"Oh Kira why is the floor soaking wet?" I hear my mother shout throughout the house and suddenly Jesse and I spring apart. Our faces were mere inches apart when my mother shouted and I have no idea what would've happened if she hadn't announced her arrival. I look over at Jesse who seems just as flustered as I am about our previous state, that's when I remember.
"Harvey," I whisper and Jesse's eyes widen just as my mother let's out an ear piercing scream.
"THERE'S A BEAR IN THE HOUSE!"
EIGHT HOURS EARLIER
Monday's are always a pain in the butt, but even more so when every class you're in causes your head to spin and mind to ache. Not to mention that Jesse hasn't exactly left my side while I walk the halls causing more attention than I'd really like to come on me.
"How are you feeling?" Jesse asks for the thousandth time today as we enter the cafeteria.
"Dandy," I respond with a fake smile.
"So you feel bad then," he confirms, "Everytime you say dandy it means you're either pissed or feel like crap."
"Wow," I roll my eyes, "So perceptive."
"C'mon Kira if you don't feel good I'll take you home," he urges and I just shake my head.
"No, there's absolutely no way I'm going home after being absent for an entire week," I glance up at him to see his lips are set in a firm line.
"Fine," he grumbles, "Just do me a favor?"
"Mhm?"
"Don't pay attention in any classes," he orders.
"Duley noted."
As we approach our table I receive multiple smiles and hellos, most of my friends came to visit me at least twice when I was gone and I've seen them around school but it's still nice to sit at lunch with all of them at once.
"Ay Kira's back!" James cheers and practically throws himself on me in a giant hug.
"I missed you," he squeezes me so tight that I can barely breathe.
"Alright, alright, we don't want to her to break her back," Jesse shoves James off of me before presuming to take the seat next to me with a little glint of anger in his eyes as they follow James back to his seat.
"Guys!" Rico comes running towards at full spead with his sister on his heals, "Old man Ferdinand died last week!" he says out of breathe.
"Oh no!" Katie exclaims covering her mouth.
"No, no, no, that's not what this is about," he shrugs the old man's death off quickly, "His dog is on campus and no one knows what to do with him."
"Dog?" Chris perks up. Chris has always wanted a dog but due to the fact that we're always moving our mother never really allowed it.
"Yeah, you want to go see him? A few other people are surrounding him," Rico explains and soon we're all hopping up and heading towards the school's door. Once all 9 of us make it outside we see a small crowd forming and make our way to see a dog that seems to be the size of a bear standing right in the middle.
"His name is Harvey and he's a Newfoundland," Rico explains.
"What did he just wander from his house?" I ask approaching the bear-like animal.
"Yeah I guess so," Jesse says and squats next to me while we both rub the large dog's head. The bell suddenly goes off signaling the end of lunch and soon the students are rushing back inside, none wanting to take actual responsibility for the giant dog.
"We can't just leave him here," I look up at Jesse who was making his way into the building.
"Well what do you want us to do with him? If we take him to the pound they'll put him down, and I already have two German Shepherds my mom isn't letting us keep another dog," Jesse explains.
"Oh come on his owner died and he has no one left to look after him, heck he wandered onto the school campus for crying out loud who knows when the last time he ate was?"
"Well what do you want to do?" Jesse asks and I feel a smile creep it's way onto my face.
+++
"Hey you said you would take me home!" I accuse.
"Yeah and I also meant just you, not a 200 pound animal," Jesse rolls his eyes.
"Oh yeah a dog is in here too," I point to the back seat where Harvey is sitting, his tongue flapping out and drool falling onto the leather seats.
"Oh ha ha you're so funny I'm dying of laughter," Jesse comments sarcastically.
"What so you're not a dog person?" I remark dryly.
"Excuse me dogs are life, I'm just not a fan of... I don't know slobbery dogs in my half a million dollar car," he looks over at me with a raised eyebrow and I snort.
"Why not you come in here everyday," I respond making him sigh and turn back to the road.
"So what is your mom going to say about Harvey huh?" Jesse comments with a hint of amusement in his tone as I fidget nervously. My mom was never one to like dogs and I don't think Chris's and my begging for one over the years helped at all, honestly I'll be lucky if he's allowed to stay in the garage for a night.
"Let's just say you better get ready for my funeral," I murmur.
"Nah I'd only go if there's cake," he grins over at me through his shades and I give him a dry smile. We're soon pulling into my house and I begin to wonder what the heck I'm actually supposed to do with Harvey, I mean my mom must've just went back to the hospital so that gives us some thinking time.
