Misconduct

nineteen | the aftermath

""What's wrong?" I ask in concern. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

She pauses for a beat.

"Logan, it's Stanley."

My heart sinks. "What happened? Is he alright?"

"He, uhm, he-"

"Nova, what is it? Is he hurt? Are you hurt? Where are you?" I rush out all in one breath, panic gripping my throat.

The thought of anything happening to Stan is fucking unimaginable. Unthinkable.

I may complain about his boisterous nature, and I may find him incredibly demanding and hard-work.

But he's my dog. He's the face that lights up each day when I walk through the front door. And I can't say that for anybody else.

I adopted Stanley from an animal shelter after years of feeling so alone. After years of coming home from an away game and having nothing to show for it but a stack of mail and out of date milk in the fridge.

He filled up an empty spot in my life. A spot that was once so important to me during college but was left empty after my heart was broken.

Stan may push my buttons but he truly is a man's best friend. And I dread to think what's happened to him that's gotten Nova so shaken up.

"W-We're at Washington Square Park." She whispers down the phone. "And I'm not hurt I just..."

"We're on our way." I tell her and immediately change Carter's GPS to go straight to the park. "Just what, Nova? What the hell has happened?"

She's silent for a moment before abruptly blurting out, "I lost Stanley!"

My mouth, and brain, is momentarily frozen. How the fuck do you go about losing a red haired, 46 pound puppy with Goddamn attachment issues?

"What do you mean lost?" I seethe as Carter makes a turn for the park, the car still deathly silent.

"I mean that he's not freaking here anymore and I can't find him! What else would I mean by 'lost?'"

I'm slightly taken aback by her snappy tone but recover quickly. "Sweetheart, don't fucking yell at me after you've gone and lost my fucking dog!"

"You're right. You're right, that was mean." Nova whispers into the phone. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, I'm just so stre-"

"We'll be there in 15. Do not move."

She sighs in frustration. "Logan, I really am sor-"

"And Nova. Try not to lose anything else before I get there."

✩✩✩

"I can send a car out to patrol the area but I'm afraid there's not much else I can do." The officer explains to me, her face set in a stoney expression. "You said Stanley is chipped, right?"

I nod. "That's good. It means if anybody finds him and bring him in to us or to a vet, they can trace him back to you."

"So what do I do now? Just go back home, pretend like everything is normal and pray somebody finds him?"