Voyeuristic views Part 2 by: Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters. You have been warned.
A few days had passed since that most auspicious of days. Life had very much returned to normal for the young beagle. School was just as boring as it always was. The usual regimen of assignments, tests, projects, and other responsibilities were back in the forefront of Rowan's life. He hadn't forgotten about his little date, but other things had taken his focus away from the issue. Even Ivory hadn't talked to him much about the day in question.
A blaringly loud alarm clock blustered in his room. Popping it a single time, the snooze button always gave him a bit of respite. But in his stupefied state of slumber, the boy did not realize this was his third time hitting the button. A loud knock was elicited at his bedroom door before it abruptly opened.
"Get up. You're going to be late…again." His father was in no mood for his son's shenanigans.
The older male jolted him once with an intentionally bothersome movement of the boy's body. Rowan groaned as his eyes fluttered. The familiar sight of his father waking him up was somewhat familiar but jarring all the same.
Finally, he roused from bed. "I'm up…I'm up."
"You need to hurry and get changed. You have like 15, maybe 20 minutes tops. I don't have time to take you to school." The bigger dog grabbed a change of clothes for the boy and tossed them next to the boy.
The younger boy groaned. "I'm going, okay?"
"Go faster. Breakfast is waiting on the kitchen table. Lunch is already made in a brown bag." His father exited the room as he had to get ready for work.
Yawning and stretching, the young cub's body moved just as slowly as he usually did. Not quite understanding the importance of punctuality, he just moved at his own pace. Changing into the clothing his father had gotten him, not even bothering to look at what had been picked out. Throwing his pajamas into the hamper, he completely missed the bin but simply let it slide off the side of it. The cub strolled his way down the hall.
"Hurry up." His father once again urged him, and this time pushed him along to make sure he got to the kitchen.
Rowan didn't have much of a chance to protest, and he wasn't going to anyway. On the table in front of him, he found a bowl of granola and fresh fruit. Hardly the heartiest of breakfasts, but his mother wasn't home, so he would have to deal with it. His father made sure he sat down to eat, even giving him the stink eye to make sure he picked up the pace. Yet this didn't last long before the man returned to his usual routine.
Despite his lethargy, Rowan was able to finish getting ready in time. Picking up his backpack by the front yard just as the familiar yellow cheese wagon showed up. As he exited from the home, he saw the familiar scowl of the bus driver. Her constant stink eye was something he was all too familiar with. Finally, picking up the pace so he could get on the bus sooner rather than later.
Hilda stared at him with that usual look of disgust on her face. Despite going through this many times with the boy, she was just as annoyed as always.
"I'm gonna have you written up if you do this again, kid. Sit down." She didn't wait for him to sit down before getting the bus moving again.
Not even having a chance to protest, the boy lurched back from the sudden movement of the vehicle. Holding onto the seat tops to keep himself upright. Dillon reached over his seat to tug his friend into one of the front rows.
"You never learn, do you, yo? She's totally ticked." The snow leopard knew the woman's temper was nothing to be trifled with.
The smaller boy rolled his eyes. "Who cares? It's not like she can do anything about it."
"She can leave without you, but that's all she can do." The older boy had heard her threaten it many times before, but had never gone through with it.
Rowan sighed a bit. "Whatever. It's not like my parents won't take me if she does. Can we talk about something else? "
"Yeah, how are things going with Ivory? Any new developments, brah?" The feline had been asking him every day since the night of their first date.
The brown furred boy frowned a bit. "Nah, I think she might have forgotten about me again."
"Just ask her about it. What's the worst that could happen? She seemed interested in you from what you told me." Dillon didn't want his friend to give up so easily.
The younger cub thought about it for a moment. "I guess you're right. Maybe she's waiting for me to make the first move. Should I invite her to a movie or something?"
"Totally, there are a bunch of good movies out right now, but you should see what she's into and just go to that." The snow leopard had been on a few dates in the past.
The beagle smiled at his friend. "Thanks, I appreciate it."
"No problem, yo. I hope you get the girl you want. Just be careful, alright?" The bigger boy hadn't had much luck with Zoe himself.
The smaller boy looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Ivory isn't exactly the most savory girl. She's been known to go through boys rather fast." Dillon scratched the back of his head, trying to breach the subject delicately.
Rowan felt a bit offended by the accusation. "She wouldn't do that."
"But she did. All I'm telling you is to be careful, alright?" The grey-furred boy wasn't sure how else to say it.
The younger boy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever."
The rest of the ride to the school was all too typical. The usual rotation between its routine stops before returning to the school. Their conversation turned more casual and was about nothing specific. Pulling into the bus shortly before some of the other buses, getting them there a bit earlier than usual. Rowan and Dillon padded off from the bus together before going their separate ways. The beagle puppy looked around for any signs of where Ivory might be.
Going into the school, he found the halls mostly vacant. Only a few other students were crowding around whatever lockers they'd been assigned. The light banter between students wasn't discernible, and the dog wasn't interested in eavesdropping. Making his way to history class, the boy was hopeful that he would find Ivory there waiting. Yet when he arrived, he didn't see any signs of her.
He decided to wait outside the room for a bit. Checking the phone in his pocket and realizing he'd left the ring at home. A thought occurred to him: Did he need the ring anymore? Ivory had said she would go out with him. What would she think if he used it again? It was then that he decided he would return it to his father's tool kit later that night. It was a few more minutes before he saw the familiar Dalmation girl walking up with two of her friends.
