Down the road

The dog

'Jasper is a dog.'

That's the first thing that occurred in Piper's mind after his heartfelt story.

You know those dogs who have been mistreated and have been through so much but still shake their tales whenever they see someone, hoping that person might actually treat them well.

He was a dog that would come back right after you kicked him in hopes that you'd actually pet him this time.

"Come on Pipes! I'm gonna win you something!" he said smiling brightly before getting up from the bench as if he hadn't just poured his heart out.

Piper followed him still distraught from all the new information about her friend's past.

Meanwhile in Hawaii...

"Stop it!" Charlotte screamed giggling as her husband splashed her once more. "Stop, stop!"

That only encouraged Henry more as he grabbed her in his arms and spun her around in the turquoise water.

"Okay seriously stop!" said his wife changing her tone back to its naturally sassy one.

Henry knew better than to continue so he immediately let go of her. Charlotte then took this opportunity to dunk him into the water as she laughed like a maniac.

"Oh you!" said her man coughing before attacking back.

Laughs from the newlyweds echoed in the soft breeze of the Hawaiian sky.

Back in Swellview...

"It's okay Jasp! You can give up already!" said Piper smiling at her friend's persistence.

"No way! You said you wanted that stuffed dog so I'm gonna get you that stuffed dog!" replied the boy with determination.

After a couple more tries, the sound of the winning bell was finally heard. Jasper asked for the stuffed dog that had caught Piper's attention earlier before turning to her.

"There you go! Told you I would win it for you." He said with his usual breathtaking smile.

"Thanks!" said Piper trying not to blush from the warm feeling in her stomach she had gotten used to over the years.

She remembered the first time she had felt it. It was when Jasp had made that video about cold yoga to bring down the number of suscribers of Jenna Tetrazini. He had made it for her even though she had screamed at him and said he had failed her. Another example of doggy Jasper.

"You're wel..." he started before getting interrupted.

"Well, well, well...if it isn't Mr. Loser Pants." A familiar voice said behind them.

Turning around, they found Mitch Bilsky there looking at them with that same glint in his eyes as he always had when bullying someone.

"Hey Mitch, still bad with insults after all those years?" replied Piper crossing her arms.

"Oh look what we have here. If it isn't the little lady who broke my brother's heart!" Mitch said with disdain looking at her.

"Excuse me?" answered Piper. "He's the one who cheated on me!"

"Wait WHAT?" exclaimed a surprised Jasper."And then you never returned his calls!" The bully said as if she was the one in the wrongs."

"Well duh!" said the girl wondering how someone could be that stupid.

"You got cheated on? How come you never told me that?" asked a furious Jasper.

Piper just raised an eyebrow at Jasper as the answer was pretty obvious.

"Cause as much as I was angry at the guy, I didn't want him dead!" she replied remembering the first time something really bad had happened to her.

You know that dog that lets everything happen to him and would never bite you...touch someone he is attached too and you're in for a blood bath.

She remembered it like it was yesterday. It was a few weeks before she even met Billy Bilsky. She had been to a party one night when her whole family was out. She hadn't planned on drinking but Josh Larken had been kind enough to bring her a drink and she wasn't about to turn him down. She had found him particularly clingy that night until she started to feel dizzy. One cup of beer couldn't do that, could it?

She then excused herself before going to the bathroom. She couldn't possibly call her parents or she would be grounded forever. She couldn't call Henry either because he would rat her out. Calling Charlotte crossed her mind but she wasn't in the mood for a lecture. Sitting down by the bathtub, she called the only person she could.

"Hey Piper? What's up?" asked Jasper suspicious of the unusual called he got from his best friend's little sister.

"Hey Jas...Jasper." Started Piper holding her head as she started to feel really tired. "Could you come get me please?"

Jasper's mind was racing. 'Where was she? Why was he the one she called? And since when did Piper say please to him?'

"Um sure...where are you?" he asked concerned.

"I'm at a party. I don't feel so good since I drank the beer Josh Larken gave me. I'm in the bathroom upstairs." She replied before giving him the address.

"I'm on my way!" he said with a reassuring voice.

Piper didn't remember anything after that. She guessed she had passed out because she woke up in her bed the next morning not knowing what had happened. She filled in the blanks when she saw Josh at school with a black eye trying to avoid her at all costs.

That night as she went to grab a glass of water from the kitchen, Jasper was there, sitting on the couch obviously waiting for Henry who had to use the bathroom.

He gave her a quick nod before looking back at the TV. With her glass in hand, Piper took a deep breath before quickly pecking his cheek as she stood behind him. He didn't even have time to turn around as she sprinted towards her room. They never talked about that event after that.

Piper was brought out of her souvenir as Jasper talked once more.

"Have you told Henry that Billy cheated on you?" he asked.

"Once again I didn't want the guy dead so no!" She answered.

"Ok dimwits, if you're done with your little lover's quarrel, I'm gonna take that and be on my way." Said Mitch taking the stuffed dog from Piper before turning around.

"HEY!!!" Jasper and Piper both screamed at his retreating back.

Cliffhanger! What do you think is gonna happen? Please review!