PUPPY

CHAPTER 24

As soon as the front door opened, I ran toward it. I shouted: "Master!?"

I threw my arms around him and pulled him down to me.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" he said with a worried tone.

I started crying like a little girl.

"I'm scared."

He put a bag full down on the floor and lifted me.

"What scared you?"

I snuggled my nose into the nook of his neck and sobbed. "I'm scared."

"It's alright," he gently said as he started stroking my hair.

"Where were you?" I sobbed.

"After I finished at IKEA, I went to get some groceries." He sat us down in front of the front door and started cuddling me.

I don't even know what I was so scared about.

Was I alone for too long?

I slowly calmed down in his arms.

"Feeling better?" he asked as he looked into my eyes.

I wiped the tears away and said: "Yeah,"

He let out a breath of relief. "Do you want a piece of chocolate?" I nodded in approval. Slowly he helped me get on my feet. He picked up my hand and dragged me behind him into the kitchen while carrying the grocery bag in the other hand.

After we entered the kitchen, he placed me on the kitchen counter and gave me a piece of chocolate. I watched as he was moving left and right putting the things away.

All of a sudden, I asked: "What's that on your sleeve?"

He looked at me in confusion before saying: "What do you mean?" I motioned him to come closer and pointed at the red stains on his left sleeve.

He moved a little to see the stains better. "Oh, this. It must be from raspberries. The box broke while I was walking to the car." I shrugged my shoulders before picking his lips. He smiled back at me before saying: "Was this an excuse to get me close to you?"

"Maybe," I said and placed my head on his shoulder. He stroked my hair and placed a kiss on my head.

"Why were you scared?"

Deep inside my mind, I knew that what I did to him wasn't alright. I shouldn't have gone to that old psychologist. She helped my mother because they're the same, old, divorced and angry with the whole world.

I didn't want to tell him about my mistake.

"You were gone for so long. It was getting dark, and I was alone and I got scared that you wouldn't come back ..." I started rumbling back.

He pulled me into a hug. "Next time, call me."

"I did! But it said that the call can't reach you."

"I'm sorry."

We didn't say anything after that. We went to the living room. I lay on top of him and turned the TV on. I found a boring tv-show. He gently started stroking my ginger hair.

Slowly by the beat of his heart, I fell asleep.

I mustn't make the same mistake again. Next time, I'll wait for him, and he'll help me!

~⭒< ☾ >⭒~

Waking up the next day was a living nightmare. My head hurts and I couldn't keep my eyes open. I just want to die. I can't even understand what's happening around me. I yawned and rolled around a few times before mastering the power to get up.

I looked at the clock on the nightstand that told me it was already none. I stood up and fixed the shorts and oversized t-shirt that I was wearing.

I walked out of the room and started searching for Neil. Finally, I found him in the living room, reading a book.

"Hey, Puppy," he said as he saw me.

I dragged my feet behind me to the couch, where I sat down. I threw myself on his lap.

"Slept enough?" He slid the reading glasses on top of his head.

I yawned before saying: "I want to die." I looked up at him from his lap. He sunk his fingers into my long hair before saying: "Why would a pretty puppy like you want to die?"

I smiled at his silliness. "My head hurts, I can't keep my eyes open and I'm hungry."

"Should I order takeout?"

I nodded in approval while trying to stay awake. He's really warm. Neil picked up his phone and ordered some food. Then he started cuddling me. It took me all my willpower to stay awake.

Suddenly the front door rang. Neil got from the couch and went to answer it.

I waited for a couple of minutes, but he still wasn't back. What is taking him so long?

I got up and started walking toward the door. Neil was talking with someone, and he sounded angry. Slowly I started recognizing the other voice, it was my mother's.

Instantly, I was awake. I carefully walked toward the door.

"Where's my daughter!?" my mother shouted at Neil.

I peeked from around the corner. He was looking at her and waiting for her to stop. My brother was one step behind her, doing nothing. He was the first one to notice me. The look that he gave me made me sick.

Neil looked back at me.

Now all the eyes were on me.