Victoria and Sophie were two of Ivory's closest friends. The arrogant peacock and pretentious badger were somewhat infamous in the school. Known by the student body at large as spreading rumors and enjoying expanding the truth. Rowan was always wary of them, but today was different, and he was going to take a chance. Making his way over toward them, the two other girls gave him a conspicuous stare.
The avian girl flicked her tail feathers at him. "What do you want?"
"I want to talk to Ivory. Can we be alone for a moment?" The beagle wanted to be very clear about his intention, so it wasn't misconstrued.
The badger stood between the boy and Ivory. "Whatever you want to say can be said in front of us."
"Chill, he's fine. Let me talk to him for a bit." The lanky dog girl said in her usual soft tone.
She stared down both of them so she knew she was serious. Both of them walking away once they had accepted that fact.
"Sorry about that, they are just a bit weird around boys. What's up?" The girl brushed her fur back on her head.
Rowan twiddled his fingers, feeling a bit nervous. "It's alright…I uh…I…um…"
"Cat got your tongue? Out with it, puppy boy." The dalmation playfully shoved him, seeming all too casual about it.
The beagle took a deep breath, trying to call himself. "Well…I was thinking maybe you and I could check out a film tonight, or maybe something else if you want instead?"
"Hmm, I guess so. It's an early release tomorrow. Wanna play it for then? What film were you thinking?" Ivory fully anticipated he would pick something for them.
The smaller boy shuffled his feet in place. "Well, why don't you pick? That way I know you'll like it."
"Oh? No tacky action film? What if I wanted to take you to something like Regretting You? Would you still want to go?" A playful smirk adorned her face at making him go to what she perceived as a chick flick.
Rowan's tail wagged gently behind him. "I wouldn't mind. I just want to spend time with you."
"Aww…you're sweet for a dweeb. You know that?" The white furred girl found him to be a bit endearing.
The beagle looked at her with a soft smile on his face. "So is that a yes?"
"Yeah, let me ask my parents. It should be cool. How about we see the new Demon Slayer flick?" It was a film she had heard a lot about.
The brown furred boy was surprised at her choice. "Oh, yeah. Totally. I didn't know you were into that."
"Lots of us are. You just don't pay attention." She playfully flicked him on the nose.
The teacher called to the two cubs who hadn't noticed that she had let the students enter. Both Ivory and Rowan walked in together. Noticing Scott near the back of the room, the dalmation avoided his gaze. The burly rugby player couldn't help but notice the new arm candy that Ivory had attracted to her side. A look of disgust crossed his face, yet in that moment, he simmered in his own jealousy.
"Wanna sit with me?" The bigger girl took the first open space, not worried much about Scott's reaction to it.
The beagle looked at her in disbelief. "S-sure."
Rowan sat down next to her, his smile only growing as he did so. It wasn't long before the teacher went into the day's assignment. Some busy work involving biographies. It wasn't group work, but she always let them talk, rather than fight with them for silence. The beagle waited for the laptops to be handed out before looking into some things. Already in his mind, he wanted to find a guitarist to cover.
Within moments, he decided on Tosin Abasai, his favorite guitarist from one of his favorite bands. Looking over to the girl next to him, he couldn't help but be curious about who she had selected. On her screen, there were a few browser tabs that were open. A few of them were people that Rowan didn't know about, so he decided to take an interest in her choices.
"Who are you looking into for your Biography?" The boy hoped to learn even more about her.
Ivory looked up at him, seeming surprised he had taken an interest in it. "Ayana Johnson and Autumn Peltier."
"Oh, I've heard of Autumn before. What did she do?" The beagle had heard about the woman on the news when his parents were watching it.
The dalmation briefly read the summary of the article. "It looks like she helped advocate for clean water for the First Nations people."
"Neat. That sounds interesting. What about Ayana?" Rowan still wanted to figure out what the two had in common.
The bigger girl read a similar summary on the other page. "She invented a fish trap to help reduce bycatch. They are both involved in helping prevent further climate change.
"Awesome, we need more people like that." The boy was impressed that she was interested in the topic.
The white furred cub looked over toward his computer. "How about you?"
"I'm gonna do Tosin Abasai. He's the lead guitarist of Animals as Leaders. He's my favorite guitarist. Do you like any musical groups?" Rowan showed her a picture of the man.
The Dalmation arched her eyebrow in curiosity. "Never heard of him. Yeah, my favorite bands are Demon Slayers and Black Pink."
"Yeah, I figured you liked K-pop after their show the other day. You'll have to share with me your favorite songs someday." The smaller boy got back to work.
Ivory refocused herself. "Alright, sounds good. You too, dweeb."
The two cubs resumed their assignments, time frittered away as they worked on it. Rowan found it much easier to do that work since he was actually into the topic for once. Going into much more detail than usual about his favorite frontman. Even learning more about him than he ever expected. By the time the end of class rolled around, he'd already created a working outline as well as a list for his resources.
Rowan and Ivory parted ways after the class, with the beagle telling his new "girlfriend" that he'd see her at lunch. She simply winked at him, not quite answering the question. The boy wasn't quite sure if he should join her in the cafeteria or not, but it was an issue he would deal with later. Going about the rest of his day like it was any other. Crossing paths with Dillon once again in their shared math class.
"Did you study for the test?" The snow leopard asked with an almost panicked look on his face.
The younger boy slapped his forehead. "No, I forgot."
"You're such a derp. It's today, brah." As usual, the older boy had done what he thought was the bare minimum to get by.
