u?" Amber says watching me scoop my carrots into the trash and taking my seat beside her on the lunch table. Amber is my one and only friend. We have been best friends since kindergarten. We are even neighbors so her parents drive me to school everyday because my mom doesn't like leaving the house much. She says it because she doesn't like crowds but i think it's because she doesn't like the looks she gets when people see her eye. People used to call her Cyclops at her old job. I don't know why she cares so much what others think. Her eye doesn't bother me or dad. "Nope those things are a disgrace." I make a disgusted face. "Have you asked your parents about going on the road trip with me this weekend with my parents?" Amber says with hope in her eyes. "No not yet. My parents are so protective of me i don't think they will let me go. And besides we don't really have the money for that right now." "You could ask your grandma for money? Or maybe your Aunt? My aunt always lends me cash." "Don't have one. I don't have any family members that are alive anymore." "Gosh that must be rough." Ambers mom drops me off at home after school. As I'm walking to the door i see something wrestling in the bushes. I pull back the Azalea shrubs that my mom planted in our front yard and i see a dog. The dog i big and brown, with a blue collar around its neck. A gold pendant is handing from the collar. "Here puppy." I say in a puppy/baby voice. The dog licks me hand. I walk the dog inside the house. "He sweetheart how was school?" Mom calls from the kitchen. "Good mom." I holler back. I push the dog up stair and into my room before my dad come out of his office and see the dog. I close my bedroom door and go downstairs to try a secretly get some water for my new dog. Moms not in the kitchen so i grab a bowl and fill it with water. "Why are you filling a bowl with water?" My dad parts my head and laughs. "Um...windows....need cleaning in my room." I blurt out. "Uh huh and since when has my 12 year old daughter wanted to clean something without being asked." "Dad! I clean." "Yeah and I'm a billionaire." Dad says shoving one of moms cookies into his mouth quickly. "NATE! Don't eat those cookies their for Mrs. Louis." Mom yells from the bathroom. Mrs Louis is an old woman in hospice who my mom cares for. "....uh huh okay." Dad says with a mouthful of cookies. I carry my bowl of water up the stairs careful not to spill it. I open the door and My room is un recognizable. Paper is ripped and scattered everywhere. My lamp is knocked over. "Oh cmon!" "Reina, you might need a rag to wipe the— WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED IN HERE?" Dad walks up behind me. The dog jumps from my bed and licks dads hand. "What the—." He starts "Dad i know those is not a good first impression and I'm sorry i snuck him in here but if you give him a chance i promise I'll take—." I beg. "Yes" he says letting the dog. "Care of him. I'll even take him for— Wait what did you say?" "Yes you can keep him." Dad says looking At the dogs collar "But with one exception.." Dad says "Anything." "You have to name him "Blue." "Deal." I like that name for him. "Can we take him for a walk around the neighborhood?" "Sure let me go change and tell your mom." Dad says teary eyed. "Blue. That's your name buddy." I say petting him. Blue spins around in circles an wags his tail. "You like that name don't you?"
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