Fallout Dreams

mia 04

do not fall in love... do not fall in love... do not fall in love...

nolan's mantra was becoming more impossible with every second he spent in the presence of mia lane. today was particularly difficult as mia was making good on her promise to plan the perfect date... and she nailed it.

she snatched his hand, squeezed, and led him joyfully through the labyrinth of caged dogs at the north-west arkansas dog shelter.

nolan repeated the line one more time: do not fall in love.

"we can play with any of them," mia exclaimed over the racket of yelping pups, "so find a good one!"

"how about all of them?"

"the shelter closes at five, so you've got four hours!"

"you should tell your sister to come!"

mia dropped his hand, turned away, and knelt to a golden retriever with three legs and a lopsided smile.

"or don't..."

a few of the dogs had playful barks, tiny yips of pure excitement. "maybe today's the day!" he imagined them saying. some of the barks were desperate, halfway between a whimper and a howl. but most sounded cruel, culminating in an endless barrage of aggressive hacks through bared and snapping teeth.

nolan stooped to one of the calmer pit bulls with a face that looked like it was stuffed with chicken bones instead of a skull. "hey there, beautiful," he said, but the dog cowered in the corner. "i wish you weren't caged up like this."

"shit," mia said. "this is making you sad. i KNEW it was a dumb idea—"

"no! it's perfect. it makes me want to volunteer."

"really? i'd look pretty great on a resumé."

"this summer. definitely."

mia took his hand again. "maybe i could help?"

her voice trailed away to leave space for nolan's affirmation, but all he could think was, does that mean she still wants to be with me in the summer? finally tamping his excitement, he said, "i'd love nothing more."

rottweilers, boxers, a dozen pits, and an ornery beagle; mia pet them all before skipping through a swinging door and motioning for nolan to follow.

the new room provided a quieter home for smaller breeds. a jack russell caught his attention with wide eyes and mottled fur.

mia's phone buzzed and she scrambled to read the text.

"is it him?" he asked.

her shoulders slumped. "it's gari. she hasn't invited me anywhere since the funeral disaster, but somehow she still wants to—" she read the text aloud, "—hang out right freaking now."

"you're a good friend. she sees that."

"she pities me." mia shoved her phone away then stuck her hand in the jack russell's crate and let it lick her finger.

"you're thinking about jeff," nolan said.

"i'm not."

"it's not weird to take a semester off. hell, dean did the same thing."

"i'm not worried. just weirded out."

"jeff skipping town isn't the same as gary getting—" he couldn't say it.

"i know."

"what does ava think about it?"

"god." mia pulled her fingers from the cage. "i swear you're obsessed with my sister."

"i'm just concerned she'll make the same assumptions you're making—"

"what assumptions? that she dated two guys who both went missing? i can't imagine what people are thinking; mia's creepy twin! that psycho girl who eats men with the teeth in her vagina!"

"nobody's thinking that. i just feel bad that she's trapped at home."

"that's what she wants."

"maybe she needs a friend."

"or a boyfriend..." the phrase lingered for a moment between mia's lips.

nolan loved it when he could see her processing important thoughts. "you okay?"

she didn't respond.

"mi?"

she lifted her head, inhaled, turned to nolan, and grabbed him by the waist. "i. am. spectacular." in a move both delicate and sensual, she stepped on his toes to match his height. "i want to spend the day with a gorgeous man," she said. "a man who listens, a man who makes me feel good about myself, a man who doesn't ask non-stop questions about my sister." she tilted her head and let her dark hair brush his arm.

do not fall in love... DO NOT FALL IN LOVE...

she pecked his cheek and stepped down. "did you pick a pup to play with?"

nolan's neck muscles were the only muscles that still worked. he nodded yes, then nodded again to the terrier.