[BEFORE THE DANCE]
Wednesday: June 3, 2020 - 12:12PM [Lunchroom]
Rocky's POV:
I was waiting in line for my lunch at the cafeteria. To be honest, with the lunch they serve at this school, I wouldn't mind being hungry for the entire day. I wish I could just leave and go to a table but we weren't allowed to do that. It was mandatory that we get lunch. Though I kept it in case someone wanted it, I grabbed my tray.
As usual, I went to sit with the chatty pups. They were chatting in the most bizarre ways. A few of them were discussing how bad a movie was, how exaggerated the teachers were, or how this school had a strange past. They got to talking about something I was interested in after that dull conversation.
Pup #1: "Hey, remember when we were all talking about Skye dating Marshall?"
Pup #2: "No one said they were dating. We were just saying how Skye was making it obvious that she likes him."
Pup #3: Hey, are you guys talking about that klutz?"
Pup #4: "Hey, come on now, that's not nice.."
Pup #5: "Nobody likes him, Claire."
Pup #4: "That's not true!"
Pup #6: "What, you like him?"
Pup #4: "N-No! Skye likes him!"
Pup #3: "Well she's in for a big surprise because he doesn't even like her."
Pup #5: "Yeah. Elaine is trying to take him- Wait, what do I mean trying? She already took him away from Skye and now she's pissed, haha."
Pup #1: "Yeah, I saw Elaine sitting next to Marshall during math class. She was teasing the hell out of Skye."
Pup #4: "T-That's not right at all. She knew Skye liked him."
Pup #5: "Hey, that's her fault for waiting so damn long. She should've just asked him out from that start."
Pup #4: "What? P-Porko!"
Pup #6: "I mean, he's not wrong. I can't tell how long she liked him but if it was for a while, she waited too long."
Pup #3: "But you all do know she's just playing with Marshall right. I mean, why would Elaine even steal him away from Skye? Prettiest girl in school tries to date an idiot."
Pup #5: "Yeah, no way in hell that's happening. This is no highschool musical."
Pup #4: "Hey, I'll be right back. I'm going to use the bathroom."
Claire got up to leave her seat. I chose to go with her. Just as I turned to walk away, I glanced back. I noticed that Chase, Ella, and Rubble were attempting to console a tearful Skye. I searched the area for Marshall. I caught him and Elaine seated. Of all the pups, why would he want to sit beside her? He is well aware that she is much beyond his competence level. I'm not sure how he made it through eighth grade. I went to see Claire again. She was a charming Charles Spaniel with a weakness for peaceful pups.
Rocky: "Hey Claire!"
She turned around to look at me but she frowned.
Claire: "What do you want Rocky?"
Wait, is she mad at me? What did I do? Probably not. It's probably what the pups were saying about Marshall. I know I said some bad things about him but I didn't genuinely mean them.
Rocky: "Is something wrong..?"
Claire: "*Sigh* You know what, yes. There is something wrong."
Claire: "Those pups just sat there, no. They sit there everyday talking about Marshall, all because of how clumsy he is and how Skye was making a mistake trying to get with him or she's just wasting her time.."
Claire: "And the worst part about it is that you said nothing! Are you and Marshall not friends?"
Rocky: "Y-Yeah! Of course we are!"
Claire: "So why did you remain silent? Why didn't you stand up for him? To be honest, I'm not shocked. You agreed with Porko when he asked if Marshall was an odd name for a Dalmatian."
Rocky: "I-I wasn't paying attention to the question...I didn't know what he asked-"
Claire: "You know what, I don't care anymore. I'm just glad I get to leave everyone here. This is a terrible school with terrible pups."
Claire pivoted and bounded off. She was right, but I wanted to take it all out on her. Because Skye preferred Marshall over me, I wasn't a good friend to him. But there was something else I also wanted to know.
Rocky: "H-Hey Claire, one more thing!"
Claire stopped. She hesitated to turn around but she did so anyway.
Claire: "What is it now, Rocky?"
Rocky: "Do you like Marshall?"
She paused. When I asked her, I was pretty sure she was blushing, even though it was difficult to tell from a distance. Claire approached me but stopped in midstep.
Claire: "To be honest, I did. And I still do. But the reason why I didn't go for it is because his heart belongs to Skye, and her heart belongs to him."
Rocky: "Well, do you feel jealous of it, or did you?"
