Up for Adoption

Vandalized

As we rode the bus back to the shelter, Brady tried to talk to me but I could hardly listen. I didn't know why I felt betrayed but it hurt to see Olivia ditch us and walk off with Tessa like that. I didn't know what I expected her to do, she was Tessa's best friend, after all. Her best friend who had a crush on her. And Olivia told me herself how much she wanted to stay on Tessa's good side. Still, it was like our talk and the last few days never happened. And that was what bothered me. I guess I thought Olivia was starting to change, that we could actually be friends but that belief went out the window the second I saw her walk off with Tessa.

That night, when Austin and I sat down to eat dinner, I just took a few bites and picked at my food. I couldn't believe that it was bothering me this much.

"Is there something wrong with the food?" Austin asked me.

I shook my head. "No, just...something that happened today."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

I shook my head.

"Well, I'm here if you change your mind," he said. "I just like don't seeing you upset, is all. So if there is any way I can help, you let me know."

I nodded; at least I could always rely on my brother. 

The next day, I walked in to the shelter and was greeted by Gina as always. She asked me to start cleaning the windows and I was making my over to the cleaning closet when I heard voices.

"How could you do that to her?" Brady's voice said.

I turned and saw him and Olivia standing in the corridor twenty feet away from me. They didn't seem to notice me so I backed up until I was standing between the big dog kennels and the corridor and looked to see what was going on.

"What do you mean?" Olivia asked her cousin.

"Don't give me that," Brady scolded her. "You know exactly what I mean. How could you diss Kendall like that?"

"You wouldn't understand," Olivia said. "And I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Fine," Brady said. "But you're going to have to apologize."
"Fine, I'm sorry," Olivia said nonchalantly.

"Not to me," Brady rolled his eyes. "To Kendall; it's only right after what you did to her."

"Look, I was put on the spot," Olivia said. "What was I supposed to do?"

"Not take Tessa's side," Brady said.

"But she's my best friend," Olivia said.

"And why that is, I will never understand," Brady shook his head. "It seems like Tessa lives to make other people's lives miserable. I don't know why you'd want to hang out with her."

I gripped the wall tightly; so Brady really didn't know. Was I really the only one that Olivia told? I just couldn't believe it.

"Like I said, you wouldn't understand," Olivia said. "But if it will make you happy, I'll apologize to Kendall. Though I doubt her feelings were really hurt."

"How can you say that?" Brady asked.

"Well, it's not like we're really close," Olivia said. "Just because we're both volunteers, it doesn't make us besties."
Brady stared at her for a second before shaking his head. "Fine, whatever you got to tell yourself to make yourself feel better."

"It's the truth," Olivia defended.

"So then I suppose you don't feel bad about what you did?" Brady said.