A Month Later

ARC II - THE FIELD TRIP

****

*rumble* *rumble*

A faint continuous deep resonant sound coming from the ground, produced by numerous tiny paws of golden retriever puppies. Another set of paws followed after, albeit the size was largely different from the small set of paws.

*woof* *woof*

Barking happily, their tails wagged excitedly side to side and their small tongues sticking out from their snouts as they ran all the way to a room with a partially closed door.

Entering the dark room with faint rays of light coming from the window shielded by the curtains, the puppies scattered to different directions. Some sniffed their way to whatever attracted their attention, while others played among themselves.

Only one of the six puppies found its way on top of the bed where a figure could be seen. Its small paws struggled to climb on a small stool and then the nightstand. When the puppy jumped over the small distance between the nightstand and bed, its paws and furry body sank into the soft bed.

*woof!*

The puppy was delighted about reaching the bed. His fluffy small tail resumed wagging side to side as its small body wiggled through the small space leading to the under the blanket.

A moment later, a small giggled came from under the blanket.

''Stop…Stop…I'm awake guys.'' Some movement came from the figure under the blanket before the blanket was thrown over to a side on the bed, revealing a familiar scarred face.

''Hahaha…stop…'' Calla laughed to her content. Scooping up the puppy away from her face, she opened her eyes, her sparkling gaze sighting the happy puppy. Her gaze briefly went down to the color of the collar around the furry neck before returning back to the puppy. A toothed grin graced her lips.

''I should have known it was you, Max. Always coming for me first thing in the morning, unlike your siblings.''

*woof*

As though her words were understood, the puppy enthusiastically barked with its tongue sticking out and wagging tail.

At the obvious sight of the puppy's happiness, Calla's eyes softened and she brought the puppy down to the remaining space of her pillow. Her head turned, facing the puppy excitedly looking down at the fluffy pillow like it was the most fascinating thing in the entire world.

''Another week….'' Calla murmured to herself, her thoughts filled with all that had been going on around herself since she began to live in her apartment with the dog family.

The time she had spent here was somewhat peaceful….so peaceful that she started to doubt whether this was the same apartment that she had problems with sleeping at the beginning when she recently moved out of her home in Manhattan.

*woof!*

A bark came from her other side. Turning around, her gaze came in contact with Kayla leaning on her bedframe with her paws over the bed.

''Happy new month, Kayla.'' Smiling to the golden retriever, Calla ruffled the golden fur, her eyes fluttering close in contentment, wishing that this little peace within her herself would last forever.

However…. Calla had a feeling that her wish was never going to come true…ever.

****

''Happy new month, guys!''

''You mean happy cold month.''

''You're right. The winter hasn't come yet, but the fall is this cold, and it's just the beginning!''

''Did you get new fall clothes?''

''I got these boots from a thrift store.''

''Really? They look so chic.''

''I can't wait for the semester to end.''

''Oh right…where are you spending the holidays?''

''My mum wants my siblings and I to spend the holidays with my granny….''

''You seem down about that.''

''Granny lives in the countryside.''

*Murmur* *Murmur*

'At least you have some to spend the holidays with…..' Calla thought, disliking how humans were never pleased with what they have. At the thoughts of her own estranged family, Calla's fingers curled into a fist, feeling down and envious of the person complaining about her granny in the countryside.

It would have been nice if she had grandparents to go visit at the time of the holidays. But....who knows if her grandparents would have been the same as others, believing that she was a killer.

With her gaze on the pavement, Calla continued to listen to the murmurs from the people around herself strolling on the sidewalk, all the way to her department.

Nearing the end of the pavement, Calla wanted to cross to the other side, the beginning of another pavement…but…a familiar pink car suddenly drove in her way, the tyres almost wheeling over her foot if not for her quick reflexes.

''Oh dear....I didn't recognize you there freak.'' A familiar voice made its way over to her ear. No one had to tell her the owner of the car when it was blatantly obvious from the snarky voice.

Pursing her lips, Calla made a new turn around the car from the back. She didn't have time to engage one-sided spat with arrogant young missy.

''Good morning, Miss Anderson.'' Another familiar voice came from the backseat of the pink car. Again, Calla didn't need anyone to remind of the owner of the voice.

''…..'' Not pausing her steps, Calla continued on her way to the zoology department.

''She's rude to Miss Rose again.''

''What a rude person.''

''Hey Freak, someone is greeting you!''

''Does she think herself as someone higher than Miss rose?''

''She should look at the mirror first to see if her beauty is comparable to Miss rose.''

''which beauty does she have…more like her ugliness is not comparable to anyone.''

*murmur* *murmur*

''...'' Despite the negative words and eyes thrown in her way, Calla's steps never faltered on the way. She knew that if she stopped, even for a second, these people would be satisfied to know that their words affected her.

''Miss Rose is as beautiful as always.''

''Her fall clothes are so beautiful. I wonder which boutique she gets all her clothes from?"'

''She and Prince Vincent are made for each other.''

''Come to think of it…I haven't seen Prince Vincent around…''

''Yeah.''

''But Lacy….''

While murmurs came from the students on the sidewalk, the welcoming smile on rose's lips remained as her eyes turned away from the disappearing figure of Calla.

Hearing the whispers from the students, her smile widened a bit, pleased to know what others thought of her outfit.

''Rosie, I really wonder why you always bother to greet the freak…''

''Yeah, she doesn't even reply you…''

''Aren't you embarrassing yourself, Rosie?''

Lacy's two friends voiced out their complaints one after the other. Ever since they became friends with Rose, they had noticed her weird interaction with the masked freak.

''I stay over Miss Anderson's house. Even if she doesn't have good feelings for me, I want to be close with her.'' Rose said, stepping down from the car and shutting them down. Walking over to the passenger window, she bent a bit, her hand waving to Lacy and her two friends in the car.

''I'll see you girls later.''

''Bye Rosie.''

''Bye Rosie.''

As Lacy reversed her pink car, Rose stepped aside and watched the car sped down the road leading to the zoology department.

''Isn't that Miss Rose of the commercial department?''

''Wow…she's so beautiful.''

''I wish she was in our math department.''

''G-Good morning, Miss Rose.'' An average-looking male student among the gossipy group of boys, bravely greeted Rose who was about to enter the teacher-parking lot of her department.

''….Good morning.'' Rose turned over with her bright smile before walking ahead. Behind her were the boys making fun of the blushing average male student.

'….So easy…' Rose silently smirked, the corner of her lips quaking up to a sarcastic smile.

Meanwhile, back in the speeding pink car, Lacy's two friends chattered about Rose's behavior, not noticing the gloomy behavior of their dearest friend in the driver's seat.

''Doesn't Rosie understand that she is embarrassing herself?''

''The freak should be grateful that someone like Rosie speaks with her ugly self.''

''You are right, Tiffany. Hey Lacy, what do you think?''

''...''

''Lacy?'' Noticing the change of atmosphere around their friend, the two friends called out, glancing at each other with questioning gazes.

On other hand, Lacy heard her name, but ignored their calls. She had no time to be gossiping about someone more beautiful and perfect than herself. Well….her pride could allow that since Rose was someone from the big city, meaning that the latter had more leverage than herself. That, she could understand and swallow up her arrogance.

But…her pride would never admit that the masked freak was actually better than herself, especially in terms of background.

Someone that she had always seen as a bug squashed underneath her heels right from day one.

'Why?' Lacy gritted her teeth as her manicured fingernails digging deep into the steering wheel, not sensing the pain erupting from the action.

>>>Enjoy and Post soon!<<<