The Search for Pepe

The soft hum of the heater filled the empty spaces of Emily's living room as she plopped onto the couch, exhausted from an afternoon of running errands. Alison had left for a family trip that morning, and Emily had eagerly volunteered to watch over her beloved dog, Pepe.

"It'll be easy," Emily reassured herself aloud, glancing at the small dog bed tucked in the corner. Pepe, a fluffy little bundle of energy, had been quiet for the past hour, peacefully napping.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table. It was a text from Alison:

Ali: How's Pepe doing? Is he being a good boy?

Emily: He's perfect, of course! Don't worry, I've got everything under control.

Emily put her phone down with a satisfied smile. Easy peasy.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and she got up to let the girls in. Spencer, Hanna, and Aria filed into the living room, carrying snacks and a couple of board games.

"Babysitting duty, huh?" Hanna teased, flopping onto the couch. "How's little Pepe?"

"Fine," Emily said, waving her off. "He's been napping most of the day."

"Unlike Ali," Spencer said with a knowing smirk, "who's probably texting you every hour to check in."

Emily chuckled. "Pretty much."

They settled in, laughing and talking as the afternoon stretched on. But as the conversation grew louder, Emily suddenly noticed something—or rather, the absence of something.

"Wait," she said, cutting off Spencer mid-sentence. "Where's Pepe?"

The girls exchanged puzzled looks.

"Wasn't he in his bed?" Aria asked, pointing to the empty corner.

Emily jumped up, her heart racing. "He was! He must've wandered off while we were talking."

"Relax," Spencer said calmly, standing up. "He's probably just exploring the house. We'll find him."

But Emily wasn't calm. Alison had trusted her with Pepe, and the thought of letting her down sent her into a full-blown panic.

The girls split up to search every inch of the house. Spencer checked the upstairs rooms, Aria looked under furniture, and Hanna rummaged through closets, muttering about how tiny dogs were always getting into ridiculous places.

"Pepe!" Emily called, her voice growing more frantic with each passing second. She checked the backyard, scanning every bush and corner. Nothing.

"Guys, what if he got out?" Emily's voice cracked as she returned to the living room.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Spencer said, though even she was starting to sound uncertain.

"We should check the neighborhood," Aria suggested.

The group quickly bundled up and headed outside, calling out for Pepe as they walked up and down the street. Emily's stomach churned. What would Alison say if she found out?

"Pepe!" Hanna called loudly. "Where are you, you fluffy little troublemaker?"

After half an hour of searching, they returned to Emily's house, defeated. Emily was near tears, pacing the living room and muttering to herself.

"I can't believe this. Ali's going to hate me. I was supposed to—"

"Emily, stop," Spencer interrupted, her voice firm. "We'll figure this out."

As they stood there, trying to decide what to do next, a faint rustling noise came from the kitchen.

"What was that?" Aria whispered.

They followed the sound, creeping into the kitchen, where they found Pepe casually sitting under the table, happily chewing on a stray sock he'd dragged out of the laundry basket.

"Pepe!" Emily exclaimed, dropping to her knees in relief. She scooped him up, holding him close as her heart finally stopped racing.

Hanna burst out laughing. "All this time, and he was just hanging out in the kitchen? Classic dog."

Emily buried her face in Pepe's fur, half-laughing, half-crying. "You scared me to death, little guy."

Spencer crossed her arms, a small smile on her lips. "Well, at least now you can text Alison and tell her Pepe's been very… adventurous."

Emily rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help smiling too. She grabbed her phone and sent a quick text:

Emily: Pepe's been great! He's keeping me on my toes, though.

A reply came almost instantly.

Ali: Told you he's a handful. But I knew you'd do an amazing job. Thanks, Em.

Emily sighed, the weight of the day finally lifting. Pepe wagged his tail as she set him down, and the girls gathered around, teasing and laughing as if nothing had happened.

"Next time," Hanna said, grinning, "maybe Ali should get you a leash for both of you."

Emily rolled her eyes, but deep down, she was just grateful everything had worked out—and that Alison's faith in her hadn't been misplaced.