Page 12 of A Fowl Match

“It’s all in the email.”

“What email?”

“The one Constance sent us with the details we need for tomorrow’s competition.”

“What are you talking about?”

Is he kidding me?

I huff, “This is going to be a rough week and we’re definitely afowlmatch.” Dustin stares at me, dumbfounded. The joke must have flown way over his head. “Get it! Fowl—match. Chickens are considered fowl. It has a ring to it.”

“I got it, it just wasn’t funny.” He shrugs, and I give him the side-eye.

It’s just four weeks,I tell myself.You can do this.After this month we can go back to being strangers. We can act like we never even met in the first place. It will all go back to normal, and I can go back to my daily routines that don’t involve anyone else. Like that certainsomeonewho is partnered with me right now. I can’t seem to escape his presence.

Walking up and down the sidewalk we look for the chicken, with no luck whatsoever. After some time, Dustin breaks the silence. “Since we are partners and need to work together for the challenges’ sake, it’d be nice to know some more about you other than the fact that you own The Not So Secret Garden.”

“What do you want to know?”

“What’s your favorite movie and why? What’s your favorite food? What’s your middle name?”

“Those are super random things.” I continue walking along the sidewalk. “And I don’t think anyone has ever asked me what my middle name was before.” I look behind a trash can only to find an adorable Silkie. I pet her on the head and continue my search. “Shrekis my favorite movie. When I’m sad it makes me forget about all my worries. The noise in my head dies down. My insecurities, doubts, and frustrations fade away. It never fails to put a smile on my face no matter how bad the day was.”

I didn’t mean to get so deep with him. But maybe it’s good that we get to know each other. We’re partners; we have to work together as a team. Teammates normally need to get along. “What was the next question again?”

“Favorite food.”

“Oh! That’s right. My favorite food is a tiebreaker between macaroni and cheese or pepperoni rolls. Don’t get me started on how amazing the pepperoni rolls from The String Cheese are. Joe can make any other meal dull in comparison. Its carb filled with cheesy, doughy, greasy pepperoni goodness. It’s what dreams are made of.” There’s no doubt about what I'm having for dinner tonight.

“And my middle name is Tarynn.”

“Interesting.”

Interesting.That’s all he has to say? After I just spilled everything about myself. “What about you?”

“My favorite movie isGrown Upsbecause it’s hilarious. Nothing can change my opinion on that. Especially when they play a game of arrow roulette. My favorite food is lasagna. And my middle name is Cole.”

“Interesting.” I chuckle. “Who knew you lovedGrown Ups. I’m surprised you’ve seen that movie.”

He sighs, “Enough talking, let’s find this damn chicken already.”

I roll my eyes. “You were the one asking the questions.”

“And you were the one who went on and on. I didn’t ask for your whole life story.”

I mutter curse words under my breath and stride away.

Can he be any more infuriating?

We spend the next hour searching high and low looking for Miss Helga. She is one tough egg to crack. Everywhere we look there is always a different chicken and she is nowhere to be found. I’m starting to lose hope that we will be able to find her. And I’m getting ready to call it quits and go home. Dustin isn’t making this experience very pleasant anyways.

“Aha there she is! In a flowerpot!” I shout to Dustin as he jogs from Cat’s & Novels to me in front of Fix-Its.

By the time he reaches me he is out of breath. Beads of sweat trickle down his forehead. And for a miniscule moment I can’t help but get swept away, admiring how attractive he is. And I mean a microscopic moment, because then I remember who he is.

“That. Chicken. Is. Mine.” His breathy voice strains, gasping for air. His arms stretch to reach and grab her.

“Slow—down, it kind of looks like she is about to lay an egg.”

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