Bite Me

I

7:57

Large, doe-like chocolate colored eyes stared unblinking at the small green digital numbers printed on the interface of the oven. Tan fingers drum against the smooth wooden surface of the dining table in impatience, knee bouncing up and down, almost hitting the beams underneath.

7:57

The tapping stopped, instead opting to pull at dark strands, twirling around and around his index finger. His leg didn't stop it's rapid movement. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down.

7:57

A sudden distant howl of a dog outside made him blink, eyes flickering to the large window behind him. There aren't any street lights in the small town (not unless the homeowner wants to pay for one to be installed then handle the electric bill that went along with it), but thanks to the twinkling stars and half moon, he could see a good portion of the backyard.

The brunette strands making up his bangs fell into his eyes as he tilted his head to peer around the plastic frame of the window, tips pricking at his sclera, causing slight tears to gather and threaten to spill over. Blinking rapidly in an attempt to clear them, glassy orbs glided over the grass and surrounding trees that were bathed in an eerie white glow.

The leaves that have yet to fall off the large oak and maple trees ruffled in the wind, some being pulled off their branch homes before dancing and twirling in the air, finally coming to a rest when they land on the green land below. Large pupils scanned over the land, surveying the plush-looking (but it's definitely not as he fell flat on his back just the previous week thanks to a certain best friend of his and still has bruises) green land before letting out a sigh in relief.

No dog in sight.

He doesn't hate them per say, but he is slightly allergic. One time when celebrating his sixth birthday with his family and friends, one of his older cousins had brought over their Kintamani over. Snowball (his five year old cousin had chosen the name after the dog ate every ball in sight during their annual snowball tournament), an adorable, white fluff ball was (and still is) the cutest thing that he has ever laid his eyes on. He'd never seen a canine prior to that day and, evidently, the dog hadn't seen a bunny-like boy in her life because she ran straight at him and knocked him down.

Long story short, he ended up with a bright pink rash that started the top of his cheek and ended halfway down his neck. His small arms were completely covered in tiny red bumps that itched almost as bad when he had the chicken pox earlier in the year. His mother and father had taken him directly to the hospital where he had been prescribed some soothing steroid cream to calm the welts and an inhaler once he complained about chest pain and wheezing.

Once they made it back a few hours later, his cousin immediately launched into profusely apologizing to him and his parents, which they brushed right off. It wasn't like they knew the little boy would have had such a reaction to cute Snowball.

Eventually it was time for them to head out, promising to bring Jungkook a whole case of banana milk the next time they visit. He watched from the window as they left, knees digging harshly into the wood of the sill of the bay window. Bright eyes locked onto the fluffy white canine that sat in the back of the mini van with his younger cousins, her tongue lolled out happily. She's cute and he wishes he could pat her more, but he doesn't like the itch, doesn't like the tightness of his chest, as if a snake coiled around his lungs and squeezed.

He got to sleep in his parents bed that night, curled in this mother's warm arms. Dreams of dogs, itching, and stuttered breathing filling his young mind the whole night.

His rash went away by the next afternoon, only faint pink lines from his aggressive scratching was left as evidence of what was once there. Ever since, he has been avoiding dogs like the plague, admiring them from afar and never coming within a 10 foot radius. He hasn't seen Snowball since his party, but his younger cousins have kept him up-to-date about everything that's going on with her, no matter how small.