You're making a huge mistake!

It's irresponsible!

How can you live like that? It's stupid! How can you be so reckless!

I sat down on the wooden bench and sighed gently, letting the cool wind flow across my skin and calm me. The sun was burning high and the trees above swayed. The dancing leaves exposing their chlorophyll.

Confliction of the soul was a real thing. But so was the beauty of nature.

My eyes moved to the dog bombing back across the field with a pink silicone frisbee stuffed in her mouth. I grinned and watched as she came up short of the bench and dropped it on the floor. Her paws set apart in a stance, ready to go again as her tongue hung out her mouth.

Brown eyes moved between me and the frisbee as if she was trying to telepathically tell me that she needed that pink disc to be thrown again.

"You know, the more you run. The hotter you're gonna get?" I asked her.

The dogs tail shifted back and forth before going still when I stood up and retrieved the disc.

"How about this? We do this once more before we head back?" I suggest.

The dog simply sits and gives me the biggest puppy eyes.

"Two... Three max then your limits up. Got it?"

The dog rose to her feet and lowered her head ready to run.

I twist my body and curl my arm up to my chest before curling and untwisting at the same time. Flinging the disc from my hand.

I watched it soar through the air and the dog run at full speed after it. A grin set across my mouth when she caught it, just as it came to land.

"Woo!!" I clapped encouraging her to run back. She did without fuss and dropped the frisbee. I picked it up off the grass "Here, we made a deal didn't we? Have one." I spoke pulling a small treat from my pouch and holding it in the palm of my hand.

Her tongue swooped it up before she backed up and got ready to go again.

I nod my head and fling the frisbee, again, and again, and again. Before I call it quits and begin heading home.

"You know, when we get back, you can go in the pool and cool off. I'll take the flack if anyone kicks up a stink. You earned it." I spoke petting her fur.

A smile was spread across my face as I returned her home. Getting the feeling of achievement every time I walked up the cobbled driveway to a house or should I say mansion.. The place was huge and just like the first time I had seen it, I knew I had made the right choice.

A few months ago, I had abandoned my home and dropped out of college for a life in a city of sin to walk a dog and wait tables. When I say abandon, I mean thrown out..

I know what you're thinking. I must be insane right? Well, it certainly felt like I was going crazy whilst I was there. The stress and strains were becoming too much and for once I decided to stop trying to live up to my parents expectations and just be me. Lord knows I wouldn't have been able to afford college for much longer.

Pulling the key from my pocket, I unlocked the door and allowed my newfound best friend off her leash. Whilst she ran through her air conditioned home, I went in search for water, for us both and unlocked the sliding door for her to go and celebrate a good run, by cooling off in the pool.

Refilling her water, I placed it down and waited until she began lapping it up, before getting a bottle from the fridge and an apple from my bag. Humming lightly, I went into the bathroom and retrieved a towel and just made it back to the sliding door to see the dog jump in.

"Nice splash, Gray!" I called and watched as she doggy paddled back and forth before laying in the shallow end. Rolling up my jeans, I kicked off my shoes and removed my socks before sticking my feet into the pool and eating my apple.

Everything was blissfully silent in the house, until I heard the leaf blower. Seeing Gracie rise from the water, I decided it was time to go and see those gardeners.

I knew they were contracted to maintain the gardens, that they had the access code to the gate at the side and usually were quick and efficient. Except last week, I caught one of them peeking through the house and winding up Gracie. Not to mention one of the men actually having the audacity to urinate in one of the hedges surrounding the property line.

That wasn't going to fly with me.

Seeing a bunch of guys in hi via jackets, I marched over. "Hey you lot!"

"Can I help you?"

"Is it just your four?"

"Five. He's just gone to get something."

"Whose the supervisor?" I ask looking at the four of men.

"He don't come out, you gotta problem? You need your bush lookin' at?" One asked as the others sniggered.

I caught the innuendo and raised my brow "There's gonna be no pathetic weeds in my garden.." I answered as the others snorted their laughs. "Look I know you guys have a job to do but I have a few issues." I added.

"Now that doesn't surprise me. You look cuckoo." Another commented.

