Rose's In Flames: Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The bright yellow rays of the sun started to illuminate the inside of Snowy's room. It was daybreak now but, everyone was still sound asleep except for Snowy and her mom who was downstairs in the kitchen. Snowy looked slowly around her whole room, and she noticed that Logan must have crept into her room last night and slept near her on the floor. She slipped off of her bed, and walks over to try and wake him up. She dips her head to nudge Logan in the side.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," she told Logan. "I think I may have something planned for us today, but I'm not entirely sure yet. However, you don't mind if you were going to be with someone who isn't your species hmm? You don't find that weird?"

Logan jerked wide awake. Her voice scared him. "Jeez, Snowy, you scared me," he said. "Um, and did you say something? Snowy?" Logan placed the palm of his hands against his face, and he rubbed his eyes. He looked out the window, and he winced away. It was bright outside, and he found the blanket beside him to cover himself.

"Sorry," she replied. Snowy gets up and, she starts to get ready for the day. "I said, maybe I have something planned for us to do today, and maybe Frost could come along?"

Logan stood up, and he relaxed his shoulders. He stood in the same place for a moment to stretch. Then, he opened a pack of gum, and he placed a piece inside his mouth. He headed over to Snowy where the sink was, and he started to rinse his hair. "Don't you find it strange that you won't be hanging out with someone who isn't the same species as you?"

Logan shook his head, "No, I find it fun, actually," he said. Snowy detected a hint of happiness in his voice. He sounded like he was eager to be with Snowy and Frost.

"So, will I be meeting your dad today?" Logan asked.

Snowy chuckled. "No. It's like I said. He always takes long business trips," Snowy rinsed her paws in the sink, and she playfully flicks the water into Logan's face. He laughed it off as he dries his hair.

"I wish I'd meet your dad. Your mom makes it sound like he's a great guy,"

Snowy had a vibrant look on her face. "I love my dad, but honestly I wish he would get another job. The job he has now takes his time out of him when he is supposed to be spending it with us. I could tell my mom hates it, and I think she might be having thoughts she doesn't want to have about my dad. Anyway, Logan, I don't want to talk about it, and let's go downstairs."

Logan slowly walked over, and he cracked the door open for Snowy but, she closed the door.

"Aren't you going to go downstairs and have breakfast?" Logan said.

Snowy shook her head. "No, it's not that. I hope you don't think it's weird that my mom let you sleep with me last night. I know it's not normal for humans to do it with someone they only spent one night with, but for dragons, it is normal, ok? I think it would benefit the both of us if you were to understand our customs,"

Logan shot Snowy a weird look. He was not thinking about that at all.

"Why did I go and say that?" Snowy thought. "So, embarrassing." Snowy cursed herself for talking like an idiot.

"You know what, forget that I said that Logan," Snowy said, sounding annoyed.

Snowy opened the door quietly and, she headed downstairs to join up in the kitchen. Ivy was already awake. She was sitting at the table and across from her was Gwendolyn. They were talking about yesterday's events about what happened at Venom's house. It appeared that Ivy looked like she was doing better.

"Good morning," Gwendolyn said, "Good morning to you, Logan,"

Gwendolyn winked at Logan.

Logan and Snowy sit down on Ivy's right and on her left. She wasn't crying but, she appeared concerned.

"Middle school drama?" Snowy said.

Ivy nodded.

"Yeah, my friends just completely stopped talking to me. They promised they wouldn't do this time. But of course, I should have listened to what mom said. They did what mom predicted, Snowy. And they can suck it."

Gwendolyn's eyes flared up. "Wait, Ivy, you only said this was the first time this has happened. Now it's not?"

Ivy swallowed hard and, she nodded. "Yes, Mom, this is more like the fifth or six time."

Gwendolyn looked mad but, she kept herself calm. "Ivy, I do not want you hanging out with those dragons anymore. Do I make myself clear?" she stated firmly. She was getting tired of Ivy complaining about something she should have taken cared of a long time ago.

Ivy nodded. "Yes," she whispered.

Gwendolyn asked her to speak more clearly when she talked.

"Yes." Ivy declared, "I will not be with those dragons anymore."

"Alright, and meanwhile Ivy, I suggest you go and look for new friends. I understand that there are some clubs somewhere where you could meet some dragons, and maybe even a guy friend."

