Chase's POV:

The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies. Marshall and I aren't best friends anymore. 

Not even advocates ever since a few days ago. And there's no way that I'm going to talk to Marshall. It's severe of what occurred to us; The promise we made. That has set up everything. We built it through time. It's broken and long gone. It hasn't been gone for long...It's just that...I feel it has.

I don't want anybody to know about this situation. Ryder will be more than just surprised when he figures this out. Because he'll eventually figure this out. I just feel it at the bottom of my heart. He does know us that well. Hopefully, nobody noticed it just yet.

He's good at noticing things. He'll find out soon...

How will I ever get my mind off of this? I know what to do. I'll just think about Skye. She's very cute and attractive. It's like there's a magnet attached to her attracting me to her. But I always knew that Skye would never love me. I've said that phrase over and over again. She probably loves Marshall because he's hilarious. I have to admit it.

Great! I said his name again. He's spinning 'round and 'round and 'round in my head like a tornado that just won't calm down and leave. A perpetual, unchanging tornado. What a situation I'm tangled in. The sticky web of betrayal. Even if I locked myself into the presence of my pup house.

There's a slight, small, and muffled knock at the door. 

"Hello? Chase? I need to talk to you." I hear a well-known, feminine voice. It was Skye, of course. No doubt about that. 

I open the door to my pup house to see her. Her fluffy, light brown fur and her magenta eyes twinkled through the light...Even with no light. And best of all, her bright smile. 

"Hi, Skye. What did you need from me?" I step out.

"I don't need anything from you, Chase. I wanted to ask you something. You've been in your pup house for the last few days, not being active with the others and me. Is there something wrong?" she asked in a concerned, yet joyful behavior.

"I'll tell you, Skye. But promise me that you won't tell anybody else." I look away with a slight blush on my face. 

"Okay, Chase. Do you want to take a walk and talk about it, perhaps? Just so nobody hears us." she steps back. 

"Sure, Skye. Let's go! We can walk to the bridge and back!" I suggest.

"Great idea, Chase. Let's go." she leads the way. We walked side by side.

Transitioning from late morning to early afternoon, everyone was doing whatever they wanted since there wasn't a mission to keep us busy. 

"How was your day so far?" she curiously inquired. 

"It's doing...Not so good. Because, well...It's Marshall and me. We haven't been getting along...And we aren't best friends anymore." I put my head down as I stared at my paws.

"Really? You two aren't even friends? I never thought you two would unfriend each other. It isn't much of your character. How did this happen?" Skye stopped dead in her tracks to look at me.

"Well, it's because the walls in our friendship through all of this time started to fall down. Eventually, to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I'm sure Marshall felt this too." I explained.

"Okay, but are you still going to talk to Marshall from now on? You at least have to talk to him during missions." Skye asserted.

"Not at all, Skye! No way I'm talking to him!" 

"Hmm...Quite a situation. How come you don't want to talk to him anymore?" Skye asked. 

"It's because...I don't want to talk to Marshall. And I will most certainly NOT work together with him." I shook my head with no conscience. 

"If you insist. Let's turn back to the Lookout. Everybody's pretty much there, so why don't we spend some time with them?" Skye recommended. 

"Okay. We can play a game! I'll race you there!" I challenge her. 

"Oh, you're on, Chase!" she hustled back. First, it was her taking the lead. 

"I'll win, Skye! You'll see!" I pace in front of her, "I'm even in the lead!" Before I could even think I was in the lead, she charged in front of me. 

"Not for long, Chase!" she raced back upfront. Finally, we were both running next to each other. Neither of us could take the lead anymore. We arrived at the Lookout at the exact same time.

"Looks like it was quite a tie. I'll beat you next time. The other pups are over there! Let's go up to them." Skye panted heavily as she walked to the soft, green grass with not a single weed. I wanted to play a game too...But not with...Marshall.

"Hi, Chase! Hey, Skye! We were just thinking of a game to play. Do you have any suggestions, dudes?" Zuma noticed us approaching them. 

"Yeah, do you?" Marshall eyed me with 'the death stare'. He normally would never look at anybody with that look, but I was now the enemy to him.

That's when I went from mad at Marshall to furious. 

"Hey, Rocky! Tell Marshall that he's a very clumsy Dalmatian pup and he betrayed me." I whispered to Rocky.

"Okay, but why? He's right there." Rocky questioned out loud. All the attention was to me. Now, what would I say?

"I know...It's because...I have a g-game idea! We can play the game of telephone! You know, where one person picks a phrase to say, and then it gets passed down the line. The last person that receives the message says it out loud." I stutter as a bright idea came to my head.

"Oh! I know that game!" Rubble touched his top head in memory.

"Me too! Let's play!" Skye brightened as she stood onto the smooth-feeling lawn. 

"I'll guess I'll go first since I proposed the idea," I say out loud. Marshall was at the end, so he'd definitely receive this message. It's such a good idea to say this game.

"Marshall is a very clumsy Dalmatian pup and he betrayed me," I whispered to Rocky once again.

