The Gift of a Best Friend

Bro Day, Part 1

Jasmine's POV

My brother: he's seven years old, adorable, cute, and really annoys the hell out of me sometimes.

Annabeth says it runs in the family. It probably does.

"So you have a boyfriend now?" Johnathan asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah. Do you want to go meet him?"

"No. Is he coming to yours and Annabeth's birthday party?"

"I assume so."

"I can wait to meet him then."

"Ok."

I've got to remember to invite Will.

"I'm not going to watch you and him make out all the time, am I?"

"I hope not," I replied.

"Me too."

"And how do you know what that is?"

"Mom and Dad do it all the time."

I smiled. "Yeah, they kind of do. So what do you want to do with your big sister?"

"Umm . . . nothing."

I glared at him.

"Just kidding," he said with a smile. "I want to play video games."

"Ok," I said. "What game?"

"Need for Speed!"

"Alright. You're on. I'll beat you to the finish line."

"Not if I beat you first."

Can I play, too? Fiskerton asked.

"Sure," I said.

He may be a six-foot-gorilla cat, but he's good at video games, thanks to my dad.

. Komodo came over and sat and watched us between me and Johnathan. Toothless just laid down in the back. Then we started to race along with one other computer driver.

We played two races. I won the first one, and Fiskerton one the second, but Johnathan ended in last both times.

He threw his controller down in frustration. "I hate this game."

"You'll get the hang of it," I assured him.

"When?"

I looked at Fiskerton, then back at Johnathan and came up with an idea.

"Johnathan," I said. "Come here for a minute."

I led him to the back of the room near Toothless.

"You've been learning to use your cryptid powers, right?" I asked him, whispering.

"Yeah," he replied. "Why?"

"How about you use them on Fiskerton to play the game?"

"Wouldn't that be cheating?"

"That's the point. But not if you suck and use it to win. But you have to promise me that you won't use him every time so that you can get better on your own."

"I promise. Now, let's try."

He faced Fiskerton, whose back was to us, and activated his powers, his eyes glowing orange just like mine do. He told Fiskerton a few commands and he listened. Johnathan's powers were getting stronger.

"Cool," he said. "Let's play another game so I can win."

"You're on," I said.

I grabbed my controller and it was on.