"Mom! Come on." Ivy groaned. She didn't like that part when Gwendolyn hummed through her words about Ivy potentially finding herself a guy friend. She found that embarrassing.

Gwendolyn started to make breakfast for everyone. "Ivy, honey. When I was your age, I was bullied for a while, but I didn't let anyone push me around. I stood my ground, and I fought back and stood firm while I asserted myself. After some time, they left me alone."

Ivy nodded, and she understood that her mom only wants what was best for her. But she said nothing else.

Gwendolyn smiled and, she walked over to pat Ivy on the back. "Are we all good? Alright, and Ivy, there's always better dragons out there. Don't you remember when you talked about that one dragon whom you've always talked about?"

"You mean Saxor?" Ivy remembered. Saxor was Ivy's classmate in school, and they sometimes talked with each other. He was nice, but shy. Ivy only considers him as a friend, and a project partner."

"Mhm, that's the one," Gwendolyn answered.

"I mean, Saxor means well. He's nice and all but, he's weird sometimes."

Gwendolyn chuckled. "Your dad was the same way when we were younger. That means that Saxor is good at heart. I think you should talk to him more. He's a nice dragon."

Ivy shrugged. "Fine," she said.

"I only want what's best for you," said Gwendolyn.

Gwendolyn prompted Logan to sit up, and she took his spot to hug Ivy.

"Alright, Snowy, where are you planning to go today?" Gwendolyn asked.

Snowy was a bit quiet for the first part. She was resting her head on her paw.

"Frost wants to go and explore the forest," Snowy answered. Gwendolyn sensed hesitation in her voice. She knew what was in the forest that Frost must have spoken about.

Gwendolyn paused for a moment. She had sweet memories of that forest. She went there and met Snowy's dad their way back in the early 1980s. An extraordinary time of Gwendolyn's life. Eventually, the two started to know each other and, they eventually married. Gwendolyn's 19-year-old; daughter Snowy was their firstborn, and then Suri, Ivy, and Rico.

Gwendolyn said that Snowy could go to the forest but on one condition. "I don't want you guys to go to the side of the forest where the abandoned carnival park is. There are gangs over there and other dragons who go to that carnival park do not set good examples. If you guys were to go, just go to the part where it's closer to the neighborhood, ok? I want you guys to be safe."

Snowy took heed to her mother's warning and, she sat up to head out. Logan headed up too and, they started to go to the door.

"Oh! And make sure to come back around 5:00 or earlier!" Gwendolyn hollered.

"Alright, mom!" Snowy said.

They left out the front door. Snowy and Logan were going to walk up the street to the bakery to meet Frost.

"Wait! I'm coming with you guys!" Ivy said. She flew over to meet Snowy and Logan.

"I asked Mom if I could come with you guys. I'm going to go meet Saxor today." Ivy said. She pats her sister on the back.

Logan knew who Saxor was. The guys at school don't like him but, the girls do. They think he's one of the sweetest dragons there are. However, he isn't dating material for the girls either. The reason everyone knows who he was is for the fact that Venom, last fall beat him up for just talking to his girlfriend. It was a nasty fight. To Venom's benefit, his dad is the mayor of this town. He had to step in and make sure to stop his punishment from being executed. It sparked an outrage amongst the community. Nobody did anything about it.

"You should be in a relationship with him then," Snowy said. She kept urging her sister to say what she felt about it.

"I don't know how he might react," Snowy said, "But what have you got to lose?"

Ivy smiled. "Yeah, Snowy, I think your right! I should just tell him I love you out of the blue! He certainly will think I'm weird after that, I don't know him that well but alright!"

Saxor's house was before Frost's, so Snowy walked towards that direction to drop her off there. "Remember, Mom told us to return to the house by at least 5:00."

"Alright, see you guys later!" yelled Ivy.

Ivy ran over to Saxor's door and, she knocked on it as Snowy watched.

"Her house isn't that far from here now," Snowy said. Logan already knew where Frost lived, and he has already been to her house many times. However, nothing between Frost or Logan happened at her house. All he did was study for homework there or to hang out with Frost.

Snowy walked over to the bakery and she saw Frost inside working. She walks inside along with Logan.

