Once Doesn't Mean Always (Straight Furry Story)

22: Happy Birthday, Smoke

Smoke

Later that day

It doesn't take us long to get to the restaurant that Sandra works at, 'Vincent's den' it's sign says. I meet Vincent, the owner himself and the few others who work there. Vincent, a Scottish, black and white Gordon Setter, works as his own chef.

I basically just move between everyone, helping in any way that I get asked to. I learn some pretty neat stuff, mainly from Vincent, like how to cook synthetic meats and how to operate a stove correctly, as well as a few other things. Later, Sandra lets me borrow her phone so I could send a text to everyone, letting them know where and when to meet.

The time reaches 3:30, I sit at the end of an extended table next to a window. While I take a sip of my bottle of lift, I notice someone sit next to me, I turn to see a blissful white fox with beautiful blue eyes, a massive smile stretches across my face as I hug her. "Happy birthday, Pup" she says before kissing me on my cheek.

"Thanks Cloudy" I say as I let go. She reaches for something in the front pocket of her blue hoodie,

"your really lucky that mom likes you, other wise she wouldn't of chipped in to help me get this". A white box in her paw, looks like a little box that you get when you buy a piece of jewellery. I sit staring at it for a few moments until she notions me to take it.

I slowly take the box and hold it for a moment,

"oh yeah, I'm taking this too" Cloudy says, taking my drink "well, go on, open it" she adds enthusiastically before gulping a mouthful of soft drink. I open the box slowly until I see what it contains. With my other paw, I pulled out a silver necklace, the fox half of the exact same necklace I was looking at on my first date with Cloudy.

I sit speechless as I hold it by the chain in front of my face

"I ... Cloudy, I don't -" I start

"oh, shut up and put it on so I can stop hiding my half" she says with a slight chuckle as she gets her half out of a pocket of her jeans and slips it over her head and around her neck. My surprised face changes back to a smile before I slip the necklace around my neck

"Cloudy, I really don't know what to say" I say, finally forming a sentence. She finishes off the bottle of lift that we shared and places it on the table before facing me

"well, 'I love you' can be a good start, a 'thank you' can be nice too" she smugly says, I laugh a little then give a passionate kiss.

We get interrupted when a voice nervously calls out

"uhh, yeah, we're here too" we both break away to see everyone else from our school group. We both look nervously as everyone sits down in the seats on the table sides. Tiana and Emerald sit opposite me and Cloudy, Nikita sits next to Cloudy and the twins sit next to Tiana.

We all sit along the table and talk between ourselves, occasionally, Vincent or Sandra come to check on us. At 5:50, Connor, one of the other workers comes to give us each menus to examine and plan our food. I look until I hear a voice call out

"oi, birthday lad, how bout putting some of me lessons to the test, see how much Ye paid attention" Vincent yells, sticking his head out the door to the kitchen, the few people look in confusion. I grin before standing up
"Where are you going, pup?" Cloudy asks, sounding a little worried, look to her and pat her head "just gonna help out a little, be back in a bit" I say before manoeuvring around others and walking ahead, I spin around halfway to the kitchen