Page 25 of My Ruthless Neighbor

He looks at something longingly. I follow his line of sight to find he’s staring at my hand. At the biscuit. Slowly, I reach out.

“Are you hungry, buddy?” His eyes jump to me. “Here. Take it.” I smile softly at the small bundle of cuteness. He blinks back at my outstretched hand then at me again, tugging at my heartstrings.

“You can have it,” I murmur. Our eyes remain locked for a long time. The vulnerability on this little one’s face breaks me and tears form in my eyes.

It’s like he is fighting an inner battle about whether he should trust me. It makes me wonder if someone harmed him before to make him this skeptical. He doesn’t look injured so that’s a relief.

Just when I think he will turn away, he surprises me by inching forward. I remain motionless as he slowly comes closer. When he is close enough to take the biscuit, he stuns me by nuzzling my free hand.

“I hate crying, you know.” I sniff. He tilts his head as if asking “why is that?”

“Well, I just do. So don’t melt my heart with your cuteness, got it?” I raise my eyebrow. He pokes my palm with his nose as if agreeing.

“Good.” I sniff again. “Now eat this before I do.” I joke. Again, as if understanding, he starts nibbling the biscuit.

I feed him the rest of the packet before helping him drink water with my water bottle. With the remaining liquid, I try to wash him a bit.

“I can’t leave you alone,” I murmur as he nuzzles into my side. I am sitting down on the tarmac with my back against the wall as I pet him. “I’ll have to take you to a dog shelter before I go to the mall.” He lets out a small bark. As if he hates the idea.

“No can do, Goldie. I won’t be able to sleep at night if I leave you by yourself here.”

A mewl makes me look down. “I’d have adopted you if I wasn’t in this mess.”

I smile when he playfully takes my finger in his mouth. “Tell you what. You stay here. I’ll go upstairs and get a cardboard box for you as you don’t have a leash.”

He barks again, his tongue hanging out.

“Genius, right?” I get to my feet. I lay him on my backpack. “Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

I should have taken him upstairs with me because when I ran downstairs with a cardboard box and a plushie, he was gone.

Chapter Seven

Ifailed him. I let the thought hurt me.

After spending an hour searching for the puppy, I couldn’t find him. It was like he just disappeared into thin air.

I was practically falling apart, covered in sweat from running around like a mad woman with a cardboard box in hand. When people began giving me strange looks, I decided to leave.

I thought I would feel a bit better after coming to the mall. I was wrong. First, the catastrophe from this morning and then the puppy. The weight of guilt after losing the little one was twisting my insides.

The neighborhood I live in is shady. It’s filled with a crowd of young teens that are notorious for getting in trouble and torturing people, even at times, animals. If they got their hands on him… No. I refrain from pondering on the negative thoughts that cross my mind.

Too disturbed by the graphic pictures in my head, I begin panicking.

I have a momentary flashback to the time when Caleb and his friends tortured the stray dog just because he caught me feeding it my portion of food. When I tried to intervene, I was beaten within an inch of my life. Raleigh faced the same fate when he attempted to save me.

I feel like puking my guts out at the memory. I close my eyes to calm my roaring heartbeats. Swaying a little, I clutch the steel bar of the railing.

It’s over, Summer. I remind myself.

You’re free. I rub my heart through the layer of clothes, soothing it, and calming it. Making it believe that I really am free.

When the flashbacks come, it becomes difficult to separate my past from the present.

When the memories trap me, it gets harder to believe that it’s all over.

I am not a weakling. Not by a long shot. I am a tough cookie. But sometimes when the ugly parts of my past stare me in the eye, it drains me. It leaves me feeling vulnerable and breakable. It lowers my guard… this happy façade behind which I am blissfully living.

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