The World of a Husky - pt. 2
The World of a Husky
Part - 2
From high to low
Leo was kicking his soccer ball around towards the end of soccer practice on Wednesday. He chipped the ball up into the air and it landed on the top of his head. He stood there balancing the ball for about a minute before he let it fall.
"OK, everyone. Practice is over." The coach called out. Leo chipped his ball back up into the air and caught it. He slid his ball under his arm and walked over to the teams bags. He opened his black Adidas and dropped his ball in. He picked up his bag and slung it over his right shoulder. He started to walk off the field when a Golden Retriever named Jared ran over to him.
"Hey, Leo. You doing anything later tonight?"
Leo looked over at the football field and saw the football players finishing their practice. "Yeah, family crap." The truth was Leo just wanted to hang out with Skyler. "Sorry, dude."
"It's cool." Jared patted Leo on the shoulder and walked to his car. "See ya, Leo."
"See ya, Jared." Leo walked over to the football field as the football team finished practice. Leo rested his arms on the fence around the field. After a few minutes, Neo, Jamie, and Skyler came running off the field.
"You're out earlier than usual." Neo said as they walked to their cars.
"Yeah, coach let us out early." He looked at Skyler who was walking to his right. "I'm still a little surprised you got on the team this late."
"I have my way with words. I just talked to the coach and 'poof'." Skyler smiled showing his white teeth. They had reached their cars and Leo tossed his Adidas bag into the back seat of his blue 2002 Ford Mustang convertible. Leo and Neo got their license the day before and their father helped them both buy their own cars. "God I just love your car Leo."
"I do too. It's the exact car I wanted."
Jamie put his bag into Leo's car and jumped into the back seat. "Let's go to the mall."
"That's cool with me." Leo said as he jumped over the door and into the drivers seat. Neo got into the back seat and Skyler got into the passenger seat. The car took off out of the school parking lot.
After about fifteen minutes they pulled into the mall parking lot and everyone got out. They walked into Aeropostale and they started to look around at the jeans and shirts. Leo found a necklace with the Chinese character for mate. Neo walked over to him and saw the necklace.
"You going to buy that?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Do you know what it means?"
"Yes, I know what it means. That's why I might by it."
"You don't even have a girlfriend to give it to."
"I know, but I like it."
"Well, you did find it first."
"The more I look at it the more I like it." They continued to look around and bought some stuff. Leo put the necklace on and walked out with his bags. They went to a few more stores and left the mall. Leo pulled into his driveway and everyone got out of the car.
"You wanna come inside?" Leo asked Skyler.
"I want to, but I can't. I got a ton of home work to do."
"That's cool. I'll see you tomorrow." Leo replied before Skyler walked away.
The three brother's walked into their house and their nine year old little brother Nate came running at them. Nate crashed into Jamie's hip and then looked up at him.
"Hey, big bro. Where have you been?"
"We went to the mall."
"I'm heading off to my room." Leo said as Nate continued to talk to Jamie. He flopped down on his bed. He laid on his back with both paws under his head, he looked up at the ceiling, thinking about everything. He thought about Skyler, every time he sees him he likes the Lion more and more. Leo started to feel a pit in his stomach, then he started to feel like crap. The thought of having a crush on someone who wont like you back just upset him to no end. His eyes lowered, his smile turned into a frown, he let out a long sigh.
Almost instantly Neo stepped into the room. "What's wrong."
"Nothing." Leo said sighing and then sitting up.
"You aren't that good of a liar. I know somethings wrong." Neo stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. "You've been acting this way for three days now. Ever since school started you've been upset. Just tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing, OK." He grabbed his black, white tipped tail and looked down at the bed. "Even if there was... you wouldn't understand."
"I'm your brother, Leo."
"I just can't, OK. Not now."
"OK." Neo opened the door and looked back at Leo. "When you decide to tell me, my door is always open."
