Hannah stretched out in a lawn chair, magazine in one hand. Bear’s wet nose nudged her other hand, getting it into the right position so he could drop the drool coated tennis ball. He yipped.
“Ready Bear?” Hannah looked over from the magazine, wiggling the ball. He spun around on his little short legs. “Fetch!” The tennis ball sailed in the air, the sunlight making the flying spit sparkle. She giggled as Bear chased after it. Seeing his tiny little legs move quickly over the grass was certainly a sight to behold.
As he snuffled around with the ball, she went back to her magazine. Her eyes glazed over the articles, snorting at the titles and the advice. They may have been more realistic than some of the old ones her mother saved in a scrapbook, but it still sounded absolutely ridiculous, really. How to plan the perfect date, or how to approach your crush without looking like a fool. How to not feel like one was a completely different article in next month’s magazine.
Bear’s high pitched bark tore Hannah’s gaze away from her reading. While not so dramatic as other dogs, the fur on the back fo Bear’s neck was standing on end.
"Quit it Bear.” The dog kept barking, gaining volume. Then he growled. Hannah tossed her magazine on the concrete patio. With a sigh she pushed herself off the chair and walked barefoot through the grass. “What are you barking at?”
Bear only growled in response, his nose brushing the tips of the grass. At first Hannah didn’t see anything. Even as Bear barked, the only movement of the grass was from his breath. Then, Bear dipped his nose into the grass and nudged something.
Turned out, Bear was bothering a toad, which hopped away from the wet nose. It hunkered down in a new spot in the grass. Once it closed its shiny, beady, black eyes it blended in once more.
Before Bear could antagonize the animal again, Hannah scooped up her dog.
“Time to go in.” She picked up the magazine as she passed. A couple pages fluttered and she rolled her eyes at the last article. Breakup Blues.
Why did the editors of teen magazines seem to think after every breakup girls were crying into pints of ice cream? Hannah hadn’t done that before. And she resolved not too. John wasn’t worth the regret of eating a whole tub of ice cream.
“Does the big brave dog want a treat?” Bear licked her face. “Of course you do.” Hannah giggled. “You deserve one for protecting the yard from toads.” She cuddled him as they went back inside.
Word count: 444
