short story

Foxes

foxes

By H.M.Bird

Bartholomew's P.O.V
"Wanna go on a picnic? Alpaca lunch," I said to... what's her name? I try to look at her name tag, but her lion mane kept getting in the way. I growl in frustration glancing up to find wolf eyes staring down at me. "Do you need something, sir," she asks an annoyed look on her foxy face. I could feel my face heating up. I start to move my ruff rigid hand to hide my face but stop halfway. I drop my hand and regain my cool. Leaning up on the railing next to her I might have said the most stupid thing one could have said, "Whale hello there." "Your pun irrelephant," she muttered, suddenly she smirked as if she had something up her sleeve, "By the way, this is an employee only area."I looked away ashamed of myself for just walking into the room without reading the sign on the door. I couldn't help but think. Man, I wish that she could be mine, but a girl as pretty as she must already have a boyfriend. When I looked back up the fox-faced girl with wolf eyes were gone. I didn't even get to know her name. Slowly I turned around to head back to the door and smiled to myself. I straightened my black leather jacket and ran my hand through my messy light brown hair. My smile grew wider as I left and headed over to the guest viewing area for the foxes, which was right next to where the door was and smiled as I saw her feeding the foxes. Ironic, I thought, her face looks kind of foxlike. She fits in with the foxes so well. I watched her hand movement and looked down at my brown leather watch. 12:30. I will come on again at 12:30 tomorrow. At the fox exhibit. I marked it in my head and watched her as she finished feeding the foxes and then left the zoo.When I got to my dark blue Honda I realized that I could not stop thinking about her. I'm a creep, but I am a hot, romantic, kind creep. I smirked as I got into the car. I wonder what her favorite color is. What is her favorite food? What is her favorite animal? Foxes, duh. Why else would she be working with foxes? I chuckled at my thoughts as I drove down 1307n and got into the turning lane to turn onto 2084e and kept driving straight. After a little while, I turned into my driveway at my house at 2084e 301n. Smiling I headed into the house, my roommate looking up in confusion, to my room. Sighing I lay on my bed staring up at the ceiling."Hey Bart," I heard my roommate, Jet, call."WHAT," I yelled"Are you lovestruck or something? Did someone finally conquer the loner?""NO! Why would you even suggest that!"I inwardly groan and close my eyes hoping that sleep could take away all the pain of being roasted by my roommate. While secretly hoping that I would be able to see Fox girl again, but before I could finish sleep overtook me. When I woke up I thought about Fox girl. My eyes widened as the thought hit me, She looked kinda familiar, I wonder what her name is. Suddenly the blanket was ripped out from under me."I thought you wanted to go to the zoo today to see whoever you were thinking about yesterday," Jet bluntly said."Right," I said, jumping out of bed and shoving Jet out of the door to the hallway.After getting ready I grabbed an apple and headed to my Honda and started to drive. "Will the zoo even be open," a voice asked from behind me causing me to practically jump out of my seat.
Venus's P.O.V.
"Wanna go on a picnic? Alpaca lunch," a voice behind me said. Probably just Jack, so I ignored it. After waiting at least three minutes I glanced over to where the voice was coming from to find a tall guy with light brown hair, a black leather jacket, brown eyes, and jeans. Looking at him he looked familiar. That was when I realized this was Bartholomew, the popular flirty kid from high school. I glared at him as he glanced up. "Do you need something," I asked annoyed. I couldn't help but notice that his face turned into a turn up at the sound of my voice. Great, I thought, Just what I needed, another guy. I watched as his callused hand flew up half way to his face, but it stopped.I was about to ask again when the guy said, "Whale hello there."Can I just slap him for this, I thought, How did he even know that I was here?! Even though I really wanted to slap him I said, "Your pun is irrelephant," Then smirked and said, "By the way, this is an employee only area."I could have sworn that I saw him mentally facepalm, but he seemed sort of out of it so I took my chance to escape. Almost inedibly I ran face first into someone. Groaning I stood up ignoring their hand to help me out and straightened my light blue shirt. Looking up I saw a girl with chocolate brown hair and soft green eyes wairing the uniform."Hey, I'm terribly sorry, but I am new here and I don't know where the wolfs are," She said softly, with a strong British accent."It's fine, the wolfs are just over there, I'm Venus Fox. You are," I responded"Tessa Rand, but all of my friends from England just call me Tess.""Nice to meet you, Tess.""You too"With that, we parted and I headed over to get the food for the foxes. Those foxes were like children to me. I headed into the enclosure. The only animals that were put into the cages at the zoo were the ones that couldn't be sent out into the wild, so I was allowed to be in the enclosure with them. I glanced up for half a second and saw Bartholomew glancing at his watch and I couldn't help but be creeped out by it. After almost an hour of making sure that all the foxes were fed I glanced up and he wasn't there anymore. I breathed a sigh of relief, but deep down inside I felt disappointed that he wasn't there still. Shaking my head I thought, don't think that Bartholomew is an annoying jerk who wouldn't stop flirting with me and my friends in high school. Of course, all of my friends are now dating his friends, but that doesn't mean that I have to date him. But deep down inside of me I thought, but I kinda want to. With that thought left in my head, I started to collect my stuff and went to put back the stuff when a strong hand grabbed my shoulder a little too hard. Wincing I glanced over my shoulder."Jack, could you let go," I ask"Sure thing sweetheart."I groaned, even Bartholomew was better than Jack. I would even take Joker from Batman over Jack. Slowly I turned around and Jack started to say something, but I honestly didn't hear any of it. I was too busy imaganateing myself punching the German with black hair."Don't you agree," Jack askedSince I didn't hear him the first time I swiftly turned around and grabbed my stuff and ran out and to the bus station. The entire ride home I couldn't stop thinking about Bartholomew. I got off in front of Walmart and walked the rest of the way home my thoughts distracting me from where I was going. Distracting me from the fact that I was alone at my house. Distracting myself from the fact that I hate Bartholomew Strange. When I was about to go to sleep I found myself thinking, I like Bartholomew much more than Jack. With that, I found myself asleep. That morning I found myself smiling. It was on Sunday! I don't have to work! I wouldn't have to deal with Jack or the possibility that Bartholomew could be there.