smiling critters

chapter 32 - excitement

Neil had gotten up and dressed earlier than he usually would. today was the day he was supposed to meet his dad, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't excited. it was the first time he got to meet his blood family outside of Godfrey and visiting mom’s grave, so of course he’d be excited. But still, there was that tiny worry in him that his dad would be like Godfrey and he was just faking to take advantage of Neil. maybe it was a reasonable worry to have, maybe it was his anxiety making him over think, Neil wasn't sure. nevertheless, he pulled his jean shorts over his waist and grabbed his phone before leaving his room to see PJ, poppy, and Malachi at the table eating breakfast with the baby.

“morning, angel face! excited to meet your dad?” Malachi smiled at him.

“oh, you bet!” Neil smiled back as he got himself a plate of food and sat at the table beside poppy and started eating.

“I'm gonna hang out with my friends until I have to go to the cafe,” Neil told his father figure as he ate.

“ok, just don't be late,” Malachi patted neil’s head as he ate and his other surrogate siblings came upstairs to eat. once he was done, he rushed upstairs to brush his teeth before rushing back downstairs to grab his keys and put his shoes on before dashing out the door, bidding his family goodbye. He started walking and eventually got to the playground he and his friends usually hung out at. it was fairly deserted, which attracted Kai and Bryson and when they got to know Dylan and Neil, showed it to them, where they found Hollie playing basketball by herself. the playground eventually attracted Camila and penny due to the forest closeby. Camila was drawing the trees and other plants while Penny was eating the honeysuckle that was on the edge of the forest, and I mean the entire flower petal, not just sucking out the nectar. the only girl they didn't meet via this deserted playground was Bobby, who the friend group always called fine china due to how dainty and fragile she was. once Neil got there, everyone else was already there and waiting for him. he pranced up to them happily.

“hey Nini!” kai greeted as Hollie scored a three pointer in one of the basketball hoops.

“hi kai!” he smiled and waved back. Dylan noticed the mood change fairly quick.

“someone’s chipper today, what’s up?” he asked as he hugged his boyfriend.

“I'm meeting my dad today!” he smiled and
hugged back.

“really?” Bobby asked from the patch of grass she was lying on, happy for her friend.

“yeah, it’ll be the second blood relative I meet! well, technically third, but the second one I'll really remember, y’know?”

“mhm, I'm so happy for you!”

“thanks!”

“you nervous?” Bryson asked from the bench he was sitting on beside camila, who was turned away from him and facing Bobby, presumably drawing the sow in her sketchbook.

“eh, a little but I'm mostly excited!” the American shorthair shrugged. it was only then did Camila notice him as she announced to Bobby that she was done, causing her to stand up and go next to Neil.

“oh Nini, you're here! check it out!” Camila suddenly blurted out before turning her sketchbook to him, revealing a work In progress of Bobby laid sleeping in the grass. it wasn't colored in or inked, but it already looked so nice, Camila always has a knack for capturing her friends at their most peaceful, she seemed to wait for them to relax wherever they were before she started drawing.

“oh, that looks great! when did you start?”

“when I got here, I wanna finish it when I get home today. But I have a teeny tiny request for you, could you climb the dome and lay down, please?” she smiled and pointed at the large metal rod dome that took up most of the playground. it was the main thing that kept Neil coming back. it allowed a slightly safer alternative to tree climbing that he absolutely ate up, because it allowed him to get the people watching view he liked without worrying that his branch would break and send him plummeting to the floor. he nodded and pranced over to the dome before carefully scaling up and resting his head on one of the metal rods, his arms and legs sticking through the large gaps and dangling above Camila, who was now lying underneath him with her sketchbook and pencil.

“wait, you're actually gonna draw me like this?” He exclaimed.

“yea, it’ll be too basic if I draw you from outside the dome, so if I do an under view, it'll be so much more interesting, so pleeeaase work with me for a second!” the horse pleaded, clasping her hands together.
Neil rolled his eyes. “ok, fine.”
Camila smiled and thanked him. he closed his eyes and started to get comfortable laid on the dome, allowing Camila to start drawing. he stayed there until his alarm to remind him to start saying goodbye to his friends and start walking to the cafe he was supposed to meet his dad at.

“cams, take a photo if you're not done, I gotta get going,” he told his friend, staying in place for a few seconds so she could take a picture of him.

“oh, I already did. you can get up,” she smiled back and waved. he nodded and carefully scaled down the dome before giving Dylan a goodbye hug.

“hey, would you mind if I went with you?” the cocker spaniel asked as he separated from the hug.

“ooh, can I come?” Kai asked, walking away from the basketball arena.

“finally tired of getting your ass kicked?” Hollie grinned smugly.

“yea, kinda. And you're coming with me!” he nodded before grabbing Bryson by his shirt collar and pulling him onto his feet.

“why do I have to come with you?” the African elephant asked, used to his friend’s bullshit at this point.

“because if I know you any, this is the first time you've left your house all weekend! you need to touch some grass!”

“by your definition, I am touching grass.”

“touch more grass than you’re touching already.”

“fine,” Bryson rolled his eyes.

“mind if I tag along, too?” Bobby raised her paw.

“nah, it's cool. does anyone else wanna come while we’re at it?” Neil asked with a sigh. they declined and the group started on their way to the cafe.

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