The New Girl

Chapter 2

They had set down at a table and were looking at their menu's when the waiter walked up. “So, what can I get you beautiful ladies today.” Andrea looked up and laughed as Lyric hid her face behind the menu. She knew that voice, she had heard it earlier just right after first period English. Here she thought that she was going to make it through the rest of the day, and hopefully the weekend, without coming in contact with anyone from school. She was wrong.

She closed the menu, laid it down on the table and without looking at him said, “A small pepperoni pizza with extra pineapple and a diet coke with lot's of ice.” Andrea looked at Lyric then ordered a small hamburger pizza with olives and green peppers and a diet coke. The waiter finished writing their order then said, “Okay ladies, your order will be out in a few minutes. Nice to see you again Lyric.” He then turned around and left.

“So.....you gonna tell me who that was?” Andrea asked. “Just some guy at school. It's no big deal, mom, stop looking at me that way.” Lyric stated and rolled her eye's. “Well, you could have at least introduced me to him.” “Why?, I said it's no big deal. I think his name is JaCoby, there, happy.” Lyric said this the way only a teenager could say it, with drama and exasperation.

A few minutes passed and Andrea dug a notepad and pen out of her purse, handed it to Lyric and said, “Here, we need to make a list of stuff we need for the puppy.” Lyric looked at her, took the pad and pen and started writing. Andrea couldn't hold herself back any longer. “Honey, I just don't understand why you have to be like this. Your a nice girl, you make friends easily, people like you.” “Mom, I do not want to talk about this here or ever, please.” “Well, okay, we won't talk about it here but will you please stop being so crabby.”

Lyric started to argue but quickly decided against it. JaCoby brought them their pizza, set it on the table and said, “I hope you ladies enjoy and if you need anything else just holler.” Andrea thanked him and they set in silence and ate. Much to both their delight, the place was better then the place they went to every Friday for supper in Washington. They continued to eat and Lyric went over the list of things the puppy needed with her mother.

A few minutes after they were done eating, JaCoby came back to the table and asked if everything was okay. Lyric grunted her approval and Andrea said, “Everything was great. This will be our new Friday night pizza place.” She smiled at JaCoby. “That's great, glad you liked everything. Will there be anything else? You can pay me and I'll return with your change.” JaCoby said and smiled. Andrea handed him the money and after he left scolded Lyric for being rude. Lyric just rolled her eye's, once again, and asked if they could leave now.

JaCoby came back with the change, handed it to Andrea and then started clearing the dishes. Before Lyric could stand up he said, “It was nice seeing you again, Lyric.” “Yeah, you too.” Lyric said and actually smiled at him. JaCoby smiled back at her, his heart beating a thousand beats a minute. Lyric and Andrea left the pizza place but not before Lyric chanced a look back at JaCoby and seen him smiling at her.

Andrea and Lyric got into the car and headed for the nearest retail store. By the time they got to the checkout lane their basket was full. Most of it was puppy stuff with a few necessary stuff thrown in and some groceries. With that done, they headed back to the vet's office. It was ten minutes till 6pm and the hours on the door said they closed at 6pm. Andrea shut the car off and said, “I hope their clocks aren't set fast.” They both got out of the car and went to the door. Andrea turned the knob and they both walked in.

No one was up front so Andrea said, “Hello, anyone here?” Within minutes a man walked out front. “Hi, you must be the people that dropped off the puppy. I'm sorry, what was your name?” For a moment Andrea couldn't speak, she just stood there staring into his steal blue eye's and kind face. Lyric looked at her mother, shook her head and said, “Hi, we're Andrea and Lyric Peterson and yes we are the one's that dropped off our puppy. Is she okay?” Lyric nudged her mother and finely, Andrea came back to life.

“Umm, yeah....I'm Andrea and this is my daughter Lyric. Sorry, just had a brain freeze there for a second or two. Andrea smiled and reached out her hand. He took it and shook her hand. “I'm Dr. Campbell but most people around here call me Link, short for Lincoln. He released Andrea's hand and smiled back at her. OMG, Lyric thought and rolled her eye's. “So.....can we get my puppy now?” Lyric” said.

“Sure, she's back here.” He walked to the door he first came out of, opened it and nodded for them to follow. “She's a real character. Love's to play and looks to be in great health. She does not like her tail messed with though. Gave me a quick nip on the hand to let me know. Where did you guys pick her up, she looks an awful lot like a wolf pup.” Andrea and Lyric looked at each other. “Umm, I think she's mostly husky. That's what the guy said that we got her from.” Andrea lied and didn't feel good about doing it either.

Dr. Campbell turned to a cage, got the puppy out and handed it to Lyric. “Mindy, my assistant, said you didn't have a name for her yet.” “Yeah, she's pretty particular. Asked her earlier if she liked Fredricka and she growled and shook her head no.” Before anyone could say anything the puppy, once again, growled and shook her head no. Everybody laughed and Lyric said, “See what I mean? She hates that name.” Dr. Campbell reached over and scratched the puppy on the head and said, “I don't blame you, that is a pretty awful name.”

“Years ago when I was just a boy I had a dog that looked just like her, it was a male but I named him NaNook.” “That's a cool name. What happened to him? Lyric asked. “Long story for another day. You get to thinking of a cool name for her though.” Lyric nodded and they all walked back out to the front lobby. Andrea paid the bill and said, “Hope to see you again, Link. Well, not because the puppy is sick....just around town.....something like that.” Link laughed and said he understood what she meant. “You take good care of her Lyric.” She said thank you and that she would and her and Andrea left.

As they were driving back home Andrea said, “He was a really nice man.” “OMG mother, you thought he was good looking not just nice.” Andrea laughed, “Okay smarty pants, maybe I did think he was kinda cute. No law against that now is there?” They pulled into the driveway and got out of the car. “Be sure and let the puppy do her business before you bring her in the house, okay?” Lyric nodded, put the puppy down and told her to pee. When she thought the puppy was done she clapped her hands on her thighs and said. “Come on Koda, let's go in.” The puppy ran to her, tail wagging. “Koda, you like that?” The puppy wagged her tail and yapped happily. “Then that shall be your name. Koda.”

Lyric picked Koda up and went inside the house. “We came up with her name, mom.” “Great, what is it?” her mother replied. “Koda. Look how much she likes it. It's like she already knows it.” Koda jumped, yelp and wagged her tail all at once. Then rolled over on her back and did everything else again. “Yup, I think she likes it.” Andrea and Lyric laughed at the pups silly antic until she finely wore herself out. Then they all made their way upstairs to their bedrooms and went to sleep.