~IMPORTANT~
Okay, so the last few chapters are just so you kinda know what's going on with everyone. Now we're getting set in a place. It's December now. Almost Christmas. Maxine is doing somewhat better. Kit, Zoey, and Alexandria aren't coming home. Nate and Seth are, but Adam isn't. Bryan and Jane are still together. Jake and Sam are. All the couples are fine. Okay? Good! Seth is going to college in Montana at their State University. Nate is at Arizona State. Adam is at NDSU in North Dakota.
As for your questions. Cynthia Rose, I can't tell you what's going to happen! Haha. Thanks for all the OTP's! And California is beautiful.
RuthLovesBTR, I also like BTR! I hope they don't get caught either ;) Thanks for the nice review!
Doclover, We hunt to keep the population down, so that there's not over grazing. Also if there are to many deer, disease spreads more quickly and we would have a bunch of sickly deer that wouldn't survive the winter. Hunting is actually good for the population. And we use the deer for food. Some people do only want the moment so they don't the rest to a homeless shelter which makes gloves out of the hide and food out of the meat. And if you only want the meat you could just donate the hide. So, I know it's sad, but some good does come out of it. Also, I have a Red Dun Quarter Horse mare, named Cricket, she's 27. Then I have Ranger too. He's a Appaloosa/Quarter cross. He's sorrel, but he looks like a red roan. He's 8 or 9 now. He'll be my gaming horse.
Faith, Thanks again!
~IMPORTANT~
Nate shot another hoop. "49," He counted as the ball sank in. He let his mind wander as he continued to work. From his family to his home to Taylor. Nate stopped mid shot when Taylor entered his mind. He felt a knot in his stomach as he tried to think of something else. Like his grades, but he just couldn't get Taylor's bright blue eyes out of his mind.
He tried to concentrate on shooting, but when he went to finish his shot, he missed. He grabbed another ball and shot, the ball hit the rim, missing. Nate continued to shot, missing more shots than ever. "D*mmit," He grabbed the ball and chucked it at the wall. It rolled back to his feet and he kicked it.
Nate's breathing was hard and he felt like he was going to throw-up. What was wrong with him, why couldn't he ignore his feelings? He'd done it in the past and he'd been fine. Why now? When nothing was normal.
He tried to tell himself it was just a faze, but he felt his heart clench when he thought of Taylor's dark hair, framing his face perfectly. Nate walked to the bench, his eyes trained on the floor. He plopped down and put his head in his hands.
"I'm don't like Taylor, I don't like Taylor, I don't like Taylor," He tried to tell himself, but he knew he was lying. He ran his fingers threw his hair and felt a tear slip down his face. "I don't, I don't," He shook his head, feeling like he was losing his mind. "I'm not a bad person, I'm not, I'm not dirty, I'm not a sinner, I'm not bad." He whispered to himself, but even as he said it he felt the truth sinking in.
He started crying. Not the usual, 'Oh I'm kinda sad cry,' that people have occasional, but a real cry. One filled with anguish and sadness and guilt. He pulled at his shirt like it was choking him. He suddenly felt like the world was closing in on him. He felt the tears streaming down his face as he made heart-wrenching, choked sounds.
He clawed at his shirt, it was choking him, it knew he was a bad was sure of it.
"Oh God, oh God, help me!" He yelled, the sound echoing across the empty gym. He tried to remember what he had read about, to calm one's self. Ten deep breathes.
He inhaled deeply and felt no better, but continued to breath in until he reached ten.
His breathing was calmer, his heart wasn't beating as fast, and his tears had slowed. He didn't feel much better, but it was a start.
"What am I going to do?" Nate whispered, glancing around the gym. He looked at the basketball that he had chucked and kicked. "I need help," He decided. His sighed and slowly got up. He picked up the balls around the gym, dazed. He was no longer crying, but he felt like an empty shell.
Maybe not empty, he was full of anguish, sadness, anger, and guilt. The guilt was eating him up. What was his family going to say? What would they do? What about the Basketball team? His new friends? His old friends?
Would they accept him or would the hate him? Tell him what an awful disgusting thing he was and turn away from him or would the just never talk to him again. He was close to tears again as he dugout his cellphone.
Four more days.
That's what his calender said. Four more days and he'd be home. He'd tell his mom and she'd help him and everything would be fine. He was sure of it.
