Future Days

Nobody likes you when youre 23

I sat at the large decorative fountain at my favorite park in the city I call home. I grew up here in Seattle with my absolute master piece of a mother, and please, pick up on my heavy sarcasm. I left everything I knew and flew to San Diego with a boy who convinced me he could save me and take me away from it all at seventeen, but that's a story for another time. I'm home now. Even if I don't have a home of my own or anything other than this bag with a few toiletries and clothes, it's the happiest I've been in years. Although, it gets lonely. I come here to this park and do what I like to call "people watching". I promise it isn't as creepy as it sounds, or maybe it is. I don't really care, because it's one of the few things in life lately I find joy in. Mostly I sit and watch the families and the happy couples and wonder what it would be like. What would it be like to love and be loved in return?

I started to rip into the foil clad cupcake Mrs. Jacobs had given me this morning as I was leaving the library. It was a funfetti cupcake with strawberry icing, my favorite. She even wrote "Happy B-Day!" in blue icing. Mrs. Jacobs is easily the sweetest woman I've ever met. She lets me crash at the library on the nights she has closing shifts. In a way she's the closest thing I've ever felt to any type of maternal figure. She's offered many times for me to stay with her but I don't feel right accepting. She has a young daughter and twin grand daughters at home that take up a lot of her time. I don't want to impose more than I already do on her life. This morning she gave me one of her trademark big warm motherly hugs, and a small plate wrapped in tin foil. "I know you wont accept an actual gift, but everyone should have cake on their birthday, Sydney. Happy birthday, sweetheart." Mrs. Jacobs said as she wrapped her arms around me embracing me in a hug.

Today I am 23 years old and it feels completely foreign and new. To be completely honest I never thought I'd see 23. Or any age I've previously been for that matter. I guess you could say I've been dealt some shitty cards, but I'm not blameless. I've made a plethora of shitty decisions in my time. Today, however, feels different. I can feel something changing. There's a calmness in the air around me. I feel hope. I'm torn out of my self involved train of thought by an all to familiar feeling. I feel as though I'm being watched. Immediately my muscles tense and I go to grab my bag to get ready to bolt as my fight or flight instinct kicks in when I notice the culprit. It was a large mostly black German shepherd dog with the most hauntingly beautiful honey colored eyes. He looks tired and hungry. He had scars on his face and legs. Bite marks it seemed. I realized he was intently staring at my cupcake and licking his lips. I obliged and offered him half. The dog eyed me timidly and slowly moved closer to the delicious treat never taking his eyes off me.

When we finished our desert I sat on the ground and waited for the dog to warm up to me. Soon enough he was laying his big fluffy head in my lap so I could scratch behind his enormous rabbit ears. Our time at the park was spent with belly rubs, games of fetch, and a lot of one sided conversations by yours truly. He really is the best listener a girl could hope for. He was obviously either a stray, lost, or seriously neglected by someone. Either way, I now feel it's my responsibility to keep him safe. I dug in my pocket to find the twenty bucks Mrs. Jacobs has slid in my pocket during our hug. "C'mon boy. Let's go get some real food." The German shepherd cocked his head to the side and watched as I got up to start our walk to the convenience store.

I come out of the store where my new friend is waiting patiently and together we walk to the ally I call home on nights I can't spend at the library. There's a small stoop next to a side entrance of an old empty nail salon where I have some blankets I keep tucked away in a box for when I need it. "C'mon boy. Let's eat and get warmed up." I say as I pull out our supplies and get comfortable. "Rooster. I'm gonna call you Rooster." I patted Roosters head and he replied in a single bark and a sloppy kiss. After the two ate, they snuggled up together under the blankets. "This has been the best birthday, ever. Thank you for finding me, boy." Rooster nuzzles his head to Sydney's neck as she began to sing softly to the pup until they both were fast asleep.

Next chapter will start from Eddies POV

This is my first ever story. I've never written at all but I had this idea in my head last night and felt inspired to give it a shot. So tell me what you think. ☺️