Chapter 3

I sat in the family room, completely exhausted. The TV was on some random news channel, my eyes looking at it but not focused.

“Page, you hungry?” Eli called from the kitchen.

“Yeah, why?” I answered, turning to look toward the kitchen.

“Cause I’m ordering pizza,” Eli answered.

“Okay,” I replied, turning back to the TV, pulling my legs up under me.

“So you’re like one of those guys that helps the kids who have problems at home?” Hayden asked Aidan as the came into the family room.

“Pretty much,” Aidan answered.

“Okay, so you’re a basketball coach, a teacher of sorts, and a psychiatrist?” Hayden was having a hard time grasping whatever they were talking about. Aidan nodded his head. “And you get paid absolutely nothing?” Aidan nodded again as he came up behind me and leaned over the back of the couch, his eyes focused on the TV.

I got up and started toward my room. As soon as I was up the stairs I could see the door was slightly ajar. I turned around and started back toward the family room, mad. I always left my door closed, and my roommates had a habit of snooping.

“Hayden, why were you in my room?” I questioned as I came into the room.

“Huh? Oh we had to do a drug check?”

“What? That is the stupidest think I’ve heard today. Tell me why would I be doing drugs?” I questioned. Hayden shrugged.

“I don’t know why do you keep going back to your parents’ house?” Hayden countered.

“That’s not fair,” I said as I turned and started back toward my room.

As I opened my door I noticed that something was moving inside. I stuck my head around the door to get a faceful of dog slime.

“Ew!” I cried, wiping the dog slobber off my face as I closed the door. I could hear someone running up the stairs, laughing. Stupid boys! I opened the door again to find a spastic yellow/red dog jumping around. “Hey, what are you doing here?” I questioned the dog as it jumped up, setting its paws on my chest. I scratched its ears playfully before making her get down. “Come on, girl,” I called to the dog as I started out of my room.

I entered the kitchen, the dog at my heels. “Where is everyone?” I asked the dog. That’s when I spotted the blue box on the kitchen table, a small white heart on the top. “Why did they have to take THAT out of my room?” I picked the box up and started back up the stairs, my face red, a mixture of embarrassment and fiery.

That box was like my diary, sort of. It held stuff that helped me remember my childhood, the good parts at least, and secrets that I didn’t want anyone to know. Hayden and Eli had been trying to get their hands on it for a long time.

As I made my way down the hallway I noticed that both Eli’s and Hayden’s doors were closed. I smirked and made my way to my room.

After hiding the box under my bed, yes I know I’m very original, I turned and started back toward Hayden and Eli’s doors, the golden retriever still at my heels.

Reaching Hayden’s door, I knelt down and slowly turned the doorknob, opening the door just enough for me to slip through. I stopped as soon as I got inside the door. There was a dresser sitting next to the door, which hid me from view.

“What was that?” Eli asked when the dog whined, ramming her head up against my back to get me to move.

“Shh, girl, quiet,” I whispered, reaching back to pet the dog. I felt the dog shove its head under my arm, trying to get through again. I listened intently, trying to figure out what was going on. There was no sound.

Out of no where something white, probably a sheet, fell around me. I scream, startled. I felt the ground fall away as someone picked me up, still wrapped in the sheet. I started to kick at whoever was carrying me. Whoever had been carrying me let out a yelp and dropped me. I fell to the floor, landing on my head, causing me to cry out. I rolled over and sat up, fighting my way out of the sheet.

As soon as I was free of the sheet I sent a menacing glare up at Eli and Hayden, who just shrugged. I rolled my eyes and glanced around the room. Aidan sat, on the floor, a few feet away, rolling his eyes at his cousin and Eli.

“What was that for?” I snapped, still glaring, as I rubbed the back of my head.

“You were snooping,” Eli and Hayden replied at once.

“You snooped first,” I answered.

“Because we thought you were doing drugs,” Eli answered.

“How would I even get drugs? You guys drive me to and from school, to concerts, h… my parents’ house,” I said, looking down, mad at myself for thinking of my parents’ house as home.

“You can get drugs at sc…”

“Don’t answer the question,” I answered, my blue eyes flashing in Hayden’s direction.

“But you asked…”

“And another think, why was the box out on the kitchen table?” I questioned as the dog made her way over to me. Eli and Hayden looked away from, looking like kids caught sneaking cookies before dinner. “And what’s with the dog?” A small smile formed on Hayden lips.

“The humane society was full,” Hayden answered, grateful for the change in topic. Hayden works at a humane society pets store. He’s always loved animal since I met him. “I thought you’d like her… and they were going to have her put to sleep.” Hayden was still looking down at the ground. So he does have a heart, even if it is only for animals. I glanced over at the golden dog that was laying half in my lap.

“Does she have a name?” I asked, my hand resting on the dog’s head.

Hayden shook his head. “No.”

“Can we go buy her stuff?” I asked eagerly, my blue eyes bright.

“Yeah,” Hayden answered quickly.

“Wait,” Eli called as Hayden, Aidan and I made our way toward the door, the dog close to me. “What about the pizza?”

“You’ve already paid for it haven’t you?” I asked.

“Well yeah, but…”

“We can warm it up later,” I said.

“What about homework?”

“Done,” I answered, scratching the dog’s ear.

“Fine,” Eli answered, following us grudgingly toward the car.

So here's chapter 3!!! I hope you guys like it and would like to hear you're opinions on it. :) Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far:) 3