I woke up and saw the bed was empty. I got up, put on my glasses and walked downstairs. I walked into the dining room and saw the others eating; I walked over to Diego where he was sitting and took his coffee drinking the bitter sweet caffeine.
"What the hell Kristy?" He said looking at me in slight annoyance, and confusion. That was one of the things I learned about Diego when I met him, you just couldn't be mean to him; he was so sweet and never got mad at you. And if you did insult him and say he was weird, he took it as a compliment. Normal's boring so what's the point of living if you don't stand out in your own way and stand up for what you believe in? I didn't see a point at all.
"Dude, I just woke up and you had coffee, what the hell did you expect me to do; call the muffin man and get a muffin from him?" I snorted taking another mockingly long sip of the coffee.
"You know, you can sit down and get your own coffee?" Kyoya said sounding annoyed.
"And you know, you can go screw yourself?" I said sweetly sitting in a chair next to Diego getting my own cup of coffee. Maggie snickered taking a bite out of a piece of bacon to keep from laughing.
"Hey Chairman Meow, I found a place we can volunteer at." I said stealing a piece of bacon from Diego, making him bop me on the head.
"Kristen, volunteer? That's...heh... hi...heh...lar... ." The twins laughed chocking on the coffee they were drinking.
"I know it doesn't seem like something I'd do but this kind I actually like." I said with a shrug as I finish the coffee I had and refilled it.
"What kind of volunteer work is it?" Kyoya asked sounding interested.
"I could've sworn I was talking to Diego." I said with a smirk at him. "Diego if you aren't ready in ten minutes I'm going without you." I said getting up with my coffee and went upstairs. I grabbed some clothes and took a quick shower. I blow dry my hair and French braid it, tying it with a white ribbon; I put on a white and light brown checkered shirt that came to my elbows and had cuffs on them, jean shorts shorts that were long enough to not look like I was working the corner, dark brown hard heeled cow girl boots and grabbed my brown leather messenger bag and slung it over my shoulder. I go downstairs and see Diego in his dark wash jeans and a dark blue shirt.
"Let's get going Diego. We can walk; it's not too far." I said opening the door stepping out of the mansion, Diego fallowed in suit.
"Where are we volunteering at?" He asked keeping my pace with ease.
"You'll see when we get there." I said
_
"We wanna go! We wanna go!" Madison, Hikaru, and Kaoru whined.
"Maggie do you have any idea where they could be going?" I asked the red head turning to her.
"I'm afraid not, if I did know I'd go too." Maggie said with a shrug.
"Well were going after them, Krissy said it wasn't too far and she and Diego could walk so we'll walk too." Shimari said.
"Hmm," I said writing in my black notebook.
_
"Here we are!" I said as we came up to a building, it had a few acres of land, it was an animal shelter and Kristen wanted to volunteer. We go inside and I see people with their pets, looking sad and a tired looking woman at a desk. I ignore the line and go to the front of my sweet southern smile on my face.
"Excuse me ma'am but can my older brother and I volunteer here please?" I ask using my South Carolina accent.
"Sure can you take these two poor things outside for some exercise? Oh and I need to see some I.D." She said with a tired smile. Diego and I show her our I.D's and get the two dogs' .The one Diego took the leash of was a German short hair pointer with a lean build and a white and black pelt. The leash of the dog I took was a Rottweiler with a sturdy built and a thin soft looking brown and black pelt.
"Thank you Miss." Diego and I said with a bow before walking down a long hall and go to the door with a thick silver metal bar to push that led outside. There were a bunch of different breeds of dogs Pugs, Boston Bull Terriers, Akitas, Blue Tick Hounds, and a bunch of different breeds. They all had a soft look of sadness but a few looked happy to be playing. I take the dog off of his leash and he just sits in front of me. I get on my knees and begun to pet his cooing softly.
"Hi ba-by, I'm Kristen." I said petting his thin fur. "You're a handsome boy; I think I'm gonna call you Bello. That means handsome in Italian. "I said sweetly to him, he had a lopsided grin; he nosed at my messenger bag and sniffed it.
"Hey! "I laughed. I guess you're too smart for your own good ay?" I said pulling out a box of dog treats pulling out a small bone giving it to Bello who chomped it down quickly.
