just pretend

.20

I dismount Nano and carry the squirrel in one hand and the reigns in my left.

"The hell are you holding?" She asks as she walks closer. "Ew is that a rat?" She comes up and looks at it. "What? Did you run it over?" She snorts.

"No, I just didn't want to leave it."

"Leave what?" Leo shoves his sister over to see what I'm holding. "Aw is that a squirrel? Is it okay?"

"Keanu, mind untacking Nano?" I ask her and she groans. "Please, unless you would rather deal with this."

"Yeah whatever." She takes Nano and walks away.

"What happened to him?" Leo asks.

"I don't know. Do you think he needs a vet? Ugh my mom is going to hate me even more."

"I'll take him if she gets mad. My mother gave up trying to tell me what to do she won't mind a pet squirrel."

"That is so a lie and you know it," I laugh.

"Yeah whatever she can suck my ass I'm taking him to the vet."

"You can't drive."

"Okay you are taking him to the vet and I'm coming."

The squirrel moves in my arms, showing that he is indeed alive. Or her, I have no idea.

"Okay well I'm stood in riding gear and a helmet, I need to change."

"I'll hold him."

"You're not wearing gloves and you're in short sleeves."

"I don't fucking care if I get some disease I want to hold the squirrel."

"Okay then."

I hand him the squirrel, very carefully. Which requires us to touch and both of us tense.

Yeah we haven't talked about last night. Hence why a car ride with just us would be awful.

Fortunately, in the barn is a girl who hates to miss out.

"First I'll check on Keanu and Nano. You sit down on the porch chairs." I turn around not even looking st him before jogging away.

Good god I'm in a dilemma. I can't even look at him without imagining a repeat of last night.

I have a fucking girlfriend.

"Andrew?" Keanu looks to me when I walk in the stable. "You seemed lost," she laughs.

"Oh, aha well uh want to come with us to the vet?"

She seems shocked to hear me invite her. "Oh you want me to— yeah I'll go." She smiles.

I plaster a fake smile to hide the guilt of oh shit I don't even feel bad.

"Okay. Let's go. I've got to change."

I rub my head in frustration on the way up to my room. Every angsty teenager post popping up in my mind about faking a smile but this is for a different reason.

"Andrew? Where are you going?" My mom stops me.

"There's this squirrel we need to take to the vet."

"What?"

"I found it on the trail injured so I picked it up and Keanu, Leo and I are taking it to the vet."

"Let just Leo go, he'll be fine."

"Mom he can't drive."

"Keanu can. She'll go with him. I would like you here please, you're grounded."