Rowan sighed, but he knew there was no getting past it. He couldn't simply just skip. He knew that attendance was shared by all the teachers, and his math teacher would know that he was skipping class. He took a deep breath and eyed an unfamiliar substitute that he only vaguely recognized. The middle-aged frog man he had seen in the upper levels of the school seemed to be filling in for his regular teacher.
Filing into the class, they soon found out that the test would be delayed. Their usual teacher had called out on an emergency, but would return tomorrow to give it to them. Relieved, the beagle was glad he had skirted another bad grade. Quickly, he jotted himself a note in the school's planner, hoping it would be enough to remind him to actually study that night. Whether he did it or not was another issue entirely.
Instead, a worksheet was given, this time reviewing the scale copies concept they had recently been taught. The puppy sighed as he looked at it, but was glad to hear that they could work in groups. Immediately teaming up with the snow leopard, since both of them had trouble shooting through a similar assignment a few days before. Rowan and Dillon got to work but were soon distracted by other things.
"Brah, check out this picture Jerome got the other day from the peephole." The older boy pulled out his phone to show the other cub.
The brown furred cub looked at it briefly. "Is that Zoe? That's not cool that he took that picture."
"Huh? I thought you liked looking through the peephole. Who cares if he took a picture of her? She's just in her panties. Look how pretty she is." Dillon was still quite obsessed with the girl.
The smaller boy looked back down at the worksheet they'd been given. "Not anymore. I have a girlfriend now. It's not right."
"What's gotten into you? Just cause you had one date with Ivory, you don't wanna look at peep hole stuff anymore?" The teen put his phone away.
Rowan looked towards him briefly. "We are going out again tomorrow. I shouldn't be looking at other girls. Besides…it's wrong."
"Psah whatever, yo. Just forget it. You've changed." The snow leopard couldn't believe how much one silly date had changed his friend.
The younger cub scowled at him. "So what if I have? Just leave me alone."
They refocused themselves on the work ahead of them, splitting up among them so that they could finish it more quickly. Dillon was a bit better at it than his friend was, but neither had that much difficulty in finishing it. Turning it in a short while before the class ended. Even given a small portion of free time by the sub. Both boys turning to play some random game on their phones. Not seeming quite as interested in talking after the small disagreement with each other.
It wasn't much longer before the class bell rang. Rowan and Dillon went to their different classes, with the younger boy going about his early portion of the day like it was any other. The usual routine of another Science lecture and a silly book review was all that was in store for him. It wasn't until Music class that things heated up for him, as it was getting closer to the school talent show, and he fully anticipated showing off his guitar skills.
The usual teacher of that class was back. An elder crane, who to him was but a snob. The woman preferred classical and jazz music. Giving those students who excelled in more traditional instruments the spotlight. To her, the electric guitar wasn't something she celebrated. Though the music department had told her a few times that she needed to accommodate the students who wanted to learn it. Even still, she was quite indifferent about it.
Rowan padded into the room, moving right past the bird's desk. Her fervent stare at him always reminded him that she didn't like him. Just as he was about to ignore her, the woman stopped him.
"Rowan, this was left for you by Mr. Darnel." She handed him a small slip of paper.
He walked toward the rear of the room, finding the usual spot where he had left his guitar on a rack. Reading the scribbled note, he discovered it was from the black puma man the other day. The only reason he remembered that was from the Kiss logo watermarked onto the sticky note.
"Little dude, let's totally shred some time again. I could show you some moves. Meet me in the performance hall if you're interested. The crone will give you a pass."
This was quite unexpected for the young cub. Picking up the guitar, Rowan padded back to the front of the room. The old woman eyed him warily, but he didn't even have to say anything as she had read the note already.
"Here, don't make me regret this." The crane begrudgingly handed him a hall pass.
All too glad to take it, the beagle quickly snatched it from her hand before she was able to take it back. Going back out through the main hall, a few doors back was the performance hall. Inside, he found the puma casually strumming away at an acoustic guitar on the stage. The man perked up when he noticed the younger boy enter.
"I totally noticed you were the only one who played guitar for the band. How would ya like a private lesson, little dude?" The man was a lively fellow with a cheerful smile on his snout.
Rowan got closer to him as his tail wagged gently behind him. "Really? I would like that."
"Come on up, little dude. I'll show you a few songs." The puma broke into a small riff as if to show off a bit.
The smaller male sat next to him, watching his little show. Over the course of the usual duration of the class, Darnel had shown him just one song but several short riffs. All of them were from older rock songs that he didn't quite recognize. Yet it didn't matter to the boy. All he cared about was that he mastered something new, and it was far more intense than anything the crane had ever gotten him to do.
"Do you think maybe we could do this again sometime?" The younger boy asked once the bell for lunch had rung.
The big cat winked at him. "Haha, you're a little too keen, fella. Time will tell. Catch'a later."
Hopping off the stage, Rowan thanked him before returning to the music room to put back the guitar. The old bird looked at him with a disgusted gaze in her eyes. Of course, he noticed it, but it didn't bother him. He figured she was probably upset he had missed the class. Though he wouldn't have traded that short private lesson for anything. He hoped perhaps he could do it again in the future.
Rowan headed back out of the room and into the hall. By this point, the breezeway was almost clear of traffic. The short time it had taken him to return the guitar had been enough for many of the students to make their way into the cafeteria. The beagle entered at the tail end of the line. Grabbing his lunchbox from his bag, he looked around for Ivory. Seeing the girl hanging out with some other girls, he didn't recognize her.
Across from them was Dillon and his usual friends. The brown furred boy knew he didn't want to sit with him after what had happened earlier. Shuffling over to where Ivory and the other girls were, he didn't think much of the choice. Just as he was about to say something to her, he felt someone grab his hand.
