Three Years Later
At a clinic in the center of the city, Arianna sat quietly in the waiting area.
It was already evening, and everywhere was silent. As she looked around, she thought to herself, It used to be so noisy. Now everything is quiet.
The attendant called out, "Miss Thompson, you can come in."
Arianna stood up and walked toward the therapist's office. As soon as she pushed the door open, she noticed that the attendant inside was a new person.
But she said nothing and walked straight in.
"Have a seat," the therapist said with a warm smile.
Arianna sat down. "Thank you."
"Good day. I'm Danniella. I was transferred here last week," the new therapist introduced herself.
"I'm Arianna," Arianna replied politely.
"Nice meeting you," Danniella said, her smile never fading.
"Same here," Arianna forced a small smile.
"So, Miss Arianna, may I see your records?" Danniella asked, stretching out her hand.
Arianna brought them out and handed them over. Danniella studied her condition carefully while Arianna watched, already expecting another lecture about trying to be happy.
Danniella looked up. "You should get a puppy."
"Uhm?" Arianna's eyebrows lifted in confusion.
Danniella sat upright and cleared her throat. "According to your records, your home used to be very noisy with your family, but now you live alone in silence." She gestured gently with her hands. "You can't help but remember how lively it once was. Puppies make excellent companions for humans."
Arianna listened closely, a hint of surprise visible in her eyes. Throughout all her therapy sessions, she had only been told to be happy. But how could she be happy if she couldn't forget? No one had ever understood her this way.
"Puppies are naturally lively and fun," Danniella continued.
Arianna nodded. "I'll stop by a vet on my way home."
"Good. That will be all for today. I hope you had a pleasant session," Danniella said with a smile.
Arianna nodded. "Goodbye." She stood up and left.
For the first time in a long while, she felt a small ray of hope.
She walked out of the clinic and headed straight toward the vet. Her heart had been sinking into depression for years, and she couldn't wait to feel even a little happiness again.
The street was bustling as night fell. The breeze blew gently. A disco shop played soft music under dim lights, and couples strolled hand in hand along the road.
A small smile appeared on Arianna's face. She loved the liveliness.
She passed a barbecue shop, and memories flooded back. Johnson had once brought her here after they sneaked out late at night. They had laughed and eaten happily, hoping to sneak back home—only to find their parents waiting at the gate.
Her eyes grew misty.
It had been three years since her family died. So much had happened since then.
She had buried them herself, as her parents were orphans. She missed her graduation ceremony. Her father's company had been suddenly acquired by a mysterious man. Their family house was mortgaged over a so-called debt her father supposedly owed.
She scraped together what little was left of her family's wealth to buy a small house. Since then, she had fallen into depression, barely able to move forward with life.
As those memories replayed in her mind, a tear slipped down her cheek.
Noticing people glancing at her, she quickly wiped her face and focused back on the road.
That was when she saw a puppy standing alone in the middle of the street, looking lost. A car was speeding straight toward it.
Without thinking, Arianna rushed forward and scooped the puppy into her arms, darting out of the road just as the car sped past, narrowly missing her.
She breathed out in relief as the puppy barked softly in her arms.
"Little cutie," she murmured, looking around, "where is your owner?"
But no one appeared to be searching for it. Remembering that she was on her way to the vet to get a puppy, she smiled.
"Seems like fate."
She rubbed the puppy's fluffy fur. "Little cutie, I'll adopt you."
She walked home with the puppy in her arms. It barked continuously, and Arianna assumed it was happy.
Once home, she turned on the lights and gave both herself and the puppy a bath. Later, she lay down on her bed, hugging the puppy close.
Rubbing its fur, she smiled into its bright eyes. "Little cutie, I'll name you Milo."
The puppy barked.
"You agree?" Arianna laughed softly. "Good boy."
As she drifted off to sleep, the puppy slipped out of her embrace.
From deep within its fur, it pulled out a phone. It snapped a picture of the sleeping Arianna and opened a social media app.
It posted the picture with a caption:
After over a hundred years of waiting, I finally came of age. I went out to find a mate, only to be dragged off the street by this annoying human and locked in her house. I hate her for ruining my plans.
After hitting post, it tucked the phone back into its fur and crawled back into Arianna's arms.