Chapter 4: School Life

Jake Long was sweeping the floor at his Grandfather's electronics shop when a wheelchair-bound woman wheeled her way in. "May I help you, Ms.…" Jake politely asked.

"Derceto." She explained. "Dolores Derceto. I'm looking for Luong Lao Shi."

"You must be the Principal of Millard Fillmore Middle School." Jake figured out.

"And you must be Mr. Lao Shi's grandson Jake Long." She guessed back.

"Yes, Principal Derceto." Jake eagerly answered and then went to Lao Shi's office to call him. "G, Principal Derceto is here to see you."

"I'm glad to hear it, Jake." Lao Shi replied. "Bring her here."

"Yes, G." Jake replied and then went back to where he left the Principal. Fu Dog was amazed at how fast Jake took from being waited upon to having to perform chores.

Jake soon returned with Principal Derceto. Fu Dog and Lao Shi were surprised to see a paraplegic woman but did a good work hiding it. "Welcome to my humble shop, Principal Derceto." Lao Shi greeted his visitor. "My name is Luong Lao Shi, this is my pet Fu Dog and I believe you already met my grandson."

"Yes and I must say he's quite a polite kid, Mr. Lao Shi." She happily replied. "Are there just the four of us here or is there a risk we're being eavesdropped on?"

"Only the four of us, Principal Derceto." Lao Shi answered.

"In that case, does the American Dragon know which kind of magical creature I am?" She asked, shocking Jake.

"Nope." Jake replied. "I didn't even know you're not a non-magical human."

Principal Derceto lifted part of her skirt, revealing a tail. "I'm a mermaid."

"Did you know about that, G?" Jake asked in wonder.

"I knew she was a magical creature but not which kind, young dragon." Lao Shi answered.

"Leave it to the Dragon Council to be too secretive." Fu snarked.

"FU DOG!" Lao Shi glared at his canine companion.

"Anyway, Mr. Lao Shi, I'm here to discuss your grandson's enrollment at Millard Fillmore Middle School." She said and then handed him some papers. "Please fill in these forms, show me the document where Jake Long's parents allowed you to act as his in loco parentis and let me keep a copy of it."

"Certainly, Principal Derceto." Lao Shi formally replied while handing her the original document and a copy.

"Also, I must know if there's anybody else at school who already knows who Jake's father is." The Principal stated.

"Spud knows, Principal Derceto." Jake explained.

"I believe it's okay for as long as it's not widely known." Principal Derceto commented. "Now, Jake, I'd like to talk to your Grandfather without anybody else around to discuss other details."

"Jake, I believe you didn't finish sweeping the store." Lao Shi commented and Jake took his cue to leave. "Fu Dog, keep an eye at him." After both Jake and Fu left, Lao Shi talked to the Principal. "Principal Derceto, my grandson still doesn't know very much about the Magical World but I know better than to think he's your only reason to be here."

"You're correct, Mr. Lao Shi." She replied while showing her badge. "I'm a mermaid detective."

Meanwhile, at the shop, Jake was resuming his chore. "Kid, why're you doing it?" Fu Dog asked Jake.

"Doing what?" Jake asked in confusion.

"Chores." Fu clarified. "Shouldn't you be upset at being forced to do them?"

"Fu, I've been taught discipline." Jake answered. "I'm glad to be able to do normal kid stuff."

"Well, if you change your mind, I know some pixies that won't mind doing it for you if you don't mind paying." Fu suggested. "Just tell them I recommended them to you. They'll pay me a commission."

"No surprises here, Fu." Jake commented.

"Well, kid, if you change your mind, I'm in my room cataloguing my potions." Fu said and then left.

Right after that, Principal Derceto wheeled herself back in to give Jake her goodbyes. "Jake, your registration has been concluded and I'm going back to school to file the paperwork. See you at the first day of class."

"Goodbye, Principal Derceto." He politely replied.

Time skip

Jake eagerly entered the school grounds where he was welcomed by his former private tutor Sun Park, who got a job at Millard Fillmore Middle School as a Home Economics teacher. "You must be our new student." She commented pretending not to have met him before. "Jake Long, right?"

