It was a nice summer day today - the kind of day you never want to stop.
A nice breeze, good weather, and an amazing breakfast - these seemingly insignificant moments are all worth looking back on.
You have to appreciate the days you are given, for they are few and far between.
If you neglect to set your timer, of course.
At 5:30 in the morning, it's an excellent time for getting some exercise done.
Room 739 doesn't agree, however, and uses the bear as target practice for their pillows.
"Sorry, guys! I am going on a run; I'll be back soon," he apologized in a whisper.
"Just let me sleep," Higoro groaned. "I am never letting you borrow my shampoo ever again."
The bear scrambled to put on its tracksuit and made its way to the doorway in due time.
Getting out of bed probably woke the entire dormitory by now; his footsteps left no one in their slumber.
"Sorry again!"
They collectively shouted, "Screw you!"
After finishing his run and getting ready for the day.
The bear made its way to the cafeteria to eat its fill.
Zach sighed. "Dude, why do you always get here so late? You take forever in the shower, every morning!"
"What? Do you prefer smelling me all day?"
He shook his head and waived his hands.
"Never mind, don't remind me of that smell ever again." He conceded.
The bear chuckled. "Does that mean I can use your shampoo instead?"
The Bernese nodded vigorously to dispel any doubt to the contrary.
"Yes, yes, of course! Take as much as you need. I am begging you!"
Sam put his thumb up in victory, much to Higoro's chagrin.
"Theo," he said, his voice tense, "he's siding with the enemy! Do something!"
The Belgian Malinois huffed.
"Don't involve me in your mess. I am not putting myself inbetween a coyote and a bear."
The Bernese sighed in exhaustion.
"Fine then, but don't come running to me when it all goes to hell."
He gave Theo a challenging glance. "And I thought you wouldn't mind being pushed in between two of your best 'friends'.", Higoro mocked.
"That Zach and I like each other is no secret. We share a room together.", Theo admitted. "However, I've never seen you doing anything intimate with someone else."
The coyote became blood red. "THEO!", he yelled embarrassed.
"At least he's not shy about it. Good stuff.", Sam laughed.
Oakgrove Academy was bustling as usual, nothing strange for a Tuesday morning.
They had these amazing cheesy crepes on offer that were just begging to be eaten.
The cafeteria was jam-packed with all different kinds of animals enjoying their breakfast together.
Theo continued to chat with the people behind him and discussed the recent news of devourings taking place.
This unnerved Sam a bit.
They've been friends ever since they were dorm mates. People often comment on how odd their synergy is; however, I don't see the connection.
We get along just fine, and honestly, it would be boring without him nagging me all day long.
The only reason we're roommates to begin with is because I was offered a choice: have a room to myself or share a room with a bunch of dogs.
That choice was quite easy to make.
Spending my time alone would be quite boring.
"So, like, I totally could've caught that ball, right? Instead, I ran headfirst into a tree! It came out of nowhere! Like magic!" Theo exclaimed.
The bear laughed wholeheartedly.
"Yes, friend. Next time, be sure to check your surroundings before you French a tree."
This earned me a couple of good laughs from our table.
"There is a first time for everything," Theo said. "Unlike you, I had my way with a couple of people before."
The bear gave him a blank, staring gaze.
"You know there aren't any bears on campus, Theodore," Sam retorted. "We aren't exactly common around these parts."
The dog shrugged and continued chewing on his next bite of oatmeal.
No matter how intelligent he was, he still ate like a child.
Samael picked up the utensils and readied himself to clear away the leftovers.
Sam ate some more of his potato stew when he got tapped on his shoulder.
An Irish wolfhound greeted him with a grin.
How did he even reach there?
"Hey, how's that Journalism Club thing going for you? I heard you quite like it", said Soibhan.
One of my dorm buddies.
"I am enjoying myself pretty well. It's high pressure, but I like it that way."
Soibhan's tail wagged excitedly.
"Good! It's nice to know that you finally found a club you like. Even though it took you a couple of months."
The bear shrugged dismissively.
The bear smiled. "I just had to find the right club for me. It's hard finding something you're passionate about."