Jen and Sam laid on their backs, staring up at the TV screen. They were watching Animal Planet. The show was about animals' ability to heal people's spirits. "I totally agree!" Jen exclaimed as the show ended. "Animals have a way of just bringing such comfort and secruity to people!"
Sam nodded, deep in thought. Jen waited patiently for Sam to respond. Jen played with her hair absentmindedly. She no longer wore it in pigtails, but in waves. She had decided that pigtails were immature and she was to mature for them. She still wore her glasses though. For awhile she had been trying very hard to convince her mom to let her get contacts, but all of a sudden she was satisfied with her glasses again. Sam suspected it had to do with Darrell, but she decided not to ask.
"I wonder," Sam started, biting her lip. "If maybe Maxine would feel better if she had a puppy or kitten to take care." Sam looked at Jen, her eyebrows raised.
Jen chew her cheek, her eyebrows scrunched. "I think it would, but it's not like we could just tell Mrs. Ely that," She rolled on her stomach and Sam did the same.
"No, I suppose not," Sam tapped the ground. "But we could tell Luke that!" She scrambled up and grabbed her cell phone off the end table. She hit send when she found Jake's contact. It rang twice before Jake answered.
"Hey Jake," Sam said. "What are you doing?" She waited for his response before she smirked as Jen. "Oh, what are you and Darrell doing?" Jen's skin colored. "Sounds fun, well Jen and I are hanging out and we were struck with a brilliant idea." She winked at Jen. "Put it on speaker phone before I tell you, okay." She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'll do the same." She held the phone away from her and hit speaker phone. "There,"
"Hi darlings," Darrell's drawling voice came over the phone.
"Hey," Sam and Jen replied.
"So what's you're 'brilliant idea'?" Jake asked, his voice skeptical.
"We were watching a show on Animal Planet," Jen started, but Darrell cut her off.
"Jen, Darling, I've already told you. We can't donate to all the animal charities, it's not practical." He chuckled. Sam watched as Jen smirked.
"That's not our idea!" Jen said. "On the show we were watching they were talking about how animals can help depressed people."
Sam interjected. "Or sad people who have exprienced a loss and are having trouble recovering." She thought it was probably best not to tell Jake his mom was depressed.
"I see where you're going with this Brat..." Jake's voice sounded strained.
"I think it's a great idea, Jakers." Darrell said.
"I appreciate the thought guys, but we already have Gal and she hasn't really made a difference." Jake said. Sam could imagine him rubbing his neck.
There was a long silence before Jen said, "But Gal has always been more of a work dog and less of a family dog."
Jake sighed on the other line. "I guess, but I don't know if you could convince Dad that this would work."
"Man, leave that to the smooth talker-" Darrell started.
"Me," Sam and Jen said at the same time. The started giggling.
"Why don't you guys come over to Jake's and we'll work on this project?" Darrell suggested, ignoring the girls's giggling.
"Sure, we'll be over in a bit," Jen answered, not giving Sam or Jake a chance to interject. The call ended. Darrell probably ended it.
Sam glared at Jen. "How are we supposed to get over there, smart one?" She put her hands on her hips.
Jen smiled. "You forgot, I have my licsense." She skipped out of the room laughing. "I drove here! Remember?" (A/N: IDK the rules in Nevada about getting a liscense, so I just went with my state's laws. Okay?)
"I keep forgetting!" Sam sighed. As she followed Jen out she grabbed her coat and put on her boots. Jen waited, impatiently in the drivers seat of her rusty old pick-up.
It wasn't long before they pulled into the Ely's yard. They parked next to Darrell's pick-up and jogged inside. They slipped off their shoes in the entry way. Jen pointed out a familiar pair of boots. Jane's. "They whole gang's here," Sam laughed.
They walked into the living room and saw Jake, Quinn, and Darrell sitting on the floor with XBox controllers as cars raced on the tv screen.
"Hey guys," Sam sat down on the coach. Jake hit pause. He, Quinn, and Darrell turned to face the two as Jen sat next to Sam.
"Hi darlings," Darrell winked.
"'Sup?" Quinn nodded.
"Hey Brat, Jen," Jake said, setting down the controller.
"Are Jane and Bryan here?" Jen asked.
