Chapter 5: Unbound Feelings (written from December 5th to December 8th, 2024)

November 17th, 2009

A few days flew by, and Garth was very glad that he had informed his parents of what happened between him and Chelsea. With his elevated confidence, he was able to tell his other friends, and most were accommodating enough to give him and Chelsea more time to themselves. Alex, being the sole exception, wrestled with this new reality and often failed to take the hint. He would try to insert himself into their games of Freeze Tag and Capture the Acorn, but the son of Tony was quick to shoo him away. He didn't have time for Alex anymore. Whether or not he wanted to admit it, Chelsea had become his new best friend. Walking with her was like walking on the clouds. He grew a penchant for losing himself in her sparkling emerald eyes. It was these times that he treasured the most.

Finally, one morning, Garth decided he had had it. He was done trying to guess if their feelings were mutual. Somehow he was just going to toughen up and go for it. Despite the return of overcast, he was determined to make today bright and colorful. Lucky for Garth, a party for juniors happened to be planned on Moonlight Howl Rock. It was the perfect opportunity to ask her out.

"Mom… Dad… I was wondering if… I could skip my pre-school lessons for today."

"Is there something you're wanting to do?" Martha asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Everyone's going to this… howling party on Moonlight Howl Rock, and it's gonna be sick! May I please go?"

"Oh, sure, when hell freezes over," answered Tony.

"Aww, Dad!"

"Don't 'aww, Dad' me. We're in the middle of tracking lessons. Even so, you lost your privilege to go to parties when you failed the first two attempts of the Admissions Test. You cost us our reputation."

"Anthony dear, he's trying his hardest. He's taken part in all of your lessons. He's done all that you've asked. Let him go," Martha urged.

"It's not fair to us. Reputational harm is no joke. Besides, I'm not working him to death. He gets to play with his friends every day."

"I see what you're saying, but this is different."

"How is this different?"

She then whispered in Tony's ear.

"Ohhh, I see… This is about… her…"

"If you let me go to the party, I'll do twice the work next week. I promise, Dad," said Garth.

"Two weeks. Capeesh?"

"Yesss! Thank you!"

"This'll be good for him, Anthony. He's going to learn to howl… like a real Alpha!"

Garth zipped in circles around his parents. His mind ran wild with what the afternoon might hold. He was over the moon despite a part of him wondering if he could even go through with asking her out. It was going to be perfect. Ideal! Since the whole pack knew of his close relationship with Chelsea, their chances of being interrupted were next to none. Really, why shouldn't he ask her out now? What would postponing his happiness achieve?

— A&Ω —

Garth slowly came out of his nap. He had a strange dream. It was about Chelsea, but he couldn't gather more details. CHELSEA! Garth stood up. He planned to escort her to Moonlight Howl Rock at noon, and he was about to be late! He sprinted to the outskirts of the territory like there was no tomorrow.

Chelsea sat just outside her den, all alone. She released a woeful sigh, thinking about all the fun she was missing out on. "Oh, well, there's always another party," she assured herself. "Oh, I thought for sure that Garth would come see me! Sweet Garth… But maybe he doesn't care for me like I do for him. Maybe he still just sees me as a playmate or… just another female. I suppose that… that…" Chelsea began to sob. "...I might have been…" A small tear slid down her cheek. "I hope I wasn't… wrong… about… him…" She burst into a series of small sobs as she tried to keep herself from going into a full-blown cry.

"Chelsea?" a voice called. "Are you there?"

"Whoever you are, just go away!" Chelsea sobbed.

"But, Chelsea, it's me, Garth!"

He stood not far in front of her, one paw above the ground like he was about to take a step closer.

"Garth? What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her sudden joy from showing.

"Oh, me?" Chelsea nodded. "I just… came by to see if you wanted to take a sort of walk with me… you know, a stroll to Moonlight Howl Rock. The party will last until midnight. We can take our time and stroll through the territory, listening to the howls." Garth didn't realize it, but the further he got into his invitation the more romantic and dreamy his voice sounded.