"What do you wanna play Bello?" I asked his standing up; he got on his hind legs placing his paws on my chest hopping up, bowling me over. "Bello!" I laughed. I saw a discarded two sided rope and grabbed it, holding it over his head, when he jumped I pulled it out of the way. He hops up higher than I thought he would and grabbed the rope in his mouth tugging it from me. I pull back as we played tug of war. He growls at me playfully. I laugh as I tug it back; he pulls hard making me lose my grip falling on my butt. "Okay, okay, you win Bello." I said with a chuckle when I'm jumped on. I'm fell over while Bello licks my face." Bello! You big baby." I giggle sitting up while he's on my lap giving me kisses when I'm tackled falling over. I see Tamaki glomping me in a hug. Bello gives a deep bark and growling making Tamaki shriek running away. "Calm baby." I said scratching him behind his ears making him pant and give me a lopsided grin. "Why'd you guys fallow me?" I asked as Bello rolled over wanting me to rub his belly which I comply to with a smile.
"We wanted to know where you were going. I mean Kristen, volunteering, those things just don't add up!" The twins said. I roll my eyes as a lady comes out; she had short light brown hair and emerald eyes.
"Hi, did you think of a name yet for this guy?" She asked in a mellow sweet voice.
"Mmhm. Bello." I said looking up at her. She nodded writing it down.
"Why Bello?" Haruhi asked as blunt as usual.
"Bello means handsome is Italian. And he's a handsome boy; aren't you baby?" I said giving him a kiss on his head, which he returns with a sloppy kiss on my cheek.
"If you want you can take a look at the horses before you leave." The lady said; I nod before she left. I glanced at Kyoya who had a rare small, barely noticeable smile. I saw Diego playing fetch with his dog.
"Yo, Diego; what are you naming your dog?" I asked as the dog retrieved a tennis ball.
"I'm thinking Addie." He said as she returned the ball her tail wagging.
"I think she's an Addie; it's a cute name." I said as I grabbed the rope again playing tug of war with Bello.
"It's official; I shall own a non-profit animal rescue organization. It is destiny; right Bello!" I said as I got the rope from Bello. Bello barked hopping up getting his side of the rope tugging.
"Why would you play a game like that with a dog?"Kyoya asked sound half amused, half I can't put my finger on the word...
"It's the game Bello likes. All dogs are different, some dogs are playful but don't like to play games, some are laid back, some are natural hunters; it all depends on your dogs personality." I explained. "Addie may like playing fetch, while Bello likes tug of war." I heard Kyoya snort. I guess he's not a dog person. "Bello, go play with glasses guy!" I said; Bello ran and jumped up on Kyoya barreling him over, sending his glasses askew. "Good Bello." I cooed to him. "I should adopt you Bello; you'll help me start my animal rescue right?" I said as he sat on my lap, I nuzzle my cheek on his head as he pants. He jerks his head and presses his nose to my cheek. "Not 24/7 baby!" I said, he flicked his floppy ear in disbelief and barked. "Fine, you got me there." I said pulling out another biscuit which he ate gratefully, his tail wagging at 100 miles an hour. "Your gonnna be my bestest friend, and you'll help me make an animal rescue. Together." I said wrapping my arms around the warm brown and black dog.
"Then I'll get Addie, we'll make an animal rescue together Kristen together Kristy." Diego said as Bello and Addie sniffed each other for a minute before wrestling each other like puppies.
"Stop them Kristen!" Shimari shouted.
"Its fine, they're playing. Trust me I know this; my granddad has plenty of dogs." I said waving her off. "Come on Bello wanna look at the mares?" I said to my newly found friend. He barked wagging his tail, I hook him on a dark blue leash and we go to the stables. I saw a bunch of different horses; from Irish Hunters, to Canadian horses, some black and grey, gold and white, ginger and brown, some had patches, some were solid, some had spots. She saw a black snowflake, Appaloosa horse. The colt trotted over to her and ran around, nosing around neighing as Kristen petted him. He was an exceptional horse but didn't seem like her kind of horse. She laughed as Carson and the colt raced around the fenced in area. A shy looking mare was standing off in the corner alone. Kristen felt her heart strings pull a bit. The mare was a black paint tobiano horse. She gazed at the horse before snapping her attention back to Bello.
"I'm going to go fill out the adoption papers for Bello. Ehh, can someone come with me; I don't know what to do..." I admitted embarrassed.
"I'll go with you." Kyoya said, he led Bello and I inside to a worker, he had short auburn hair, sapphire eyes and was exceptionally tall.
"Excuse m, can I have to papers to adopt Bello?" I asked politely.