Jake silently nodded. He also pretended not to know her for the sake of the magical secret.

"Don't be shy, Jake." She asked him. "I'm Sun Park, the Home Economics teacher."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Park." Jake replied.

"You may call me Sun." She said. "All my students can. Now let me show your locker and then your schedule."

After Jake got himself acquainted to his locker, he was directed to Professor Rotwood's classroom. "Are you sure you're in the right place, hoodlum?" Rotwood asked upon seeing a kid he never saw before.

"Yes, Mr. Rotwood." Jake answered. "I'm…"

"PROFESSOR Rotwood, You hoodlum!" Rotwood angrily replied.

"I'm a new student, Professor." Jake said and then showed his student identity card.

Rotwood examined the card and dismissively handed it back to Jake. "Oh, ya. Principal Derceto told me about you." He said and then addressed the other students. "Class, zis is Jake Long, a new student. Say 'hello' to ze new student."

"Hello, Jake Long!" Jake's classmates replied. Some were excited while others were bored and only greeted him out of obligation.

"Is there anything about you that you'd like to share with ze class, Mr. Long?" Rotwood asked.

"My name is Jake Long and I've been home schooled my whole life until now." Jake answered.

"Thanks for sharing it, Mr. Long." Rotwood said with false sincerity. "You may take that seat next to Mr. Spudinski here." He added while pointing at the seat.

"Thank you, Professor Rotwood." Jake replied and then sat next to Spud. "Hi, Spud. Hi, Trixie."

"Hi, Jake." Both friends replied. Everyone else was surprised Jake already knew two of the students.

Rotwood then started his usual "facts" about magical creatures, making it hard for Jake to remember his instructions to pretend he knew nothing about them. All students felt a big relief when the class was over. "Can you believe that man?" Jake asked his friends.

"I know." Trixie replied. "Speaking of magical creatures like they're real."

Jake was shocked as Trixie unknowingly reminded him that most humans dismissed magical creatures as not being real. "Oh, right." He unconvincingly said. "Everyone knows they're mere myths."

Trixie figured out Jake was lying but pegged it as him believing magical creatures were real but, unlike Rotwood, too ashamed to admit it. Not wanting to make it harder for the new kid to adapt, she decided to play it along. "Don't we? I believe we'd have already seen a dragon if they existed."

"I don't know, Trixie." Spud replied. "I've seen a cartoon with a dragon that can turn invisible. Sure, the other dragons in that cartoon didn't have that power but still…"

Now Trixie was really desperate for a change of subject. "Jakey, your surname is 'Long'. Are you…" She'd ask but changed her mind. "Never mind."

"I'm Chinese-American and 'Long' is Chinese for 'Dragon'." Jake explained. "The word just happens to have another meaning in English."

"Okay." She meekly replied. 'Silly me.' She thought. 'Of course Jakey couldn't be Jonathan Long's relative. He's Chinese and that rich guy is Caucasian.'

"Hey, new kid!" A tall and muscular blond boy called Jake.

"What's up?" Jake asked.

"My name is Brad Morton." He introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, Long."

"Nice to meet you too, Morton." Jake replied.

"You may call me Brad."

"Then you may call me Jake."

"Do you play any sports?" Brad asked. "It could be a good way for you to have better friends than these losers."

Jake was furious. "My friends aren't losers."

"Suit yourself, Long." Brad arrogantly said and then left.

"What's up with him?" Jake asked his friends.

"Don't mind him, Jakey." Trixie replied. "He's just a spoiled brat whose Dad is a cop who gives him a huge allowance."

Jake was suddenly glad for the restrictions his parents placed on him. As far as Jake was concerned, they're a price worth paying to avoid being a jerk like Brad.

"Jake, Trixie, wanna hit the half pipe after class?" Spud invited his friends.

"I'm calling Gramps to see if it's okay." Jake said and then picked up his cell phone.

"I thought Jakey was just spending summer with his Grandfather." Trixie commented.

"Jake occasionally helps him at the electronics shop." Spud explained.

"Gramps says it's okay." Jake accepted the invitation.

"Cool!" Spud commented.

End chapter.