"Just what do you think you're doing?" A larger, more burly-looking tabby cat boy had grabbed his hand.
Rowan looked up at him. "Nothing? I was just going to sit down for lunch."
"Not next to my girl, you're not. You've already done enough with her. Back off or else." The feline's eyes were filled with rage and jealousy.
It took Rowan a moment to realize that it was Scott. "She's not your girl. Tell him, Ivory."
Both of them looked down at the Dalmation girl. She was all too familiar with the situation. Boys had fought over her before, and almost every time Scott had been involved. He was. By far the most fiery of her relationships. Ivory knew when not to get involved and decided to stay silent. The lack of response was all too damning for the smaller boy whose ears immediately lowered, and his heart sank.
"See? She's not interested in you. Why would she like a dork like you?" The bigger cat chuckled at his own insult.
Rowan stammered for a moment, at a loss for words. "But she…"
Looking at the white furred girl, he could see her shaking her head at him. Almost as if telling him to back off. Goading him to just let go. Breaking off the other boy's grasp, he writhed his hands. Walking away, only to let the rage seethe inside of him. It was the first time he had walked away from conflict. The boy's tail between his legs, obviously hurt by the whole incident.
He sulked away to an isolated spot. Still not knowing if he had done the right thing or not. Walking away seemed like what Ivory wanted him to do. But why hadn't she said anything? The question boiled inside of him as he contemplated it. Suddenly, another hand touched his back as he reactively snapped back to look at it. Yet, the sight of Dillon relaxed him as he was fully expecting to see Scott again.
"I saw what happened. Do you need someone to talk to?" The older boy couldn't help but feel bad.
The brown furred cub shook his head. "Nah. It's not like anything happened. I just don't know why Ivory didn't defend me."
"Probably because Scott is violent. He's already at risk of being expelled. I don't even know why she dated him before." The snow leopard took the empty seat next to him.
The beagle double-backed as he said this. "Wait, she dated him?"
"Yeah, she's dated quite a few boys. You're not the first and…probably not the last either." Dillon still felt bad about earlier, but knew it needed to be said.
The smaller cub sighed as he thought about it. It was true he had seen Ivory with plenty of boys before. He had simply ignored the issue. Told himself that he was the only one. The whole lie of being her one true lover when the contrary was all too obvious. The more he thought about it, the more he realized it was true.
Finally, he confided and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about how I acted before."
"It's cool, yo. Girls do crazy things to us. Do ya wanna peep with us today?" The teen playfully slapped him on the back.
Rowan shook his head. "Nah, I'm not in the mood, but maybe tomorrow."
The snow leopard smiled at him, feeling like things had smoothed over a bit between them. Glad that their whole dispute was short-lived. After all, no relationship was worth some girl, at least in their minds. Their conversation soon turned to more casual things. Dillon again reminded him about the test, just in case he'd forgotten. His friend promised him that he would study, even if it probably wasn't going to be for very long.
The rest of Rowan's day was pretty slow. In gym class, he was all too glad to exert a little frustration. A fun game of dodgeball between the split-up classes of boys. His pent-up frustration was all too useful in getting out a few of the other students. Even Dillon noticed the change in his friend's competitive fervor, surprised that he was getting out of so many others. His little streak of outings only stopped by the whistle at the end of the class.
Rowan retired home shortly after, sharing a quiet respite with Dillon on the bus. Not quite deep in thought, but distracting himself by looking at a review paper for math. The teen suspected he was still upset but decided not to confront him about it. Deciding instead that it was best that his friend tackled the issue on his own. It wasn't until later that night that his parents would take him up on his behavior.
When the boy got home, he was still rather disgruntled. Carrying that all too obvious look on his face. That one any parent would instantly recognize as problematic. Rowan hung his head low. Part of him believed what Dillon had told him, but there was still another part that didn't. That naïve, positive hope that most boys his age would have. Going into his room, he was still looking at the review worksheet. Not quite focusing on it, but enough to keep him distracted from his negative thoughts.
A short while later, his mother came looking for him. She was the first one home that night, and so she had already started dinner. The woman wanted to check on him and was surprised to see him looking rather dismayed at his desk.
"How was School? Did something happen?" The older dog stood over him, noticing the distant stare of her son at the paper in front of him.
Rowan sighed. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
"It's not nothing. I'm your mother. I can tell when something is bothering you." She touched his shoulder empathetically.
The cub turned toward her to look, knowing full well he could hide nothing from her. "Fine. I found out the girl I took out on a date has been with a lot of other boys before."
"So what? I met plenty of boys before settling on your father." The boy's mother's tone was both comforting and soft.
The beagle boy looked up at her. "Really? So, do you think I still have a chance? Even if she had been with like 5 boys before."
"I went through a good dozen boys at various stages of my youth and adolescence. I didn't even meet your father until I was 15." She couldn't help but smile thinking about it.
A smile cracked across the boy's face. "Oh, neat. You'll have to tell me about it sometime."
"We've told you the story countless times, but I suppose we could tell you it again. Don't dismay, Rowan. Ivory might not even be the one you've been waiting for. Just enjoy it for what it's worth." The older woman started to head out.
Rowan started to study the sheet again. "Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it. I feel much better now. Can I go with her to a movie tomorrow?"
"Sure, I don't see why not if her parents are okay with it. Just make sure you're home before dinner. When are we going to meet this lucky little lady?" His mother couldn't help but chuckle at her son's quick change in disposition.
The cub scratched his chin. "I dunno. I haven't thought about it."
