Dog and the Fountain!

The stranger was still looking at us. I caught him staring at Caleb a few times too. Everything about him yelled danger. Whenever our eyes met I had this unsettling feeling in my gut.

“Are you okay?”, Ethan asked giving me another glass of this amazing juice I had been hooked onto.

“Who is that?”, I asked pointing at the guy with my eyes.

“The guy in the black suit and weird grey tie?”, he asked, and I noticed his tie was indeed very weird. I nodded.

“Why did he do something?”, he asked.

“No, he was talking to Caleb earlier and I just don’t feel comfortable around him. Maybe I am being paranoid, but he seems scary.”, I told him honestly.

“I don’t think you are being paranoid. He is scary. We all feel that way.”, he answered.

“But who is he? I have never seen him in town.”, I asked again.

“Remember Caleb stayed at a boarding school for a few years?”, he asked, and I nodded.

“He is that school’s principal.”, Ethan kept his answer short. I nodded as my eyes met again with the scary stranger.

“Let’s go to the other side.”, Ethan said noticing that I was getting uncomfortable.

We walked to the other side of the lawn and there was a small fountain. I had never seen this fountain here. I stepped a little closer and saw the intricate design around the white stone. It was different from all other fountains I had ever seen. In the middle, there was a beautiful statue of a woman in white and on her right, there was a dog bowing down. The water was flowing beautifully out of her hair.

“It would have looked pretty without this dog.”, I commented.

“Well, if you use your eyes right you will know it is not a dog!”, a snarky voice made me turn around. Scarlett! Who else could it be?

I looked at her disgusted. Usually, I am disgusted by her face but today the clothes were disgusting as well. Oh, wait! There were no clothes.

“Why are you not wearing clothes?”, Ethan voiced my thoughts.

“Oh please! Don’t act as if you know about fashion.”, she scoffed.

“I do know that one basic requirement for fashion is clothes.”, he replied making me snicker. That was one good comment.

“Did you just laugh?”, the snappy queen asked and took a step towards me. I gulped nervously and took a step back.

“What do you think you are doing?”, Ethan asked stepping between us.

“What I do with her is none of your business!”, she screamed at her brother. Her shrill voice made me flinch.

“I won’t and stop your drama right now!”, he screamed back.

“Okay I will go but at least let me tell her that it is not a dog in that fountain.”, she said. Don’t fall for it. Don’t fall for it Ethan, I thought. But right then he stepped aside nodding. Damn it! Are all guys this stupid? I took another step back as she walked closer to me with a smirk.

“Look Hayley that is not a dog. It is a wolf!”, she said pointing towards the bowing animal and I nodded. My eyes were carefully watching her every action.

“What can’t you see? Wait I will help.”, she said out of nowhere and pushed me into the water. Well, bless my reflexes I held onto her net dress with one hand, and I held her shoulder with another. For a moment I thought I dodged the fall. But darn my clumsiness, I not only tore her dress but also took her with me into the water.

“You bitch!”, she yelled as her face popped out of the water. I pulled myself up and took a deep breath.

“Oh my god! Caleb will kill me.”, another voice joined our misery. Ethan ran towards the fountain and started to panic. Way to go big boy!

“What is happening here?”, Caleb’s voice took us all by surprise.

“Nothing, they were just playing in the water.”, a very nervous Ethan said. Guys are stupid!

“She pushed me into the water.”, the baby on my left cried out.

“You pushed her?”, Caleb asked me.

“Uhm- I pulled her.”, I corrected him. He laughed.

“You and your clumsy little feet.”, he said and stepped into the water.

“What are you doing?”, I asked surprised.

“Helping you before you pull everyone in there.”, he said with a smile and helped me up. Slowly he stepped out of the water and then holding my hand pulled me along with him.

“Get me a towel.”, he yelled and two people ran inside. I was shivering.

“Help me Caleb.”, Scarlett cried, and Caleb looked at her. Then he looked at Ethan and nodded. Ethan ran to help Scarlett and pulled her out. The moment she stepped out there to many oohs and shocked voices. She was too busy smiling at Caleb that she didn’t notice now she was with no clothes! Ethan removed his jacket and wrapped it around her.

“What are you doing?”, she said pushing the jacket away. Ethan pointed towards her clothes, and she looked down. Her dress was torn at different places.

“You!”, she screamed and took a few strides towards me. I don’t know why but I ran and hid behind Caleb. He was also shocked for a moment but then he stood straight and faced Scarlett.

“What do you think you are doing?”, he asked in a low tone making everyone gulp. Is this supposed to be scary?

“She tore my dress!”, she cried again. What a baby!

“You should go and change then.”, he said and then asked Ethan to take her away. The whole way back into the house she was eyeing me with anger.

“Why did you tear her dress?”, Caleb asked once she was gone.

“Let’s just say, she pushed me, and I pulled her dress and her along with me. The net was so thin it tore apart.”, I answered looking down a little embarrassed. Before he could reply I sneezed.

“Where is the goddamn towel?”, he yelled. No one said anything.

“These people are useless.”, he said and taking my hand pulled me along with me. I realised this was the third time he pulled me like this. And I was okay with it. I need to tell my friends this. Right then it hit me, where are my friends?