Dog Boy

34

It was probably for the best that I hadn't known just how brief that contentment would be. As we were cleaning up everything from the club, I got a text from Mom asking when I would be home - and I knew from experience that it was a bad sign.

But still, we'd been able to bring canis people together, and lift their spirits - even the small group in the other classroom seemed to have had a good time. My friends exuded an air of newfound confidence. Jackie wore a smile the whole time, and didn't appear nervous, or embarrassed - even when she let herself wag her tail a bit.

Aidan seemed to have managed to get Sadie to enjoy one of his really complicated strategy games. Most people however, seemed to find them a bit too much. Aidan though didn't look bothered. I caught a glimpse of him wagging his tail too once or twice.

Douglas however had somewhat dampened spirits. He was in a good mood, but was visibly sad that Wendy hadn't come. She still was trying to ignore what had happened to her - and it seemed like the last thing she'd want to do, was hangout with a bunch of people that would remind her of who she now was.

Douglas and I had talked for a bit as the club winded down. He admitted that he was a bit envious of me and Jackie - that despite going through this, we in fact only grew closer. Wendy however, seemed to like my parents, be uncomfortable looking at Douglas, even though Wendy was the one who had infected him. 

Only time would tell though. I was emboldened by what we'd accomplished today. We'd brought at least some of the canis students together - and perhaps we would even need to consider finding more space. We'd been forthright to the attendees that pizza couldn't be a thing every week, but it seemed at least a good amount of people would come again. Even if the club didn't stick around forever, I got a sense that maybe people would start making some friends.

I felt filled with energy as I got home. Coming through the door however, I remembered that Mom and Dad had been waiting for me.

"Come into the living room and sit down," Mom said as she met me at the door.

I swallowed, wiping my foot-paws on the door mat. When I walked into the living room, I saw Dad already sitting on the couch with Ashley. Mom sat down on the other couch. Ashley had an odd expression. She seemed... indignant, but... I wasn't sure.

"Okay," Mom said as I sat down next to her, "we need to talk about things."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like how we're going to act in the future."

I breathed in calmly, and exhaled. "I don't really see what the problem is. I accept your apology. I'm sorry for anything I've done wrong to the rest of you. It's going to be rough moving forward but - "

"You," Dad said, "are not the problem today."

He looked to Ashley with a displeased expression.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Ashley," Mom said, "bit a boy at school today."

Ashley looked up, and unnervingly, made a wicked smile.

"You should've seen it Matt," she said, seemingly relishing the thought. "He has tortured me so viciously this past week, and even before any of this happened, he made fun of me behind my back, but now he is going to know exactly how I feel. He is going to be mocked by his former friends, he is going to -"

"That's enough," Dad said, gripping her shoulder tightly. "I don't care what people say about you - and what people will say about us, violence is not the answer. You are not going to improve treatment of canis people by attacking bullies."