"I-I don't understand." Rebecca stuttered, waving goodbye to a few kids, practice over. "Why are you...firing me?"
"We got a money cut and you're the first in line to be fired." The manager shrugged, writing something on the clipboard. "Your pay for the days you worked will be mailed. Thank you for working." He walked away with nothing else. Rebecca let out a shaky breath, turning back to Jin and Namjoon.
"Hey hey." Jin hurried over and pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back. "Don't cry, it's okay just don't cry." He knew if she started to cry, she's going to fall apart.
"I'm fine." Rebecca pulled away from Jin, Namjoon in her way now too. "Get in the car." She pushed past Namjoon, Jin and him sharing a look.
"Hey, maybe I should dri-"
"Look!" A little kid squealed from down the hill. "A puppy!" Rebecca walked closer to the hill, squinting. "Coach Bex!" The kid waved her over and she went down the hill. He, the kid, stood before the thickest part, bushes and thorns and sticks everywhere. "Right there." He pointed to the shaky puppy. Rebecca didn't spare Jin and Namjoon a glance while she took off her shirt, her swimsuit beneath it.
"Okay, you go home now. I'm sure your parents are waiting for you." Rebecca smiled and gestured to the cars. "Thank you for telling me." He waved goodbye and ran, Namjoon and Jin standing beside Rebecca.
"What are you doing?" Namjoon held her arm as she stepped forward.
"I'm getting the dog."
"No you're not." Jin shook his head. "You have no shoes and your arms and legs are gonna get-"
"Let me go." She pulled out of Namjoon's hand, stepping into the thicket. Immediately blood was drawn from the thorns, scratches and burns. But Rebecca didn't care. She was pissed. She had her mind set on something. Nothing else matter right now.
Besides
She's felt worse cuts.
)()()()(
"Jungkookie~" Taehyung spun the boy in a circle.
"Taehyung I swear to God if you say you love Becca I'm going to personally backhand you as hard as I can and deform you're face so she'll never talk to you again because you'll be so ug-Becca! Welcome back!!" Jungkook's threat was cut short once he saw her walk through the door. "Is tha-"
"Sophie can you get me my first aid thingy." Rebecca called out, moving past every boy, even Taehyung.
"That does not look good." Hoseok mumbled as Rebecca gently put down the puppy swaddled in her shirt. "Woah you're all cut u-"
"I'm fine." Rebecca turned on the water, putting a stopper in the sink once the water got to a good temperature. "Shh, shhh." She hummed, brushed the whimpering puppy. "You're okay my dear. It's okay." She started to take out some twigs and thorns in his fur.
"Do you know what you're doing?" Yoongi mumbles, just wanting the best for the dog.
"I was originally going to be a vet but changed my mind after the first semester." Rebecca mumbled, holding the dog close to herself as she pulled out a painful thorn. "I got this." All of the boys watched silently as she pulled out the unwanted things from its fur and then eased him into the water. "There you go." She mumbled, the water immediately darkening.
"Is it-" Jungkook squinted, glancing at Rebecca.
"Blind? Yes, yes he is." Rebecca gently let her fingers trace through his fur. "I'm going to clean him up and then take him to the vet."
"Becca where the hell have you be-woah." Sophie stopped herself, seeing Rebecca's cuts. "What did you do."
"Dog." Rebecca mumbled, not minding Sophie glaring at her.
"Can you at least attempt to care about yourself?" Sophie grabbed some paper towels and held them out. "If you don't clean yourself up I will." Rebecca sighed and took the paper towels, setting them aside before grabbing the Dawn dish soap. "Now, Becca."
"This dog is hurt and scared and blind Sophie." Rebecca glanced at her, rubbing the soap through his fur. "I'm barely bleeding and I'm fine. Let me take care of this dog."
"Hey, loosen up Bex." Jin put his hand on her shoulder, concern etched into his face. "Relax, you're super tense. Take a deep breath. The dog will be fine." Rebecca shrugged his hand off of her shoulder.
"And so will I."
)()()()(
"Oz." Rebecca tugged on his leash lightly. "Stay close, goofball."
Sophie glanced over at Hoseok, her heart pounding in her chest. Man has she had a crush on him since day one. The minute she first saw the Fake Love music video, damn, she was head over heels for him.
She couldn't wrap her head around that she was staying under the same roof as him for a few days. She also couldn't process how Rebecca acted like he was just a friend, like they've known each other for years. Sophie was a nervous wreck when he talked to her.
Hoseok? Oh he knows what he's doing. He's an idol, he knows when people like him. He's seen her eyes on him. And honestly, he's found himself smiling once she talked, held eye contact with her just a little while longer.
But that's not the point. The point is what happened in the next eight minutes.
You see, Hoseok was distracted by the buildings around him. Rebecca was trying to restrain Ozzy from running free and carrying the puppy, as well as Spots on her other wrist. Sophie was distracted by Hoseok and his brilliant smile.
The man saw that Rebecca only held Ozzy's leash by her fingers. It wasn't around her wrist like Spots. This is why he decided to steal Ozzy. A beautiful Australian Shepherd, full grown, strong and healthy looking. He could make some major money off of this dog.
The man beside her looked too soft and too nice to do any damage, heck, probably too weak to run against him. And the other girl, same as the guy. The girl with the dog, Becca, yeah, she'd chase him, easily. She looked scary. But she has an injured dog in her hands and another around her wrist.
This was going to be easy.
It happened so fast. He ran, and when he did, Rebecca had her arm out, about to pull Ozzy back once more. Her jaw dropped once she watched the man drag Ozzy to the other side of the street.
"Hey that's my dog!" She shouted, putting the puppy on the ground and dropping Spots' leash. The man was face to face with a police officer he did not see before. He dropped the leash and bolted, the officer startled at first, but started the chase.
Ozzy was scared. He wasn't with his mom. But once he saw her across the street, he ran. Now, as a dog, you aren't taught to look both ways before crossing the road.
"No!" Rebecca ran forward, the car in the corner of her eye. Hoseok pulled her back just as the car flew past them, Ozzy, unfortunately, a small bump in the road for this car. Rebecca doubled over, her hands covering her mouth as the car came screeching to a stop.
But the damage was already done.
The screeching wasn't the loudest thing that tore into Rebecca's ears. No, it was the yelp Ozzy let out. It was the sound of his body being shoved against the pavement, the sound of his bones cracking beneath the tires.
It was the sound of his blood falling onto the pavement.
Spots whined as he sat beside his mom and brother. He watched his mom pull his brother into her arms, stroking his fur gently, tears streaming down her face.
"Hey, hey Ozzy, Ozzy look at me." Rebecca clicked her tongue softly, Ozzy still managing to look at her despite his heart failing inside of him. "That's my Ozzy." She didn't pay any attention to the driver running towards them, eyes full of panic.
"Just stay back man." Hoseok spoke lowly, keeping the driver away from Rebecca and her two dogs, Sophie beside her with the puppy. "Give her space."
"You're such a good boy." Rebecca's voice shook. "The bestest boy." She felt his heart stopped, saw his sparkle leave his eye, his tail no longer wagging. No matter what, he was always wagging his tail. He was the happiest dog there was. She sobbed out and hugged the bloodied dog close to her, her tears wetting the fur that wasn't drenched in blood.
'Mom, what happened to brother?' Spots put his paw on her knee, whining. 'Why isn't Brother breathing? Mom? Mom is he gone? Is Brother gone?'
"I'm so sorry Spots."