Calum
"Okay Mrs. K, I'll take very good care of Fifi." I give. Her a big grin and wait for her to shut the door.
I heave a sigh. God this is tiring. I mean don't get me wrong, I love these dogs but I only took this job to be an I between job that I would quit a week later. 2 years later, in still holding seven leashes in my hand.
If I don't find a job soon, dad is making me go back to school and I really don't want to do that.
Fifi tugs on the leash, pulling me to a stop. She sniffs around for a bit before moving on. She does this every time. She can never just take a piss. I continue on my route. I charge each owner $10 per hour and it he walk is an hour and a half, multiply that by seven dogs and you've got $105.
My route usually starts in the suburbs but we go through the city too, which I admit can be a bit embarrassing.
I close my eyes and let the dogs lead me, they know the route by now. We stop a couple of times waiting for each of the dogs to finish their business before moving on.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Now that we're in the city, I have to open my eyes. The dogs get easily distracted and it's hard for me to control them all at the same time but honestly, this part of the walk is more for me than it is for them. I need it to remind me that there are others humans and my dog isn't just me and dogs. I need some kind of human interaction that doesn't include an instruction manual on how to pick up their dog's shit.
I breathe in the smoggy air and pull the dogs along. The walk is nice and peaceful but all of a sudden Molly, an 80 pound pit bull, yanks her leash dragging me around the corner as I try to catch up with her but also keep the other dogs with us.
"Molly! Heal!" She continues to pull me, he tongue flying out of her mouth.
"Molly you overgrown cow! Slow down!" She pulls us into an ally before I'm able to plant my feet into the floor and yank her to a stop.
I put my hands on my knees panting painfully as my chest constricts. I look around at the other dogs seeing the smaller ones trying to catch their breathe. Fifi looks like she's about to puke and I groan.
I hear a nearby chuckle, "Quite a handful you've got there." He raises and eyebrows threaded me with an amused smirk.
"Yeah. Literally." I say holding up my two hands full of leashes. The blonde boy lets out a loud laugh and I can't help and smile back at him.
"What are you doing with like a hundred dogs?"
"First off, there's only 7. If there were a hundred, I'd be dead. Second, it's my job. I know it's shitty but it pays." I tell him trying to make it sound a bit less lame. "What are you doing standing in an alley all by yourself?"
"Taking a smoke break from my job." He nods his head to the door behind him, "It's a desk job. I know it's shitty, but it pays." He says with a smirk.
I take this time to appreciate him. His eyes are a nice blue and his hair is quiffed up. He has a black lip ring that matches his skinny jeans and tie. I notice he doesn't have a cigarette. Hmmph some smoke break. "Where's your cigarette?"
He looks at me confused before he understands. "Oh I don't actually smoke. I just hate my job, and my boss so I had to get out. It's suffocating in there." He says loosening his tie.
"Yeah I feel it. I wish it was easier to find a way to do what makes you happy and survive doing it." I sigh.
"Yeah really." He huffs.
We're silent for a while not having much to talk about. He just shoves his hands in his back pockets and looks at the sky.
"So... Did you try going to school?" I ask not really wanting the conversation to end, but I also didn't know what we could possibly talk about.
"Naw. Didn't have the money. Mom was sick so Ihad to start working as soon as I got out of high school."
"Well if she's better now, then maybe you can-"
"She's dead." He interrupts making me shut my mouth quickly. Why am I even maddening in his plans, why is this any of my business? Now I've forced him to think about his dead mother. My god Calum.
"I'm so sorry." I whisper. "I didn't mean to.."
Look waves it off. "Whatever, it's fine. Schools not really my thing anyway. This job is fine. I should just stop complaining. It's not like I can just pick up my guitar and become a rockstar or something." He laughs at himself with a bit of sadness in his eyes.
Something sparked in my mind. "Y-you like music?"
"Yeah."
"Cool! So do I. I play guitar and I'm trying to pick up the bass." I tell him, trying to steer away from depressing subjects.
"Cool. Bass is cool. I also play guitar. When I was younger, I had a YouTube channel. It was stupid."
"I bet it was pretty sweet. Do you sing also?" I ask excited.
"Yeah, a bit."
"Me too! We should get together sometime and have a jam sesh. I mean, only of your up for it. I could give you my number and you can decide or-" he puts his hand out looking at me expectantly.
I quickly fumble with trying to take my phone out of my pocket and hand it to him when something dawns on me.
" I just realized, I don't know your name."
"Luke. Luke Hemmings."
"I'm Calum, Calum Hood." I smile at him as he hands back my phone. I take it, looking at the time. "Oh shit! I've got to return these dogs!" We had been talking for a little less than an hour.
"Yeah, my break has been over for 15 minutes." He laughs.
I laugh too. "Text me if your interested in hooking up. I-I m-mean like hanging out. N-not like h-having-- you know what never mind. See ya Luke!" I quickly turn and hurry away, dragging the dogs behind me. My face is flushed with embarrassment.
I round the Courbet as my phone buzzes. I pull it out and see an unknown number.
Unknown number;
So when are you free? 😉
