Page 14 of Mr. Green

I’ve been keeping my routine going now for the whole week, avoiding Scarlett’s office at all costs. If I “run into” Grant again, I’m going to lose my shit. Everyone can tell I have a thing for him, apparently. I hate my body’s reaction every time I see him. I want to melt into him, but I can’t. He’ll just leave and break my heart.

It’s Friday finally, which is coincidentally my rest day. I could sleep in, but the sound of my alarm did its job. I’m antsy and all I can think about is how good it’ll feel to get my legs moving. Going out on a morning run has been something I’ve begun to look forward to.

I put my usual black, baggy clothes on in the bathroom. They’re comfortable and the color fits my mood. The whale picture on the wall catches my eye, bringing up memories of my favorite place in Hawaii.

My parents took our family there on a winter vacation one year. It’s a place that’s hard to forget. It’s also where I fell in love with dolphins and whales. Whales were popping out of the water frequently, since they’re migrating that time of year. Seeing them jump out of the water was empowering. They’re one of the heaviest animals, but they do flips up in the air. Epic.

I make my way down my apartment steps. As my feet hit the pavement, I have a renewed inspiration. If the whales can travel such a distance and jump up a great height, then so can I. I’m down the road and about to go into my favorite neighborhood. I pick up my pace. I’m shooting for fourmiles today. Fuck resting.

My feet are hitting the sidewalk, one after the other. The chill in the air cools me off from my sweat. I have the coordination of a cat landing on all fours.

Then, I turn a corner, and something hits me around my knees. I don’t fall, but I stumble. I look down to confirm what I tripped over. Yup, I got tripped by a dog.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter, frustrated at being taken away from my superpower running.

The dog comes up to me, jumping onto my waist and starts licking me.

“Okay, okay. Thank you, I’m good.”

The dog jumps down and is staring back at me with their tail wagging.

They’re pretty cute and they let me pet them. “Sorry, buddy. Didn’t see you there. Do you have a name?”

I check to see if there’s a collar, but none exists. The dog doesn’t look like it’s in bad shape, just dirty with a bit of matted hair. It’s mostly black with a white and brown face. Maybe an Australian Shepherd mix.

My apartment complex allows dogs, surprisingly. It’s a crazy deposit, and I’m not sure I want to commit to taking care of a dog. I’m trying to get a hold on myself. Surely, someone in this beautiful neighborhood knows who this dog belongs to.

I give the dog a pat on the head and then start running again. The dog follows.Fuck me.

I try to ignore the creature, but at the same time, I don’t want them to trip me again. So, I keep a pace they match easily, still following right behind me.

The dog stays with me the entire run home. I get to my front door and hesitate. I could bring them to a shelter and let them find the dog a home. At the very least they could check if they’re microchipped. Most of those places are too crowded, so I’ll offer to foster her. But if they put this dog to sleep or couldn’t find a home for them, I’d feel so bad.

Is this dog going to bark all night? Are they going to rip up all my shoes? Are they going to scratch at the walls?There’s so many things the dog could be capable of.

My eyes stare down at the animal with the cute face and puppy dog eyes. I have a feeling this dog will be mine. Maybe I can adopt them right away. I can recognize a soul I belong with when I see it. I see it in everyone. I told Scarlett she was in love before she even knew Matt’s name. This dog is here for me. It’s better than any man right now, that’s for sure. Regardless of my feelings, I’m going to go to the humane society and double check no one is looking for this thing. I’d be heartbroken if I took them away from their true family.

I walk down to my car. The dog follows. Once I open the door, the dog jumps in. I drive over to the humane society. It’s only a mile away and before I know it, we’re here. I get out of the car, but the dog looks stressed and starts shaking. Poor thing.

It’s not summer yet, and the weather isn’t close to hot or sunny. I put the windows down and walk in. I need to talk to someone about a possible missing dog.

“Hello.” A woman at the desk smiles at me, as a fat orange cat sitting atop the counter stares me down like I’m unworthy.

“Hi, I found a dog when I was out running.” I motion my thumb behind me. “They’re scared and wouldn’t come in. I don’t mind keeping them, I just wanted to make sure no one is looking for them. Can you check if they’re microchipped?”

“Sure. We can help with that. No one has called in about a missing dog, but it’s early.”

I nod my head. She grabs a machine and comes out to the car with me.

“Hi, beautiful,” she gushes after opening the door. It’s a girl apparently. Good, we women need to stick together. “Just need to look you over, pumpkin,” she coos.

The dog sits, shaking still and giving those cute puppy eyes. After the woman—Jenny, from what her nametag says—is all done, she pats the dog on the head. Then she stands fully and turns to me, closing the door.

“Looks like she doesn’t have a microchip. Come back with me. I need you to fill out a form. We’ll list her on our website. If anyone is missing her, they’ll contact you.”

We walk back through the doors. The front desk is set up in a way where you can see the side yard where the dogs play.

“Let me find the form. Do you want to purchase a leash or collar while you’re here?”