was flipping around in excitement and he kept noticing his feet tapping nervously on the floor.

Everyone had to be something and Jake was a dragon. And today was a good day to be a dragon.