Crystal Eyes

~(07)~

~*E l l e r y*~

I woke to soft licks and vibrating paws pattering along the sides of my bed. A groan tore through my throat as Charlie's little paws leaped onto my stomach and pounced on my chest. I poked my eyes open to witness him hovering over me and panting with his tongue hanging limply from his mouth. His tail flapping back and forth.

I stroked his head with small flicks and kissed his cheek once. His mouth moved in erratic motions. I wondered what sounds he was making..barking? Whimpering? Whining? I hesitantly slid out of the warm comfortableness of my bed and pattered along my carpet crouching in to avoid the cold.

Charlie clad in my arms wiggling and panting, I tip-toed onto our patio and placed Charlie softly on the wet with morning dew grass. His tail wiggled and flapped in the air, I noticed that he didn't make a move to potty. He must not be trained yet...great. Bathroom, I signed as if he could even understand. He wobbled a little and slumped in the grass, bearing his belly to me and flapping his legs in a swimming motion.

Not able to resist, I bent down and stroked his chubby belly a few times before heaving him back into my arms and walking him inside. His eyes were wide as I dumped a scoop of puppy food mixed in with some smelly mush into his bowl. After filling up his water, I released him. He tottered onto the kitchen tile and tapped his feet as he ate gleefully.

Ryan peered over me a moment later and fixed his tie. Why aren't you ready? We're meeting Jenna in twenty minutes. I huffed patted Charlie's head a few times before staggering into my room and slipping on a plain navy shirt and some black shorts. I flipped around my curls for a while until tying them into a messy bun holder and sliding a jacket over my arms.

I was surprised Ryan had agreed to meet Jenna...after what she'd said and all. It had fumed Ryan more than it had fumed me. He had even blocked her number and avoided her wholly at Allie's funeral. Before the crash, I had thought maybe something was going on romantically between them but Ryan already had a girlfriend at the time and Jenna had just broken up with her boyfriend.

Ryan pressed a hand to my back as I locked Charlie in his crate. I strolled slowly signing a quick, sorry. He looked depressed and mournful as I left with Ryan. Poor pups, I'd come for him afterward. We just wanted to avoid bathroom accidents in the house while we were away. We also wanted to avoid actual accidents like him taking a tumble off of something. He was so tiny.

Soo....big bro, I teased as he strapped himself in and pulled out of our driveway. I had felt the car engine shake my seat. What do you want now, ladybug?

See...you know that James kid? The one that crashed into me on the first day of school? He flashed me a skeptical look and nodded, drawing his eyes back to the road hastily and taking a sharp turn. Well...I've been talking to him. Long story short, Mrs. Tannon assigned us audiotapes and well...I can't hear. He offered to come over and sign them but he has to babysit tomorrow so he invited me to his house. With his twin sisters. Can I go? He lives just down the street and it'll only be a few hours.

No, I don't know this guy and I'm not letting you go to his house alone. Just because you've been talking to him for a few days means nothing. A person can put on a persona for a few hours and be totally different in their daily life, Els.

But I know him and he's nice...and we won't be alone. His twin sisters will be there. We won't go in his room or anything, just hang out on his couch. I have to pass this test and I can't do that without listening to the tapes and he has to sign them. You said I needed more friends and now I have one who I can actually communicate with. He halted the car at a stop so he could sign.