Claire: "I did. I did feel jealous, but I got over it. I thought to myself that maybe they are perfect for each other. I knew that they needed each other. I just decided to leave it alone and let them get together."
Claire: "But why do you want to know anyway?"
Rocky: "N-No reason...I just never seen you stand up for him before against everyone at the table...That's all."
Claire: "Yeah. I just wish you did the same."
She turned around and headed for the bathroom. I didn't stop her this time. Should I just leave it alone? I'm supposed to be happy for both Marshall and Skye. I would need to work on that. I had to use the bathroom as well but I decided to use a different one. I don't want it to seem like I was following her. I went to use the one upstairs. Right after I was finished I went to wash my hands. After I finished washing my hands and drying them I heard a voice-
Chase: "She's right you know."
When I heard Chase's voice, I jumped. He was standing against a wall, staring at me, when I turned to look at him to my right.
Rocky: "Ch-Chase! How long have you been standing there?"
Chase: "For a while now. I saw you leave after Claire. Just thought I could ease in on it a bit."
Rocky: "Oh..."
I didn't even hear or smell him. How was that possible?
Chase: "I need to talk to you."
Rocky: "O-Okay...What about?"
Chase: "What you said about Marshall."
Rocky: "What do you mean?"
Chase: "Rocky, I'm in no mood."
He started walking towards me slowly. I was starting to get a bit uncomfortable.
Rocky: "Ch-Chase, dude...I really don't know what you're talking about.."
Chase stopped.
Chase: "Really? Well when you said, "If someone that clumsy almost killed me..."
Chase: "Does that sound familiar?"
I remember now. For that, I felt bad. Marshall made a stupid move, but I didn't mean to. Skye yelled so loudly that I was unable to finish my sentence, but I was relieved that she did so before I said something I would later regret.
Rocky: "Ohh...Well Chase, I didn't even get to finish what I was going to say-"
Chase: "Yeah, you're lucky Skye shutted you up. Now if she didn't, what were you going to say?"
Rocky: "I-I...I didn't know what I was going to say after...I was so angry, I would say anything coming from mind.."
Chase: "Look, I promised Skye I wouldn't do anything. I just want you to watch yourself whenever you're saying something about Marshall."
Rocky: "Yeah, I got it...But.."
Chase: "But what?"
I really hope he doesn't kill me for saying this.
Rocky: "Don't you think his clumsiness-"
He didn't even let me finish.
Chase: "Rocky, I swear to god.."
Rocky: "But wait! This is a genuine question! I'm not trying to be mean but-"
At this point, Chase would rip my head off if I said anything more about Marshall, so I had to be really careful about what I said.
Chase: "I'm listening?"
Rocky: "Okay...Don't you think...No...Don't you also..."
I should have planned out my funeral before.
Rocky: "Don't you also feel...a bit...annoyed...?"
Rocky: "With his...Clumsiness...?"
I tightly closed my eyes, bracing myself for whatever it was he planned to do to me. To my surprise, he wasn't moving when I opened up my eyes. It appeared as though he was genuinely considering it. I watched Chase close his eyes and start speaking.
Chase: "...It's...Sometimes..I do get annoyed with it..."
He opened his eyes.
Chase: "But he's still our friend Rocky. It doesn't matter how clumsy he is. If you were clumsy like him, would you want your friends to talk about you behind your back?"
He had a point. I am not trying to call myself a normal pup. I've done some weird stuff before but since I was an average pup, I never once considered how Marshall felt.
Chase: "Look...I know you're a great pup and I'm glad to have you as a friend. But please promise me you wont lose it with Marshall."
Rocky: "I promise."
Chase: "Good."
Time - 12:23PM [Lunchroom]
No one's POV:
It was just Skye and Rubble at the quiet table. Skye would glance at Marshall and Elaina a couple of times. The fact that he appeared to be enjoying himself was what truly hurt her. Skye has an uneasy feeling that Elaina is also up to something.
Skye: "I know she's up to something Rubble. I just know it!"
Rubble: "Who knows? Maybe she actually wants to be his friend?"
Skye: "That's definitely not the case. She's not an idiot. She would never try to date someone like Marshall."
Rubble was confused when he heard this.
Rubble: "Huh? What do you mean?"
Skye: "What do I mean about what?"
Rubble: "Someone like Marshall?"
Skye realized what she said and she regretted it.
