The Kissing Booth Dare

Chapter 9

I practically fell out of bed at the sound of my alarm clock. It felt like I hadn’t slept at all. Dragging my corpse across the room I managed to get dressed and somehow ended up on the street. Slapping my cheeks to wake me up I began my jog. I couldn’t manage the fast beat songs so I was contently flicking to the next song. I made to the pull-up bar where I rested for a couple of minutes. What was wrong with me? Normally I would have no trouble doing my eight kilometres, but I was struggling to do three. Well you’re not going to get any better just sitting here Callie, so move it.

Sighing I got up and began slowly jogging when my foot suddenly caught on something sending me to the ground.

“Fudge Brownies!” I cussed, grinding my teeth. Sitting up I looked at my leg, nice and grazed and would no doubt be a flash flood in about a minute and purple by tomorrow. Had I done something seriously wrong, for my luck to on such a low? I looked up see what I had tripped on. A blue spotty rope? Shuffling over to it I pulled it gently finding the most adorable fuzz ball. “Oh mi gosh your so cute!” I squealed, jumping like three octaves, blame Erin for the jargon.  I pulled the little pup onto my lap. It gave a little snap at my finger. “No, bad boy,” I said firmly giving it a little tap on the nose. It seemed a little shocked by my action but ended up jumping up to lick my face, his little stump of a tail wagging a million miles an hour. Giggling I picked up what I was pretty sure was a shih tuz. Following the other end of the lead, I realized that the little guy had got himself tangled up with a bicycle rack and a sturdy plant. Kneeling down I quickly untangled the lead and went sit on the bench. “Where’s your owner little…,” I checked its collar. “Ah…Ripper?” Ok was seriously not expecting that. I looked up and down that path for any obvious person looking for a dog, no one. I checked his tag again finding a phone number. I quickly pulled out my phone and dialled. As soon as I pressed ‘ring’ I heard a phone in the distance.

My head snapped to where a guy hastily darted for his phone. I quickly hung up, hoping to save credit and picked up the little cutie.

“Hey excuse me, is this your dog!” I called. He turned but instantly froze as I approached, stroking the little dog who had suddenly gone all quiet. “Or are you looking for something else?” I asked.

“No, no no, I mean yes. Yes I was looking for my…my sister’s dog. Yes my sister’s,” he babbled. Taking a step back I forced a smile. What a freak and a terrible liar.

“I’m sorry, I think I’ve got the wrong person, I need to make sure this little guy gets to the proper home. Sorry for bothering you,” I turned away from the weirdo.

“Wait! I’m sorry, it is actually my dog, not my sister’s, I don’t even have a sister,” I turned back to the guy who was suddenly really close. “Ripper, that’s his name.” The dog barked on queue and stated wagging its tail again. “I swear I only turned my back for a minute while getting a drink. This guy is like a major escape artist. This is like the fourth time he’s done this,” he admitted shyly.

Putting Ripper down, I handed over the leash, still sceptical. I gave the little dog a pat but received another round of slobbery kisses. Thankfully the guy pulled the little terror off me before I exploded into a full out giggle attack.

“He’s such a cutie, wish I still had a dog,” I smiled. “He was a little bigger than this guy, a good old kelpie,” I smiled remembering the old boy. He was more my eldest brother, Connor’s dog, but still held a soft spot in my memory.

“Just a little bigger?” the guy in front of me laughed. “But a kelpie is a good man’s dog unlike this little fur ball.”

“I like this fur ball, less cleaning, less feeding, a million times more adorable” I noted.