It Didn't Happen That Way

Chapter 24

Hayes's POV

I closed the door and Nash and Cameron were playing COD. I don't even think they noticed me walk in they were playing that intense. I walked upstairs to my room and threw my phone on my bed then down. I laid there for 5 minutes debating whether or call Jessica or not. I picked up my phone and dialled her number. I figured that if I didn't call her it would be mean. "Hi!" I heard her voice.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Oh nothing much. I just wanted to see how you and Riley are doing." She said boldly. 

"Oh, um, she's good, I'm good. We're good." I replied a bit confused to what she meant.

"Are you guys dating yet?" Jessica questioned. 

"Um, no." I responded. 

"What do you mean no? You guys obviously like each other!" She said. 

"Yeah, but we're just letting it happen naturally and seeing where what we have now takes us." I explained. 

"But doesn't that bother you?" Jessica asked. 

"Doesn't what bother me?" I questioned. 

"That she could just go and find another guy and doesn't even have to tell you or anything.  She can just go and do it because you aren't there to stop her and show her that you like her." Jessica exclaimed.

I sighed, "yeah, it does."

"So why don't you do something about it?" She asked me. 

"I never thought about it. Maybe I will." I told her. "Thanks, Jess."

"No problem. That's what best friends are for right?" She smiled. 

"Mhm."

"Oh, shoot. I gotta go, I have practice. I'll text you later though." Jessica ended.

"Bye." I clicked off.

Jessica was right. I needed to ask Riley out. But it needed to be special so she could see that I actually do like her. Or original. I started planning. It would definitely be original. I was going to take Gracie and leave a bunch of clues as to where she could find her and take Gracie to her favourite place. Then we would have dinner there, and finally, Gracie would hand Riley a note. 

To Mikayla 🙉: Hey, are you and Riley hanging out at her place?

From Mikayla 🙉:  No, we're at the beach. Come!

To Mikayla 🙉: Nah, I was just wondering.

Perfect! She was out of the house! I grabbed my penny board and boarded over to her house. It was unlocked and I walked in. I found Gracie and grabbed her leash and put it on her. I walked Gracie out the door, and penny boarded with her back to Cameron's. "Whoa. Why is Riley's dog here?" Nash asked. 

"I'm doing something for her."  I told him. 

"Okay." He replied. I grabbed a bit of old leftovers and some water and put it in my room, where she would stay while I was out getting everything else.

When I got back that's when I started putting things together. Her favourite place was a little forest area with a creek running through it on the other side of town. That's where I'll be with Gracie. Then I started writing clues. After that I started making the dinner. One of her many favourite foods was burgers. So I cooked a few of those and put them in a container so they would stay warm. I also packed her favourite fruit; strawberries, and cupcakes. And finally, I had to start writing the note. I didn't even know what to put. Finally I decided to just write down how I feel about her.

By the time everything was complete, it was about 5pm. I boarded over to Riley's but stopped about a few houses away. I sneakily put the first clue on the front porch. Then I went and put the rest of them at the locations they were supposed to be at. After, I went back to Cameron's, I grabbed the bag I had full of everything, and Gracie. It was about a 20 minute walk to her favourite spot. I sat there for what felt like hours.

Riley's POV

When I got home from the beach at around 5:30, there was a note on my front porch.

"Riley,

Missing something? If you want it go to the place where you find lost items.

~H"

"Who the heck is H and what do they have of mine?!" I opened the door and waited for Gracie to come and greet me. "Gracie?" I shouted. "Gracie!" I yelled. "Gracie!" I looked around the house. Before I made any assumptions, I checked out the whole house, to see if anything else was missing and that maybe Dakoda had taken Gracie for a walk. Nothing else in the house was gone. So that's what they had. My dog. But what place do you find lost items? I sat there and thought about all the places in town where you could find lost items. There was no place! I thought a little harder. The tourist centre! They have a lost item pickup there!

I raced all the way to the tourism centre which was a pretty far way. "Hi, I'm Riley Mayer. I think you have my dog!" I told them, out of breath.

"Mhm, no sorry. We have no dog here. But there is a note for you." The lady at the front desk handed me a slip of paper. I opened it up.

"Riley,

Dog isn't there is it? Maybe it's running around where all the dogs go.

~H"

Where all the dogs go, what does that even mean? Finally I clued in. The dog park! I ran all the way there, which was torture for me. I really need to get out and run more. I stopped there and looked around, only to find no dogs at the park. Only a white slip of paper.

"Riley,

Oops, I messed up. Sorry! You're almost done! But first, I need you to go to the dog store and pick up a few things for her.

~H"

"Ugh! I'm sick and tired of this H! I just want my dog back!" I shouted angrily. I walked to the dog store and there was a man sitting, playing on the computer. "Hi?" I asked.

"Oh, sorry. What can I do for you?" He asked.

"My name's Riley Mayer." I told him.

"Riley! We have your order in! It's already paid for." The guy explained to me.

"Okay." I answered.

He went in the back room and grabbed a bag full of things. "Oh here, this is for you." He handed me a new note.

"Riley,

So you picked up my 'I'm sorry' gift. Good. Gracie's waiting for you at the creek.

~H"

Thankfully I didn't have a far walk. Or else I would've been even more angry than I was. I was going to find out who this "H" was, and when I did, I was going to murder them! While I was walking I looked inside the bag. It was full of dog treats, and dog toys. Well, at least we didn't have to buy her anymore toys.

When I finally arrived at the forest I dashed in. "Gracie! Gracie!" I called. Nothing. They were probably lying to me and left me another note there so I could go run around some more. I felt like a dog! I called Gracie's name some more. Usually when I call her name she would come to me.

I walked into the forest some more and tried calling her name again. Still no sight of a little bulldog walking towards me. I finally made it down to the creek and seen Gracie sitting there, with her leash on. And somebody holding her. I looked up, and seen it was Hayes.

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So that's Chapter 24!