CHAPTER 23

As Lucy and I are walking to her house, we decide to stop at a coffee shop. 'What do you want?'

'Tea,' I reply and she nods, walking towards the counter. I begin checking my phone but I stop when a voice speaks to me.

 'Hey what are you doing here?' I look up to meet Jaimie.

 'Oh hey, Lucy just went to collect our drinks. What are you doing here?'

'Oh you know, just exploring the neighbourhood.' He shrugs his shoulders and I narrow my eyes at him.

'I heard you've been here for quite some time, I'm pretty sure you have already explored this neighbourhood.' He laughs, shaking his head and says 'I can never get enough of it so I guess that is my excuse.'

'So how are you finding things?’ I ask curiously interested in what he has to say.

 ‘It’s pretty cool.’ He brushes his hands in his light coloured hair.

 'Is it cool because of Lucy?' He avoids looking at me and I laugh at his body language because I already know the answer. 'So if Lucy moved, this place wouldn't be cool any more would it?'

'You're rubbing it in my face,’ he mumbles as he looks at the ground.

'Rubbing what in your face?' I smirk and he frowns. 'It’s just amusing,' I reply.

 'She doesn't like me, why doesn't she like me?'

'I'm not Lucy.' I reply, shrugging my shoulders.

 'Kara said I should go for it and then we could all go on double dates and things. I doubt you even know-'

'Oh I know her,' I reply as I roll my eyes.

 'That's cool,' he replies and Lucy walks outside with our drinks. She looks at both of us before handing me my drink. 'Where's mine?'

'Get it yourself.' Lucy retorts and Jaimie scoffs.

'Are you really playing hard to get?'

'Whatever you say Jamie,' she replies as she walks off. I watch their interaction as I walk beside her.

'What was all that about?' I ask as we walk for a while.

 'It was nothing.'

'It didn't look like nothing.'

'Kiera, just drop it,' she replies.

 'Do you like him?'

'What? No,' she replies unconvincingly. I nod my head and sarcastically say 'I believe you.' She scoffs not bothering to reply.

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Lucy decides to take the long way home for a reason that I have no idea about. 'My legs hurt,’ I whine deliberately,

'Kiera, just carry on walking, it’s not that hard.'

'I can't even feel my legs.'

'I'll carry you,' she replies smirking.

 'After you dropped me when we were six? I'm actually fine now.' She laughs as she knew I'd react like that.

 'I see you still don't trust me.'

'Let's just continue walking,' I reply and she rolls her eyes. 

I notice a large building that says "Squash" all over it and instantly I stop in my tracks while Lucy carries on. It’s the building we always used to go on primary trips to. The place we played tennis every week at. It seems like another lifetime.

She seems to realise that I've stopped as she walks towards me asking 'Kiera what's wrong?' I point to the building and look at her. 'Oh yeah the typical Squash building.'

'I haven't seen this in years,' I reply.

'Because you all ways take the short cut to my house being the lazy person that you are.'

'Shut up!' I reply defensively, keeping my eyes on the building in front of me. 'Can we go inside?' I ask with a pout on my face.

 'Why would you want to go in there?'

'Like you don't want to.'

'I don't,' she replies. I roll my eyes and say 'Suit yourself, I'm going in.'

'Kiera, no we're not going in.'

'Who said anything about "we?” I just said that I was going in,' I reply walking towards the building. I hear her sigh dramatically as she follows me inside. 

The hallways are exactly the same and nothing has been changed. It’s like going back in time. I inspect everything with Lucy behind me. 'Nothing's changed,' she mutters.

 'I know, it’s freaky,' she giggles agreeing. She runs towards some steps and turns around to face me before laughing hysterically. 'What?' 

'Wait,' she says in between her laughs, as she points her index at me. I sigh and just watch her laugh. After a few minutes, I get bored and look at the paintings. She stops laughing as she seems to get over her little fit so I ask 'Have you finished?' She starts laughing all over again and I scoff ignoring her.

'Kiera,' she calls out as I look up from my phone.

'Finished?'

'Yes, I think,' she smirks.

 'Let's hear it then.'

'I can't believe you don't even remember.'

'Tell me!' I demand.

 'Don't you remember who kept tripping over these steps every week?' I smirk as I realised why Lucy began laughing as she's referring to Lily.

 'That was hilarious,' I reply.

 'Exactly.'

'I don't think she'd agree though.'

'Shut up Kiera,’ she replies smiling.

 'Oh my God, I have the best idea.' I say randomly.

 'What?'

'We could totally rent this place out-'

'And what? Play tennis?' She asks sarcastically.

 'That was my exact idea.'