"Yeah they're upstairs," Quinn answered. "Want me to go get them?" Jen nodded. Quinn got up and disappeared from the room long enough to yell from the bottom of the stairs and return with Jane and Bryan following. "Just so you know, girls, I was already filled in on the plan and I think it will work, once we convince Dad." Quinn said as he plopped down into a chair.
"What plan?" Bryan asked, his hand intertwined with Jane's. He and Jane sat in the love seat and Jane snuggled into his side, waiting for the answer.
Sam and Jen quickly explained. Bryan nodded, contemplating the idea.
"I think it's a great idea! She'll have something that's dependent on her to focus on and baby," Jane smiled. Bryan looked and Quinn and Jake.
"You guys think getting her a little dog would help?" He asked, rubbing his chin. Quinn shrugged and Jake didn't respond. Bryan thought a moment. "It might work, but there's no way Dad would let us get a little dog."
"If it made his wife happy?" Jen raised an eyebrow. "I think he would," The boys thought this over a minute.
"Who said it had to be a little dog?" Jane questioned. "I personally think we could get her puppy just like her boys; big, dorky, and cute." She looked at Sam and Jen for input.
"Sounds perfect to me, but how do we keep it from becoming a work dog like Gal?" Sam questioned.
Jen played with her before answering. "We don't, Maxine does. She needs something right now and she would become attached to the puppy before it became a work dog."
"And who said it has to be all therapy dog and no work dog?" Darrell interjected. "I'm sure it would be both,"
Jake, who had been quietly thinking the situation over, spoke up. "How do we convince Dad?" He sounded reluctant.
"Just tell him what everything we just said," Bryan shrugged.
"Yeah, that should work." Quinn nodded. He looked at the clock. "Mom is at Trudy Allen's right now and Dad's at work still,"
"He should be home soon though," Bryan said looking at the clock. Jake and Quinn nodded.
"So if he says yes we'll head to the Darton Animal shelter than?" Darrell asked and everyone nodded. "While we're in town we might as well stop at the movie theater and catch a flick? Right darlings?"
Sam tried not look at Jake as she nodded, but she felt his eyes on her. She looked up a moment and saw a smirk playing on his lips. A promise.
"Sounds good to me," Bryan played with Jane's hair. Everyone else nodded in agreement. Darrell watched Jen and when she looked at her he winked. Her face colored.
"Until then," Darrell unpaused the Xbox game and he, Jake, and Quinn returned to it. Bryan sat forward watching.
Boys and their video games. Jane removed herself from Bryan's side and sat by Jen and Sam. "I think the puppy should look like an Ely," She stated, watching the boys with interested eyes.
"Black hair, brown eyes, and big?" Jen asked. Jane nodded.
"I think it should be a girl," Sam added. Jen and Jane nodded.
"Guys, I'm gonna play too," Bryan said as he joined the other guys, but the girls ignored them.
"So what were you and Bryan doing?" Sam whispered to Jane. Jane smirked and rolled her eyes.
"Doing homework,"
"Right," Jen said, teasingly.
"We were!" Jane insisted. "I like getting my homework done as soon as possible on breaks," She explained.
"Nerd," Jen teased. Sam burst out laughing at this.
"Says you," Sam said, when she stopped laughing.
"Yes, but I have accepted that along time ago and so have all of you." Jen said it slowly, like she was explaining it to a child. "We haven't accepted that Jane is a nerd."
"There is logic there." Jane rolled her eyes as Sam nodded. "But I'm not that much of a nerd, we've been on vacation a day and I did it with my boyfriend." Jane shrugged.
Jen looked at her, head tilted and eyebrows scrunched. "How did you get any work done?"
Jane smirked. "Well, I'll tell you," She held up five fingers. "We've been doing homework for five hours," She winked.
"I'm guessing the homework was more of a break," Sam guessed. Jane nodded with a smirk.
They girls continued to chat about school until they heard the front door open and close. Not long later Luke appeared in the room. "Well, how is everybody?"
"Good," They chorused.
"That's good," Luke started to walk away.
Bryan shot up. "Dad," Luke stopped. "We have to talk to you,"
Luke's eyes widened. "I hate conversations that start like that," He sighed looking at the teens in the room before he sat down in a chair. "What is it?" They looked from one to the other before Quinn spoke up.
