Chapter 15:

Max Henderson:

I twisted the hot water tap and let it run into the bath as I watched as the little dog wagged its tail with excitement.

"It's coming, it's coming, Noodle the cutie dog." I said to the dog in a baby voice.

Noodle barked back at me and I dipped my hand in the now half full bath to test whether or not it was safe for the dog.

Feeling the warmth spread through my arms I picked the dog up and dropped it into the water carefully.

"It's time for a bath Noodle." I said to the dog but got no bark in reply and I frowned.

Aww so I wasn't a dog whisperer?

Damn!

Shaking my wet arms I made my way over to the bathroom sink where I grabbed the shampoo from the cupboard underneath the sink.

I read the label on it to make sure I wasn't washing the dog in something that would make it sick and smiled in achievement, walking back over to the barking dog.

"Bad doggy. Stop barking." I said to it in an orderly voice and pointed at it like my mum would when she gave Maxine and I a lecture on being clean and hygienic.

Despite the fact that I had told the dog to stop barking it never did and I sighed, opening the orange shampoo bottle.

I squeezed the shampoo onto my hand and slopped it onto the dog.

I rubbed the white shampoo onto the dog using both of my hands, noticing some of its fur fall out and land into the water.

Yep this was one dirty dog.

I scrubbed behind Noodles ears and it arched it's back in enjoyment, or at least I think it was enjoying itself.

When I thought it was clean enough I washed my soapy hands in the water and flicked the water all over the dog causing him to cry in a puppy dog manor.

"Am I not doing it right Noodle?" I asked the whimpering dog.

When I got no response I frowned and stood up from the ground and searched the bathroom for a bucket I could use.

I found a yellow bucket over in the corner of the bathroom sitting next to the white toilet.

Smiling, I trudged back over to the bath after I had picked the bucket up, where I saw the white dog had her paws up on the edge of the bath.

"Noodle!" I yelled at the dog.

"Naughty boy. Paws off the bath." I told it, grabbing onto his paws and putting them back on the floor.

I dipped the bucket into the warm water filling it up halfway and slowly poured it over the dog.

He shook his fur and sprinkled buts of water onto my clothes and face.

Shaking the water from my arms I whispered, "yuck."

Once most of the water from my arms was hone I picked the soaking dog up and put him onto the ground.

He wagged his still and barked again and I laughed, making my way to the bathroom door that was closed so the dig couldn't get out.

We had four bathrooms and I was using the bathroom that had the least money put into it so that I wouldn't be destroying things in the expensive bathrooms.

If I did my mum would tell at me then ground me for the rest if my life.

That would not be joy-able.

I opened the door and ran through the house to where all the sheets abs towels were kept.

Opening the wooden door I grabbed out the first towel I saw and rushed back into the bathroom, worried as to what the dog was doing.

When I got back into the bathroom I found a noodle laying on his stomach across the black tiles.

I shook my head at the dog and threw the cream coloured towel over it.

I bent over and sat on my legs.

Putting my hands onto the towel I rubbed it against the dog in attempts to dry it and felt wetness slip through the towel.

I grossed and grabbed it off, studying the dog to see if he was dry enough.

Satisfied the the was I chucked the towel onto my shoulder and picked up the damp dog from the bathroom floor and trudged into the lounge room where my parents sat cuddling each other.

"I'm done washing the dog." I gleamed with a big smile on my face.

"Good it smells much better. Will you go tie that thing up outside?" My mum asked not bothering to look at me while she talked.

Talk about rude.

"Aww, but why?" I faked her in a pout.

"I don't want the thing in the house." She said In a calm voice.

"Mum, it's not a thing, it's Noodle." I growled and my mum stood up, leaving the comfort of my dad's arms who was nearly asleep and didn't bother to notice that mum and I were about to fight. 

So caring he was.

"Just get rid of the stupid thing max. I don't need any of your stupid animals in the house. It gives your father sinus and you're lucky I'm not telling you to get rid of it."

"You're just being selfish. We all know dad doesn't get sinus." I growled in anger.

There was rarely ever a time when I got this angry but my parents did this to me.

They were so frustrating.

Only care for themselves.

"Yes he does! You're grounded for two weeks Max, you hear me and put the stupid thing outside other wise ill ground you for longer and I know you don't want that. Your such a nuisance Max. You never do what your told to do and you don't appreciate all that we do for you. You always get what you want Max, we never let you go without." My mum ranted, growing increasingly red.

"And you, mum on,y ever think of yourself and the same as dad. I'm going!" I yelled at her, turning my back towards her and stomped off into my room.

I plopped the dog onto my carpet and sat on my bed sighing.

I took out my phone from my pocket and checked for messages.

'Two messages from Damon'.

I clicked onto his messages and half smiled as I read them, typing back something in reply.

I chucked my phone onto my bed and lent over my bed to grab Noodle.

I sat him on my stomach and began stroking him.

"Why do my parents have to be so selfish boy? They never even think about the fact that they never spend time with us or the fact that they don't even think about how bad off people really are and if they find out that someone's poor they degrade the as though they aren't good enough for them, when in reality the poor people are most certainly the better people." I told the dog who started breathing heavily as he slept.

"Talking about poor people I wonder how Maxine is going with Saffron." I began talking to the dog once again.

"You're a good boy Noodle." I told the dog, a smile firming on my face.

I plopped the dog next to me on the bed and got up.

"Stay here Noodle. I'm just going to go find Maxine."

The dog barked in return and I exited my bedroom and made my way to Maxine's bedroom where she was reading one of her picture books to Saffron who was almost asleep.

I opened her door and waved.

"Hey, how's she going?"

"She's fine. You had a fight with mum and dad?" Maxine asked. 

"Yeah I did. It started over the dog." I sighed.

"Of course, mum being selfish."

"Yeah" I responded.

I ran a hand through my hair and yawned growing suddenly tired.

"We'll I just came to see how Saffron was doing. I'm going to go to bed now. Night Sis." I smiled at her and left the room to go back to my bedroom.

I opened up my door and smiled at the cute dog sleeping on my bed.

Making my way over to my draws I grabbed out my boxers and shoved them on, taking my singlet off.

I yawned again and hopped in the bed trying not to disturb Noodle.

"Night Noodle, boy." I told the dog and turned around closing my eyes.

All I could see was darkness but I remained awake thinking about what my mum had said.

Is that all I am?

A nuisance?

I never meant to be a nuisance I'm just my own person and I feel as though I'm having to hide it all the time for my parents and even the people at school.

I never portrayed a different personality but I had to pretend like I liked being popular, that I didn't have all that much concern for people and how there was people out there who weren't as well off as I was.

I was usually a happy guy, but right now I just was feeling so sad.

I felt like I was in a trap.

The popular trap.

I felt the dog wriggle beside me and my eyes snapped open.

I couldn't sleep despite the fact that I was really tired and it was pretty late.

I was sure Maxine would be asleep now.

She always managed to fall asleep immediately and it made me jealous.

I laughed as I heard the dirk snore twice.

Reaching my hand over to him I stroked his fur.

"I can't sleep Noodle, but it seems you're sleeping very well. I like telling to you. I like talking in general. I think you've probably figured that out already, hey boy?" I told the dog.

The dog snored again and I sighed, my eyes drooping closed and all I could see was darkness.

Soon I was fast asleep with the dog still snoring beside me.