When Summer Ends by Katy Wormald (the speed reading book txt) 📕

Chapter Sixteen


I threw the chew toy to the bottom of my legs, so that Romeo could get it easily without having to run far. It was warm in my back garden so I was laid on the ground, playing with my new puppy. His blonde fur blew slightly as he ran. He had a silly, lopsided grin as he fetched me the penguin shaped toy back, and was wiggling his small tail like mad. I got the feeling that he hadn’t been played with much from back at the pet store, which I guess is understandable with the amount of animals there. But then again I couldn’t understand how anyone could not want to play and cuddle him all the time. He looked like a small, round ball of fur after all!

I heard the front door open, and cringed slightly. I know I’m going to get seriously shouted at when my mum and dad see that I bought a puppy. Most families have had a pet before, but mine never did. Although I did used to have a rock when I was younger that I would feed and bath, I’m not really sure why though. I picked Romeo up and placed him on my stomach, stroking him. Thirty seconds ago he was running about, full of energy, now he was sleeping.

I turned my head to look into my house, where I could see my dad heading for the garden where I was. From the smile on his face I could see that he hadn’t seen I had a puppy asleep on me. I closed my eyes as the door closed, waiting for the shouting to start. After a minute or so I opened one eye and peeked out to see what my dad was doing. I knew he would have seen Romeo by now, but didn’t know why he was shouting yet.

He was stood over me, arms crossed with a pissed off look on his face. I smiled innocently at him, even though I knew it was no use.

“Hi Dad, had a good day?” I asked him trying to steer him away from the puppy subject.

“Whose is the puppy?” He asked me in a bored tone, not answering my question.

“I asked first.” I told him smiling. He bit his cheek, obviously trying not to get mad. I knew the attitude wouldn’t help me in any way here, and cursed silently in my head. “Okay fine, I’ll go first. I bought him because I was lonely ...I miss Declan and my friends aren’t talking to me...” I told him in a sad voice. Yes, I was upset about missing Declan, but the whole friends being pissed at me, didn’t faze me much to be honest. They weren’t real friends any way.

“Did you ask your Mother if you could have a puppy?” He asked me raising an eye brow. We both knew the answer to his question. If I would have asked her, then I wouldn’t have a puppy.

“I didn’t think it would bother either of you much, I’ll look after him.” I said, hoping that he would soften up once I told him that he wouldn’t have to do anything.

He took his blazer off and sat on the grass next to me. He didn’t say anything, just sat beside me looking up at the blue sky. I smiles slyly, it was pretty much a home run for me now. Romeo lifted his head up and sniffed my Dad. My Dad responded by stoking him, Romeo tried to rub his head on his head, but ended up falling onto the grass in-between us.

“He’s cute. What you calling him?” My dad asked me playing with Romeo on the floor. I turned my head and smiled at my dad. This was his way of telling me I could keep him. One down, one to go.

“He’s Romeo...Will Mum let me keep him?” I asked watching my Dad lightly tapping Romeo’s head, while he tried to bite him hand playfully.

“I’ll talk to her; just don’t go with the bad attitude and arguing with her. It never works and she always wins, you know that.” He said ruffling my hair like I was still a child. I looked over to him and smiled.

“Thanks Dad, I won’t. I’m going to take him for a walk, want to come?” I asked him standing up, and wiping the grass from my legs on to the ground.

“Yeah sure. You got a lead for him?” My dad asked standing up and doing the same. I bent down to pick Romeo up and we walked back towards the house.

“Yep, got everything for him. Even food.” I said quite proud of myself for not forgetting anything that he would need.

I grabbed the blue lead I had gotten him and clipped it onto his matching collar, placing him back onto the floor. He wagged his tail and bounded around my feet. My dad took his tie off, and placed some things from his pockets onto the table. I walked out my house with my Dad following, and waited while he locked the front door. We lived in a nice area, with hardly any crime but you still couldn’t be too careful.

We walked the two minute walk to a park, just down the road from my house. Romeo was sniffing everything that he passed, and ran in front of me to get to people and they walked past us. Everyone that he went to would stop to stroke him and tell me how cute he was. I took it all as a compliment thanking them all. At the park I was planning on letting him off the lead so he could have a quick run about, but I saw a much larger dog and decided not to. My dad was chatting about work, and asked me if I was glad to be getting back to school tomorrow. I wasn’t of course, but didn’t tell him that. My Dad was the kind of person who was fantastic at everything; I guess that was why he was so successful.