"Dad," He looked into his father's eye. "Mom hasn't been doing good." Luke nodded, his face guarded. "She's upset about Faith." Luke visibly flinched.
"She's depressed, Dad," Bryan interjected. Luke rubbed the back of his neck. Sam glanced at Jake. "We think that because we're kind of independent, Mom is taking it worse. If she had to take care of us as much as she used to she might have kind of snapped out of it." Bryan bit his lip. "I don't know,"
"So you think you guys should start acting like you need her more?" Luke raised an eyebrow.
"No," Jake shook his head. "We want to get Mom a puppy for her to baby and take care of." Everyone watched Luke.
He rubbed his chin, thinking. He looked at the boys, evenly. "We already have a dog."
Jen twirled her hair as she spoke. "We know that, but Gal is more of a work dog than a family dog," Luke nodded.
"So you want us to get a little dog for her than?" He looked, skeptical.
Darrel shook his head. "No sir, you could still get a big dog, that can work, but for the most part it would be Maxine's dog."
There was minute of silence as Luke thought. He continued to rub his chin. He didn't look at anyone, but he at the floor. The teens looked at each other nervously. Finally Luke spoke, "Do you think it will help her?" He looked at each person's face. His face was serious and gave nothing, but his eyes held concern and hope. Everyone nodded. "Well then, just remember I don't want a small dog that barks all the time. I want a good, quiet dog." With that he walked out of the room as the teens smiled.
"Let's go puppy shopping!" Sam stood up. A smile lighting up her face. She started for the door.
"Brat," Jake called. Sam spun and faced him. "You're forgetting something," He smirked. Everyone looked at him eye raised. "We don't have a place to keep the puppy until Christmas." Sam frowned.
"Way to be a Debbie Downer," Jane fake glared.
"We'll keep it in the barn," Bryan shrugged. "Mom never goes in there." Jake nodded. They all filed outside.
"So how are we getting to Darton?" Darrell asked, looking at all the cars available. Mostly pick-up that could hold 5 people. They had 7.
"Guys ride together, girls ride together." Jen suggested, pulling her keys out and walking to her pick-up. Jane and Sam followed, not waiting for the guys's responses. Jen's pick-up was an old pick-up, so it only had room for the three girls. Jen drove with Sam in the middle and Jane on the outside. "Girl time," Jen annouced as the pulled out of the Elys yard.
"Yeah buddy!" Jane excliamed, laughing. Sam smiled, brightly.
"So now that the boys can't hear us..." Sam's glinted with mischief as she glanced from Jen to Jane. "What exactly did you and Bryan do?"
Jane shook her head laughing. "Honestly, you guys will be surprised."
"How so?" Jen asked, looking past Sam and Jane's to look both ways, before she turned.
Jane shrugged before answering, soberly. "Most of the time we just talk, of course we kiss and makeout here and there," Jane got a wistful look. "but for the most part, he just wants to talk." She looked in the review mirror. "Which isn't a bad thing. It's great! I'm glad, but it's not like any other relationship I've had. It kinda confuses me." She played with her before meeting Sam's eyes.
Sam put a hand on Jane's knee. "You have changed him." Jane blushed. "He's normally with a girl just for sex, but you are different for him." Sam smiled when Jane's eyes got teary.
"Jane, he has always been kind of a pig, but when he looks at you," Jen shook her head, not taking her eyes off the road, like she couldn't believe she was saying something nice about an Ely. "You can tell he loves you." Jane wiped at her eyes. "Don't let the fact that it confuses you, ruin it." Jane nodded.
Then she started laughing. Sam and Jen looked at her confused. "I can't believe I'm the one getting relationship advice!" She smiled at them before her face became sober. "Thank you," She squeezed Sam's hand.
"Anytime," Jen smiled for a second, but it disappeared. "My turn for advice," Sam looked at Jen. Jen hardly ever needed relationship advice. Mostly because she avoided relationships. "So Darrell and I have become really close lately," Sam and Jane nodded. "And I've tried to remind myself that it's Darrell," Jen tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. "But-"
"It's not working," Sam concluded. Jen nodded, biting her lip.
Jane looked at Jen. "Why would it be wrong for you to like Darrell?" Jen didn't answer. "Darrell is a very nice, very funny guy." Jane said matter-oh-factly. "And he likes you very much," Jen nodded.
