As I Fell ✓

Chapter 33: Surprise?

Athena
I nervously drove to our destination, watching the road and Owen staring at me from my peripheral vision. My face suddenly felt hot in this cold weather.

"So, where're we going?" he asked, clutching  a sleeping Maxie in his arms. I smiled. Seeing him with Maxie looked so freaking cute and I envy him for winning over the dog's love in less than a few months.

"It's a secret." I replied as I saw the horizon clearing up to a row of small cafes and outlet stores, the whole scenery looked so comfy and quiet.

I pulled up in front of a tiny store and looked over at Owen who was trying to peer out the window to see where the hell I took him.

"This is not some internal organ selling shop right? I'll still have my body parts intact after this?" he asked.

I stiffled a small laugh and shook my head. "Now you're giving me ideas. Though I do know a place-"

"Athena!"

"Okay, fine! Get your ass out of there and wake Maxie too. We have some friends to meet."

Owen shot me a confused look and just waited for me to get his chair out the back and unfold it before he sat down and handed me Maxie who was stubborn enough to refuse to leave his lap.

"Maxie! You lazy dog, I'm the master around here, not him!" I told Maxie as she clung onto Owen's lap like a flea stuck to her fur. I pulled out her leash, tied it around her collar and waited for Owen to get settled in before he looked up at me, hope beaming from his icy blue eyes.

He held the rims of his wheels and smiled at me. "Where to?" he asked.

"You'll know." I replied, leading the way toward a small cafe, other dogs just waiting by the window to be petted. From the back, trailed Owen, his eyes wide and his expression full of excitement you can get from a kid during Christmas.

"A cafe? With, dogs?" he asked with an excited tone, a smile so huge I was certain I would fall for him even more so than I already did. I nodded and held the cafe door open, holding my breath.

"Yeah. Well, you like milkshakes, you like animals. What better place to go to other than a dog cafe?"

He breathed out an excited short silent scream as the two of us entered the cafe, dogs of all sizes peering through their pens, barking excitedly.

I went straight to the counter and talked to the pimply guy on duty, telling him that Owen and I'll probably stay for a while.

"Ma'am, how long exactly--"

"Dude, don't ask me. I don't know either. Three hours tops, maybe." I told pimply guy as he nodded.

"Uhm, what kind of pets do you want to--"

"Any dog. Just, dogs. Any size, smaller than zooplankton or taller than the Empire State would do actually. Now, could this process go any faster? My friend over here's itching to inhale  dog breathe." I told pimply guy as I motioned him over to Owen, happily sitting in his chair behind me, staring and waving at dogs inside their pens.

"Okay. Uhm, the maximum number of dogs inside a room would be six-"

"We'll have five then bud. I have a dog with me by the way. Also, uhm, could we just get going?" I asked impatiently, the urge to remove any awkwardness between Owen and I escalating faster than the growth of acne on this guy's face.

"O-of course! Uhm, any dr-"

"Two tall strawberry milkshakes. And probably a waffle. Thanks."

Pimply guy punched in our orders and gave me a key and directions to the room where five dogs await us. Finally.