The next morning he was waiting out front again, pacing back and forth. He couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d done–it had to be some kind of trick. She was just a dumb girl like any other, he kept telling himself, and not worth getting so worked up about.
He froze when he saw her willowy figure coming towards him, walking tall and holding herself lightly. When she wasn’t on guard she almost seemed to float, moving through space with natural ease and grace. His cocky attitude vaporized, replaced by nerves.
Rufus caught wind of her approach, and sat up with a whimper.
“Good morning,” she nodded.
Up close, her pretty face looked pale, her shoulders weighted down by her heavy book bag. “Did you find a place to take him?”
“My Grandma said she could keep him for a while.”
“Oh!” She looked surprised. “You have a Grandma?”
He laughed, “Doesn’t everybody?”
He regretted saying it the instant it registered on her face. She stooped down to greet Rufus, embarrassed.
He cleared his throat. “Will you help me take him there? On the bike?”
“When?”
“How about right now? They probably already figured out he’s missing, and I bet they come looking here first.”
She looked worried, scanning up and down the street. Her eyes looked amazing in the bright morning light, and he tried not to stare. “What about school?” she asked.
“I thought we could skip it for today.”
“Can I leave my bag here?” she asked, without missing a beat.