"You really think so?" Jen asked. Sam and Jane nodded. Jen smiled, brightly. Her eye shining with joy. Sam couldn't help but smile too. Seeing her friend happy, made her feel happy. After a while longer Jen glanced at Sam. "What about you? Any boy drama?"
Sam felt herself getting guarded, but she covered smoothly. "No, of course not," Sam shook her head. Jane and Jen sighed.
Finally they arrive at the Darton Animal Shelter. When they entered the shelter, a young woman behind the desk looked at them with a bright smile. "What can I do for you today?" The woman was pretty with blue eyes and long brown hair. She eyed the boys. Jane immediately grabbed Bryan's hand, seeing the woman as a threat. Jen moved closer to Darrell just slightly. He smirked when he noticed, but she pretended like she didn't see it. Jake hid himself behind Sam, unconsciouly.
"We would look at some puppies," Quinn said, returning the young woman's smile.
"Alright, I'm Abby," She stuck her hand out, everyone politely shook it. "Now, shall we?" She moved out from behind the desk and led them to a door. Immediately as she started to turn the knob barking started up. She seemed immune to it, but everyone else's ears hurt. "What do you have in mind?"
"We want one that will be big when it grows up," Sam told her. Abby's eye skimmed over Sam and he smile faded some.
"May I ask who's puppy it would be?"
"Our mom's," Bryan, Quinn, and Jake answered. Abby's smile grew again.
"How sweet!" She said as she moved along the aisles. Sam looked at the kennels. About half of them were full. Sam guessed that alot of people got pets as presents during the holiday season, otherwise it would be full. "What else do you want in your puppy,"
"Big, dorky, and nice," Darrell answered, glancing at the girls. The smiled. "Just like the rest of her kids."
Abby smiled, "Well I don't we have anything that good looking," She winked at Quinn. He smiled, half-heartedly, back. "Boy? Girl?"
"Girl," Everyone said at the same time.
"I have the perfect little one for you than," She turned away from them and hurried down along. She stopped at one of the last kennels. There was a little black fur ball sitting at the front of the gate. The puppy's tongue lolled, it was black and pick.
"What's her story?" Jake asked as they all kneeled on the floor, sticking their fingers in the kennel, for the little fur ball to lick.
Abby sighed. Even if she was kind of flirting with the boys, which put her on the girls's bad side, it was obvious she cared about the animals and wanted them to go to good homes. "She comes from a batch of 7, two were killed along with her mom." Everyone's face took on a sober expression. "Their owner was abusive and kill the mom and the other two puppies."Sam put her head against the kennel door, disheartened. Jake noticed and put a reassuring hand on her back, but no one really noticed. Sam gave him a sad smile. "We were able to save the other 5. She's the runt, but she's a fighter."
"We'll taker her," Quinn stood up. Everyone looked at him. "What?" He asked. "You're all thinking it and that was the plan anyway." He said looking at the cute little puppy. Abby smiled.
"Alright, let's go do some paper work!" She started for the office, but stopped at the door, causing them all to run into each other. "One of you is 18 right?"
"I am," Bryan and Quinn said at the same time.
"Well great!" Abby continued into the office.
"Let's not see a movie," Quinn suggested when they finished the paperwork. "I want to go home and get her settle in the barn and play with her." Everyone nodded in agreement.
"If we want we can watch a movie at out place," Bryan offered. Everyone agreed as Abby came back with the little fur ball on a leash, which they had bought along with puppy food, toys, and a bed.
Abby handed Quinn the wiggling puppy. She braced her paws on Quinn's chest and licked his nose. He dark eyes filled with excitement as her tailed wiggled a hundred miles an hour. "You are just to cute!" Quinn exclaimed in a baby voice. "Should we go home pretty baby? Hmm?" He said heading for the door.
Everyone else waited a second. "I'd give him crap, but I don't think he can take it right now," Darrell said, solemnly. Sadly, everyone had to agree.
"Thank you!" Abby said as they left. Quinn was already settled in the passenger seat with the puppy, waiting. A real smile on his face for the first time in a very long time.
"Maybe that puppy will be good for all of us," Jake commented as he head to the pick-up.
I'm tired!
Please review!
~MJA