Underage

[31] Trevor Green

[DEDICATED to 5H_harmony15 for making me six different covers for this story, including the new cover above. Thank you so much. It means a lot to me.]

Underage

[31] Trevor Green

My house is a mess. Cushions from my couch are thrown to the floor. The trash in my garbage can has been scattered throughout my kitchen. The pieces of silverware are laid out on the counter in rows moving from spoons, to forks, to knives. Water is all over my floor, overflowing from the sink I've now turned off. The fridge is thrown open, the lack of food having been left alone. In my bedroom, I can barely see the floor through the layer of clothes. Each set of lingerie, gifted from Ethan, is laid out on my bed like I was laying out my clothes before I put them on. Each pair circles the unworn red set. My shampoo and conditioner are both dumped out onto the bottom of my shower.

The tears make another appearance as I sink to the floor in my bedroom. Magnus is gone and someone got into my home. I wipe away the tears but they keep coming. Someone broke into my house and trashed the place and stole my dog. My Magnus. I pat my pockets for my phone, but I only remember I left it at Grace's house when I've checked every possible place it could be. I don't bother cleaning anything as I reach for my keys and Magnus' leash. I have to find my puppy.

If someone got into my home, he could be anywhere. They could have him. They could have hurt him. They could have left him on the side of the road somewhere. Or, maybe, when they came in he simply dashed out the door. That was my best option, and the one I keep chanting in my head.

Just as I'm about to make my way out of the front door a crumbled piece of paper catches my attention. It's fallen off the table and I reach down to grab it. I recognize the chicken scratch handwriting. My name is sprawled on top just like it was on the chalkboard hanging over the tent at The Grove. I almost smile. Almost.

Places to take Thea.

Beneath is a list of places he's written out to take me. Some of them are scratched out and I can't make out what they say, but he's left some. The beach is on here, the fair, Disney Springs, The Keys. He took out the time to write out where he wants to take me. This crumbled piece of paper is all it takes for the anger inside to disappear. Now, all I'm left with is a shell of sadness and anxiety.

I don't bother with my car. If he got out the front door when someone came in, he couldn't have gotten far. I jog down the street, the motivation of finding my puppy being the only factor keeping me from a slower pace. I call out for Magnus and whistle for him as I turn the corner. The dog park is down the street. I increase my speed. My arms pump as I make my way towards the dog park. There are many dogs out, but none of them are Magnus. I continue down the street, calling out Magnus' name and whistling for him.

"Thea," I hear behind me. I don't have time for this. I need to find my dog. "Thea, wait up."

"I don't have time," I say, not bothering to look back at him. "My dog got out—"

"I know," he says. Trevor Green stops jogging right in front of me. His face is tinged red and there's sweat coating his upper forehead. He's in a pair of khaki shorts, a collared blue shirt, and a pair of boat shoes. "I was driving this way and I saw him on the side of the road. I remember seeing him at your house when I returned your wallet, so I picked him up. I was just on the way to your house when I saw you. I didn't have a leash, so I left him in the car."

Trevor points to his car idling on the side of the road. I can see Magnus in the front seat, his head hanging out the open window. I sigh in relief and step towards Trevor. I kiss his cheek and wrap my arms around him. His body tenses with the contact.