Chapter 11: A surprise
A month had passed since that strange night at the party, and things had settled down.
Today, though, Aria and I were at the vet’s office. Not exactly the Saturday we had in mind. My dad had called in a favor and asked me to help bathe a dog, and Aria, ever the good sport, tagged along to lend a hand.
The smell of wet fur and shampoo clung to every inch of the clinic, wrapping around me like a reminder of all my life choices. I knelt beside Spencer—the oversized golden retriever who was currently having the time of his life soaking me with splashes as he flopped happily in the tub. My faded black hoodie was drenched. My hair, which I’d attempted to put into a bun that morning, had long since given up the fight and now unruly rebelliously around my face.
"spencer, come on," I groaned, pushing up my sleeves. "This is a bath, not a pool party."
Aria snorted from across the tub, where she was trying—and failing—to rinse the dog without getting splashed. "He’s clearly the alpha in this situation."
"He’s clearly possessed," I muttered as another wave of water hit my face. "And winning."
Spencer barked and gave a dramatic shake, flinging water in every direction. I yelped and ducked behind a towel.
"Spencer, please. We’re trying to make you look presentable," I muttered, dodging another splash and pushing up my sleeves. "Your mom paid good money for this bath, you know."
"He’s a dog, Izzy. He thinks we’re playing," Aria said.
I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh. "If he thinks this is play, I’d hate to see what he does for fun."
"You good over there?" my dad called out from across the room. He was bent over a wiggling kitten with a bandaged paw, his voice calm despite the chaos.