"Well, maybe you should. Anyways, dinner will be ready soon, hon. I'll call you up when it's ready." She exited the room.
A deep breath of relief escaped from the cub's maw. There was no doubt he felt better now. Even feeling more confident about his date with Ivory tomorrow. Convincing himself that he would win her over. Perhaps even proving his mother wrong. But for now…he needed to study, and so he got to work once again. He worked for a bit longer before his parents called to him, beckoning that dinner was ready.
The rest of that night would be a quiet one for the young cub. His parents only briefly mentioned what had happened that day. He was a bit more comfortable sharing now and easily got it off his chest. Back to his chipper self, his mother was glad to have given him the talk. After all, it was expected at some point that he would continue to have problems with girls. It was just a bit different than last time, and his parents hoped this meant that he would clean up his act a bit.
When it was time to retire to bed, Rowan tossed and turned a bit. No longer thinking about the silly test, instead his mind wrangled about tomorrow and everything that could go wrong with it. Sure, he had gone on a date with Ivory to K-town, but in his mind, this was different. He had seen a few romantic films where the people who were dating ended up at the movies. Only to kiss and end the night in a romantic embrace.
He hoped that would happen. How badly he wanted to feel Ivory's lips against his own. Even fantasizing about it a bit. Yet part of him believed it would blow up on his face. That the girl of his dream would laugh at him or leave him high and dry for some other boy. After all, the dalmation was popular and he was not. Why should she want to actually date him? Wrestling with his inner turmoil until his mind finally gave way to exhaustion.
The next morning, he awoke to the sound of the alarm. Yawning and stretching, he was still feeling a bit tired. Sluggishly, he moved out of bed, rubbing the usual crust from his eyes. His father soon called to him from upstairs, seeming too busy to come check on him that day. Yet, he was feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves about his upcoming date, and he didn't want to mess things up.
"I'm up, Dad. I'll be right there." The beagle grabbed a change of clothes and changed into them.
Dragging himself upstairs, he found both his parents frantically running about. Unbeknownst to him, his mother was looking for her lost car keys, and her husband was helping.
"Morning, champ. Don't be late for the bus, alright? I don't want another call from the bus administrator." His father ruffled his head fur before returning to look again.
Rowan was confused as his parents hadn't even mentioned it before. Though as upset as Hilda normally was with him, it wasn't that surprising. Padding into the kitchen, he found some slices of apple and a raisin bran muffin ready for him. His parents had left him what was left in the fridge and said nothing about it. The young cub suspected nothing and took a seat before nibbling away at the muffin.
The baked good was more bland than what he usually liked. Leaving a slight aftertaste in his mouth after each bite. But he didn't want to bother his parents and just chomped through it. He was hungry enough not to care, though he certainly didn't enjoy the flavor of it. The cub decided to clean up after himself after he was done. His parents were still absent, and he was all but certain they had to be doing something related to work.
"See ya later, mom and dad." He yelled down the hall to his parents' bedroom.
His mother yelled back. "Love you, sweety. Have a good day at school."
Grabbing his bag and making his way outside, the beagle was met by a swift gust of wind. Not exactly brisk, he enjoyed the slight breeze against his fur. Looking in front of his home, where his usual bus stop was, he noticed the bus hadn't arrived yet. It seemed that the bus hadn't gotten there yet. He couldn't help but be proud that, for once, he was lazy. Perhaps even old Hilda would be proud of him, he told himself.
A few minutes later, it arrived. The cranky old bus driver looked at him in disbelief. Carrying a light smile on his face, the cub gave her an arrogant grin. She said nothing to him as she had no reason to complain that day. Shuffling into his usual seat, where Dillon was awaiting him.
"Hey, brah. You're actually on time today?" The older boy was just as surprised.
The smaller cub sat down next to him. "Yeah, I guess I am."
"Is it because of a certain girl?" The grey-furred cub playfully shoved him in the seat.
Rowan sheepishly smiled at him. "Yeah, we're going to see the Demon Slayer movie after school today."
"Oh, that anime flick. Brah, that's so lame, but I hope you have fun anyway." The snow leopard wasn't into that genre.
The younger cub shrugged. "It'll be alright. I don't care what movie it is. I just want a chance to get with her."
"Don't worry, yo. She'll see what a great guy you are and sweep you off your feet for sure." The feline was trying to be more positive about it.
The brown furred boy smiled at him. "Thanks, I'll try my best."
This comment gave the cub even more confidence than he already had. The doubt he was dealing with previously was quickly being replaced by youthful determination. Convincing himself that he wouldn't fail if he tried hard enough. The rest of that ride, Rowan was partly distracted by his thoughts, but managed a conversation with his older friend. Their conversation turning to the test they had that day, which, for once, the beagle had prepared for.
Arriving at school around the same time as the other buses, the vehicle pulled into the roundabout. Rowan and his friend went their separate ways after exiting the vehicle. Pulling the review sheet out, the beagle looked at it once more, going through the last few parts he still didn't quite understand. But he didn't focus too long on it before he heard a familiar voice.
"Hey, Rowan. I wanted to apologize for what happened with Scott yesterday. He can be a bit…much." Ivory had been looking for him since she got to the school.
The smaller boy smiled at her. "It's not your fault. Don't worry about it. Are we still on for after school today? My parents said I could go."
"Yeah, my parents will pick us up at the roundabout. Do you have to be back at a specific time?" The dalmation was used to remind her of her own parents giving her limits.
The brown furred boy nodded. "Yeah, dinner, but I can just text my parents if we're running late or whatever."
