The Guys Next Door

Part 6: Replaced

Ricky •POV•

I wake up with Jenn at my side. It takes me a little while to remember why. She came really early this morning, nightmares maybe? I try to get out of the be without waking her. She groans and turns over, but doesn't wake up. I laugh a little bit and stand up. As I walk to the bathroom, I hear her moving around. She stirs, but not consciously. Her face is tucked into the pillow, and I find myself staring longer than usual. I'm leaned on the doorframe, watching intently.

"Ricky?" I hear behind me. I turn around and it's Kian.

"Oh, hey." I say. He reminds me that this is ridiculous and I shouldn't be here standing, observing Jenn as she sleeps. He leans to the left a little and looks inside of my room.

"Jenn huh?" He asks, interrupting the silence.

"Uh, I, um, she came late last night." I try to explain. "I don't know how to really explain it."

"You don't have to." He says and raises an eyebrow jokingly. I brush it off and walk to the bathroom. I share it with Kian, so he pushes me aside as I brush my teeth.

"Kian!" I shout at him. He ignores me and proceeds to mock me in front of the mirror.

"Kian!" He says in a girly, feigned tone. I can't help but smile at his pointless antics.

"You're insane." I say and roll my eyes.

"You'll join me in the asylum!" he sings and exits the bathroom.

Ana •POV•

I guess you could say I was scared that Jenn wasn't here at first. Once I found out where she was, it felt like the weight of a boulder was lifted from my shoulders. I see my phone vibrating, but I choose to ignore it. For the time being, I just need to have some coffee or something. Lina runs downstairs and shouts at me.

"Ana look what I found in the paper!" She holds an ad in front of me, with a puppy on the front. I don't know the breed, but Lina sure does.

"It's a beagle puppy!" She shouts again. Not a dog, we cannot handle it right now. My subconscious adds.

"Lina..." I start. I can't put her down though.

"Ana. I have the money, and I'll care for it. I swear." She tells me. I feel like she is proposing this idea to me, as her parent not her equal.

"Gender. Age. Medical status." I ask. It's all important information for having a dog here.

"Boy. 6 months. Perfect health." She replies defiantly. I sigh.

"We can go see him. When?" I ask. She jumps up and down and replies in a sing-songy voice.

"I'll call now!" she says, and skips out of the room. Wow. That's a lot to take in, since I'm 'relaxing with my coffee.'

I decide, since I'm clearly in no state to relax, I should reply to whoever called my phone earlier. I see a picture of Kian and I, under the caller ID of - Kian <3 - as he calls again.

"Hello?" I say happily. I hear Wishbone barking and I smile much too wide.

"Hey. Wishbone shut up!" He says. I blush.

"About Wishbone. Would he like a playmate? Because I'm pretty sure we are getting a beagle puppy soon." I say, expecting a different reaction than I receive.

"Jc! Go see Lina now!" He shouts. I guess Jc could help us look at dogs. I am in love with the look of the beagle though.

"Uh, thanks." I say laughing.