2 Chapter Two

Lyla's Point of View

"Dylan! Dylan!" I called out as I hurried over to him, holding the cats tightly to me. The all black one stayed limp and let me hold her and all. The fluffy one was swaying her tail, looking around excitedly, trying to move around a little as well.

"What? What?" Dylan teased as he turned around to face me. "Oh boy." He sighed, his hand rubbing his forehead.

I held up the two cats. "Look who joined the family!"

"What are their names?" Dylan asked me.

"Elisa." I held up the fluffy cat. "And Sammi." I held up the black cat. She just hung limply with a glare, looking annoyed.

Dylan laughed. "I like this one." He patted Sammi's head, earning a hiss

"Oh. Easy girl." I held her close to me and stroked her fur, Sammi immediately purring softly.

"Seems like she only likes you." Dylan remarked, studying Sammi like an artifact.

"Yeah, I guess so." I remembered when the clerk took her out of the glass container. She thrashed around and meowed loudly until she reached my arms. Then she stopped and started to sleep.

"Can we get a cart?" Dylan asked me, looking down at some of the toys he and the dogs had picked out.

"Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing." I admitted and I handed Dylan Sammi and Elisa. Sammi clawed Dylan and yelped.

I reacted quickly and took Sammi back into my arms. "Are you ok?" I asked Dylan, stroking Sammi's head in an attempt to calm her down.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He told me, shaking his hand, just a mark, luckily no blood.

"Well watch Elisa, Ben, and Nick for me real quick while I go get a cart." I told Dylan, backing up slowly and waiting for an okay.

"Got it." He told me, scratching Nick's head.

"You've gotta be nicer around other people Sammi." I stroked her head as I walked, speaking quietly.

Sammi meowed in response.

"Yeah yeah." I told her, smiling slightly to myself.

I'm having a conversation with my cat. Has my life really gotten this low?

I pulled out a cart from the line and began to walk back to Dylan.

"You can't keep hurting Dylan. He's my friend ok? If he keeps getting hurt, I might have to return you." I told Sammi as we walked back to the boys. Sammi meowed loudly, probably not liking the answer. "No ifs, ands, or buts. That's the rule." I said firmly, adjusting Sammi in my arms.

Sammi let out a small meow in defeat, me kissing her head.

"I'm back!" I walked over to Dylan.

"Oh good! Elisa will not let go of me!" Dylan exclaimed, trying to pull Elisa off him. I smiled and set Sammi in the cart and he immediately laid down.

Ben and Nick were sitting on the floor, watching Dylan and Elisa struggle. The two sat close to each other, behaving incredibly well.

Elisa was clinging on to Dylan's shirt while Dylan tried to pry her off.

"Aw." I sighed, watching Dylan fail. "Elisa~" I cooed and held out my arms. Elisa turned towards me and her ears perked up as she meowed loudly.

Then Elisa literally jumped into my arms, me holding her like a baby.

"That is a weird cat." Dylan sighed, adjusting his shirt, brushing away the cat hair.

"But I'm weird too." I looked up at Dylan, defending Elisa.

"That's why I love you." Dylan ruffled my hair, earning a glare from me.

"Love you too." I smiled, swatting his hand away.

"Now come on. I saw a few birds." I started to walk off with Elisa in my arms and pushing Sammi in the cart.

Ben and Nick got up and followed me, dragging Dylan with them.

—-

"Wow." I breathed as I watched all of the birds fly around and play with each other.

A bird flew up to me and landed on a branch by the glass.

I could've sworn it looked me in the eyes as it stared at me.

It tilted its head. I beamed.

I raised my finger to place it through the glass hole.

"Careful." Dylan warned and stepped forward.

But I did it anyway.

The bird nuzzled my finger with its head.

I removed my finger and looked at Dylan, a big smile on my face

"No way. Another one?" Dylan asked me.

I nodded excitedly.

—-

"Elisa, don't mess with Nalla's cage." I scolded softly as I pushed the cart.

I adopted the bird. Turns out her name is Nalla and she is a parakeet.

Elisa is scratching Nalla's cage and Nalla keeps swatting Elisa's paw away, but Elisa continued to do it.

"Mommy! I want a guinea pig!" A little girl whined as she was dragged away by her mother.

"You aren't getting another pet." Her mother responded, nodding to the cat she was carrying.

I turned towards Dylan. "Dylan! I want a guinea pig!" I whined as well, mimicking the girl.

"Seriously?" He asked in a high pitched voice, surprised by my declaration. "You already have five pets!"