"Sounds good. See you in history class, dweeb." The girl didn't wait for him as she wanted to spend a bit of time with her friends before classes started.
The cub's tail wagged behind him, feeling even better about his chances now. Confidence was beginning to build inside him as he puffed out his chest with pride. Walking through the halls with a wider gait than normal. Carrying himself with an assured stride as he made his way through the halls. Already, he was looking forward to the day ahead, and in his mind, only he himself could ruin it.
History was but a normal lecture that day. Going into a new topic about something that the boy wasn't all that interested in. Diplomacy in the Middle Ages and how the European Kings and Queens of old managed foreign policy. It was a dense topic, way over his head. Listening for only the first few minutes before zoning out entirely. His mind drifting once again to the date ahead of him and how it would go.
Classes were shorter that day and so he didn't have to listen to the lecture for long. Only snapping out of his somewhat dazed state when the bell rang, reminding him that it was over. His next few classes went much the same. In Science, he had a bit of a better time as they had a more hands-on experiment involving the expansion of bubble gum. Blowing it up in far larger masses than any student could imagine.
Yet, as Math was now the next class in his schedule, he began to feel anxious. Striding slowly down the hall, even staying out of the class longer than he normally did. Going in only when his usual teacher called him in. Taking deep breaths, he calmed himself. He had studied and convinced himself that he would do well. But he knew that Math was far from his best subject, and he couldn't help but be nervous.
The tests were given, and he looked at them. Multiple choices for each of the questions, which made him feel a bit better about it. At least he could narrow things down, or so he told himself. Yet, after going through the first few, he was having trouble finding the answers that were shown on the paper. Not even bothering to answer until the fourth question, almost convinced that he had to be doing something wrong.
After finishing the bottom portion of the sheet, he returned to the ones he missed and answered all but one. The bell rang as he took a deep sigh of relief, feeling positive for the first time about a test in quite a while. Handing it in with a renewed confident smirk on his face. The teacher eyed him warily but said nothing about it. Simply taking the paper from him and turning him away. He knew he would have to wait until tomorrow for the results.
The rest of his day went by in a flurry. Lunch was now the only class left since the electives had been cut off to accommodate early release. He spent the time hanging out with Dillon. The two talked mostly about the test and how they thought it had gone. Rowan was a bit more confident than the other boy, but neither was overly negative. As time frittered away, Rowan became more nervous as he was all too aware that the time of his date was quickly arriving.
Rowan slowed down eating as he looked at the clock. Only a few minutes remained, and he began playing with his food. Nerves and anxiety were beginning to fill him as the uncertainty of what lay ahead festered inside him.
"It'll be alright. I promise. Just take it easy and be yourself." The older boy knew what his friend was dealing with and wanted to empathize with him.
Yet in that moment, nothing could help Rowan. A sense of doubt had replaced whatever confidence he had built throughout the day. No longer having an appetite, he left the rest of his food on the tray in front of him.
The final bell of the day rang shortly after he finished and cleaned his meal. Delaying a bit before the older cub noticed. Taking it upon himself to help him, Dillon playfully pushed him along in the halls. By this point, the younger boy didn't want to go anymore, but the teen wasn't having it. Before he knew it, he was outdoors, and mere meters away from him was Ivory. The dalmation's usual soft smile immediately put him at ease.
"Go get 'er, brah." The teen hoped he would heed his advice.
Slowly, the beagle took a few steps forward, ever closer to the girl of his dreams. Ivory's gaze met his own with a comforting look on her face.
"Ready, dork? She offered her hand out to him as an invitation to join her.
Swallowing deeply, he hesitated just a few seconds before finally giving in and joining her hand in his own. Dillon couldn't help but smile at them. He knew there was no going back now. Ivory wasn't one to back out of things, or so the rumors said. The altercation led him away from the school to the area where the roundabout was. Near the front were the usual buses, but towards the back were various parents' vehicles.
The duo waited a short time before a freshly cleaned silver truck appeared just in front of the girl. Ivory opened the door to the front seat, greeting her father, who sat just opposite her. Motioning to the back seat for her latest catch to get in. The older male warily eyed the boy as he made his approach. Ivory's father had been through this routine enough times not to trust any boy he saw.
Rowan pushed inside and put his bag on his lap, a bit surprised that Ivory wasn't going to sit with him, but he said nothing. Through the rear-view mirror, he could see the older Dalmatian man staring at him. One of his eyes glazed over, and the other looked annoyed and protective. The man had no intention of letting his little girl be taken from him. The younger dog just decided to stay quiet and not make a fuss about it.
The car started again after a short delay. "Who's this twerp, Ivory?"
"His name is Rowan. We're going to see the new Demon Slayer flick together." The girl said shortly with the usual chirpy chime in her voice.
Nothing else was said in that moment, but a conversation ensued between the father and daughter. Going over her day and how it would have been. Like any loving father, the man tried to take an interest in her life. Even if sometimes he didn't approve of what she did. This piece of arm candy was just another one of the many in his eyes. Still, he always kept his guard up just in case to make sure any boy knew their place around the girl.
They arrived at the Cineplex some time later. Rowan had been left in an awkward silence for the duration of it. A constant stare from the older male made him feel like he wasn't welcome. They pulled up in front of the entrance as the locks to both doors popped open. But as Rowan was about to step out of the truck, his wrist was tugged by the older male. The man was silent, but it was as if he was staring into his soul. Two fingers from the man's eyes to his own. He was being watched…and he knew it even if it hadn't been literally said.
