"Aahhhhh.. How I wish my dog would just eat my homework!" I groaned, looking at Rainie, my husky, hopefully, who sneezed and padded to Elaine.
Traitor. I thought.
"Who asked you to finish them off last minute," was Elaine's reply, who gave Rainie a few pats on the head before getting back to her book.
Among the heap of thousands and millions of paperwork, I stuck my tongue out at her.
"I saw that." She said.
"Get back to ur reading you bookworm." I shot.
"And get back to your homework you lazyass." She shot back.

I ignored her and went back to writing my 300-words essay on 'Why we must not be late for school.'. After finishing half the ton of my holiday homework, and having Elaine finish three books, and Rainie have had her beauty sleep, I let out a long sigh, exhausted. "I'll just bloody throw my homework away and tell 'em Rainie ate them." I said, flopping onto my soft velvet bed. Which I would have fallen alseep on if Rainie hadn't bark her lungs out when the bell rang. "HOLY SHI--" I screamed as I pratically jumped a foot high from my bed. Heart still pounding from shock, I walked to the door. "Coming!" I called on the way down the stairs.

Swinging open the front door panting, I stared at my visitor.

And gaped.

"Ma- Ma- Marcus! Hi!" I stammered, grinning a little too broadly. Well, I wasn't expecting him here. "What, ah, brings you here?"

"Hey Serene.." He trailed off, looking away.

"What?" I said defensively.

Still not looking at me, he waved a hand at me. Puzzled, I looked down at myself, and my eyes went wide.

"OH MY GOD! Er, make yourself comfortable! I'll be right back!" I threw over my back as I pratically flew up the stairs. Slamming the door shut behind me, I ran to my full-length mirror and stared at myself. And I felt my face burn. "Bed hair, oversized hoodie, totally plain face, not forgetting panda eyes, who wouldn't be surprised?" Elaine said sarcasticly. "Why didn't you tell me?!" I hissed at her. "You ran like lightning, my brain was too slow to register my reactions." She shrugged. I glared at her as I pulled on a checkered skirt. Then I checked my reflection on the mirror. "Ooohh you witch, I don't have any panda eyes!" I sneered. Opps, she mouthed. Putting on a little lip-balm, I rolled my eyes at her and raced back down.

Marcus had made himself comfortable on one end of the couch, browsing through the channels on my television. "You reeeaally made yourself comfortable, eh?" I eyed him, hands on hip. He threw his head back, glanced at me, whistled, then patted the space beside him. I ignored that gesture, "Want a drink?" I asked. "Gotta beer?" He smiled ,oh-so-fake, sweetly. I glared at him, "You should really cut down on those." "And if I don't?" He challenged. "I'll.. Well.. You'll see!" I stormed into the kitchen, fetching two cups from the cupboard.

"Thanks sweetie," He said as I slammed a cup on the table. I rolled my eyes and sat a good two meters away from him. "Awwwww come on," he smirked. Not taking my eyes away from the television, I asked, "So waddaya want?" "Oh yeah," He said, and I could tell that he was trying hard to make it seem casual. "I just wanted to stop by..." Trying to act nonchalant, I started, "So what is it? I have a friend waiting for me--" "Nah it's okay, I'm gone." Elaine cut me off as she walked down the stairs. "Already?! Bu- But-" My eyes flickered from Marcus to Elaine. Then back to Marcus, "Can she join us?" I asked, eyes sparkling with a glimmer of hope. "But-" He started to protest. "It can wait," I hurried. "Besides, it's great to make new friends! Pleeaaase?" You're freaking lame, Serene, my mind scolded. I stared at him with big hopeful eyes, his weakness. Muahahaha.

Marcus blushed slightly and thought about it, Elaine was reaching the door, I started panicking. "Sure," He said as Elaine touched the door handle. "Why not?" He smiled, patting the seat beside him. Elaine smiled back, but sat on the other end of the sofa, wary.

They talked for a good half hour, and I seldom joined in. That was when I was starting to feel like a damned light bulb. "Enjoy yourselves." I pratically sneered at the last word, before storming up the stairs and slamming my room door shut.

My knees buckled under me and I sank to the floor, breathing hard. Raine padded up to me, placing a paw on my cheek before snuggling up to me. "What's wrong with me?" I asked Raine. "I was the one who introduced them to each other. So why did I feel this way? But hearing them talk so casually, every word bringing them closer, watching their every moves. I just couldn't stand it." Realization struck me hard on the head as I guess the possibilities. "It couldn't be right? That I'm actually.. jealous?" I asked my dog, who stared up at me with her big blue concerned eyes.

Oh hell, fancy talking to a dog. But sometimes they're all you've got.