“When you said that your friends had fallen out with you, were you just trying to get round me to keep the dog, or have they really?” My Dad asked as we sat on a bench. I and he didn’t need to sit down as we had only been walking for about five minutes, but I practically had to drag Romeo to walk.

“Both. They’re not talking me because I haven’t spoken to them much this summer.” I told him honestly while picking Romeo up onto my lap.

“Well don’t worry about it Hun, they were all losers anyway.” He said putting his hand on my shoulder.

“I’m not too bothered; I can’t be bothered with them.” I said shrugging. All my old friends were the type of people who would be nice as pie to your face, but botched about you once you had your back turned. I’d had countless argument with them over that sort of thing before, and in a way was kind of glad to be rid of them. Even though I didn’t know who I would hang around with from now on.

“Well you’ve got that boyfriend of yours now anyway haven’t you?” He said using the term that he had made up instead of saying Declan’s name. I don’t think he had a problem with Declan, he just didn’t know him. And I was still my Dad’s baby in his eyes, so I don’t think he liked the thought of me having a proper boyfriend any way.

“Yeah I have, I think he’s coming over this weekend. He’s staying with one of his friends that lives near here.” I told him smiling to myself at the thought of seeing Declan again.

We spoke a little more about Declan, my Dad making it clear that I wouldn’t be staying over at his. Which I wasn’t planning on anyway. We decided it was time to get off back home though, as we wanted to get back before my Mum dad, as my Dad wasn’t sure if she had her key or not. We walked back quickly, and thankfully Romeo was full of energy again. We both grimaced to see my Mum’s car in the drive. We wanted to be home before her so that we could explain about the puppy, rather than just walking in with him.

My dad opened the door and walked in first. He winked at me and walked in, prepared for us both to be yelled at. Don’t get me wrong, my Dad wasn’t a wimp, and my Mother wasn’t over-bearing. It’s just that she’s kind of in control as my dad can be as much as a child as me at times. She was standing over the cooker, stirring a pan. I tried to sneak past her quietly and into my bedroom. She turned around though when the stair creaked. Busted.

“What’s that?” She said instantly spotting Romeo. I was about to answer when my Dad started speaking.

“I bought Jodie a puppy, she’s been really upset about missing that boyfriend of hers, and did you know her friends have fallen out with her?” He said kissing her on the cheek. I smiled over to my dad when I caught his eye, knowing that he was trying to cover up for me.

My mum turned to me again as I walked into the kitchen with them. I put on the saddest face I could and stroked Romeo who was trying to bury his head under my chin. “But I’m allergic to Dogs.” My mum said taking a step back. Well that was a lie, I know for a fact she wasn’t.

“No you’re not.” My Dad said confused.

“Mum, we know you’re not.” I said raising my eye brow at her.

“I am, look.” As she pretended to sneeze. Me and my Dad stood looking at her like she was crazy until she folded. “Oh fine, keep the dog. But if it even try’s to wee on my white carpet its gone.” She said, even though I knew Romeo wouldn’t.

“He’s a good do, he won’t.” I told her as she came over to stroke him. She spoke to him in a baby voice, taking him from me and feeding him a piece of leftover chicken from the fridge. I ran over and took it straight from him.

“He’s a vegetarian Mum!” I said giving her a stern look.

“He’s a dog. Of course he’s not a vegetarian.” My dad said. It was my turn now to be looked at like I was mad. I then realised that he probably wasn’t a vegetarian. I gave him the chicken back and wondered for a minute if I was losing my mind.

My Mum was kneeling on the floor playing with Romeo while he tried to eat. I knew he was pissed off; wouldn’t you be if someone was talking to you like a baby and was stroking your head as you ate? I shook my head and left her to it.

“I need to get some new things for school. I haven’t had time.” I said looking between them both as to who was going to offer me money. After a minute of them both not looking at me, I put my hips and repeated myself.

“Here, that’s enough, right?” My Dad