Ivory tugged on the smaller boy, urging him to follow her. Finally turning away from the car, Rowan immediately felt more at ease. Even if that lingering sense of discomfort that he'd gotten from her father was still there, he couldn't help but feel more comfortable. The dalmation once again offered him her hand. All too glad to take it, the two started walking ahead toward the entrance of the Cineplex.
The Cineplex was a smaller one, one of those theaters with 8 films. Each of them is different, but two of them showing older stuff. The girl led him to the ticket booth. A younger-looking gecko greeted them heartily. She asked him for two tickets, but just before she was about to pay, Rowan stopped her hand from going into her pocket. Reaching into his own pocket to pull out his wallet to use his allowance and pay for it instead.
A smile tugged at her face at the gentlemanly act. It was the first time a boy had bought tickets for her, and it warmed her heart. The cost of those tickets depleted much of his allowance, leaving him just a few bucks left to spare. Yet, he said nothing about it as she dragged him through the entrance of the theater. At the front of it, an usher was taking tickets, and just behind them was the convenience stand.
The boy allowed the usher to scan their tickets, and they were allowed to enter. Proceeding just past the snack bar. No one was attending it, and instead, the thing had been designed to be automated.
"You want some popcorn?" Ivory asked, as it was her favorite snack for movies.
The smaller boy hesitated a moment. "I don't have much more money."
"You don't have to buy everything. Don't be ridiculous, dweeb. Do you want something?" It would be my treat." The girl didn't mind paying for things.
The brown furred cub nodded happily. "Yes, please. Can I get some Skittles?"
They stepped up to the small digital ordering station. A computer screen lay in front of them with several selections displayed among categories. The usual expected assortment of popcorn, nachos, candy, and other treats to be had. Ivory picked out a drink for them to share and the candy for Rowan. A small robotic arm hummed as it dispensed some cola in a large plastic cup. Following by by fetching out a larger bag of Skittles and handing it to them.
"Let's go. The previews should almost be over with." The girl gave him the candy, and they were off once again.
Making their way to the theater where the movie was being shown, they found that the previews had already started. Another Disney animation was being promoted, and neither of them was interested in it. Finding an empty spot near the middle of it, they took a seat together. Ivory put the soda between them and got comfortable. Already digging in and sharing both the candy and popcorn. It wasn't much longer before the film started.
It was an anime flick with the usual shonen flair to it. Demon Slayer was a fairly popular show both in the East and the West. The localization of its most recent film had finally hit theaters in their area. The plot focusing on the titular characters' attempt to defeat Muzan, but are foiled time and time against by the Kizuki Twelve. It was both action-packed and filled with drama.
Throughout the film's duration, they shared the snacks that Ivory had bought them. Neither being quite so daring as to take the other's hand. The film flew by in a hurry. Even if Rowan had never watched the anime itself, he still understood it. After all, it had been designed as a standalone that could be understood by even newcomers to the series. As it went on, he found himself enjoying it. Moreso because Ivory was with him, but the movie wasn't bad either.
The credits rolled shortly after a climactic close. The theme song for the anime rolled with its usual frantic upbeat tone. Reaching over, the girl finally took the other boy's paw in his own. Squeezing it a bit tighter, making Rowan's heart beat a bit faster. Neither said a word, but the soft smile on both of their faces spoke louder than anything that could be said. Grabbing what was left of the skittles, the two headed their way out.
Ivory led the boy out of the theater and to the area in front of it. Quickly sending a text to her parents, as she remembered when he had to be home. Standing right next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, they waited for the girls' parents to arrive. A short while later, her mother showed up in a different vehicle. The woman's smaller car pulled into the drop-off area just in front of the theater. This time, the girl shuffled into the back seat with Rowan.
"How was the movie, hon?" Her mother asked with a calm smile on her snout.
Ivory smiled back at her. "It was fun. Can you take Rowan home first?"
"Yeah, tell me where you live." She turned around and couldn't help but notice they were holding hands.
The small act caught her off guard. She'd always been used to Ivory toying with boys, but this was something different. The look on her daughter's face was one of contentment. It was in that moment that she knew that there was something more between them, even if the two cubs hadn't quite recognized it yet. Rowan proceeded to share with her his address from his phone, and they were soon underway once again.
The trek back to his house was a bit longer than usual. Despite it being late at night, the highway traffic was congested due to construction. The girl's mother had tried to avoid it by getting on the highway at a later entrance, but even then, she got stuck in it. Ivory leaned into the other cub, enjoying the feeling of his body warmth against her. The boy's heart jumped in his chest, but he just let it happen and said nothing about it.
A short while later, they arrived at Rowan's house. Ivory was still leaning against him, and he didn't want to leave, but he knew he had to. Hesitating for a moment, he finally nudged her and grabbed his bag from the bottom of the seat. It had apparently been moved there from the other car. Moving out of the seat, he looked back to find the girl following him. Again, taking his hand in her own. The two locked eyes in that moment, and the beagle's heart began to race in his chest.
"I had a lot of fun tonight, dweeb. Thanks for going with me." The bigger girl squeezed his hand tightly.
The brown furred boy swallowed to try to calm himself. "Me too. Thanks for inviting me."
Ivory started to lean forward, her head coming ever closer to the boys. The smaller boy's eyes grew wide as his heart thumped in his chest. Landing a delicate but all too sudden kiss on his cheek. The skin beneath his fur turned red. It was the first time he'd ever been kissed by a girl other than his mother. He was completely breathless and without words as time seemed to stand still in that moment, letting him bask in it.
"Let's do this again sometime." Ivory finally let him go, walking away from him and leaving the boy to his thoughts.
