Dog Boy

29

I stepped out of the locker room into the gym, and immediately felt very exposed. All that covered my canis body were my shorts and t-shirt. The other boys walked past me, many of them glancing my way, catching sight of my tail, and the myriad strangeness of my face.

As I walked, I very quickly noticed that the polished wood felt a bit more... unsteady than it normally did with shoes, and I'd imagine even with normal feet. The nails on my feet-paws clacked against it, only further emphasizing how out of place I felt.

Even though I did feel pretty uncomfortable, I felt a lot better than yesterday. I was still stared at, but it felt a lot less... threatening. Most people had now been exposed to the sight of a canis person, and so now I could relax a bit more.

What I still had to get used to however, was seeing other canis people. I looked over to where Douglas was shooting a basket on the other side of the gym - it didn't go in, but he swiftly caught it as it came out, before another person - non-canis - was able to catch it.

"So," Douglas smiled, dribbling the basketball as I walked over, "feeling a bit better since the last time you were in gym?"

"I guess so," I chuckled nervously. "It just... feels... surreal."

The guy standing near Douglas was silent. I could tell he was staring at my tail.

"I get ya," Douglas said. "Growing this wasn't very fun" - he looked to his own tail - "but at least it didn't happen in the middle of playing basketball."

The guy next to him went a bit wide eyed. "So that's what that... um, whole thing was."

I breathed deep. "Yeah."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed some people walking toward us - canis people, a girl and a boy. The girl had fur varying brown, white, and dark brown fur - a breed I didn't quite recognize, while the boy was a golden retriever, his normal human blonde hair blending into his fur.

"I had no idea what to make of it," the canis boy said as he walked up. "Douglas wouldn't really say anything about what had happened to you. Had no idea I'd be facing the same fate."

Realization came. "Oh... oh no," I swallowed. "I... I didn't..."

"My best theory," the boy huffed, "is that someone got a bit slobbery on the drinking fountain. So yeah... thanks for that."

"Oh gosh," I put my hand to my head... "please don't tell me... please don't tell me that I infected a bunch of people..."

"No," Douglas shook his head. "Aidan was the first to drink out of the fountain after you. He's the only one."

Aidan stared blankly at me while Douglas dribbled the basketball in the background.

"It's just... so weird," Aidan said...," seeing someone who looks so much like me."

"I... I'm really, really sorry," I finally said.

Aidan let out a long sigh. "I was really, really pissed at first - once I heard about what had happened with you, and realized you infected me. My parents wanted to call your family to err their grievances - which I put a stop to. I don't know. After gritting my teeth through all this, I just have to accept it wasn't your fault. You had no idea what was going on."

"But still," I said, "I'm sorry I've put you through this."

Aidan shrugged. "I'll live. I honestly can deal with being a dog person or whatever, it's just... dealing with normal people, my parents especially."

"I know," I said, "my parents... they haven't been very... comfortable around me and my sister."

Aidan chuckled. "I don't think most canis people feel more comfortable at school than at home."

"My mom always really loved Australian shepherds," the canis girl chimed in. "So I'm guessing most people have had it a bit different than me."

Aidan leaned behind the girl, staring at something.

"Pardon me for asking..."

"Sadie."

"Pardon me for bringing it up Sadie," Aidan said, "but... your tail..."