Chapter 18: Junior Year

Aaron, Smolder and Megan drove up to the school in Smolder's car in the student parking lot. Both of them were in human form for the entire drive which made it easier to sit in the seats because of their tails being so big. After they and Megan got out of the car, they headed for the school.

"Seriously?" Smolder asked. "That police officer has no relation with that one bully during Freshmen Year?"

"Nope," Aaron said. "Uncle Liam did the research. No relation at all."

"Well, at least ya didn't get arrested," Megan said.

"At least we got two more years of High School," Aaron said. "Two more years. Let's get to class."

Aaron, Smolder and Megan went into the school for their first class. It was Junior Year, and they were going to be one step closer to graduating. Aaron and Smolder had more difficult classes. For A-Days, Aaron and Smolder were taking Physics, US History and PE for their common classes. And their extra curriculars, Aaron had chosen a home building class while Smolder was taking advanced dress making, which was impressing Marissa. And as for B-Days, Aaron and Smolder were taking English, Algebra-2 and Electives for their common classes. And for their extra curriculars, both of them have chosen the school newsletter.

It was an A-Day, and Aaron, Smolder and Megan met Paul, Kyle and Slab in Physics Class. The six of them then got into their assigned seats.

"I can't wait for Basketball Season to start," Paul said. "Varsity, baby."

"Hell yeah," Kyle said. "I can't wait to get on the court. You ready, Aaron?"

"Yeah," Aaron said. "Just another two years of High School Basketball." He then looked towards Smolder and asked, "You ready for Cheerleading this year?"

"I'm still deciding if I even want to attend college," Smolder said.

"Well, you still have a year to decide that," came the voice of the teacher as the bell rang. The teacher was a man in his late 40's. He had short brown hair, green eyes, he wore a white long-sleeve button shirt, khaki pants and black dress shoes. "But, I would recommend going to college so you'd get a good paying career, Miss Drake." He then walked over to his desk. "Now, let's get started. My name is Mister Smith, and I'm your physics teacher this year. So, all of you, we're gonna be heading out to get your physics textbooks."

Aaron and Smolder were walking down the hall to get to the car since they had work that day. Smolder was reading her physics textbook.

"Huh," Smolder said. "Physics class seems like very advanced math."

"Almost everything is limited by the laws of physics," Aaron said. "Limited by certain phenomena."

"Really?" Smolder asked. "Huh. Guess even all the winged creatures have to know the laws of physics when it comes to flying." She then realized something. "Wait, you said almost everything. What's not limited by the laws of physics?"

"A certain pink pony from Equestria," Aaron said. "Along with her descendant that one time."

"Pinkie and Izzy?" Smolder asked. She then realized something. "Oh, right. Pinkie practically breaks the laws of physics everyday."

"At least we don't have homework today since it's the first day of school," Aaron said. "Gives us plenty of time to get ready for homework."

"Yeah, that's true," Smolder said before she and Aaron changed into their human forms and got into Smolder's car. Smolder started up the car and drove off to head to work.

Aaron and Smolder arrived home from work. Marissa had come down from upstairs seeing the two coming in.

"Hey, kids," Marissa said. "I just put your dinner in the microwave. Need me to heat it up?"

"Please?" Aaron asked.

"Already on it," Marissa said, walking towards the kitchen with Aaron and Smolder behind her. "So, how was your first day of school?"

"Meh, giving us harder classes every year, I can understand," Smolder said. "But physics? That's seriously every dragon needs to know when they're learning how to fly."

"Something tells me that you are gonna be surprisingly great in Physics Class on your own," Aaron said.

"We should get out of the house early, tomorrow," Smolder said. "My car's almost outta gas."

"There's a gas station with a Wendy's connected to it by the school," Marissa said. "You can pick up something there for breakfast as you're filling up the gas tank."

"Sounds like a plan," Smolder said. "We better inform Megan about it."

Aaron already had out his phone and said, "Already texting her. And... sent."

"Alright, you two, eat up," Marissa said, putting plates of steak, mashed potatoes and green beans on the table. "Don't want your food to be colder than it was." Aaron and Smolder then went over to the table to eat their dinner.

A couple months had passed. It was already November and Aaron and Smolder were coming out of Aaron's truck. Aaron grabbed a sports bag out of the backseat of the truck.

"I can't believe Megan had caught some stone scales," Smolder said. "I didn't know humans could spread those."

"They're called Chicken Pox," Aaron said. "It's a human thing. I caught the chicken pox when I was seven. Caught them from an old schoolmate of mine back in Chicago."

"Chicken Pox?" Smolder asked. "What do they do? Make you think you're a chicken?"

"No," Aaron said. "It gives you an itchy rash and small, fluid-filled blisters. We studied it in Health Class two years ago."

"So, how's your home building class going?" Smolder asked.

"Pretty good," Aaron said. "Honestly, I've been wanting to help people by building an apartment complex and running it. I would even have rooms for our friends in case they come to visit."

"That's actually a good idea," Smolder said. "Considering what happened in Los Angeles in January."

"That would be a great place to start," Aaron said. "After all the damage done to Los Angeles, they would need to have buildings rebuilt."

