Things End, Deal With It

twenty three

He said, "I went to the year 3000,
not much has changed, but they live underwater..."

"Hey Sam."

"Cheyenne. What's up?"

"Uh, I'm just in bed reading. What about you?" I stick my highlighter into my book and close it.

"Taking a walk. I realized we haven't talked in awhile."

"I know." I pick at my quilt that is thrown over my legs. "I was grounded last month. So, there's a reason we didn't really talk last month."

"Yeah. I thought we had something."

"Sam."

"No, I get it. We weren't that close, and I pushed it a little too far. I'm sorry."

"No, no. It's fine. Um, I'm actually dating someone."

"You're what?"

"I'm dating someone, okay?"

"You're back together with Aaron?"

"Oh, no. I'm with someone else."

"Okay," he says disappointed. "I'm gonna go."

"Bye." I hang up and toss my phone beside me. I continue reading, highlighting my favorite parts in the book.

After I get about half way through the book, I quit. My butt's going numb, and I'm thirsty. When I start shuffling about, Axl picks his head up from where it was laying on his paws.

"Hey, buddy. Were you sleeping?" He gets up and walks across my bed to me. He lays back down, putting his head on my thigh. I pet his head and down his back. "I need to get up, Axl." I pick him up and kiss his head before putting him back down on the bed. As soon as I stand up and begin to walk away, he jumps off the bed to follow me. "Aw, c'mon. Let's go." He almost falls down the stairs so I pick him and carry him the rest of the way down. I get a bottle of green tea out of the fridge and open it. I take a drink and put the cap back on. "Do you need to pee? You wanna go outside?" I set my tea on the counter and go to the back door. I unlock and open it. Axl runs to use the bathroom, and I stand on the porch. I wait for him to come back up, and when he does, he sits in front of me; right next to my feet. "Let's go for a walk, shall we?" I bend down and ruffle the fur on his head. He looks up at me and leans into my leg. "Alright." I take him inside and shut and lock the door behind me. I grab his leash off the hook, and run upstairs to get my phone. I slide on a pair of flip flops when I come back downstairs. I snap on his leash and open the front door. "Oh, shit." I step back inside and grab my keys off the hook. I shut and lock the front door, and we go off on our walk. We walk down the street, Axl barking happily at every person or animal he sees. "Look Axl. Someone's moving in." I point to a big house with a moving truck and a woman outside. He barks and starts running over, but I stop him. "Hold your horses there, buddy." I walk him over to the house, and a woman unloading boxes spots me.

"Hello?" she says, confused.

"Hi. I'm sorry to just walk in here. I just saw you guys moving in and wanted to introduce myself. I'm Cheyenne. I live like seven or so houses down."

"Oh, I'm Martha." She hands a box to a tall man who comes up behind her. "And this is my husband, Steve." He sticks out his hand, and I shake it. This guy can't be older than 24, neither could the woman.

"You know what kind of neighborhood this is, right?" They look at each other.

"What do you mean?" Steve asks, skeptically.

"I mean people know this as the bad side of town."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. No one should bother you if you lock your doors and windows though."

"Okay." Martha nods. "Thanks for telling us." A loud wailing sound comes from the house. Steve smiles, and Axl starts barking.

"Shh." I pick Axl up and hold him close to me. He stops barking and licks my cheek.

"I'll get her," Steve tells Martha and goes inside.

"So, you have a baby?"

"Yeah." She sighs.

"If you ever need time to yourself or anything, I could always babysit."

"Really?"

"Yes, of course."

"Do you have any experience?" she questions me.

"Yeah. I used to babysit my two cousins; one nine, the other three. Then my aunt had twins, and I had to babysit them also." I smile at her. I scratch Axl's back as he throws his front paws over my shoulder and lays his head on them.

"Okay. Well, give me your number, and I'll call if I ever need you." She smiles back at me and pulls her phone out of her back pocket. I tell her my number and how to spell my name.

"Do you need any help unpacking?" I ask.

"No, it's fine, but thank you." I nod at her.

"Well, I'll see you sometime later."

"Have a nice day." I wave with the hand that's not holding Axl and walk down the drive way. I take him off my shoulder, but he has his eyes closed. When I move him though, he opens his eyes and stares at me. Then lays his head back down and sleeps. I laugh quietly and walk back down the street, petting his back. I take off my shoes and take off Axl's leash when we get home. We go upstairs after I lock the door, and I put Axl on the bed. As quick as I put him down, he jumps back up and starts panting.

"What? What?" I say to him in a baby voice. "You're not tired now, I see. What's up with that?" He barks, and I laugh. "You wanna play? Hmm?" I pick a knotted rope from the floor and shake it at him. I toss it to him, and he starts chewing it. I grab the other end and start playing tug-of-war with him.

After him and I get tired of playing, I start reading again, and Axl curls up beside me.