"Thanks." Leo laid back down and set the pillow on top of his face. He removed it and looked at his necklace he bought. For some strange reason it reminded him of Skyler. He turned around and put his face into his pillows and fell asleep.
Within the next week something came over Leo, something he hadn't felt in years. The same feeling that made him want to end it all. He just couldn't hide it anymore, he was depressed. He knew the feeling from when he was little and always bullied, he hated this feeling and the thought of never getting out of it... He just didn't want to be there again, but he was. He didn't talk to anyone at school, not Skyler, not his brothers, no one. He just felt like crying, he felt empty like there was nothing in this world for him.
When he got home on Thursday he laid on his bed and cried. Crying for the life he wanted to have, but knew that if others knew... it wouldn't go over well. He sat on the edge of his bed crying, rocking back and forth, not knowing what to do. He looked over at the necklace he bought a week before.
Neo walked into Leo's room and saw him crying. "What's wrong, Leo?"
"Don't worry about it, it's not your problem."
"You're my brother, my twin brother, when you hurt, it hurts me."
"Just go away, Neo."
Neo walked over to Leo and held his shoulders. "Stop trying to push me away. You did this once before. Who's bulling you now."
"No one. I wasn't bullied."
"Then what the fuck is wrong."
"I like someone." Leo's voice was shaking along with his body.
"Then ask her out."
"It's not that simple. I don't like... I mean, I don't know if they like me."
Neo knelt down and looked into Leo's lowering head. "We only get one shot at life. Make it count. You can't just sit there and let life pass you by. Don't worry about what others think, you'll never know unless you try."
"OK." Leo whipped his nose and stood up and hugged his brother. "Thank you, Neo." He let go and walked out of the house. He ran next door to Skyler's house. He walked up to Skyler's door and raised his paw to knock on the door, but... he couldn't. He lowered his paw and started to walk away.
Inside the house Skyler walked past the stairs on the second floor. He looked down and out the window he saw Leo walking away. Skyler then ran down the stairs and opened the door. He looked outside and saw Leo running down the street. Skyler looked around and didn't see anything, so he did what his heart told him to, chase after him.
Leo ran down the street, crying. He just couldn't do it. He didn't want to loose Skyler as a friend, but yet, he felt like he had to tell him the truth. For some reason his body told him to run, so he ran. He ran into the woods on the edge of their subdivision. He jumped over fallen trees and rocks until he reached the stream. He fell to his knees in the mud and then fell over on his paws. He looked down at the ground panting, tears dripped from his eyes.
There was the sound of a twig breaking behind him. He looked back to see Skyler walking towards him.
"Leo, what's wrong?"
Leo leaned back and sat on his legs. Skyler walked over to him and knelt down. Leo looked over at him, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry, Skyler, but... you wouldn't understand."
"Listen Leo. I'm your friend. You can tell me anything."
"Not this."
Skyler stood up, looking hurt. "Fine. I'll just leave you alone then." Skyler started to walk away.
"Skyler wait!" The Husky yelled to the Lion. Skyler walked back over to Leo. "I like someone, but I don't know if they like me."
"Just ask them."
"That's the hard part. It's... It's a guy I like."
Skyler's eyes widened. "You like guys? You're a homosexual?"
Leo began to cry even harder and his body shook violently. "I didn't want to tell you, because... because I like you."
Skyler hugged Leo and whispered into his ear, "Don't worry, Leo... I like you too."
Leo pushed Skyler away to look at his face. His watery eyes twinkled in the sunlight. "What did you just say?"
"I... I said I like you too, Leo."
Leo's tail wagged in excitement, his heart fluttered and he smiled. "I'm so glad you said that. Do you wanna... go see a movie tomorrow?"
Skyler smiled and then grabbed the Husky's paw. "I would love that." Skyler stood up and reached out his paw to help up Leo. "Come on, let's head out of here."
Leo stood up and they started to walk out of the ditch the stream laid in. Leo's paws were shaking, but he reached down and grabbed Skyler's paw as they walked towards the edge of the woods.