Black and White Menu

Jane sat at a table and received a menu. She was dining at a new Italian reasturant that had just opened nearby. It had gotten good reviews, so Jane decided to try it for herself.

She was looking at the menu when a random boy sat across from her.

“Sorry, but can I sit here for a second?” he said, not waiting for an answer. 

Jane sat there in silence, staring at the stranger. 

He was kind of odd. The guy had black hair, blue eyes, and olive skin. He wore a white hoodie and black jeans.

Then a beautiful-looking girl came in, saw the man with Jane, and stormed out. 

The guy turned to Jane and smiled. “My name is Alec,” he winked. “Perhaps we’ll meet again.”

Jane ignored the man and looked back at the menu. She thought it was just a part of her imagination. But how could he be if ladies from near by tables were staring intently at him?

Jane looked up at the strange boy, but he was gone.

Jane sat there in shock, not understanding what had happened. Why did that hot guy do that?

Jane pushed the thought out of her mind. She needed to order. 

Once she was finished, she walked out of the restaurant and down the street to her car. She happily walked until a guy running grabbed her wrist, pushed her against the wall, and posed so close to her that she could feel his breath.

The guy didn’t look like a bad person, but he had a mask and a hoodie on.

He didn’t look at her and was eyeing a group of girls running past the two. 

Once the girls were gone, Jane pushed the guy off and yelled, “What’s your problem?!”

The guy put a finger to his lips. He pulled down his hood and took off his mask. 

The guy had golden blond hair, and red eyes, and was as pale as a ghost. Jane had to admit, he was pretty hot too. 

“Shh,” he said, “don’t be so loud. Sorry, I just needed to get away from those crazy girls.” He held out a stack of money. 

Jane pushed it away. “Sorry, I don’t accept money from a stranger.”

“Well, then I won’t be a stranger. I’m Louis, and I’ll pay you back someday.” He walked away and disappeared behind an alley corner. 

Strange. 

***

The next day, Jane noticed a black puppy following her to school, and a white kitten following her from school. 

She felt bad for them and fed them each a snack. The kitten a piece of salmon, and the dog a slice of salami. 

Then both little animals disappeared into an alley. 

As Jane was passing a dark, corner street, a middle-aged guy appeared and snatched her. 

He touched her everywhere. Jane screamed for help but he clamped a hand over her mouth as he kissed her neck. 

Jane started to believe that she was never going to be saved, but of course, someone came to save her. Alec came from one end of the alley, while Louis came from the other side. 

He frowned. “That not how you treat a girl,” he said as he held the man back. 

Jane was in her bra and skirt, and seeing them made her feel embarrassed. Standing in front of two guys she had only met the other night. Alex removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders. 

He moved her to the side while Leo still held the man. Alec called the police just as the man tried to hit Leo. 

Louis twisted the man’s arm and still held him. 

Two minutes later, the police came and arrested the man. 

After, Alec turned to Jane and offered her a hand. “Do you want me to take you home?”

Louis pushed him out of the way. “No, I think I should take her home.”

Jane shook her head. “I think I can go home by myself, thanks.”

The two stayed quiet and glared at each other. After a second, they walked away. 

Jane tried to forget the incident and continued walking home.

As she was walking, Jane noticed the black dog and white cat fighting in the middle of the street. 

Jane broke them apart and was about to leave when she saw both animals following her, glaring at each other every so often. 

Jane couldn’t help but giggle at the ridiculous fighting between a cat and a dog. 

When Jane went inside and closed the door, both animals scratched at it from outside and whined. Jane had no choice but to let them both in. As soon as they did, the dog and cat explored the whole house and settled into her room. 

Jane’s parents weren’t pleased about the two newcomers, but they agreed to let the dog and cat stay if (1) Jane was responsible, and (2) they were well behaved. 

The black dog reminded Jane of Alec and the white cat reminded her of Louis. It wasn’t possible that that could be such a coincidence. Well, either way, she named the dog Ace and the cat Leo. 

Jane stroked the cat's tail and put a hand on Ace’s head. 

“You two are so cute,” she whispered as Leo purred and Ace woofed.  

Jaiden, Jane’s older brother, walked in and lay on her bed. 

“Where’d you get those two?” he asked as both Ace and Leo jumped up and bared their teeth. 

“Found them on the street. Followed me since,” Jane answered with a shrug. Then she smiled at her two pets. “Be nice. This is my brother Jaiden!” She laughed. “He’s two years older than me.”

He rolled his eyes. “Well, we already know who their favorite is.”

Ace and Leo settled back down on Jane’s lap, still eyeing Jaiden. 

“Yeah well, I’m the one that found them,” Jane said, stroking their heads. 

Jaiden sighed. “Yeah, whatever. They’re probably going to warm up to me someday…”

Jane nodded. “Yeah, I’ll make sure they do.”

The following morning, Jane was changing for school, but Ace sat facing the door (ears and tail down), while Leo hid under the bed. 

Jane didn’t understand what was wrong with those two. 

When she was done, Jane scooped up Ace and Leo and brought them downstairs. She ate breakfast and was about to leave when Leo and Ace followed her outside. 

“No, you can’t come with me,” she said. 

Leo and Ace remained with their butts on the ground. 

“Come on, go back inside,” Jane still said in a sweet voice. They didn’t budge. 

She sighed. “You can’t come with me,” Jane walked back to the door and pointed her hand at the door. “Go. Inside.” She said this slowly.

The pair only turned their heads, but nothing else moved. 

Jane sighed again. “There’s no use in trying…” she muttered. She just climbed onto her bike and rode to school. When Jane looked back, Leo and Ace were happily trotting behind her. 

Jane didn’t stop, but she occasionally looked behind her to see if her two pets were still there. She smiled at their loyalty. 