"But I feel like I need a guinea pig to complete it all." I crossed my arms, looking up at him.

"Fine. It's not my money." Dylan gave in, rubbing his forehead.

"Or is it?" I teased, poking his nose

"Nooooooo." Dylan warned, he started to pay his pockets, realizing something was missing. I pulled out his wallet I had stolen from him earlier, a proud smile on my face. "You little thief!" Dylan laughed and lunged to get his wallet.

He grabbed it from my arms easily. He practices boxing all the time, so he's fast. I, on the other hand, have terrible reflexes.

"Look look!" I pointed at the twenty some guinea pigs scurrying around. "That one has glasses!" I pointed at a random guinea pig.

"What? Where?" Dylan immediately looked towards the guinea pigs. Before, he was just watching Ben and Nick mess around with each other. But I have his attention now.

"Gotcha." I poked his nose. He pretended to be upset and pouted. "Aw, cheer up." I flicked up from underneath his chin.

"Fine." He grumbled and put on a reluctant smile.

"Much better." I smiled, crossing my arms, looking up at him.

"Dude." Dylan sighed as we both looked at the guinea pigs, his arm crossed, still holding Ben and Nick's leashes.

"What?" I asked, still looking at the guinea pigs, my arms hugging myself lightly.

"You should get this one." Dylan pointed to one who was laying against the glass.

Except he was upside down and asleep, I think.

"Why?" I giggled as I took the sight in.

"It's weird, just like you." Dylan teased, poking my cheek once.

"Heyyyy." I pouted as Dylan chuckled. "Rude."

I stared at the guinea pig for a bit with a smile.

"You know what? I'm gonna get that one." I told Dylan, still looking at the sleeping animal, a soft smile on my face.

"Really? I was only joking." Dylan asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. I like him." I smiled, looking around for an employee.

—-

"Head count!" I called out. "Nick!" I smiled.

He painted and wagged his tail as he walked up with me.

"Ben!" Ben ran over excitedly to me.

"Elisa and Sammi."

I looked over and saw Sammi asleep in the cart and Elisa swatting at her own whisker.

"Nalla." Nalla flapped her wings from her cage.

"And finally, Peter." I looked down at the newest cage.

The sleepy guinea pig from before has joined this family and is now running around wildly, taking in his new surroundings.

He is so adorable.

When the clerk picked Peter, he woke up suddenly, looking around wildly. But soon calmed down and relaxed, enjoying the short flight.

"Are we done now?" Dylan asked, stretching his arms above his head.

"Wow, it's like you don't want to spend time with me." I looked him up and down.

"Who would want to spend time with you?" Dylan glared, also looking me up and down.

We glared at each other.

Then we started laughing.

"Such a good actor! Five stars! Five stars!" I applauded Dylan as he bowed.

"Thank you. Thank you."

"Dork." I shoved him lightly.

"Weirdo." He nudged me with his shoulder.

As we walked, I heard some squeaks come from my left. I stopped walking and looked to see what the source of the noise is.

"Bunnies!" I squealed, running over to them.

"Wait!" Dylan called out too late, me already fangirling over the adorable ears bunnies have.

"Black, gray, tan, white. They've got them all!" I scanned the bunnies. "Awh, that one is shy." I sighed as I looked at a bunny in a corner, hiding behind a little house thing.

I looked around and realized I was talking to myself.

Dylan was laughing to himself a while away.

I stuck out my tongue.

I turned back to the bunnies and bent over to eye level of the bunny in the corner. I clicked my tongue, his ears twitched towards the sound. He looked over to me.

"Come here buddy. It's alright little dude." I soothed softly, smiling. He slowly hopped his way over to me. "You're so adorable." I cooed, my heart melting at the sight of him.

The bunny rubbed his head against the glass wall that separated us. I grazed my fingers against the holes so I could feel his fur.

He is so soft.

"Dylan," I turned to ask him to go get an employee.

But he was already walking over with one.

I smiled genuinely at him.

He saluted me with two fingers

—-

"Okay, I have to admit, that one is pretty cute. What is his name again?" Dylan walked beside me with the dogs' leashes. "John?"

I chuckled.

"His name is Jameson." I corrected him.

I looked down at Jameson. He is cute, no doubt on that one.

"I think Elisa is the only pet that doesn't hate me." Dylan sighed, looking around aimlessly.

"What do you mean?" I frowned, tearing my eyes away from Jameson.

