You and Me

Chapter 1: New Orleans

My breathing is steady as the pavement below my feet falls behind me with every step I take. I feel beads of sweat roll down the indent of my spine as I run in the humid Louisiana summer heat. My legs are burning, but I increase my speed and lengthen my stride for the last 3 minutes of my run. My breath comes in quicker intervals as I struggle to breathe through the pain of my legs that are beginning to cramp up. I turn onto the oak lined driveway and sprint the last 50 yards. As soon as I reach the end of the driveway I collapse into the grass in the cool shade of an oak tree. My chest is heaving as I try and catch my breath, and sweat drips down my hairline along the back of my neck. I close my eyes and enjoy the small breeze that temporarily reprieves the sweltering heat that makes me feel like I’m baking in an oven. I’ve only closed my eyes for a few minutes but can feel my exhausted body begin to relax and fall asleep. That is until I feel something wet and slimy suddenly wipe it’s self across my face.

I open my eyes and am face to face with my dog that is trying to lick all the sweat off my face.

“Ew Coco!” I shout and roll over, but Coco follows and licks the back of my neck.

“Coco stop!” I say laughing and she does, sitting back on her haunches wagging her tail happily.

“You are so silly.” I say to her smiling and she wags her tail a few more times before laying down beside me, panting in the late afternoon heat. I rub her black coat as I think back to how I had found Coco.

Three years ago, I was running a trail in the woods that is behind my house. I had heard a quiet whimpering noise and had found a black lab puppy nestled in a pile of dead leaves. As a dog lover, I instantly picked her up and brought her home, begging my mom to let me keep her. She allowed me to keep Coco as long as I was responsible for training and feeding her. After that day I trained Coco until she knew every trick in the book. Not to brag or anything, but I’m pretty sure I have the coolest dog ever.

I continue to rub her dark coat as I watch an afternoon thunderstorm begin to brew in the distance. When I feel the breeze pick up and the storm clouds are hovering over me, I stand and begin to make my way inside. I whistle for Coco to follow me, which she does obediently. Coco's nails clip along the wood floor as she shadows me through the house and upstairs to my room. When I enter my room, I point to the corner and Coco immediately goes to her bed in the corner and lies down. I grab my phone and lay down on the ground, leaning up against the foot of my bed. I open my phone and see that I have a couple of messages.

Kelley: Yo what time are you picking me up tonight?

I glance at the time on my phone and realize that I need to take a shower and get ready quickly.

Y/N: Be there in 45!

I see the other message is from my mom saying she was going to the grocery store and would be back soon. I toss my phone on my bed before stripping and hopping into the shower. After my shower, I towel dry my hair quickly and slip into black jeans, a grey and black baseball t-shirt, a pair of red vans, and throw on a black snapback as I run out my bedroom door.

Coco stands up and follows me down the stairs, and I jump onto the banister and slide down. The front door opens and my mom walks in with a few grocery bags right as I hop off the banister.

“Y/N what have I said about sliding down the bannister?” My mom asks.

“Mom you’ve been saying this since I was 5. You would think after 16 years you would just let me get away with it.” I say smiling as I take the bags out of her hands and bring them into the kitchen.