Rowan stood there utterly stunned, watching as Ivory's mother's car drove away. His thoughts running all over the place. Had he just imagined that? Did it really just happen? Briefly touching his cheek, it was still slightly wet. It was all too real…it just had to be. Skipping, the boy practically bounced into the house. Slamming through the door and forgetting all about the usual house rules as he entered the place.
"What's the ruckus about, Ro?" His father glared at him from the sofa while watching a basketball game.
The younger boy was stopped right in his tracks. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to slam the door."
"Did it go well? Your mother won't be home til later tonight, so I ordered pizza." The bigger male didn't feel like cooking.
Rowan padded over to the other side of the couch. "Yeah, it did. I had a lot of fun, and she kissed me."
"Oh, very nice. Glad it went well, champ. Did you have homework to finish tonight?" As usual, he was more worried about the boy's academics than his romantic interest.
The smaller male shook his head. "Nah, no tests tomorrow either. I think I did all right on today's math test."
"That's good. Well, go get cleaned up for bed. Pizza will be here in 20 minutes." His father went back to watching the basketball game.
Walking back over to the door, he finally remembered to take his shoes off. He didn't want his mother to yell at him when she got home later that night. Retiring back to his room, he was still on cloud nine. Grabbing his pajamas from his drawers, he placed his bag back in the usual corner where he kept it. Looking out the window briefly, he could tell it was getting later, but he didn't even feel tired.
Heading to the bathroom, he disrobed himself of his clothing. Posing a bit for the mirror on the back of the door, as if to show off. Turning on the spicket, he did a few more "manly" poses as he waited for it to heat up. Still aloof, he daydreamed a bit. Again, thinking about that kiss. Envisioning it to happen again, except on his lips. Wanting nothing more than to extend that moment just a bit longer. It wasn't until his father yelled that he snapped out of it.
"Hurry up. The pizza is here, and it's going to get cold if you take much longer." The older male's voice echoed in the small room.
Rowan finally stepped into the shower, making quick work of a shortened version of his hygiene routine. Washing himself with just shampoo and soap, while not bothering with any conditioner. No longer quiet, he was distracted but still thinking about it, his stomach growling, reminding him that he was hungry. Finally stepping out to turn off the spicket, he only briefly dried himself with a towel.
After he changed into his pajamas, he stepped back through the hall and immediately shivered. It seemed his body wasn't quite ready for the sudden shift in temperature. Walking back to the kitchen, he found his old man already eating without him. The older male gave him a casual glance but didn't pay him much attention.
"Took you long enough. Your fur is still wet," His father said with a snarky chuckle.
Rolling his eyes, the puppy boy said nothing. Sitting down, he took a few pieces of the pepperoni pizza for himself. The pie had been split into two, with his father's toppings on one side and his on the other.
"So tell me about this girl. When do we get to meet this dame?" The older male couldn't help but be curious.
The younger boy sighed. "She's pretty…she's popular…she's charming…she's great."
Rowan continued to gush about her for a minute until he started to daydream again. Cut off by his own thought, he was no longer focused on eating.
"It's obvious you're quite taken with her, but you're making a mess. Stop thinking about the girl and finish your meal." The man playfully slapped him on the back to snap him out of it.
The older male couldn't help but think his son reminded him of himself when he was the boy's age.
The boy rubbed the back of his head a bit. "Sorry. I guess I got distracted."
The two of them continued to eat, with the boy's father continuing to ask about Ivory. The beagle puppy was all too glad to provide him with all the details he wanted. Even telling him everything that happened on the date. From the holding hands to a way over the top description of the kiss. It was obvious the night was a big one for him, and his father was all too keen to let him revel in it. After all, he was glad the boy was finally having a chance at romancing the girl he'd been interested in for so long.
The boy's father asked him to clean up since it had been a few days since the last time he had done his chores. Whining, the cub pouted a bit but eventually relented. Cleaning up the mess and wiping the table top before rinsing the dishes they had used. His father kept a close eye on him, making sure he stayed on task. Rowan was tired, but he managed to finish it in good time, all the same.
It was finally time for the cub to get ready for bed. It had been a long day, and he was getting tired. Yawning and stretching, he padded down the stairs to the basement. His bed looked all too welcoming to him in his state of fatigue. Rolling onto his bed, he sprawled a bit before grabbing the phone that he'd left on his counter. A singular text from Dillon lit on the notification screen. He'd been so distracted that he forgot to tell his friend about how things went.
In one wall of text, he provided every detail in a singular strand. The snow leopard was all too surprised by the length of it. Taking him a few minutes to even go through it all. Yet, Dillon couldn't help but be excited for him and just a bit jealous. The older boy hadn't had his own steady girlfriend yet, but his younger friend had just managed it on his first try. Still, he tries to let it show in his responses.
Rowan texted with him for a bit as things started to tone down. Yawning again, the stress of the day was getting to him. Letting his friend know he would talk to him tomorrow and getting under his sheets to get ready for bed. As he lay there, he gazed out the window. The ever-vigilant gaze of the stars twinkled down upon him. The night had been great, and in his mind, it couldn't have gone any better. He could only hope things would continue as they had been.
As his mind drifted to the realm of sleep, a dream visited him that night. A vision of Ivory and himself walking through the school, holding hands together. All of the students were happy that they were finally together. Even Scott and Jackson seemed to be glad for them, no longer quite as jealous about the girl they had lost only days before. Nothing seemed like it could get between them. Ever hopeful for this, the cub remained in blissful sleep, even more eager for the next day.