"Alright I called Lukas and he said he'd drop off a collar and old leash from my dogs cause it wasn't exactly a party trying to get him in the car," he mumbles the last part as I remember us both pulling on his thick fur to get him to even budge.
"Wait how are we going to get him into your―" Jesse starts.
"Come here Harvey!" I cheer and pat my legs as the large dog falls out of the car in his face. Oh boy a 200 pound clumsy dog, this will be interesting.
Harvey sloppily stands up before charging towards me with his large tongue flailing everywhere and soon I'm bolting into the house with him on my heals. I leap into the house and turn around to see Harvey slipping on his own slobber and skidding across the floor leaving long and white scratches across the dark wood floor.
"Shit!" I scream and run over to him grabbing his fur and leading him into the living room.
"Oh Kira it looks like there was just a flash flood in your house! And look at the scratches it's almost as if a tiger came in and went at it on your floors!" Jesse exclaims.
"Jesse you're not really helping!" I call out while Harvey continues to drag me across the carpet floor.
"Oh," Jesse mumbles before jogging towards me and throwing himself on the Newfoundland, leading him back into the center before the dog ultimately plops down and begins to pant nervously. I stare down at the dog with my eyebrows furrowed together and begin to feel a little spark of hopelessness blossom in my chest.
"Aw it looks upset," Jesse coos, "Oh yeah and the dog too." I shoot a quick glare at Jesse before plopping down by the two of them.
As my hand begins to tangle in Harvey's fur the doorbell rings sending him into a fit of loud and strong barks. The sudden shock of it sends Jesse and I both jumping to our feet and I clutch onto my heart tightly as I feel like my heart just exploded in my chest.
"That should be Lukas," Jesse murmurs as he gets the door for me.
"Where's the puppy!?" I hear a voice sounding almost identical to Jesse's shout and soon Lukas is storming into my house and straight for the dog.
"Dang when you said he was the size of a bear you weren't kidding," Lukas muses as he unhooks the chain collar on Harvey and replaces it with a dark blue one that immediately gets lost in his fur.
"What do we do Luke?" Jesse asks his older brother and I watch as the two exchange a quick look before Lukas simply shrugs.
"You think I know? Just cause I'm 6 years older than you does not mean I'm 6 years wiser," Lukas explains before making goo goo noises towards Harvey.
"Oh gosh," Jesse mutters, "Did you at least bring dog food?"
"Yup it's at the front," Lukas nods his head and Jesse huffs leaving right before muttering some profanities about his brother.
"So are you guys like dating or something? All he does is go on about you at home," Lukas states and I begin to sputter a bit before simply staring dumbfounded at Lukas.
"N..no," I mutter and he rolls his eyes.
"Yeah ok," Lukas rolls his eyes as I feel my face heat up just as Jesse returns with two bowls, one with water and another with food.
Harvey slurps up the water sending half of it to the floor and the other half onto me making me cringe slightly.
"This was your idea," Jesse retorts looking over at me as I purse my lips.
"I was never known to be very intelligent."
PRESENT
"Mom!" I scream just as Jesse and I bolt towards the door where my mother is screaming and clutching onto the stairwell throwing things at Harvey.
"It's ok! it's ok! it's just a dog!" I scream as my mother's terrified look turns into one of horror.
"A dog? In the house!?" she screams in anger at me.
"You're responsible for the cake at my funeral," I murmur to Jesse who's starring at my mother wide-eyed in fear.
"His name is Harvey and..." I start.
"And what? Tell me why there's a damn dog in my house, I don't care what his name is just GET HIM OUT!"
"But mom..." I trail off and I can practically see the fume coming out of her ears.
"Kira no pets allowed in the house, those are the rules!"
"But why? I mean he's a great dog look at him!" I point at Harvey whose eyes are hidden beneath his fur and tongue sloppily hanging from his mouth.
"Kira, you have five minutes to return this dog to his rightful owner before I call the pound!" she exclaims.
"No please Mrs. Williams his owner passed away and he's practically a stray now, if we call the pound they'll put him down right away cause he's an older dog with no real owner," Jesse pleads with my mother and her gaze softens a bit before returning to me and then the dog.
"One night," she sighs, "And he is sleeping outside."
"But where will we put him outside?" I wonder aloud and she turns back to me.
"One night in the garage until we find someone who is suitable to take care of him," she states and turns around to leave before her foot finds its way into a puddle sending my mother flying onto her butt.
Slowly standing still covered in slobber my mother turns to us, "One. Night. Then he is out of here."