Phoenix Knight [A Bad Boy Story] - Editing

Chapter Twelve

Today’s word of the chapter: ‘Tittup’. Definition: (Verb) To move, especially to walk, in an exaggerated prancing or bouncing way, as a spirited horse.

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Chapter Twelve

"Did you really have to bring the rat?" I asked Ivy. Jordan coughed loudly to hide a snicker.

"Do I have to make you apologise to her again?" Ivy narrowed her eyes.

"Just make sure it doesn't get crushed by the German Shepherd," Jordan piped up.

Ivy protectively pulled the Chihuahua -seriously, who owned Chihuahua’s these days, no offence - to her chest and slowed so that she could keep pace with Zora and Bea.

I stopped everyone by the street corner of a quiet, residential area. "We have a new customer just down the road. He is a Great Dane and the owner says that he's a bit... rough," I warned the group.

They all nodded. Jordan adjusted the thick sweat band that was tightly wrapped around her dark-haired skull. It was absolutely hideous but at least it beat Ivy's neon pink yoga pants and Zora's reflective sports bra. I didn't even know that such an article of clothing existed but she reasoned that she wanted the drivers to know of her presence on the road. When I tried to argue that it wasn't night out, she just shrugged.

I turned to Bea and she too just shrugged. What a useless bunch of people that I went to the trouble of calling my "friends".

"I nominate Jordan," Ivy opined.

"I second that nomination," I agreed. Jordan was probably the most capable of handling dogs such as the one that we were approaching. She didn't make the effort of complaining because she, too, knew that her skills were needed in this situation.

The owner of the hulking black beast handed the leash over to Jordan and then said a hasty goodbye. I couldn’t blame the lady, her dog was the most terrifying sight. Already, on all four legs, it reached well above my waist.

I didn't want to know how tall it would stand on only it's back paws.

The minute the bulky Great Dane was a few meters away from it's home - and it's master - it began wrestling with its leash and dragging Jordan every which way.

"Down!" She shouted. "Down boy!" Eventually, she was able to tackle the animal to the ground and show him who was the boss. That was why Jordan was most qualified. I personally could never handle a Dane.

We swerved through various streets and collected the remaining collection of dogs. The only matching pair that we had were twin Golden Retrievers that were split between Zora and Ivy.

The walk had become rather routine so we knew exactly where to go. The rest of the Sweat Pants Sisters particularly enjoyed taking a slow stroll through the park because that was where the boys around our age practiced football every Saturday morning.

However, today's visit didn't go as planned. And Ivy was entirely to blame.

As always, we sauntered through like the teenage girls we were, trying to get a peek of the shirts versus skins game. Well, Jordan, Zora and Ivy were, Bea had Jason (who, sadly, was amongst the two teams) and I was too preoccupied with confused thoughts of Phoenix to care.  

Phoenix.

I had vowed never to speak or think his name again. And yet... I couldn't stop.

When I had forced his beautiful eyes and entrancing voice from my mind, it was to find the hormonal idiots clad in football boots cat-calling and yelling profanities at our group. Ivy stopped to grin like a fool and didn't realise that she was giving her Golden Retriever the perfect opportunity to spy a cat in the distance.