"I heard that Marissa is gonna open up other locations other than Orlando," Smolder said. "Big cities like New York, DC, even Chicago. Probably even on the West Coast."

"Big cities like LA, San Francisco, Seattle, probably even Las Vegas," Aaron said. "C'mon. Let's get to English class." They went into the school. "And I have to sign up for the Varsity Basketball Team. I can't wait to be wearing one of those cool Varsity Jackets." He then pointed at the football team in their varsity jackets.

"Hey, good luck, Aaron," one of the seniors of the varsity football team said. "Good luck this year."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Smolder asked, crossing her arms.

"This year, the Basketball Coach is... kinda intense," the football player said. "He treats his players like an army more than a team."

"Thanks," Aaron said. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Hey, he's now part dragon," Smolder said. "Equestrian Dragons are used to intense things."

"Unless you don't know all things dragon," Aaron said. "Spike had to learn things dragons from you mostly."

"True," Smolder said, looking up and nodding. "Now, let's get to class." Aaron and Smolder then went to their lockers to get their English Textbooks and then head to class.

In Free Period that day, Aaron, Paul and Kyle were in the main gym for Varsity Basketball Practice. Aaron was doing sit ups while Paul was supporting him and Kyle was doing push ups.

"This is it, guys," Kyle said. "Varsity. We made it."

"Yeah," Paul said. "We're gonna make it big."

"We have to give it our all," Aaron said. "Let's do this."

Then a man in his late 40's came into the gym wearing a red polo shirt, a whistle with a yellow string, black pants, and blue and white shoes. He had short blonde hair, nearly bald, and blue eyes.

"Alright, so you're all here to play some basketball for the Varsity team, eh?" the man asked. "Well, we'll see about that. This year, I'm gonna coach you all into winners for this great sport. I am Coach Slammer. Now, I want everyone here to do ten laps around the court and do ten jumping jacks after each lap."

"Um, Coach?" Aaron asked. "Don't you think that's a little extreme?"

"DID I SAY YOU COULD SPEAK!?!" the coach shouted. "START RUNNING!!" Then the boys who signed up for the team started running. But what they didn't know was that Smolder was up in the roof support beams looking down at practice. Even she knew that was too much for opening practices.

Weeks had passed since then. The Summer Valley Basketball Team were at their last game before Winter Break. So far, they had two wins and three losses in the basketball games. They were currently in a Home Game against Oak Ridge High, and they were losing, 45-56 with ten seconds left on the clock. Coach Slammer was upset that they were gonna lose, and he was blaming Aaron, Paul and Kyle for them losing. Then the buzzer went off.

After the game, the Coach had the entire Varsity team gathered up in the gym. Everyone was tired and sweaty. Coach Slammer then said, "I just have... one announcement. HOW COULD YOU ALL LET ME DOWN?!" He then walked back and forth in front of the team. "You all are the worst team of twelve players I have ever coached! You all weren't running like you were doing warm ups!"

"Coach, you were the one who made us do twenty laps around the building before the game!" Paul said.

"Shut up, Thompson!" Coach Slammer said. "I'm the coach! One more loss, and I'll start kicking out one player! Starting with you!" He then pointed at Aaron.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kyle said. "You can't kick Aaron off the team! He's one of the school's best players!"

"Today, he wasn't!" Coach Slammer said. "He could barely keep up with the other team!"

"Because you made me do a hundred burpees at halftime!" Aaron said.

"You know what, that's it! You're gone!" Coach Slammer said. "Turn in your uniform!"

"I don't think so!" came the voice of Principal Sanders. The entire Basketball Team and Coach Slammer looked towards the voice and saw her and Smolder coming up to them. Smolder was in her dragon form and in her cheerleader uniform. "Smolder has told me that you had overworked them in practice and during the games."

"I'm just trying to keep them in shape," Coach Slammer said.

"You're treating them like they're trainees for an Army," Principal Sanders said.

"Well, I was a Major in the army," Coach Slammer said. "Of course, I left when I had some... family stuff to take care of."

"Left?" Smolder asked. "I don't think so."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Coach Slammer asked, getting angry.

"You didn't leave the Army," Smolder said. "You were fired for overworking your troops, and half of them had lost their limbs."

"There's no proof of that!" Coach Slammer said.

"Your last standing trooper filmed all your workouts and showed them to the Colonel of your battalion," Smolder said.

"You lied to me, and you overworked my students," Principal Sanders said. "You're done here. You're fired." She then pointed towards Coach Slammer's office. "Pack up your office!" Coach Slammer then stomped towards his office, angry that he just got fired. Smolder then walked up to Aaron.

"Want me to drive you home?" Smolder asked.

"I'm too tired to even walk," Aaron said. "But, I'll try to change." Then the rest of the team helped Aaron get into the locker room.

"I'll meet you at the door," Smolder said. She then walked towards the main entrance/exit of the gym to meet up with Aaron at the locker room door in the hall.

Author's Note

Well, Aaron and Smolder had gone through the first half of Senior Year. Now it's time to move on to the second half. Hopefully, Aaron and the rest of the Basketball Team will have a new, and better, Basketball Coach. One that won't overwork the team. See you all next time.