"Excuse me?"

"Listen lady, we are doing our job, so why don't you go back to watching the real housewives of Orange County and let us do our jobs."

"I have some issues, I want to address them."

"Nobody gives a shit." He shrugged.

"Fine. I'll get straight to the point!Firstly, keep your dicks in your pants unless you want me to cut them off with the sheers you use. No more pissing in bushes on the property. Second, anymore peeping tom acts will be reported to the police. You're tending the garden not looking in the house or cleaning the windows. Thirdly and most importantly, you do no wind up fucking the dog. Banging on the window and trying to intimidate her is not going to fly with me. If you four want to keep your jobs I suggest you all buck up your ideas or go home tonight and start your résumés. Clear?"

All four men looked pissed off, but not as mad as I was. When none of them replied, I gave them a nod and headed back around to find Gracie when I heard one of them call me a bitch.

I headed back indoors when I came face to face with a guy. He is tall, taller than me by at least a foot and he's staring at me with shock and confusion. Anger fills my body at the nerve of those gardeners.

"Who the fuck are you?" He asks.

"What the hell are you doing in here? Get out!" I order guessing this was gardener number 5.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, out! Before I phone the police!" I snap grabbing his arm when he pulled back. I glared at the man as he squared up to me, trying to intimidate me. "That's it! I'm ringing the police! I gave you a chance but you just want to take the piss! What was this a bet? See which of you could get inside? Well let's see if it's still funny whilst you sit in county."

I'm punching in digits when my phone is taken from me. "First off, you suck at defending yourself. I have your phone now and you have nothing. Second, I have no idea who you are and right now you're trespassing. Third and final this is my house."

"Bullshit. The owner is away on business. Give me my phone back, now."

"No. What is your name?"

"Kitty."

"Kitty?" He asked in amusement.

"Yeah, Hello Kitty. Phone. Now!"

"What's the owners name, of the house? Do you know it?"

I remained tightlipped and folded my arms.

"No? You don't know? Well this is going to be fun. I'm Zak Bagans."

A Zak does own the house but of course the gardener will know who owns the house if they have been hired by him,

"Is that suppose to mean something to me? Impress me because you're named after Bilbo Baggins from the shire?" I ask.

His lips twitch into a smile "I think I could get on with you. Name?"

"Celine."

"Celine, Celine what?"

"Deon. Celine Deon."

The man growls with frustration rubs his temple "Seriously, I'm tired.
What's your name?"

"This isn't Goldilocks! This isn't where you can sleep. Now just get out!"

"I own the house!" He shouts back at me. "This is my house! Why are you in here?!"

"Liar!"

He goes to grab my arm, but I panic and snatch the bottle of water from the side and squirt it in his face before running into the garden. "Gracie! Gracie! Gracie run!" I yell rushing to the side the house.

"Hey!" He bellows as I pull open the gate ready to bolt when I see the gardeners.

All five of them!!

My face pales as the man comes around the corner, his t-shirt soaked to his skin and Gracie bouncing at his side.

"It's okay Gracie. Go get Mr Chicken."

My eyes widen "How did you know about Mr Chicken?!"

"Because she's my fucking dog! How the hell did you get in my house?!"

"I-I have a key. Heh." I laugh nervously.

"And how did you get that key?"

"I was given it.. By a lady."

His face was filled with rage at my answers and I knew I was seconds away from an ear bashing.

"Afternoon Zak! " The gardener called over lifting his hand.

"Afternoon Mike." The man in front of me responded.

Holy... Shit.

"I'm gonna ask you once more. Who are you?"

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I thrust my hand out. "Hi, I'm Jessie. Your dog walker."

His eyes narrow in suspicion and he's about to call me a liar when Gracie comes over and sits at my feet with Mr chicken in her mouth.

"I- you gotta be shitting me." He mutters walking away from us both.

Seeing his retreating figure, I follow after him "So does this mean I can stay?"

"No!"

I pout back before looking down to Gracie "Lucky I don't take no for an answer then. Huh?"

She wags her tail.

"Looks like I need to change someone's mind. Let project Paws commence."