The Dog Walker and the CEO [cake au] ✔

Chapter 26 - Smaller Than a Bug

Guess who's in this chapter

Chapter 26

Calum

Monday

"I hope you don't mind having this room. Your old one is being redecorated," Aunt Sarah said coldly, leaning against the door frame with my suitcase in her hand. "Tell me if you need anything."

I let out a thin-lipped smile and thanked her, walking into the bedroom and sitting myself down on the massive king-sized bed.

Aunt Sarah was pretty well-off – she lived in a mansion all by herself. Marriage had never been her thing, nor kids – so you can imagine how frustrated she must've been when she was told she had to take me in, feed me, give me an education and teach me the ways of life. She handled court cases during the day, and wrote books through the night – obviously, due to her addiction, she was only given a few cases each month, and the books she wrote were a way of self-counselling. There was some pretty dark stuff on her computer – I'd snuck onto it once for a sneak peek and definitely regretted it.

That was the time I realised how much she actually despised me. My whole existence was just a massive nuisance to her, but it wasn't as if she could just turn to me and tell me to leave.

I stared up at the ceiling with fancy wallpaper, letting out a massive sigh and preparing myself mentally for the next few weeks with Aunt Sarah, and more importantly – without Luke.

~

"Today, class, we have an animal charity coming in to talk to you about what they do to help and save animals that are in need," the teacher announces. I doodle on the front cover of my science book which is full of tiny rips and tears and black ink markings. It isn't until I hear his voice that I lift my head and let my eyes meet with the bluest eyes I've ever seen.

"Hi guys, I'm Lucas," he introduces, pointing at the shiny golden name badge on his fern green polo shirt. "We take in abandoned animals and treat them till they get better – and we really enjoy it."

A kid next to me shoots his hand up into the air, already bursting to ask a question. Once the teacher approves, he asks, "How old are you Lucas?"

The blue-eyed guy smiles, and I can't keep my mouth closed as I gawp at his wonderful expression. "I'm sixteen. I volunteer for the charity." A murmur of 'wow's and 'oh my god's fill the warm summer air, and the teacher has to shush us to get us to be quiet.

He goes on to tell us all about different animals, including cats, and dogs, which he says are the most common. He also tells us about the zoo and how he spends a lot of time there too looking after animals, mentioning something about his parents owning the zoo or something like that.

At one point he starts to talk about small animals like the meerkat and babies. "A lot of the animals I look after are smaller than you."

I frown and stick my hand in the air. "Does that mean I'm smaller than a bug?" I ask innocently, blushing when I realise he's holding in a laugh. My hand quivers slightly as it returns to my lap.

"Yes, that's right – you're smaller than a bug!"

The class laughs and before I know it, I'm laughing too. I like Lucas, he's funny. It's a shame though, because soon he passes on to another person who has come to talk to us, but I don't like them so I watch Lucas for the rest of the session. At the end I ask the woman in charge if I can write letters to them, and she gives me an address. I smile at the piece of paper and press it against my chest.