Unexpected // Why Don't We

Chapter 7

Hayden's pov

I looked away from Eben, and my phone went off. I grabbed it off the coffee table and checked it. Just a text from my manager... Wait! I had to be at work. The time read 8:00. I had to go. I quickly jumped up from the couch.

"I'd really love to stay, but I need to get to work before I'm late," I announced as I ran to the table by the door and grabbed my keys.

"Wait! Our goodbye hugs," Corbyn jumped up.

They all got up and walked towards me. I hugged Corbyn, then Zach, then Jack, then Daniel. Eben picked me up how he did last night.

"Eben," I whined. "I need to go."

He set me down and hugged me again. Last was Jonah. I couldn't get enough of his hugs.

"Stay as long as you'd like as long as Taylor is here, but once she leaves, everyone else must go," I directed them.

I opened the door and gave them a smile.

"She's demanding.. That's hot," I heard Eben say before I shut the door.

I got in my silver 2017 Jeep Land Rover and was off. I got to the humane society and clocked in.

"Hey, Hayden," JC said as he walked in.

"Hey. You're here earlier than usual," I teased him.

"Yeah, I know. I woke up earlier than usual," he laughed.

"Did you clean the kennels?" I asked him.

"I was supposed to clean them?" he gave me a confused look.

I sighed and shook my head.

"I'm just kidding. Yeah, I did," he said.

"Okay, cool. I'm going to put food out for the cats," I told him.

I went to the cat section and got out a bag of food. Then I went into the cat habitat and poured some in each bowel. I had just got done pouring food in the last bowel when Lightning walked up to me.

"Hey, Lightning," I said to the cat.

We named him Lightning because he was an all gray cat except for a splash of white fur on his side which looked like a lightning bolt. I went back to the front desk to see if JC was there. He was not. I looked at the clock on the wall. 8:30. Just in time for opening. I flipped the sign on the door to say open. I sat at the front desk for an hour. No one had came in except for a few workers.

"JC!" I yelled.

"Yeah?!" he yelled from one of the rooms.

"Will you come watch the front desk while I go see the dogs?!" I shouted.

"Yeah! One Second!" he called.

I waited a few minutes before he came into the room. He sat in the chair I was previously sitting in while I walked to the dog kennels. I went to Ajax's kennel first. I opened the gate and went in there with him.

"Hey, buddy," I smiled as he ran up to me.

I picked him up, and he licked my face.

"Did you miss me?" I laughed at him.

I set him back down and got a toy. Even though the section was very small, we managed to play a shorter version of fetch. After a few minutes of that, it was time to continue training him. I got a bag of treats and sat down. He already knew how to sit, speak, and lay down.

"Sit," I said, and Ajax did so.

I gave him a treat. He did everything he knew so far, and I gave him a treat.

"Shake," I said as I picked up his paw and acted like I was shaking his hand... or paw?

We had been practicing this one, but he couldn't seem to get it. I did this for about 10 more minutes with him.

"Shake," I said as I held out my hand.

He lifted his paw and put it in my hand.

"Good boy!" I gave him a treat and ruffled his fur.

"How did I know you would be here?" my manager, Madison, asked.

"I don't know," I laughed and looked up at her.

"When are you going to just take the dog home?" she asked.

"I can't afford to keep a dog. There's vet bills, food, toys. I also have to buy groceries and pay bills for my own house," I sighed. "Trust me, if I could, I would take him home."

"I know you would," she said before walking off.

I went back up to the front and told JC he could go back to what he was doing. I sat at the front for another hour without anyone coming in. I was looking at the information for all of the animals when someone finally walked in. They walked up to the front desk, and my eyes were met with the pretty hazel ones I had met the other day.

"Hayden?" he asked.

"Seth," I breathed. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking into adopting a dog," he smiled. "I didn't know you worked here."

"Yeah," I nodded.

It was silent for a few seconds.

"So, do you know what dog your want to adopt, or do you need to look around?" I asked.

"I had two of them in mind, but I kinda want to look around some," he said.

"Okay, well, follow me," I told him before walking to the dog kennels.

I showed him the dogs, and I told him about them. The worst part is showing people Ajax because I was always worried that he'd get adopted. He was my baby, and I wanted to adopt him myself one day. Seth followed me to Ajax's kennel.

"What's his name?" Seth asked, squatting down to pet him.

"Ajax," I told him. "He's my favorite dog. I was going to adopt him but it's not going to happen."

"Oh... How old is he?" Seth looked up at me.

"Only a month. They found him on the side of the road a day after he was born," I explained.

"Can I take him outside?" he asked.

I nodded and got a leash. We took Ajax out back to the play area was. There were toys and things out there. I watched as Seth play with Ajax and bond with him.

"Why don't you adopt him?" Seth picked up Ajax and looked at me.

"I can't," I gave a sad smile.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I don't have the money. I can barely pay my own bills," I looked down.

"I'm sorry," Seth said softly.

We walked back inside. Now was the big question.

"So, are you going to adopt him?" I asked Seth.

He paused before speaking.

"No," he finally said. " I can tell how much this dog means to you. I can't take him away."