Chapter Eight: Rufus

right now, he's probably
slow dancing with a
bleach blonde tramp
and she's probably gettin' frisky
-carrie underwood, before he cheats

Melody's POV:

It was 2 A.M. and Novak was still at the bar.

Figured.

It was 10 P.M. where Chad was, and he was probably out at the bar.

And I knew damn well they'd bust in to Castle Bam for Novak and a hotel room for Chad with a bleach blonde tramp(s). I sat on the couch watching TV with Tim Glomb, who I guess was staying here tonight. I sat leaning into his chest. He let me watch what I wanted, which was Pimp my Ride. Re-Runs, of course, but it was one of my favorite shows. Xhibit was pretty hot, if you ask me.

My phone buzzed, causing me to jump slightly. Tim laughed at me.

'Yo Mimi, you awake?' It read.

"Tony." I said aloud with a smile. My brother.

'Yeah, I am. Sup birdman?'

'Go to bed. :)'

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Stupid Tony."

'Yes mother!'

'Night. Love you!'

'Night-night, big bro. Love you too.'

"What'd Tony do?" Glomb asked with a tiny smile.

"He just texted me and told me to go to bed." I rolled my eyes again. "I suppose he's probably right. I'll see you tomorrow, Tim."

"Night Meems." He waved. I headed upstairs to my room, and changed into my pajamas. I sat on my bed, and dug through my cluttered nightstand to find my favorite book, Wuthering Heights.

This book was so old. It used to be my great grandma's, she was a victorian romance novel fiend, and had every single one that there was. I opened it up to the chapter I'd left off in.

"If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it." I read Catherine's words aloud... "Is that how I feel about Novak, or what?"

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and figured Novak was home. I opened my door slightly, and call me a fucking psychic, he had a bleach blonde bimbo under his arm.

"I forgive him already." I said quietly to myself, and closed the door.

*the next morning*

I sat on my bed in the morning before I went downstairs, buying some new music for my computer. Blink 182's album with the kitten on it made me think how cute baby animals were. Then my mind drifted to how cute puppies were. Puppies were my favorites. Then I started to look at pictures of cute puppies when I came across a breed I absolutely adored.

"Bernese Mt. Dog?" I asked myself. They were like St. Bernards, only with a black base, white chests, and rusty brown over their eyes and above their white paws. I fell in love.

I quickly typed in 'Bernese Mt. Dog breeders in lower PA' in google, and sure as shit, there was a breeder right outside west chester. I got dressed as quickly as I could and ran downstairs to find Bam.

"Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam, BAM!" I screamed, and he and Jenn ran upstairs from the pirate bar.

"Are you alright?" He asked, a worried look in his eyes.

"Bam! Can I get one of these puppies? Pretty, Pretty, Please?" I asked, hopping up and down.

"Melody, I can't see the fucking screen, hold still."

I handed him the laptop.

"Bernese Mt. Dogs? They're pretty. There's a breeder outside West Chester... Ah, shit. Why not?" He smiled widely.

"WOO!" I threw my arms around his waist. I released a laughing Bam and ran to the door, grabbing my purse.

"Whoa! Wait up! I'm coming with you." Jenn. caught up to me.

"You are? Yay! But hurry up! I need that puppy NOW!" I kept bouncing.

"Alright, alright." She smiled and we hopped into my pickup truck.

It took a half an hour to get there. The house was really nice, and the people were even crazy nicer. I knew the puppies would be healthy and everything. They took me and Jenn to the room with the puppies and they all swarmed us. One in particular didn't jump all over me, he just sat beside me and looked up at me.

"Hello, baby." I cooed at him, and he leaned his head on me.

I picked him up and he leaned his head on my shoulder and licked my cheek softly.

"Oh my... Aren't you a gentleman?" I said softly with a giggle.

"Now, the females are 1500 and the males are 1000, but he's the runt, if you can believe it, they're all about the same size, so you could have him for about... 750. Pretty good deal for such an expensive breed." The breeder lady told us.

"Oh, you're a little clearance puppy! Don't worry, though, I was gonna pick you anyway. Don't tell the others, though." I kissed him on the cheek.

"Can we take him today?" Jenn asked, just as in love with my puppy as I was.

"Sure can! Just come with me to do the paper work and you'll have a new puppy!" The breeder smiled.