When Jane arrived at school, Leo and Ace were still there. She got off her bike and put it on the bike rack. Then she turned to Ace and Leo. 

“What am I going to do with you two?” she half laughed. But then she noticed that a group of girls started accumulating around Jane’s two pets. They squealed at the cute puppy and the adorable kitten. 

Jane started worrying that the crowd might scare Leo and Ace away. On the contrary, both barked and hissed at the surrounding girls. 

Jane pushed her way through the crowd. “Sorry, but these two are mine. They don’t like too many girls around them,” she said in her sweetest voice possible as she dropped to the floor. 

One of the girls frowned and crossed her arms. “Liar. You’ve got no proof that they’re yours. They don’t even have a collar!” she said. “Anyway, aren’t you a girl?”

Jane was at a loss for words. But to prove Jane’s point, Ace and Leo barked and hissed louder as they jumped onto Jane’s lap. 

“Ace, Leo, could you be a little nicer to them please?” Jane whispered, but loud enough for the girls to hear. 

Leo stopped and meowed softly at Jane. Ace stopped and woofed, wagging his tail. Both as if to protest. They did stop but glared at their surroundings. Finally, believing that the kitten and puppy were Jane’s, the girls started to clear out. She got up and dusted herself off 

The girl who argued with Jane, Chelsea, glared at her. “I still don’t believe you. But you took Adam away from me, now you have pets, now what?” she sneered. Without waiting for an answer, she pushed Jane and walked away.

Jane sighed and looked down at Leo and Ace. “You two need to go back home. If you stay here much longer, another crowd’ll come and I’ll be late to class.”

As if they understood her, both Ace and Leo walked away, and disappeared around the corner they came from.

Jane stared after them, wondering why her two new pets were so smart. Then the first morning bell rang.

Oh no, I need to hurry up and go to class, Jane thought. Then she ran into the building.

***

Jane told Milly and Savanah, her two best friends, about Alec and Louis and about Ace and Leo.

"Oh wow," breathed Milly, "That's such a crazy weekend! Well, besides yesterday..."

"For sure," Savanah agreeded. Then she glanced at Milly, who blushed and turned away.

"Oh please," Jane said, "get a room."

"Hey!" Milly's face turned red as she started getting flustered. Savanah smirked and put around on her.

Jane sighed and walked away. Where is my love life?

***

At home, Jane sighed and threw her backpack on the floor of her room. She dropped onto the bed and closed her eyes. She opened them when she heard Ace bark.

"What's wrong puppy?" she asked.

Ace jumped onto the bed and laid down. Jane laughed. "Aww, my little pupppy wants some attention. Come here." Jane held out her arms as Ace knocked her over.

"Jane!" called a voice. "Dinner!"

"Coming Mom!" she replied back. Jane jumped off the bed while Leo and Ace followed.

A plate was laid out for her with sausage and rice and beans. Jane sat down and started eating her food. Ace and Leo sat by her feet, watching her eat.

Jane sighed and cut her sausage into fourths. She gave one to Leo and another to Ace. Mom frowned at this. "Why do you keep feeding those two your food?"

Jane shrugged. "They won't eat pet food and they won't eat Jaiden's food either."

Mom stayed quiet and went back to eating. Jane smiled and reached down to pet Ace and Leo.

After dinner, Jane brought Ace and Leo into her bathroom and commanded them to get into the tub. They obeyed. Jane bathed them. When she was done, both hopped out and shook their body.

Jane laughed as she got all wet. "Alright you two, stay their while I go shower too."

Leo and Ace sat perfectly still, facing the wall. Jane laughed again at their odd behaviour.

***

Two weeks later, Jane was twirling her pencil while listening to the old teacher talk. She wasn't even half paying attention. She didn't want to learn about boring math.

Jane looked out the window and found a strangly familiar cat meowing at the window.

Leo? What was he doing here?

But at that same moment, Leo looked at Jane and dissapeared into a bush. Jane pondered how and why Leo came all the way to school. Plus, where was Ace? Those two might not get along all the time, or any time, but they were inseparable, like sibilings.

Jane raised her hand and asked to go to the bathroom. "It's a real emergency..." she said.

The teacher nodded and continued grading papers.

Jane sprinted down the hall, out the double doors, and to the feild where she last saw Leo.

She finally found him grooming himself near a tree. Jane smiled and picked him up. "What are you doing here, silly cat?" she said as she buried her face in his fur.

Leo hissed, scratched her arm, and leapt away, to only realize that it was Jane. She cradled her bleeding arm and started cleaning the wound.

"Guess pain also comes with owning a pet..." she murmered to herself. Jane bent down stuck out her hand. "C'mon kitty, it's just me."

Leo walked over to her and meowed, guilty of hurting his owner. Jane giggled and scooped up Leo. He licked her arm and meowed again. Jane rocked him. "It's alright kitty. You were just being protective," she said.

The she let Leo go. "I need to go back to class, you be good."

Jane returned to the classroom and sat back down. The teacher looked at her and frowned. "You took a long time."

Jane shrugged. "It was an emergency."

***

After class, Jane was walking to her next class when one of the doors was about to hit her. She yelped, but it didn't hit her. Jane looked up to see her savior. It was a boy with fair blond hair and red eyes.

"Louis?!" she exclaimed.

"Hey," he said. "Fancy meeting you here,"

"Yeah, you too. Anyway thanks for saving me, again," Jane added.

Milly giggled. "Strait out of a k-drama," she snickered.

I shushed her and turned to Louis. "Never seen you until now. Why's that?" I asked as we were walking.

"Just got in," he said with a shrug.

I nodded. Then I pointed to Milly. "That's one of my best friends. Her name is Milly."