Way Back into Love ↪ Owen Grady

seven ↪ it's over

    "Elle Jonas". The way my name sounded in that tone gave me the worst feeling. "I expressly asked you not to get involved with dinosaurs in first person."

    "I went for a gyrosphere ride and-"

    "You led three visitors, two little kids included, into the valley of the dinosaurs when the situation was clearly under control"

    "No offense but, the kids were very scared and there was no adult nor supervisor with them. I couldn't just leave them there"

    "That's not your choice to make" Roger stated with a harsh tone. "The ACU had it under control"

    "Actually.. they didn't" Dyson jumped into the conversation with a shrug.

    Roger shot him a deadly look, before moving his attention back to me. "This is it. Your trial is dismissed."

    I felt my heart drop at the sound of those words I was so scared to hear. I let out a shaky breath, fighting the tears back in. "What?"

    "You can't do that!" Dyson fought.

    "I can and I am." Roger frowned. "Elle, you're dismissed"

.

    Dad and I stopped in front of paddock twenty-one, the Pachycephalosaurus' enclosure. It was past their feeding time, but they somehow were still in the exhibit. I wrapped my arms around the bars and listed all their names to my dad. — "Aren't they dangerous? I don't think it's safe for you to stick your hands in there" dad softly asked.

    "Look who's coming" I smiled the first smile of the day. "That one is the littlest one, he's a stygimoloch. I named him."

    Pachy stomped towards me and raised his head up for me to pat, which I did right away. I had never heard him make any noise ever until that moment.

    "I knew I'd found you here" a voice spoke from behind us. My dad turned around and eyed the young guy confused.

    "Did he eat today?"

    "Not really, not much" Dyson stepped closer so I could look at him. "I'm sorry for, you know, everything"

    "My daughter was only being a good human being" my dad interrupted with a sweet tone. "She took those children back to their family"

    Dyson looked at him and nodded with a frown. He glanced back at me and spoke those words I never thought I would hear. — "Owen's been looking for you all day"

    "Yeah? Owen?" I tried to act as cool as possible, my body language deceiving me.

    My dad raised his eyebrow at me with a smirk I never thought I'd see, while Dyson simply looked away.

    "Yeah, we all have a meeting in ten with Claire and Roger about you"

    "I bet Roger is happy about that" I huffed. I felt Pachy's head frantically moving under my touch, a sign that he was either nervous or excited.

    "He's not" he laughed a little. "He'll be forced to hear us out"

    I nodded distractedly, visibly worried about the dinosaur's health. Dyson noticed and grabbed his ID and keys. "Hey, I'm running late, do you think you can feed the little guy and lock them all up?"

    "Wait, seriously?"

    "Sure, they know you so they won't cause you any problem" he offered me his security badge which I grabbed right away.

    "I don't think this is-" my dad started but got interrupted by Pachy's sounds. "Is it purring?"

.

    Around eight in the evening the whole paddock was clean and empty. Wait, almost empty. I was sitting on the ground, leaves in my hands, Pachy eating super slowly. — "You're such a slow eater, bud, ohmygod"

    "He's clearly faking it. Smart guy." the only sound of his voice sent shivers up my spine.

    I turned my head slowly in Owen's direction and stared at him confused. Was the meeting already over? Oh, shoot, was Roger somewhere near too?! I had to get out of the paddock quickly before being sued.

    "Is that the little one?" another voice spoke up. Claire? — "I thought he didn't like people"

    "He likes her a whole lot" Owen informed with a cute little smile.

    "I was-, uh, he won't eat if I'm not in here with him so, uh, I'm getting out now" I nervously stuttered as I quickly stood up and sweetly pushed Pachy out of the way.

    Owen slightly chuckled while Claire just stared at me surprised. She was the first one to meet me halfway and unexpectedly placed her hand on my shoulder.

    "Wow, Elle" she blurted out. "What you do here is amazing. When Owen told me about how this stygimoloch would act in your presence I admit I was a bit skeptical. It would be a loss for this park to lose such a care keeper"

    "Roger dismissed me" I raised an eyebrow. Didn't they know?

    "There might be a little something we can do about that" Claire suspiciously eyed Owen with a smile, that he reciprocated right away.

    With that, she collected the paddock's keys, Dyson's ID and security badge, hopped on the only jeep in sight, and drove away. I glanced up at Owen confused. Did she just leave him there like that?

    "Hey, you wanna walk?" he eventually asked before I could say anything.

    "Mh? Yeah, sure" I awkwardly muttered.

    "I've been looking for you everywhere" he let out a small chuckle as he took the first step forward.

    I eyed him from behind, trying to keep my shit together before saying something stupid. I had to be extra careful and filter each and every thought that came up in my mind.

    "Yeah?". I decided it was the way to go, even though I was dying to ask him. "Why?"

    Owen turned around slowly and locked his gaze with mine in a breathtaking way, so effortlessly. I involuntary bit my lip and quickly looked away when I felt my cheeks burning up.

    "Remember that time you touched Blue?" he relaxed his muscles and took a few more steps forward, making sure I was following closely.

    "Oh, yes. What about it?"

    "She's been pretty good lately. I just wanted you to know"

    "I mean.. good for you, right?" I awkwardly joked.

    "Right" he let out a throaty laugh. "But, hey, at least I'm not spoiling her"

    I gasped loudly as he burst out into laughter. "Did you just accuse me of spoiling my baby?"

    "Not at all, mama" he mocked with a very cute side smile. "That's not what I said"

    "You didn't need to say it. You clearly threw me a shade!" I faked being offended, failing miserably since he was still laughing and definitely not feeling bad. — "Pff, and you were my favorite? What a waste"

    As my words helplessly slipped out from my lips I felt my heart drop. It was still a mystery to me how I literally disliked speaking to people yet there I was spilling every shit to the Owen Grady.

    "I'm your favorite?"