"Oh, thank goodness you guys are here. I have to work. Someone called off." Snowy sensed that Frost certainly didn't want to be working at the café for a second longer. Frost didn't like this cafe job, and she was already planning on looking for another one. However, that street flying club that was downtown seemed to catch her eye. Frost is a pretty fast flyer for a Light fury, but the competition over there is stiff from what she heard about from other dragons.

Snowy frowned. "Oh, I was hoping we would-"

"I can just leave right now and say I was sick or something," Frost interrupted.

Both Snowy and Logan urged Frost to stay there, but Frost didn't care. She dropped her apron down and, she walked outside anyway.

Frost wanted to know what Snowy was planning with Logan. She didn't want him to get in her way. Frost was starting to become jealous of her friend.

"He's mine." Frost thought. "And Snowy better back off. I met him first!"

Frost chuckled and smiled secretly to herself as she began walking towards the direction of the woods.

As they were walking towards the woods, Ivy and Saxor saw Snowy heading there from his front yard. Ivy told Saxor that her sister and her friends were going to explore the forest. That sounded like it was a great idea to hang out, so Saxor and Ivy run up to join them. "Hey guys. Could Saxor and I join you?" asked Ivy. She tried to regain her breath from running a way away.

Snowy and Logan shrugged. Frost growled a bit. The less dragons that came along the better, but unfortunately for Frost, it doesn't seem that way.

"Yes, we're going to go in the woods to explore. You can come if you want," Snowy said.

Saxor and Ivy smiled. Then, they all went to go into the woods as friends.

"Halloween is tomorrow. Can't you guys believe it? It's already that time of the year." Logan said. Christmas was Logan's favorite holiday, but Halloween was his 3rd favorite with Thanksgiving in 2nd. He loved handing out candy to people and dragons. There was no need for costumes as much, since dragons already look like monsters to some people.

They entered the woods through the trees. It was starting to become overgrown, and it fell into decay. The town stopped cleaning up the tree line after the carnival closed down. Gwendolyn used to run and play with her friends in the forest all of the time, and she used to spend her summers as a teenager at the carnival when it was open. However, if Gwendolyn were here, she wouldn't recognize it anymore.

"These woods are creepy. My mom says there are gangs here," Saxor said.

"It's fine Saxor, were not going to go to that part of the woods," Ivy whispered. Saxor could detect a hint of fear in Ivy's voice. Saxor walked closer to Ivy for some reason to not feel the need to be afraid.

Frost was walking normally one minute, and then the next she had an idea she wanted to go with. She decides that she wants to gently brush up and become a bit too friendly by feeling it up with Logan but, Snowy saw it. "Wait, what is Frost doing?" Snowy thought. She wasn't dumb to not notice, and Snowy thought for a moment and concluded that Frost must have watched what happened yesterday when Snowy and Logan were sitting at the bench at the park. Snowy walked up in between them. "Do you guys like the woods yet?" she said. "They sure are pretty, it's not scary at all. Besides, it's still light out, ok guys?"

Frost frowned. She didn't like Snowy getting between her and Logan for one bit.

"Yes, we like the woods, thank you very much," Frost said. She flaps her wings a few times in annoyance.

Suddenly, everyone heard a loud sound. It distracted everyone from looking at Snowy and Logan. Snowy's heart skipped a beat. She realized that this was the moment to finally have her chance to kiss Logan. Snowy knew she couldn't pull this off at home, or anywhere else. It was either now or never, and if she did it at home, her siblings would have for sure seen it, even if she was behind closed doors, or if she kissed him out in the public, well then that would be weird.

Snowy reached out to grab him, and then she proceeds to kiss him on the cheek, giving him a wet kiss. At the last second, she pulled away right before everyone was looking at them again.

Frost was the only one who seemed to have noticed Logan's wet cheek. She knew.

"It's so unfair!" she thought. She gnashed her teeth in anguish, and she did her best to calm herself down. "Why does Snowy have to do this? I swear that I could punch her right now. I was the one who befriended Logan first,"

The group started to walk again and, Frost kept thinking of multiple, different scenarios between Logan and her. She starts thinking about how to get him interested in her also. After all, Logan met her first before Snowy did.

It wasn't fair to Frost. Frost still thinks that Snowy is her best friend. But she didn't want anyone interfering with her love life. "My love life is far more important than any friend I would ever have," Frost thought. "Can't Snowy see how important Logan is to me? Doesn't she know that I might love him?"