s h e

chapter eight

"Tatem, meet Kamila, Lincoln, Joey, and Marco!"

Winnie shoots you a sideways glare.

Sigh.

"And this is Kam and Marco's dog Linus, and that's our dog, Lambeau."

"Aw! Hi puppies!" Tatem says, her now navy hair falling in her face as she leans down to kiss the dogs on their noses. The younger girl had arrived with all of her things from California the night before. So Winnie, in typical Winnie fashion, had demanded that everyone put their plans on hold to meet the newest member of the Chicago crew. And so, movie night.

In approximately two minutes, Tatem has become besties with Kam and Joey, having an energetic fangirl session about Wattpad.

("Oh my God, you read The Endless Race too?" "Duh, it's incredible." "Have you read Bend and Break?" "Who hasn't?" "I know, right?" "Never Have I Ever?" "The best!" "We're going to be great friends." "Oh yeah." "Totally.")

Tatem's dog, a chestnut dachshund named Goose, is currently splayed out on Kam's lap, lazily chewing on Lambeau's stuffed Stormtrooper as Kam strokes him absentmindedly.

"Be right back, guys!" Winnie grins as the timer for her snickerdoodles goes off.

It's early February, Kam's started showing and is cuddled into Marco on the couch, Lincoln and Joey are draped all over each other, Tatem's begun playing with the more hyperactive pups in the apartment, you've just clicked 'Clueless' on Netflix (because sometimes Marco wants to get his sassy side on, okay?), and Winnie's passing out baked goods for everybody to munch on during the movie.

Basically, life is good.

________________________________

Life is definitely not good.

You've been assigned by Mrs. Francis, the 100 million year old fossil in the apartment across the hall, to watch Tillie, her Pomeranian. Tillie, who weighs, at most, six pounds. Tillie, who, next to large and monstrous Lambeau, all 56 pounds of him, looks like a chew toy.

Now it's not like you agreed to this. Technically, this is all Winnie's fault. She was supposed to be watching the rat. But no, Winnie just had to fly out to California to finish some last minute things on the Leviathans' new album before they make decisions on what to keep and what to cut. Why, oh why did the Leviathans have to be on tour?

And it was so unfair, the way Winnie used her baby seal eyes to convince you to watch the she-devil.

"But Melly, I promised!" She whimpered.

"Wins, I barely tolerate our own dog. Just get one of our other friends to do it." HA! Resisting the eyes is easier than you expected.

"Kam and Marco are too stressed out with wedding plans and the baby on the way, Joey and Lincoln are out of town for ComicCon, and Tatem's still moving in!" She cries.

Not this time, you promise yourself, just don't look into her-

Crap.

"Fine, I'll do it."

Cut to the whole, "I'm sorry Serena, I have to cancel my date with you on Valentine's Day" conversation.

Actually, no. That doesn't go well. Cut to the part after that. The good part.

Well, actually, it's not that good.

"Melanie, can I ask you something?" She starts.

"Yeah, sure, Red."

"Do you have... Romantic feelings for Winnie?"

You laugh loudly, hoping she doesn't pick up on your anxiety. "What? That's crazy! Winnie and I are just really close friends. There is nothing going on between us."