Skye: "N-No..Rubble, that's not-.. You know what I meant!"
She heard someone snickering behind her as she was trying to straighten herself out.
Pup #5: "Damn Skye, I thought you really liked him!"
Skye: "I-I..W-"
Pup #3: "What did I tell you guys? Even she wouldn't date that klutz!" - He laughed.
Skye: "HE'S NOT A KLUTZ!" - Skye yelled.
Everyone remained quiet. She was so loud that almost everyone in the cafeteria could hear her, and most of them were starting to grow quiet. Skye got up from the table and fled the lunchroom because she was so embarrassed. Marshall chose to follow her in order to ascertain what was wrong after noticing this.
Elaina: "Uh, Marshall, where are you going?"
Marshall: "I-I'm going to talk to her."
Elaina: "Oh please, I'm sure she'll be fine. Come back and have fun with us!"
Marshall: "I'll b-be quick! Skye is my friend. I have to see what's wrong with her."
Elaina sat there growling as he turned around and chased after her.
Marshall was searching frantically for Skye. *How could she have left so quickly?* -He considered.
Then he heard faint whimpers coming from a staircase next to an exterior door. Since he used to hang out there and students almost never went there on foot, Marshall was aware of the location. The whimpering became louder as he moved closer to his spot. Peeking around the corner, he saw her sobbing silently. This was not how he wanted to see her. He really did worry about her. He approached her in a step or two.
Marshall: "H-Hey Skye...Are y-you okay?"
She was trying to get herself together when she stopped crying. It surprised her to see him. She believed he would remain in Elaina's company.
Skye: "I'm...*sniff* I'm fine...What are you doing here?"
Marshall: "I thought I heard y-you yell and you ran out of the l-lunchroom. I-I just came to ask you what happened."
Skye: "...Okay...C-Can you sit with me?"
Marshall: "Sure."
Marshall approached Skye and took a seat beside her on the stairs. For a while, it was silent. Skye was attempting to come up with a way to express her feelings to Marshall regarding him and Elaina.
Skye: "It's just...In math class, I saw you sitting with Elaine...It just made me...I don't know."
Chase was heading back downstairs in the direction of the lunchroom. The sound of voices caused him to stop. The voices belonged to Marshall and Skye, two of his friends. Silently he made his way to the stairs to hear what they were talking about.
Skye: "Marshall, I don't like you hanging around with Elaine. She's...I think she's trying to play around with you."
Marshall: "B-But she's a great friend! What do you mean?"
Skye: "She's...You probably don't know about her but she plays with pups feelings a lot. S-She uses them, male pups."
Marshall: "I don't understand.. W-Why would she do this...To me..?"
Skye: "I don't know Marshall...But...You need to stop hanging out with her."
Marshall: "...Well if w-what you're telling me is true, t-then okay. I'll stop talking with her."
The fact that it was so simple made Skye happy. She disliked seeing people, even her closest friends, be used as leverage.
Marshall: "By the way, w-was that the reason why you ran out of t-the lunchroom and were crying?"
Skye: "Oh...N-No. That's a different reason. I-I will tell you another time."
Marshall: "Oh, okay. D-Do you want to come back or d-do you want to stay out here?"
Skye: "I'm going to stay here until lunch is over."
Marshall: "Are you sure? I'm going to g-go back with Rubble and Ella. You s-should come with me!"
Skye became slightly warmer. She had to wait two days to ask him to be her mate, but this seemed like the ideal time. She chose to start by teasing him.
Skye: "O-Okay, sure! But can you help me up first?" - She asked.
Marshall: "Okay."
With both arms extended, Skye hoped Marshall would seize both of them. That's exactly what he did, hauling her up. Skye pushed Marshall down with her when she stood up, using a little too much force on her foot.
S&M: "Woah!"
They both fell to the floor. Since Marshall was the one who fell to the ground with Skye still on, he took the brunt of it. She was a little heavier than a small pup should be.
Marshall: "W-Well that was a hard fall, was it? Hehe.."
Skye was silent. She wasn't smiling. She was just staring at Marshall's blue eyes.
Marshall: "S-Skye..? Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?"
The snouts of the two pups were mere inches apart. Skye recognized that this was her chance. She had had enough of waiting. Now she wanted him.
Marshall: "Skye? Wh-"
Skye closed her eyes and kissed him.