After we got his pedigree and the paying papers all settled, I went back to the room to get my puppy, who bounded over to me like he knew I was his now. I swear, me and that puppy were soul mates. Jenn drove home so I could hold him.

"No boring names..." Jenn said, as we were discussing possible names.

"Sebastian?... No, that's more of a great Pyrenees name..." I thought.

"Xavier?" Jenn suggested.

"No, that's Dakotah from back in LA's Rottweiler's name."

"James?" She asked.

"That's her Rott's middle name!" I laughed.

"We have to come up with a middle name too?" She laughed.

"Duh!" I giggled and mussed the puppy's head. "I love this puppy. I needed him in a bad way."

"I know you did. And Bam is gonna LOVE him."

The puppy let out a woof that sounded like "Roof" as we walked into the house.

"Roof, huh?" I asked the puppy, and then my eyes got wide.

It was one of those moments when your brain clicks, and you come up with the best idea ever. I came up with the perfect name for my puppy.

Rufus.

"Rufus!" I said aloud.

Jenn's mouth stretched into a huge open mouth smile.

"Rufus!" We both said at the same time.

"What do you think, Rufus?" I asked the puppy.

He looked at me with a tilted head and threw his head back and let out a tiny howl of approval.

"Aw!" Me and Jenn squealed.

Bam and Crew came upstairs to see what all the fuss was about, and Bam even let out a huge squee, and ran over and snatched the puppy.

"We just decided his name is Rufus." I said.

"Rufus! That's perfect!" Bam said as Rufus snuggled up to him.

"Gimme back my clearance puppy." I demanded.

"Clearance puppy?" Bam asked.

"That's his nickname because he was the runt, so he was cheaper." Jenn explained.

"That's so cute." Bam cooed at Rufus, who howled again.

"And his full name is Rufus Tiberius Justice-Hawk." I stated.

Everyone awed in agreement.

"What's all the hubbub?" Novak came into sight, the blonde bimbo following.

My face fell as I held my puppy.

"Mimi bought a new puppy!" Bam announced happily.

"A puppy? Gross." Blonde bimbo said.

"Shut up, bitch! Its the cutest puppy ever. Novak, if your girlfriend wants to be a bitch, get her away from Rufus and Melody." Bam snapped.

I liked the way that sounded. 'Rufus and Melody'.

"Yeah, c'mon Brit. That was uncalled for." Novak said.

"I don't mind, you guys." I said. "I've got my new puppy, and I don't need Chad, and I don't need this bitch. Me and Rufus are gonna be thick as thieves, and I don't need anymore heartbreak. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna take Rufus out for a walk."

I pushed past them, and walked out on the deck and set Rufus down, and he trotted alongside me while we walked out to the skate ramp. The words I read in Wuthering Heights echoed in my head again.

"If all else perished, and you remained," I told Rufus. "I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and you were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it."

He tilted his head again, and lolled his tongue out. I giggled and he followed me to Fast Eddies, and then we walked back up to the house. I realized poor Rufus didn't have any toys, so I found Jenn.

"Hey, I'm gonna take Rufus to Petsmart and get him a bed, brush, leash, and some toys. Wanna come along?" I asked her

"Damn, I really do, but I've gotta go to work." She pouted.

"No worries, won't be the only time I take him." I said with a smile.

She smiled back and bent down to Rufus. "Bye-Bye baby! See you when I get back!"

She gave me a hug goodbye and was off, and so were Rufus and I.

"Can I come with you?" Glomb asked.

I shrugged. "Sure."

We took his truck instead of mine, and he drove me downtown to petsmart. I never fully realized how fun Tim Glomb really was. He helped me pick out fun toys for Rufus, and said we should get a crate for long travels. Rufus fell in love with three stuffed animals, a bright blue teddy bear, a duck and a piggy with rope arms and legs.

Their names were Teddy, Ducky, and Piggy. Creative, huh? Piggy was the only girl and his absolute favorite.

"Pretty fucked up how you automatically assume the pig is a girl because it's pink, you know?" Tim said as we waited in line.

I wrinkled my nose and looked up at him. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"It's a stuffed animal, Melody. Listen. It's sexless." He continued, and I laughed so hard.

"Whatever, man." I shook my head.

We payed for the stuff, and the employees said to bring back Rufus whenever because they absolutely loved him, which was awesome. How could they not? He was adorable.

Okay, So I found this adorable. I actually have a Berner named Rufus... But Bam and Melody's interactions were super cute. My brain is awesome.