Secrets Are

Book 1: Secrets Are Deadly | Chapter 9

It didn't take me that long to reach Ben's front door after leaving my house and crossing my driveway to get to his house. I rang the doorbell as I stood on the porch of the Morgan's house and waited for the door to open up, which it did a few seconds later. Ben smiled at me and told me to come inside as he stepped aside so I could walk into the house. I had thought that Mrs. Morgan might be home, but then I realized that she had probably gone to Kate's soccer game so that meant that he was home alone since his dad had probably gone to Kate's game as well. 

Ben's younger brother was either at Kate's game too or he was hanging out with one of his friends. Or he was shut up in his room playing video games, but that usually was only after school and he usually had one of his friends over so I knew that he wouldn't come out to see who was at the door. So, Ben was most likely home alone, but even if he wasn't, we wouldn't be bothered.

Ben told me to wait by the door while he got his keys and wallet. I watched him disappear up the staircase that was at the start of the hallway where his Dad's office, the laundry room, the entrance into the garage, and a bathroom were after the staircase ended. The staircase took up most of the beginning of the hallway so there wasn't much to see if you didn't already know what was down there. If it was your first time in the Morgan house, then you'd have to walk further down the hallway to see what there was in it. I had been in this house many times before, so I pretty much knew where everything was.

I looked around the big open room. The entryway was small, but it was connected to the family room, which had a big sectional in the corner. Part of the black couch was in front of the window and the television stood opposite from the window, which took up most of the wall. The television wasn't as big as the window, but the entertainment center it was sitting in was. I felt someone lick my hand and I looked down to see the Morgan's golden retriever, Blondie, looking up at me. She was panting and wagging her tail, looking happy to see me.

I squatted down to get to her level and pet her. She started licking my face and I tried to move my face away by leaning back, which made me fall back onto my butt. I laughed and then scratched her behind her ears as I sat on the wooden floor. I always liked hanging out at Kate's house more since they had a dog. I had always wanted a dog, but Dad would never let us get one.

"I think she loves you more than she does her own family," Ben said as he came back down the staircase and Blondie laid down to roll over so I could rub her belly.

"It's probably because I give her the best belly rubs," I said looking up at him as he got closer to us while rubbing Blondie's stomach. He smiled and then said, "You probably give her longer ones than we do since you don't see her as often as we do."

"That's very true. I'm always happy to see her since I don't have a dog. I know you guys love her, but I'm sure sometimes you don't want to be bothered by her when you're trying to do something that prevents you from paying attention to her," I replied. Ben nodded his head and then said, "That's true. Sometimes she can be annoying, but we love her anyways."

"Are you ready to go?" I asked him, giving Blondie one last rub on her belly before standing up as Ben leaned down to rub his dog on her stomach for a few seconds before he stood back up and looked over at me. Blondie got off the floor and then ran off, most likely to find her ball, satisfied with the love she had just gotten.

"Yeah, we should go. I'm sure you know where she went off to. She probably also loves you more because you play ball with her more often than we do," Ben said as he went over to the front door and opened it up. I nodded my head in agreement.

He let me go out the door first before following me and then shutting the door. I walked over to his car, which was red just like mine, as Ben locked the door to his house and then came over to join me, where I was waiting by his car for him to unlock it.