Chance Encounter ➳ Drew Dirksen

13. dogs & parks

Drew hadn't seen Brandi since about a week and a half ago and he was starting to worry about her. He really hoped she was okay.

"Drew, it's your turn to walk Lilly," Kacey yelled from her room, reminding her brother about his responsibilities.

Drew was sure that he walked Lilly yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. In fact, he's been the one going out to walk the dog for the entire week and Kacey was still saying that it was his turn, but he didn't bother arguing with her, because he knew that she would win. She always wins in arguments.

Without any complaints, Drew began getting ready to go out into the sunlight, putting on whatever wasn't in his pile of laundry and slipping on some white converse and his dark blue beanie, because he didn't bother to fix his hair and needed to cover up how messy it was.

"It's your turn tomorrow," Drew said as he passed by Kacey's room. She was painting her nails and the entire space smelled like chemicals, which nearly made Drew gag.

"Yeah, whatever," Kacey said, not really paying attention to what Drew had just told her. He knew he would still be the one taking Lilly on a walk tomorrow no matter what he said to his sister.

Drew rushed down the stairs and grabbed Lilly's leash from the coat rack, before calling her over and attaching it to her collar. He combed his fingers through her soft fur a couple of times, before he headed to the park, with Lilly taking the lead.

Usually, Drew would pass by Brandi's flat on his way to the park, and, for the past few days, it was like no one was home. All of the windows were closed and there was no light in there at all. The only places Drew felt like she could be were with her parents or with Nate, in his house, but thinking about the second possibility made Drew feel bad about himself. It didn't really make a difference, though, because Drew always felt bad about himself.

"Do you think she's in there, Lil?" Drew asked his dog and she hung her head low and let out a short whimper. "I thought so too."

Once he finally arrived at the park, Lilly was immediately intrigued by the various scents she had discovered in the bushes and it seemed like Drew wouldn't be leaving that spot very soon, and he was right as he continued standing there for the next ten minutes, looking like a total idiot.

"Drew?" he heard a familiar voice say from behind him and he immediately turned around.

"Nate! What are you doing here?" Drew asked, a little surprised, because Nate had a park inside his neighborhood and it was much nearer to him than this place.

"I'm just here with Brandi. She's somewhere around here, playing with Hoosier and Pokey."

"Oh," Drew said, not really knowing what else to say. "Well, it was my turn to walk Lilly."

"Isn't it always your turn, though?" Nate asked, because he'd seen Drew passing by Brandi's house on his way to the park for about three consecutive days.

"Well, you know Kacey. She's very persuasive."

"You just don't have the guts to argue with her, because you know you'll lose," Nate snickered.

Drew didn't even try arguing with him, because he sucked at arguments. He had quite a few talents, but arguing was definitely not one of them.

"Also, Brandi told me about what happened between you two," Nate said, nonchalantly, like he didn't even give a fuck that his girlfriend practically cheated on him. It just didn't seem right to Drew. If he had a girlfriend- which is very unlikely, because he's Drew- and she cheated on him, he would probably end up killing someone. "It's alright, I get it. Stormy night, you guys were in the same bed together. I mean, I might've done the exact same thing if I were in your shoes."