'Not happening,' she replies, quickly dismissing it. I frown, folding my arms.

 'Why not? It’s an awesome idea.'

'Awesome?' She questions and I nod my head.

 'I'm totally renting this place out and I'm paying for-'

'It’s not about the money, I just don't want to come,' she replies.

 'I'll invite Jamie,' I reply happily. She scoffs, rolling her eyes.

 'Get lost Kiera, that isn't even funny. You can invite him if you want, I'm still not coming.'

'Lucy!' I whine, almost like a little child who has been told by their mother that they can't have any sweets.

 'No,' she replies quickly.

 'Pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top?'

'Kiera-' I grab her hand pulling her towards me.

 'I'll do anything if you come and you can totally invite however many people you want.'

'Who exactly are coming?' She asks curiously.

 'Everyone.'

'Including Kara, James and Rosabella?' I bite my lip before saying ‘If they want.'

'Fine,' she mutters and I squeal. I walk over to the till and say 'I'd like to rent this place in a few days. Would that be possile?'

‘Of course, what day would you like to rent it out?'

'I'm not sure, it depends on the days that are free,' he nods his head looking at the computer.

 'Well, the only free day I have is two days from now which is Saturday,' he says making eye contact with me. I think about it for a while before saying 'Okay.' He smiles and I get my credit card out. I put my pin number in and once the payment has gone through, I pull it out again and put it in my purse. 

I walk over to Lucy and say 'I rented it out on Saturday, you better be here.'

'Whatever,' she replies smiling and we walk out of the building. 'This may sound a little childish but do you want to go to the park?'

'Why do you want to go there?'

'I just want to sit down on the benches,' she replies and I nod absentmindedly. 

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We sit on one of the benches opposite one another and watch the younger children play happily and care free.  I feel something under the bench which gets my attention. I look under the bench and see a white furry puppy leaning on my feet. I pull my feet and the puppy sits up, to look at me. 'Lucy!' I nudge her hard with my elbow.

 'What?' She hisses angrily. I bring the puppy up and put him on the table in between us. 'Oh my God, where the hell did you get it from?'

'It’s a "he" Lucy,' I reply correcting her. She scoffs and demands 'Get rid of it.' The puppy looks at me and I gently begin rubbing behind his ears, smiling when he leans into my touch. I look at his collar and instead of saying a name, it simply states "Please take care of me." I scoff loudly because this puppy really did have awful owners.

'Lucy, it doesn’t have any owners.'

'So?'

'So we can’t just leave him here, just look at him.'

'Well then it’s simple, just don't look at him,' she replies checking her phone. I gasp and the puppy jumps into my lap.

 'She doesn't mean that,' I whisper softly stroking him. 'Just ignore her, that's what I do half of the time.' Lucy scoffs loudly and questions 'Are you seriously talking to it?'

'It's a "he" for the second time,' I reply and she shakes her head. I continue stroking and look at it. 'You need a name.' He looks up at me innocently and I begin to ponder. 'What should I call you?'

'You're not calling him anything because you are leaving him here Kiera.' Lucy replies. The puppy looks at her and then back at me before hiding his face in my chest.

 'He doesn’t like you,' she rolls her eyes, not bothering to comment. 'I'm going to call him Simba.'

'Kiera, Simba is a lion not a dog,' she laughs and I glare at her.

 'Fine, I'll call him Halo.' She snickers and I clench my jaw.

 'Shut up Lucy, I'm naming him Halo because he is an angel.' Halo licks my right side of my face and I smirk, holding him closer.

 'Are you coming or what?' Lucy asks standing up.

 'I am but there is one problem.'

'No.' Lucy replies instantly.

 'You don't know even know what the problem is yet.'

'The problem is that he needs a place to stay.'

'His name is Halo.' Lucy raises her eyebrows at me so I continue 'but yes, he needs a place to stay.'

'He can stay with Lily.'

'She doesn’t like dogs, come on Lucy.'

'Oh and I do?'

'Well, you don’t hate them either,' she scoffs shaking her head. 'Please Lucy, I'll pay for everything, just let him stay with you.'

'It’s not the money, it’s the fact that I won’t be living alone anymore, excluding my parents.'

'Well, he'll always be there if you need a cuddle, pretty please Lucy.'

'You're potty training him.' I smile as I put Halo down to wrap my arms around Lucy who returns the embrace.

'You're the best,' I mumble into her hair.

 'Tell me something I don't know,' she laughs.

 'And that is definitely the last time I'll compliment you,' I say as we pull away. I pick up Halo who snuggles into me and walk beside Lucy. 

Today is definitely my lucky day.