Cole's POV

I park my motorcycle beside my dad's car and head inside.

If you're wondering if I got the motorcycle for the attention, my answer is no I did not.

Dad's not home so he's probably at work still. I climb upstairs, toss my bag at the wall, and jump on my bed, landing on my back.

"That was a long day." I say to myself.

I decide to take a shower and rest my head against the wall, with the hot water streaming down on me.

I sigh. He was lying, he read it. Sure, he looked calm and unreadable but I've been through enough to tell he was lying. He hesitated just for a millisecond (yes I noticed it), his voice almost wavered, almost. And last, he was gripping my book as he said no, not visible enough for you to notice if you don't look closely but it was there, he was gripping onto it.

He probably doesn't know I know he lied so he's going to act like nothing happened because nothing did. I just hope he won't tell anyone. I just hope what he read wasn't a major part of my past.

I turn the knob and turn off the shower then step out of the bathroom. I slip on my dark-blue flare jeans and a baby pink, short crop baseball shirt and a pair of short cut, dark red converse. I then take my black framed glasses, take off my contact lenses, and slide my glasses on. Yes, I wear glasses, deal with it.

As I head downstairs and the doorbell rings just in time. I open the door open with smile across my face. A silver labrador jump on me, making me tumble to the ground. I laugh and stroke the labrador's back. "I see you're glad to see me Duke." I smile.

Duke get's off of me and I stand up to greet Danielle, Duke's owner.

I shake her hand and her lips tilt upwards as well as lifting her dark-cyan eyes. "Hi Mrs. Danielle."

"Oh Cole, I told you. Call me Dani, I'm not that old, I'm still forty-three!" she jokes.

"Sorry Mrs- I mean, Dani. Nice to see you again, though I do see you every week."

She laughs, "The funny one Cole. But yes, I'm here for you to take care of Duke again for me but I also have some not so great news."

What?

"Oh yes, come inside Dani. Make yourself at home but not too at home." I wink at her and laugh with her.

She sits on an armchair as I sit down on the sofa next to her and Duke sitting next to me.

"So as you know, it's been about a year since you've been taking care of Duke, yes?" I nod. "I haven't told you this so I'm telling you now." Her face falls and Duke whimpers. "Four months ago I have been diagnosed with inherited cancer."

I freeze. Danielle... has cancer..? Then my face falls. She takes my silence as to continue.

"My great grandmother has had cancer and, apparently, has been passed down to me."

"But Mrs. Danielle. Your daughter- will she be ok?"

"Hopefully, yes. I've had her last year, before I've been diagnosed. I have checked her up in the hospital and says she's fine."

"But what about you Mrs. Dani?"

"The doctors said I had four more months to live and now I have two months to live but I mean..." tears strike her eyes, "I-I can believe that I can fight it off. I remember this one lady who had cancer and said that she could only live for two more months but she went to a different hospital and lived..."

This is different and she knows it as well.

"Oh, Dani." Tears sting my eyes but I don't let them fall.

She gives me that smile of hers. "So I've been thinking... that you might be able to take care of Duke for me?"

"Like... adopt?"

"Yes."

"What about Liza?" Liza, her daughter.

"She's not old enough to live alone. You know that I raised her alone but now... she has to go to an orphanage."

"Wait! Mrs. Dani! My dad can adopt her! Right? I can take of her for you as well as Duke."

"Are you sure about that Cole? Are you sure about having a sister? What would your dad say about this?"

"I'll call him right now! Be right back Mrs. Dani!" I walk into the kitchen with Duke tailing behind me.

Three rings and he picks up. "Hello?"

"Dad!"

"Cole? What are you calling for?"

"I have something very important to ask you!"

"What is it?"

"Can you adopt a daughter? Please?"

"Wait- where is this coming from?"

"It's Liza."

"Oh, Mrs. Danielle's daughter? Why what's wrong with her?"

"Dad... Dani only has two months to live and Liza has to go to an orphanage." I explain.

"Oh..."

"Also, can we adopt Duke too? It's like a whole family now! I could have a sister and we could have a dog."

"Oh, Cole." I can imagine dad smiling at me. "If we get the papers then yes we can adopt them both. Legally."

I control my squeal and from jumping around the room. Duke barks happily. "Are you sure we can afford it dad?"

"Yes Cole, we can. After everything you've done for Mrs. Danielle we have to at least help her with this as well."

"Yay! Thank you dad so much! I love you, get back home safe and soon! Ok dad?"

"Yes, sweetheart, of course."

"Bye! Love you!"

"Love you too."

I end the call and literally skip towards Mrs. Dani. By the tell of my face she starts smiling too. "Save it Cole, by the look of your face I already know your dad said yes."

"You know me so well."

She gets up and walks around the sofa, giving me a hug. I hug her back. "Thank you Cole, you really are a saint." And that reminds me of what I do at school. I feel awful. I'm disappointing Dani... and dad... Liza and Duke too... I wish I could just stop but I have to do it.

"Next month Cole, I'll give you all the papers and you will officially have Duke and Liza all to yourself!"