"Sure come with me." He said, he led the four of us to an office and pulled out two files, one with adoption papers and one with Bello's health records. He filled out the part about his health and slid the paper over to me. I signed my name, Kyoya told me to put the Summer Mansion's address, my cell phone number, email, and the adopter agreement paragraph of the file. I put my signature on it and gave it back to Sharon. He asked me how I'd be paying and I gave swiped my debit card on the payer thingy and typed in the secret numbers and signed my name. He smiled and handed me my copy of the file, Bello's health records, the recite, and a list of things you normally need for a dog which I crumpled up and tossed in the garbage. I've had my fair share of dogs, cats, birds, snakes, frogs, hamsters, and life stock. I knew what each kind of animal needed and how much to give them.
"Thank you so much." I said shaking his hand with a smile before petting Bello with a wide grin on my face. "Hey can I help out with horses, training, cleaning, feeding and stuff, my friend takes care of horses and I know the drills. She showed the ropes." I asked wanted to be near the shy mare again.
"Sure thing, I'll take you over there and supervise, it's a rule for the first three times you help with the horses." He said.
"Thank you." I said with a grin. "Come on Kyoya, I'm gonna show you how unbunch your panties and start livin' like me." I said with a grin. He rolled his eyes at me.
"Hey, what's your name? I'm Kristen, that's Kyoya." I asked the auburn haired guy.
"Sharron Lee." He said as he led us to the stables.
"Okay, Aero needs his hooves cleaned out, then could you fix up his food and give him an apple or some sugar cubes?" Sharron asked.
"No problem, I was raised in the south; this is my kind of thing!" Kristen laughed as she remembered her friend showing her how to care for horses.
"Kyoya, can you take Bello over to Carson, he should wear him out; and then he'll be calm for the car ride." I asked the older teen. He nodded as I handed him the leash. I started by calming him down, cooing to him gently, patting his neck; gently tying him up making sure the rope wasn't too tight but not so loose he'd leave. I softly stroke his light gold fur on his shoulder and back.
"Hey baby." I cooed to him as I rub the fur on his snout. I ran my hand down his front left leg and gently tap the back of his leg, warning him what I was about to do and let him square himself up. I squeeze the leg above the fetlock and he just stands there. I stroke his fur again for a minute before trying again getting him to lift up his foot. I hold the hoof in one hand and hold the toe of the hoof and lift it towards his elbow. I begun to work from heel to toe, and remove any material from the frog gently trying to keep him from freaking. I pay attention to the cleft of the frog, picking out any small stones. I make sure the clenches haven't risen. I do the same for the rest of his hooves and look to Sharron.
"Do you want me to wash his fur?" I asked him. He nodded; I filled up a bucket with warm water and grab a sponge, a curry comb, horse shampoo, a towel and a sweat scraper. I dip the sponge in warm water and rub it on the horse's coat, I rub in the direction of his hair covering his body except his head. I rinse off the horse and use the sweat scraper to remove the excess water. Once I get the water out I carefully undo the knots in his glossy pale gold mane then gently comb through it. I dip the sponge in clean water and gently clean his face, not using soap. I rub the towel over the horse's body. Then I fill a bucket with warm water and mix the shampoo it. I hold the bucket with one hand, with the other hand, left the horse's tail into the bucket and then hold the bucket about level with the horse's dock so I can clean as much of the tail as possible. I swish the tail in the bucket, squeezing the dirt out. I can clean the top of the tail using a sponge dipped in warm water mixed with shampoo. I rinse the tail off with several buckets of clean water and clean the top of the tail with a sponge; after I rinse all the soap out of the tail I dry it with a towel and untied him; leading him outside in the sun to dry him off.
"You did a good job with that Kristen, here; give this to Aero." Sharron said tossing me a bright red apple. I nod and walk out of the stables and go to Aero who's galloping around the field. I whistle with my fingers and Aero comes running towards me. Here you go Aero." I said holding him out the apple with a flat hand which he sniffed first before grabbing it biting into it. I rub the fur on his nose gently. I go back to the stable and grab an apple. I slowly approach the shy black and white mare from before; making soft clicking noises with my tongue.
"Hey baby, I got an apple; you want it?" I asked holding it out to her before whistling softly; she looks at me unsure for a moment before galloping over to me gently. She sniffs at my hand and apple before giving me a grateful look before accepting the sweet yellow apple. I stoke the mane of the mare making soft noises. I could tell that the mare wasn't quite sure how to trust; but then again I'm not either. But maybe, just maybe she could trust me.