A Four-legged Friendship [COMPLETED]

Chapter 10

The next day, thankfully I wake up early. Elsa is already up and she's wagging her tail, excited to see me awake. I decide, the best way to train my dog, is to get to know her. That way I can find her strengths and weaknesses, and work through those. It sounds weird considering she can't actually talk. But what the hell. Lets give it a try atleast. I still have 15 minutes in hand before Sid comes strutting over.

"Hey Elsa", I say, smiling at her. I go down on my knees and scratch her ears. "Er..." Not knowing what to say next, I end up saying, "Hey, how you doin'?" Elsa tilts her face at me. She's probably thinking I've lost my marbles.

I take a deep breath. "Um.. Okay.. So.. Basically, here's the deal. We have to develop and maintain a good rapport, because my future's on the line here due to dad's ultimatum. And it would really help if you could just start listening and obeying to whatever I say." I don't think Elsa understood anything I said, mainly because she wasn't paying attention. She was busy chasing a butterfly in the garden. I sigh.

Sid appears then, huffing and panting.
"Did you run all the way here?" I ask, surprised.

"Nope, just from the bus stop", he says, breathing hard.

"But that's hardly a kilometer away from the house", I say, skeptically. "That run made you breathless?"

Sid ignores me and starts playing with Elsa, who is elated to see her favourite person in the whole world. I have to admit that makes me immensely jealous.

"Alia", says Sid, still panting. "Could you get me a glass of water?"

"Sid, you alright?" I say, concerned now.

"Yeah, just a little thirsty", he says dismissively.

I rush and get a glass of slightly cold water for him. He drinks it in one breath, closes his eyes, shakes his head, and then stands up and says excitedly, "Okay then lets go! C'mon Elsa! Time to roll!"

I think he has lost his marbles now. I follow Sid this time. It's as if he wants to prove that he is athletic and that running short distances is no problem for him.

Elsa runs happily, wagging her tail. She trots around, trying to snap at Sid's ankles playfully when he won't let go of her leash.

She then stops to poop and simultaneously pee. I wrinkle my nose in disgust. "That's a lot of pee, Elsa, even for a dog. You just made a little puddle all by yourself."

She looks at me, unconcerned, but innocently; an expression that reads "I didn't do anything wrong".

I sigh and pick up the poop this time, making a face.

"Try breathing anaerobically", Sid suggests.

"Huh?" I say blankly.

"From your mouth."

"Okay."

We shorten our stroll in the park this time, because Sid wants to start doggie-training right away.

"Okay Elsa", says Sid, once we reach home. "Listen carefully." Surprisingly, Elsa looks at him intently as if she's receiving a lecture about the theory of relativity. I roll my eyes.

"Sid do you honestly think she's going to understand you?"

Sid glares at me. Boy, he is so not in a good mood.

"Alia make yourself useful and go and fetch some biscuits for Elsa from inside", Sid orders me, sitting down on the lawn.

I look at him questioningly. He has never spoken to me like this before. I then disregard it, and get the biscuits.

"Okay Alia, watch and learn." Whatever happened to calling me Al?

"Sit", commands Sid, holding one biscuit in his hand.

I sit down, and then he says exasperatedly, "Not you Al, Elsa."

"Sit Elsa", he commands her again. She is however more interested in the biscuit. She jumps up and down, trying to bite it from Sid's hand. I laugh. She looks immensely adorable.
Sid, on the other hand, scowls.
"Not funny Alia."

"Did your sense of humour take a hike today?" I ask him, playfully punching his shoulder.

"I'm just not in the mood", he says, grumpily.

"Here, let me bring back the mood for you." I shift closer to him, my face now inches apart from his. He looks at me in surprise. I hold his eyes, and inch closer. He is stunned. Then I slowly bring my lips to his ears, and say, "Sid, you are so sexy."

He is shocked beyond words. And utterly speechless. He opens and closes his mouth like a goldfish, and seeing his expression, I finally crack up from the pressure of trying hard not to laugh. I roll around on the grass, tears of laughter in my eyes. In all of this confusion, Elsa has finally succeeded in grabbing the biscuit from Sid's hand.

"You are dead meat Al," says Sid, grinning goofily. I smile widely, glad that he is his usual self now. He tickle-attacks me, and I yell and laugh, Elsa jumping around us, trying to make sense of what is going on, when finally breathless, both of us sit up. We look at each other, and start laughing again.

I tickle Sid this time, with Elsa barking at him once he starts yelling his head off. He tries to catch his breath and says, "Al, stop, please." I stop at once because he shudders, and coughs continuously until blood spatters from his mouth.

I stare in horror. "SID!!!"