 The message went down to all of the pups. For some reason, they were giggling when they heard the message. I don't see what's so funny about 'Marshall is a very clumsy Dalmation pup and he betrayed me'. 

In the end, everyone was laughing hysterically except for Marshall and me. "So what did you hear, Marshall?" Skye breathed heavily from all the giggling. 

"I heard 'Partial is a very bubbly cup and he scared a bee'," Marshall made the most confused frown ever.

That made the pups laugh even harder. That wasn't accurately how I planned for it to be. And that isn't what I said at all. 'Partial is a very bubbly cup and he scared a bee'. That's a strange combination of words. It made no sense whatsoever. 

"Is that what you meant to say? Because it sounds a little silly for you to say." Rubble stopped all the laughter with a slight cough. "Uh, er...No!" I shake my head really fast.

"Then what did you want to say?"

I don't want to let Marshall know that he betrayed me, anymore. It will create more problems. "I...kind of forgot already. Wow, that sure was extremely quick! Sorry pups!" I got ready to walk away to leave the awkward conversation. A nice way to talk yourself out of a discussion.

"Umm...okay. Bye?" Skye spoke up. She was probably the only one who knew what I was about to say because I told her already about what happened between us. I looked behind me to see five perplexed faces.

That's when I bumped into Ryder who was right in front of me. "Oh! Sorry, Ryder, sir! I didn't see you. How are you doing today?" I step back.

"Oh, it's okay, Chase. And I'm doing fine...it's just that I have a question for you." he motioned me away from everyone else. Then, an apprehensive look appears on my face. 

"You're not in trouble, Chase. I just have to ask you a simple question." Ryder stops, "Now...you've been acting odd for...the past week or two. And it isn't only you. It's Marshall, too. What's going on between you two?"

"Uhh...Well, you see, Ryder, sir...It's just that...Marshall and I...we felt nothing in our friendship anymore...so we became not best friends. Not even friends." I sighed as I looked up to Ryder's pale face. He looked like he just saw a ghost or something.

"Is this some type of joke?" he speaks up. 

"No..."

"I never thought that you and Marshall would just unfriend each other. You two have been best friends for as long as I can remember. Are you at least going to talk to him? You will have to communicate and interact with Marshall during missions, Chase." Ryder frowns.

"You're right...but I still don't want to talk to him. He has to say sorry first because it's all his fault that this happened." I refuse. Ryder facepalms his forehead. "If you say so, Chase." Ryder let out a huge sigh as he took out his pup pad, "Did you tell the other pups, yet?"

"I only told Skye...but I'll tell the other pups soon. I don't need them going to any conclusions about what's happening between us."

"Okay...so did you make a move yet? I mean, telling Skye?" Ryder stares at his pup tag. 

"Not exactly...We only took a tiny walk today. Nothing else. Maybe we can play Pup Pup Boogie together or something." I stare at Ryder whose eyes were glued to the pup pad.

"Speaking of Pup Pup Boogie, the newest version is coming out soon. I'm going to order one." Ryder showed me on his pup pad.

"Really? Skye would be excited about this. She really loves playing Pup Pup Boogie." my voice trailed off.

When will I ever tell her? I love Skye...But if she doesn't love me, then I'll just get crushed...By my crush. Maybe it's better not to tell her...But if I don't, then I'll never know how she feels about me. Love is definitely proven to be passionate and romantic...It's also...difficult and confusing.

What will I ever do? The feeling has remained in my veins ever since I laid eyes on her. No, I mean my brain. Actually, my heart. Love has confused me. I'm just very...love-struck. I'm just...so obsessed with her.

"Is something wrong, Chase? There are so many expressions on your face." Ryder looks away from his pup pad. 

"It's okay, Ryder, sir. There's no need to worry about me. Nothing else is wrong." I plaster a fake smile across my face.

He gives me a very odd look on his face but believes me anyway. By now, the other pups have decided to do other things. Marshall drove away to go somewhere. And the other pups were getting ready to do other activities of their very own. Skye decided to go inside of the Lookout.

"I have to tell you all something. It's important." I stop them from going anywhere.

"We already know what's going on, dude. Marshall told us while you were gone. You two aren't friends anymore. To be honest, I'm very surprised by this." Zuma glanced at the other pups, who had similar appearances on their faces to him.

"Yeah. Ever since I met Marshall and you, you were best friends ever since. I never expected you all to just...Unfriend each other." Rocky described. 

"Yeah...what's your point of view on this, Chase?" Rubble stared at me.

"Well...I feel like our friendship is just...over. Ever since we got into an argument...and then broke apart. And it's his fault. 

"Marshall told us that he thought it was your fault that it happened." Rubble shrugged.

"He told you that? Don't believe him. It's his blame that this occurred in the first place. He just doesn't want to deny it." I reason the other pups.

"Uh, okay, dude. But how are you not going to talk to him? I think that's pretty much impossible not to talk to somebody on the team."

"I'll manage anyway."

I don't know if I'll manage, but here's one thing I know for sure: I will not talk to Marshall. No matter what gets through.