Life is Hell

Chapter Twelve - Pompidou

"Black black black, how boring" I said as I looked through the collars. "This one looks nice" I said, taking a simple one and sat down on a bench, putting the little dog onto my lap. He even stayed there, which was pretty cute. "Okay Pompi" I said and put it around his neck and made sure it wasn't too tight nor too loose. Both wouldn't be the best for the little puppy. "Fits you perfectly" I said and picked the dog up again and started looking for the right leash. There were so many options, but following Frank's request, I chose a simply black one. I hung it around my neck and went to the cash register. "Can I help you?" The guy asked nicely and I laughed "That would be great" I said while trying to get some money out of my wallet.

The boy took the leash from my neck and scanned it in. "The collar too" I informed him and he scanned it in too. Pompidou tried to attack him, but after I gave him a stern look, he stopped. "Okay, this isn't working" I said and put the little guy down onto the counter, but he wanted to go to the boy immediately. "Let me help you" He said and attached the new leash to the new collar. "Thank you so much" I said and put Pompidou onto the ground, getting my money out. "What's your dog's name?" He asked. "He-" I started, but didn't continue that sentence since I didn't want to explain everything to him and without the words drug dealer and business it would have gotten complicated.

"Pompidou" I replied. "That's a- name I haven't heard before" He said, taking the money from me. "It's French, but don't ask me what it means, I don't even speak French, well except for sí"  "That's Spanish. Oui is French" He corrected me. "Like I said, but hey. I didn't know I spoke Spanish. Must have stuck because of my sister. She used to take Spanish" I said and got the rest of the money back. "Maybe we'll see each other around" He said and I looked at him "I don't think so, Zach" I said, reading his name tag before leaving the shop with my newly leashed puppy.

I immediately walked towards the beach, which was right past the Two Whales Diner. Hopefully mom doesn't see me. Will be hard to explain the puppy to her.

Lucky me I got past it without my mom yelling after me or anything like it and arrived at the beach short time after. I went to the sand and sat down in it, watching the water, while letting Pompidou dig and play with the water. It was so cute seeing little animals experiment and find out everything about the world surrounding them. It's adorable how he's so clumsy, yet gets up again and tries it all over again. I wish I had that trait, but sadly I'm not a little puppy, I had to face the world in human perspective, while this little guy had a life of eating, sleeping, running, peeing and pooping in front of him. Maybe a little bit of playing with toys too, but my point is that his life was way less complicated than mine.

"Pompidou" I said, watching him lift his head, turn it around fast, before sticking his nose into the sand again. I laughed and ended up taking countless photos. After a while I lied back and watched the sky, the few clouds pass by until I felt something drop onto my stomach to see that Pompidou had jumped onto it. It would have been really cute if his fur wouldn't be wet as hell. "Shit" I cursed, knowing I couldn't take the cardigan off without anyone noticing my arms. I hadn't cut ever since Nathan found out, which was a few days. I was scared of anyone else finding out, but knowing him, I started thinking that there is actually hope for me. That someone could accept and love me for who I am and for all the scars and wounds I carry on my skin. Pompidou sure seems to love me anyways, but what about the people around me?

What would Frank say? Mom? Chloe? Deadbeat boyfriend? Although I couldn't care less about what he thinks, just that he knows how to influence my mother's decisions. I just can't believe that the step-dick is going to move in with us. No wonder Chloe decided to leave, maybe I'll leave too, but I had nowhere to go and I most definitely don't want to live in a small building on a junkyard like my sister. The Prescott Dormitory seems too expensive, maybe Frank wants a roommate or a RV-mate. I don't fucking know.

"You're gross you little bundle of fur" I said and pushed him off of me, starting to play with him. That was until my phone rang. Warren. I answered it confused "What's up Einstein?" I asked him. "Nothing really. I was just going through my contacts and then there was your name and I couldn't help but wonder if you still got the same number or switched it in the meantime" He said, causing me to laugh. "Same old Warren I see" I said "So, what are you doing?" I asked to make a conversation. "Nothing much, just watching some movie all over again, which is absolutely a waste of time since I already know what's going to happen and when it happens" He said.

"Just another point on the list of Warren Graham's problems" I said, watching Pompidou again while he was rolling around in the sand. "Did you ever think about what it would be like when we would be little puppies?" I asked him. "Ehm, you mean as in little dogs?" He asked. "Yeah" "I'm not sure I have. Why?" He asked. "They're carefree and open to explore everything and everyone. Don't you think that human's would be easier when they were just like that?" I asked. "You're a weird kid Clare Price, but that's what I love about you" He said "Same old Clare Price" "Sorry, it was just a thought" I said to him, hoping he would forget about my question again. "Why the question anyways?" He asked, destroying all my hope.

"I'm dogsitting right now and the little guy is a little puppy" I told him. "You always preferred dogs over cats" Was all he said about that. "I know, but I still loved Bongo" I told him. "I know you did" He said "I still remember how devastated you were when he was drove over by that car" "I don't even want to picture that and I still remember how bad Chloe was feeling afterwards. She had cried for weeks" I said, looking at the puppy in front of me. He was covered in all that sand and looked totally adorable.

"But hey, I got to go. The owner wanted to call me when he isn't busy anymore" I said to Warren. "Okay cool, but hold one for one more second. Do you want hang out tomorrow? Like the good old times?" He asked. "I'm busy tomorrow, but we can hang out the day after that" I told him. "Can't wait" He said and hung up. "Me neither" I said although he wasn't able to hear me anymore.

As if I called it, Frank called me right after I had hung up with Warren. "Someone's eager to reach me" I said maybe a little flirty, but just to tease him. "Where the fuck are you? I've been trying to reach you since ten minutes" He said annoyed. "I'm sorry, I was talking to a friend" I told him. "You have a friend?" He asked surprised. "I do and guess what, he's not a Prescott nor a stoner" I said, trying to sound impressed by my own action. "Okay, cut the crap, where are you?" He asked. "Take a chill pill and come to the beach" I said "Near the Two Whales"