Chelsea got the message. Garth was asking her on a date. "You don't know how much I'd love that," she replied.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Garth in a light, cheerful tone.

They set off toward the mountain, taking the most scenic route. They strolled along the glistening Maligne Creek and listened to the water calmly running over the smooth, grey stones. The two red pups covered a host of topics like what their favorite game was, how they passed the time when they were alone, and what they wanted to do after they graduated from Alpha School. By the end of their lengthy conversation, they practically memorized each other's likes and dislikes.

Gradually, they came to a small, secluded spot—nowhere near Moonlight Howl Rock. Hanging on each other's words, the importance of the ongoing party quickly faded. What was the point of showing up when they already had the reason they were doing so right beside them? When night descended, they climbed onto a flat boulder and sat down, their shoulders touching. Twinkling dots above managed to pierce through thinner parts of the dense cloud layer, and the two of them could make out Noctura, the owl constellation.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"You can say that again," Garth replied. He then whispered, "But I can think of something prettier."

"Like what, hands—" Chelsea stopped herself. She almost called Garth handsome! "I mean, what did you say?"

"I, umm… Nothing! I said nothing."

Chelsea frowned. Remember you have no proof of how he feels, she reminded herself.

"Chelsea," Garth began. He decided that this was it. As his heart sought to jump out of his chest, he wondered if he would overheat and pass out. He took a deep breath in the most inconspicuous manner and lifted his rear end. "Chelsea, I…" he began again. Don't stop now. Just GO, and let it happen! he screamed internally. "We've been friends for a while now… and I've been thinking… like a lot. Ever since that special playtime a few days ago, when we were playing that game of hide and seek, you've never left my thoughts, and it's not just like, 'Hey, I wonder what Chelsea is up to.' I've been finding myself obsessing over you… It's getting so strong now that I have to see you, or else I become mentally unstable. I don't really know how you're going to take this, but I… I think… I KNOW that… I love you."

Chelsea matched his stare with her own, her mouth agape. Oh. My. Gosh! That was THE SINGLE BEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE! She tried to think of a way to tell Garth she loved him too. Don't just leave him there! Say something, you nimrod! But AHHH! I'll never think of something that good! He's just too cute! Well, tell him that! No, that won't sound right… Give him a sort of recount of how your feelings for him have changed since you met him! Yeah, that's it! That's what I'll do! Hmmm…

"Garth," Chelsea began. "It was that single game of hide and seek that changed the way I viewed you too. It must have been the fact that we were by ourselves for the first time since we met or something like that. I'm not sure what it was, but ever since then, I've been… fantasizing about you and imagining you and me having fun together and saying cute things to each other and stuff along those lines. The fantasies became so frequent that I would have trouble remembering that we weren't together and that I hadn't told my feelings to you… until now. Before you came to my den, I was thinking you would come. I don't know how long I sat there, but it was long enough to make me believe you weren't coming. I was so devastated that I eventually broke down and bawled my eyes out. That's why I told you to leave, but if I knew it was you, I never would have said that! And I want you to know, if you can't already see that... that I… I love you too!"

"You do?" asked Garth.

"Yes, I do!"

Garth's tail wagged. "Oh, Chelsea… will you be my girlfriend?"

"Of course I will, handsome!" Chelsea was so happy to finally call her best friend a cute name. She repeated it over and over in her head. She was set on wearing it out.

Garth grinned. He shed tears as he found himself overtaken by ecstasy. "I must've been born under a lucky star… Oh, Chelsea… I love you!" He wrapped his arms around her. She returned the favor and squeezed him, desperately trying to send all the love that was flowing through every blood vessel in her body. It hurt Garth, but he didn't care. This was the happiest moment of his life. He loved being in her arms! Slowly, so as not to startle her, he buried his nose in her neck fur. He felt her do the same to his. Tony's son wasn't sure what would happen after tonight. But he did know one thing: he had come across someone who loved him.