pick out a dog?” The volunteer asks, coming back finally, and handing me a pile of papers.
“I picked Bear.”
“Are you sure? He seems to have a lot of mental problems, like he hasn’t shown interest in anyone or any other dog, keeps to himself, he’s depressed, he’s just not where we want him to be.” Bear just looked at me as if he really understood what we were talking about. I knew I wanted him.
“Maybe he just needs the right person to bring him out of it. I could help him out, I have the time and patience.”
It was decided that I wouldn’t be going to back to school any time soon. I did manage to pass the rest of my classes through the school program at the hospital, but I was not enrolled in anything else for next semester. I’ll be home and I can help Bear get some of his confidence back.
“Alright, let’s see how you two do in the inside courtyard. I’ll be looking out for a few things as you interact with him, and I’ll decide if he’s a good fit for you.” I nod and watch him get in the caged area to get him on a couch.
Together we walked to the inside courtyard. It was a small area, just to force dogs to meet their potential new owners.
“Do you think we can talk afterward?” Mathew asks as I sit on the floor and Bear runs up to me.
I pet his golden hair and he just rubs his head into my hand. I was going to fall in love with this dog very quickly.
“My mom is in the car, waiting for me. She’s still watching me like a hawk.” I threw a toy and Bear ran after it, quickly bringing it back.
“Please look at me.” My eyes went up to Mathew. “I’ll meet you anywhere, any time. I just know we have to talk.”
I nod. “Okay. My room, midnight.” He nods.
“I’ll be there.”
Chapter Twenty Two
Mathew Pennington
I watched Presley play with Bear. The dog was sweet, and I could see he was going to be a good fit for her. The volunteer was even smiling at them.
“I think it’s decided, you will be taking Bear home tomorrow. I would say today, but I think you need more time fixing the house and you can take the extra time to get everything for him.” I zoned out and just watched Presley listening to him.
My eyes wandered over to her arms. Her scars were healing, and she didn’t cover them, she had nothing to hide. It was a part of who she was, and I accepted it.
Presley kissed the dog on top of his head, and she whispered something to him before the volunteer took him back. Something I couldn’t hear.
“I’ll see you tonight.” She says as we get near the exit. I had come in through the back so her mom didn’t see me.
“It’s a date.” Presley bites her lip and my heart beats a little bit faster. I grabbed her hand and I could see tears forming in her eyes.
“We’ll talk when you get there.” She says and she gets on her tippy toes and kisses my cheek. Presley walks away.
I climbed up to the balcony to her room. Her light was on and she was writing something in a journal. I knocked and she looked at me. Presley motioned me to come in and I did. She closed her journal and I sat on her bed.
“How have you been?” I ask her.
“It’s been tough, but right now it feels like everything is falling into place. I have two weeks of outpatient to go through. I’m glad you wanted to talk to me.”
“Why wouldn’t I want to talk to you?” I pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear and she was blushing. “If anything, I thought you didn’t want to see me at all.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Mathew. You were trying to save me, and I admire you for that. You saved me from myself, how could I ever thank you for that?” I could see her words were genuine. “If anyone has to apologize, it’s me. I put you through hell, I made you keep a secret that I had no right in asking you to keep.”
“Don’t apologize, Presley. You were sick.”
“My illness was no excuse. I’ve
“I picked Bear.”
“Are you sure? He seems to have a lot of mental problems, like he hasn’t shown interest in anyone or any other dog, keeps to himself, he’s depressed, he’s just not where we want him to be.” Bear just looked at me as if he really understood what we were talking about. I knew I wanted him.
“Maybe he just needs the right person to bring him out of it. I could help him out, I have the time and patience.”
It was decided that I wouldn’t be going to back to school any time soon. I did manage to pass the rest of my classes through the school program at the hospital, but I was not enrolled in anything else for next semester. I’ll be home and I can help Bear get some of his confidence back.
“Alright, let’s see how you two do in the inside courtyard. I’ll be looking out for a few things as you interact with him, and I’ll decide if he’s a good fit for you.” I nod and watch him get in the caged area to get him on a couch.
Together we walked to the inside courtyard. It was a small area, just to force dogs to meet their potential new owners.
“Do you think we can talk afterward?” Mathew asks as I sit on the floor and Bear runs up to me.
I pet his golden hair and he just rubs his head into my hand. I was going to fall in love with this dog very quickly.
“My mom is in the car, waiting for me. She’s still watching me like a hawk.” I threw a toy and Bear ran after it, quickly bringing it back.
“Please look at me.” My eyes went up to Mathew. “I’ll meet you anywhere, any time. I just know we have to talk.”
I nod. “Okay. My room, midnight.” He nods.
“I’ll be there.”
Chapter Twenty Two
Mathew Pennington
I watched Presley play with Bear. The dog was sweet, and I could see he was going to be a good fit for her. The volunteer was even smiling at them.
“I think it’s decided, you will be taking Bear home tomorrow. I would say today, but I think you need more time fixing the house and you can take the extra time to get everything for him.” I zoned out and just watched Presley listening to him.
My eyes wandered over to her arms. Her scars were healing, and she didn’t cover them, she had nothing to hide. It was a part of who she was, and I accepted it.
Presley kissed the dog on top of his head, and she whispered something to him before the volunteer took him back. Something I couldn’t hear.
“I’ll see you tonight.” She says as we get near the exit. I had come in through the back so her mom didn’t see me.
“It’s a date.” Presley bites her lip and my heart beats a little bit faster. I grabbed her hand and I could see tears forming in her eyes.
“We’ll talk when you get there.” She says and she gets on her tippy toes and kisses my cheek. Presley walks away.
I climbed up to the balcony to her room. Her light was on and she was writing something in a journal. I knocked and she looked at me. Presley motioned me to come in and I did. She closed her journal and I sat on her bed.
“How have you been?” I ask her.
“It’s been tough, but right now it feels like everything is falling into place. I have two weeks of outpatient to go through. I’m glad you wanted to talk to me.”
“Why wouldn’t I want to talk to you?” I pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear and she was blushing. “If anything, I thought you didn’t want to see me at all.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Mathew. You were trying to save me, and I admire you for that. You saved me from myself, how could I ever thank you for that?” I could see her words were genuine. “If anyone has to apologize, it’s me. I put you through hell, I made you keep a secret that I had no right in asking you to keep.”
“Don’t apologize, Presley. You were sick.”
“My illness was no excuse. I’ve
Similar Books
