ADOPTED BY THE SIDEMEN

• Filler •

***
Holly's POV
***

"Charlie, cmonnnn," I groan, trying hard to pull Charlie's nose out of a bunch of flowers.

It's been a few weeks since we've had Charlie and he's brilliant. I take him for walks twice a day and as much as I love it, I also hate it. Charlie's new obsession is going to the park to bark at kids and scare them, and take shits in the most obvious places. JJ always tells me to take doggy bags with me, but I can't help wrinkling my nose at the thought of scooping up a massive poo with my hand and only a thin barrier of plastic in between. Normally, I just take a leaf and push it to the side when no one is looking. I haven't had anyone confront me about it yet.

I pull on the leash a little harder, but Charlie is strong and resists my wishes to keep walking. I pause the music on my phone and crouch down to tickle Charlie's ears. He usually stops everything he's doing when JJ does that.

Charlie continues.

Why am I always the one to deal with his disobedience?

"Charlie, if you stop and keep walking, I'll get you a pup cup from Rose"

I feel like a mum trying to bribe her kid with ice cream. I know I shouldn't get him a pup cup as much as I do, but seeing him happy makes me happy. JJ says he's getting a bit chunky so I may have to hold off those dog ice creams for a while.

Charlie lifts his snout from the bunches of flowers and looks up at me with those great brown eyes. The sun illuminates his golden and jet black fur, making him look like the most handosme dog at the park. His ears seem to have gone up at the mention of a pup cup. I guess I have to get him one now. I don't want him to think of me a liar.

"Cmon, then," I whistle, easily directing him towards the cafe now.

Rose's cafe is the best place to go now. It's new and only opened about two weeks ago, but its what the town needed. Business is good for her, and we've sorta made friends, Rose and I. She's young and cool with a stylish short haircut and black painted nails. Her eyeliner is different everyday and she's always smiling with her smiley piercing. I see her now, serving customers on the wooden deck under the sun. She's wearing a cropped ripped shirt that I'm sure she's altered herself, and her dyed red hair looks especially cool. She waves when Charlie and I come into sight and pets his head when we arrive at the front door.

"Let me guess," Rose winks. "A honey peanut butter pup cup and an iced pink lemonade?"

I nod with a smile. "Yes, please. But two pink lemonades this time"

I figure I'd get a second one. Ella tried a sip of my lemonade the other day and her eyes widened as she expressed how refreshing and good it was. I don't know what Rose puts in it, but the drink sure is good. Could be crack, for all I know.

"It's coming right up," Rose promises, giving Charlie another cuddle.

***

After paying and collecting the drinks from Rose, I place Charlie's pup cup on the ground and let him lick out the contents. He smiles at me, melted ice cream on his whiskers and the tip of his nose dripping down onto the pavement.

"You're welcome, silly"

He dives back into the pot and I roll my eyes with a smile. He sure does love his pup cups.

I check my phone for the time and grab Charlie's leash, deciding it's probably time to go home now. Charlie and I have been out for about an hour now and I know JJ's always scared when I'm gone for that long. He always thinks I'm going to get abducted and kidnapped when in reality, I'm just having a slice of cake and a chat with Rose at her new cafe. JJ worries too much, but then again, knowing what I'm like, it wouldn't be surprising if I missed my curfew due to my lack of time management skills. It's happened before, so who's to say it won't happen again?