"And dad too. But don't worry, they will always have a place in their hearts for you. Like almost all of it."

She laughs again. "Yes, you're right. Anyways, I'll be back in two hours. Have fun you too."

She leaves me and Duke alone. I kneel in front of Duke and pat his head. "Duke, want to go for a walk boy?" He smiles a toothy grin.

I take my jacket from the coat hanger and put Duke on his dark green collar that says, The Duke Master. I laugh at that. I hook the leash with his collar and walk outside.

Duke was basically running to the park and I ran after him. Luckily I still had a grasp on his leash. I was laughing when suddenly Duke ran behind me and turned my head, still running, and then I hit my head on someone's chest.

I look up from the ground and see Chris towering above me. He pulls out his hand for me to grab but I don't accept it. I stand up myself, patting my jeans down. He scratches the back of his neck. 

"Why are you- oh. You're walking Duke again?" he asks.

"What else does it look like?" I snap back. I feel so bad, treating him like this.

"Why are you wearing glasses?" Oh! I totally forgot about those.

"My friend came over and she dared me to wear her glasses when I gave Duke a walk. I think it's a stupid dare." I complain.

"Umm... Ok."

"I was heading back home anyways." I hear Duke whimper. I'm sorry Duke!

"Oh can I come? I think I would like to see your friend." 

"No!" I blurt. "Because when I get back home I have to give Duke back to his owner. And then after that I have a date with this really cute boy named Jack. And when I come back I have to be early before my dad comes." I ramble. Ok so I didn't have a date with a guy but I had to think of something!

"Oh..." a pang of disappoint comes across his face but is soon replaced with a smile. "It's ok! I'll just see you at school then."

"Yeah, bye!" I turn around and start speed walking in the other direction. Duke starts running and I run after him.

We're outside my front door. I kneel down to pet Duke. "I'm sorry we couldn't go to the park today. But I promise, when we're together again, we can go on as many walks as you want! If it's reasonable that it." I assure.

We both head inside and I take out the dog food from the cabinet. I pour the dog food in the temporary dog bowl (well not temporary anymore) and Duke comes running in the kitchen, gobbling up the food. "Woah Duke. You need some water too so your throat wont be do dry and scratchy!" I pour water into the bowl next to the food one and he drinks almost half of it.

I leave Duke to eat his dinner and I go upstairs, plopping onto my bed. I leave the door open just in case Duke wants to come up. I take my mac (not sponsored) and flip it open. I scroll through facebook.

Party.
I can't believe you didn't invite me! I like so hate you now.

Party.
That party looks horrible. Good thing I didn't go there.

Girl throwing up at party.
Looks like the girl had too much alcohol. If you can't control it, don't drink it newbies.

I hear padding coming from the hall way and close my laptop shut. Duke crawls to my side and snuggles up to me. I curl beside him and daze off to a nap.

I wake up to the sound of the doorbell going off. I jump off my bed, hurried to open the door. I practically throw the door open. Mrs. Danielle is in the door way with her wrinkled old smile. Duke instantly leaves my side and curls up with Mrs. Danielle's legs. 

"Hi, Mrs. Danielle! Sorry if I made you wait for long I was napping..." I apologize. 

"Don't worry, I was only here for a few minutes. Besides, I can tell you were sleeping."

"What? How?"

She points towards her mouth. I don't get what she's saying until I put my own hand to my mouth. Shoot! I have drool on my face! I turn beet red. "Mrs. Danielle, I will be right back!"

I hurry back inside and hear her shout, "It's Dani!" Into a near bathroom and wash my face. There, gone. I come back to the Mrs. Danielle and see her and my dad talking about the adoptions.

"Dad!" I interrupt their conversation. I jump and give him a big hug. "Welcome home! I shall leave you two to discuss about the adoption." I calmly walk back to my room. I shut the door tight and squeal as loud as I can.

Chris' POV

I watch Cole skip back to the other direction. When she's out of ear-shot I start following her. Yes I know it's creepy, don't judge I have my own ways of caring.

I hide behind a tree as she talks to Duke before heading inside. She feeds Duke and heads upstairs. She comes back down with drool almost everywhere on her face. Hilarious but cute. She always is but her ego is too big for her own good. At least her fake one. 

Cole opens the door to a lady in her thirties or forties. The lady tells her about the drool and her eyes widen. She hurries off, probably to a bathroom. Cole comes back without drool on her this time. When she comes back her dad is talking with the lady. She hugs her dad. I can barely hear but I can make out one sentence. 

"Welcome home! I shall leave you two to discuss about the adoption." 

What adoption? I can't ask her directly... she would ask me why. I can't just tell her I followed her home. I guess I'll just have to squeeze it out of her without her noticing. 

I try to go to a tree closer to the house but I bump into someone's hard back. Does this guy work out or something? I look up, seeing that same pair of grey eyes narrowing his eyes at me. "W-what are you doing here?" I ask, stuttering.

"I actually live near here, I was going back home until someone bumped into me."

"S-sorry I didn't know."

Why was I stuttering? Probably because he looked intimidating from last time? Probably.

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