Changing You ✦ The Sequel

Chapter 10 {R}

✦ RILEY ✦

"Who's dog is this? Where the hell did you find a dog?" Zach tried to ask without raising his voice, but the dog that continued barking right at him wasn't helping.

Reese got up from the ground and placed her hand on the dog's shoulder. "Hey girl, it's okay," she shushed.

To my surprise, the dog, that surely was a mixture of different breeds but definitely had the posture of a German Shepherd, lowered its snarled lips and eased down at Reese's words.

"I found her at the edge of the forest, right in front of our house. I heard whining and howling of a dog so I went to take a look." The young girl carefully looked up at her older brother. "She was tied to a tree. Maybe she has been for days. They abandoned her, left her there to starve."

Zach's eyes softened, looking down at the animal that reached up to Reese's hips but stood by her side as if it owed her its life, which practically was the case.

The dog stared back at him with cautious, golden-brown eyes. That wasn't the most remarkable thing about the creature though; that pair of honey-coloured eyes was set in half a black face, and half a brown, spotted face.

Zach looked away eventually. "It's a good thing you brought her here," he said, forcing a smile. "Did she eat yet?"

Reese shook her head, making him nod in return. "Okay, well, I'm sure we can find something for her. Why don't you go look downstairs?"

She didn't move. "What are you gonna do?"

I heard Zach swallow as he turned his gaze down. "I'm uh," he hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm gonna check in with the animal shelter."

Every trace of hope faded from Reese's face. "No!"

He closed his eyes in a faint sigh. Reese's intentions had been clear to both of us since the moment we caught her hiding the dog under her bed: she was intending to keep her.

Even though she couldn't have looked more disappointed, she had known that Zach was going to refuse from the start, so that's why she tried going behind his back.

"They're gonna take care of her there, okay?" He said gently. "They'll find a good home where she can live."

"She already has a home," Reese shot back, her big brown eyes flooding with tears.

As Zach bit down on his bottom lip, I knew I wasn't the only one who heard the heartache in her voice.

He shook his head, guilt flashing across his face. "Not here," he muttered. "I'm sorry, I really am, but we just can't."

"Why not?" Reese blurted out, the words leaving her throat like a sob. Then she dropped to the ground and wrapped her arms loosely around the dog's neck, burying her face into its fur and holding it close.

"Reese, look," Zach breathed out through clenched jaw, crunching down to meet her eye level. "I understand you want this and I wish I could make it happen, but I can barely manage to take care of you and Ryan, how do you expect me to take care of a dog too? I just can't, it's not happening, I'm sorry."

Reese gave him a cold look, wiping away her tears with her sleeve roughly. "Mom would've let me keep her," she stated.

I watched the words in Zach's mouth turn to ashes as he froze, the comment hitting home like a stab through the heart.

"Reese, that's not fair..." I said softly, knowing exactly what she was trying to do.

I wasn't sure if she actually meant what she said, but she was definitely using Zach's feelings of self-blame and regret against him, pressing down on his sore spots, testing to see if he would give in.