Chapter 3: The Stowaway (written on December 15th, 2014)

Friends... What were they good for? Do they bring you bones? Do they uhh... scratch your back? For the most part, I bet they haven't, but when it comes to Humphrey, you've walked into another domain.

Guess who I found hiding in the bushes?

"Humphrey? What are you doing here? You're gonna get in trouble!" I whispered.

"What? How did you find me?"

"I don't know. There are not that many bushes in the world that have a tail poking out."

"Fair point."

"Get outta' here!"

"Why? This place is nice. Omega School smells like a dump."

"That's not my problem. Go!"

"It's too late, Kate. The guards have returned. There's no way out."

"Ughhhhh... Why did you come here?"

"I wanted to see you again."

"Why?"

"So we could play! I miss you already."

"Look, Humphrey. I already miss you too but... I'm a Beta now. I got duties. Things to learn. Places to be. I need to make Alpha friends now." I turned around to leave, but he stopped me.

"Kate! You're just going to leave me here? What about our friendship?"

"Play with your Omega friends," I suggested.

"But... but..."

"Goodbye." I left. Soon, he started whining. "I'm not falling for it." He whined again. Ohh, the pain I endure when he does this. "Fine! Fine! But stay low, and don't say your name!"

"Say who's name?" asked a familiar pup. Can-do happened to be overhearing us. Great.

"Oh, hi, Can-do! Nice to meet you again. It's been a while since the Games. I see your parents groomed your mane. Your new look suits you."

"Groomed my mane? What are you talking about? It's always looked this way."

"Oh... That's nice." I tried to keep my smile, but he looked right through me.

"Are you hiding something? I know that face when I see it."

"That face? What face? Am I making a familiar face?"

"*sigh* What is it?"

"What is what?"

"What are you hiding?"

"Hiding? Am I hiding something?"

"Yes!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, you do!"

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you—" (*smack!*) Hutch hit him in the back of the head, knocking him out cold. Before I could say anything, he went:

"Shhhh... Humphrey, get out of there." Humphrey came out of his hiding place. "I'll keep the secret."

"No!" I demanded. "Report him, so he can leave. He needs to be in Omega School."

"Why won't he go?" said Hutch.

"He umm... misses me."

"Aww... Puppy love, isn't it?"

"Gross! Heck no! Besides... he's an Omega. Not my type." I looked back at Humphrey and made a sound in disgust. I like him and all but not in that way.

"Come on, Kate," said Humphrey. "Can I just stay for a few days? I wanna at least see what you do here." I looked at Hutch for approval. He nodded.

"One day," I said. "After that, if you're still here, my dad will drag you out."

"Yikes! Deal!"

Then, unexpectedly, the same cold gust of wind came, colder than ever. This time the clouds that had been above us for a while turned dark grey.

"What is up with the weather?" Humphrey asked. "It's starting to scare me."

"I know, right?" said Hutch. "It's weird. Weirder than the Omega."

"I'm not weird," he protested while cleaning his ears with his back left paw. We stared at him. "What? I'm not gonna use my front paws. Come on, don't you guys know anything about sanitation."

Suddenly, Can-do started waking up.

"*moan* What happened to me? And why is it so cold?" Hutch hit him across the face. He fell back down.

"You didn't have to hit him so hard," I said, feeling sorry for him. Ehh, not really.

"I know, but I can't forget what he did to Humphrey after the Games..."

(Sorry this chapter is short. I'll make it up to you.)