The wolfhound snorted.
"I almost thought you were in love with someone.", he added slyly.
The bear almost spewed his food onto his plate.
He swallowed the lump with great effort.
"Hey! That's not fair! I was eating."
Sam looked at him accusingly; like he broke one of the sacred rules of basic dining etiquette.
"All is fair in food and war!", Soibhan laughed.
Sam grimaced at the unfair play and continued with his eating. "I'll get you next time, wolfhound."
The bell rang, and everyone made their way to their respective classes.
Everyone shared most of their classes with Theo, so there was always room for banter between us.
We filled each other in quite well and made sure that everyone succeeded.
The group usually finished its homework before classes were over.
They quickly made their way to English class, but the hallways were becoming too crowded.
If there's one thing that's terrible, it's being stuck in a claustrophobic hallway filled with a wide array of species you need to be mindful of.
The group didn't particularly like stepping on one of the smaller animals.
They would probably feel the same way about that notion.
Before we could even reach our classroom, an announcement played over the intercom.
Everyone came to a halt at the noise, which had caused major hearing loss for far too long to be considered acceptable. How haven't they fixed that thing yet?
All animals with ears groaned in pain.
"Mr. Samael Brian van der Ooster, please make your way to the faculty lounge."
He cringed at the unexpected sound of his name, especially as they butchered it.
The people in our social clique gave him an odd stare; his face scrunched up in discomfort.
"What did you do now?" Theo asked expectantly, his eyebrows raised.
The grizzly bear groaned loudly.
He raised his hands defensively.
"Nothing, I swear! Wait–"
His face contorted in confusion.
"Actually, why are you questioning me at all? I never get into trouble."
Theo gave his friend a toothy smile, clearly pleased with himself.
"I know, that's why it was funny," he said, giggling. "It looks like you've seen a ghost, Mr. Valedictorian."
Those around him also found humor in his antics.
Sam rubbed his face in indignation.
"I should not have fallen for that. Screw you!"
He held up his middle finger as he walked away, much to the group's amusement.
"See you next class after you've finished kissing up to the headmaster!"
The group gave him a collective hoot.
"Don't jerk off Zach while in class!," the bear retorted. Theo blushed in embarrassment.
It seems as if someone else is having the last laugh.
Sam hurriedly made his way towards the upper floors, wondering what the faculty wanted from him.
They had never called someone in like this before, let alone any other student they needed.
The intercom was only used for making public announcements.
This is very unusual.
It must be of utmost importance; otherwise, this could never be justified.
Finally making his way up the stairs, he came to a halt when he saw two teachers standing in the hall.
Mrs. Morning, the barn owl, had taken notice of Sam first.
"Ah, good. You're here. It will only take a few minutes. Head on in; he'll be here anytime soon", she softly said.
Intrigued, he walked inside and sat down on the couch.
This room is even more luxurious than I had heard. It features all the latest in modern amenities and comforts.
How come they can afford this but refuse to expand the library?
The bear mused that he never would've imagined himself sitting there.
Better yet, who arranged such a strange meeting to begin with? It wasn't the principal; he would have just called him into the office.
Whatever it is, whoever arranged it must be very special.
After a few minutes of strenuous waiting, someone finally took steps towards the room.
The scent hit the bear like a wave, so strong and yet so narrow.
He knows it's a canine of some kind.
What kind is up for debate.
He had never smelled a dog like this before, and judging by the sound of their paws echoing off the hallway floor, it wasn't a small one.
The animal stopped short before entering the room, presumably speaking to the teacher.
Sam couldn't make out any of it, which seemed deliberate.
Not ten seconds later, the door screeched open, revealing a German Shepherd filling the doorway, while Mrs. Morning stood next to him.
The canine thanked Mrs. Morning for her help and promptly ushered her out of the room.
Sam wondered what was going on here.
Nobody had informed him of anything.
The circumstances must be extenuating for this to even occur.
Although he was nervous, he wasn't going to let the shepherd take notice of it.
After the shepherd ushered the owl out of the door, he finally faced the bear with a soft smile.
"I apologize for the delay. Let's get right to the point, Mr. van der Ooster."