"Watch." Dylan told me as he reached his hand out to the two dogs and they growled quietly.

Then he reached towards Nalla, her flapping her wings and flying away from Dylan.

Dylan sighed and went to the cats.

Sammi hissed at him and Elisa lazily swatted at him.

Finally, Dylan reached towards Peter and Jameson. Peter squeaked and clawed at Dylan's fingers, Jameson kicked bedding at him with his back legs.

"Wow Dylan. What did you do to them?" I teased him, running my fingers down Sammi's back.

"I have no idea." He sighed. "This a good dog brand?" Dylan picked up a bag of dog food and showed me it.

"Yeah. I heard it's good." I nodded and looked at some, squeaky toys.

Dylan put two bags in the bottom of the cart.

I waved a toy in front of the dogs.

"Do you like it? Do you like it?" I asked energetically.

The dogs jumped around.

"I'll take that as a yes." I put that one and three other surprises in the cart.

"Do you think they'll need a dog bed?" I asked Dylan while I squatted down to look at the beds.

"Ummmm. Nah, I think they'll be fine." He told me, pushing the cart for me.

I nodded. "Yeah. Worst casinario, I lay down a blanket." I continued walking to pick out some food and water bowls for them.

"Alright. The cats are next." I announced after I finished picking out the bowls.

Upon hearing the word 'cats', Elisa shot up from her lying position and jumped into my arms.

"Woah, hey buddy." I stroked her head as she meowed happily.

Man, this cat is crazy. After we set Jameson in his cage in the cart, she dove at him, but hit the cage instead. Jameson started going crazy.

We had to separate them.

I have a feeling that that is going to happen a lot.

"Let's get that brand." I pointed to a brand of cat food.

Dylan nodded and picked up two of them. "Toys?" Dylan asked.

Elisa looked up at me with the cutest eyes ever. How could I say no to that?

"Yeah." I smiled lightly.

I sat Elisa back down in the cart and secretly picked out a toy for her and Sammi.

I didn't get much for Peter, Jameson, and Nalla. The employees gave me all of the basic stuff. But I did pick out a few toys for them.

"Collars." I said after I thought if I was missing anything.

"Oh yeah." Dylan smiled.

—-

"The collars all look so adorable." I clasped my hands together as I looked at them all.

I bought Nalla and Peter these anklets that had their names on them. They will look adorable either way.

"So, are we done here?" Dylan asked as he leaned on the cart, clearly tired from the pet store.

"I think so." I nodded. I bit my lip then hugged Dylan with all of my might.

"Woah, you're hugging me? What's wrong?" Dylan joked and hugged me back.

"Thank you so much." My voice sounded muffled as I spoke into Dylan's shirt.

"No problem. I feel like I never get to see you that often." Dylan replied, still holding on tight.

It was true.

With Dylan's college classes and my job, schedules are barely open for each other. Late night calls are sometimes able to squeeze their way in, but not usually. Today was Sunday, and we were both free today. I got lucky.

But I also got lonely.

I live by myself. Dylan lives with his dorm buddies and is out with them going to parties. He invites me to them, but I'm too antisocial for that.

"Well, let's get these suckers home."

—-

"1,158 dollars." Dylan mumbled in disbelief.

I stared at the cash register with wide eyes, my lips parted.

"Do you have enough money?" The cashier cleared her throat.

I blinked twice and came back to reality. "Y-Yeah." I stuttered.

Nick whined and pawed at my feet.

I bent over and scratched his head.

"It's alright Buddy. I have the money." I reassured him. I pulled out my wallet and handed her my credit card.

"1158 dollars." Dylan said yet again, still staring at the number.

I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Wake up." I urged.

He shook his head and looked at me. "If those pets didn't love you as much as they do, I would never let you buy this much stuff." Dylan gestured to the overflowing cart.

"What can I say?" I took my credit card back. "I'm a very lovable person."

He ruffled my hair and I glared at him.

Dylan smiled and pulled out his wallet as I put mine away. "Here." He handed me 300 dollars.

"Um? No." I told him, pushing the money away.

"Um, yes." Dylan shoved the money in my hands.

"No." I thrust it back to him.

"Yes. It's my present to your pets." Dylan explained with a proud smile.

I pursed my lips. "Fine. But you're getting a really good birthday present this year." I put the money in my wallet.

"A day with you will be fine." He leaned towards me with a playful look.

I shoved him away from me before turning back to the cashier. "Thank you." I told the cashier with a smile.

"Have a nice day." She replied.