Somewhere in the jungle, surrounded by tall trees with a bunch of greenery, I was prowling through it. I felt, and heard my stomach growling from hunger over the sound of the vast scenery making its noises like usual. Me being a tiger, or a tigress since I'm a girl, I was searching for prey to eat. I looked around while I kept my pace, a sigh leaving my chest. But thanks to my stomach that kept bothering me, impatience was also bothering me. It was because I searched through the jungle for who knows how long and I still haven't found anything that was edible for me. It was getting annoying.

There has to be something around here. It's the jungle isn't it?! So where is food? Come on already! I'M HUNGRY!

I soon wandered out of the trees and into a large round area that only has grass for non-meat eaters to chew on and...Tall grass for hunters like me to hide in. Shortly after coming out in the open, I jerked to a stop, quietly sucking in air. In the middle of this large space, I saw a spotted doe eating grass. It didn't know of my presence yet. I deviously smiled. About time.

I immediately padded into the tall grass. I was slowly moving through it as my eyes were not leaving my prey. I knew I wasn't making any noises one bit, since the doe was still eating in peace. As soon as I got a bit more closer to it, I lowered my body to the ground. My claws were digging in it, and each of my shoulders were moving up and down separately as I was getting ready to run at the doe. My heart was racing in anticipation while my stomach begged me to kill it already.

Suddenly my prey raised its head off the ground in a quick fashion and looked off at a direction. Then it took off to the forest right away.

I cried in dismay, "No!" I was standing off the ground, watching the doe run away since I wasn't feeling to chase it. I was pretty much in the mood to catch something by surprise before it could run than do that. The doe disappeared in the jungle moments later. I growled and slammed my front paw down at the dirt, "Damn it!" What caused it to run like that? Curiously, and still pissed off, I snapped my gaze to where the doe stared at.

I couldn't tell what the doe saw at first, but I did catch a small glint of light in a different spot in the tall grass that was far from me. My face grew more curious. What was...? Then I realized what it was with a sharp gasp. Oh no...It's-

That's when a single creature called 'man' sprang up from the tall grass and stood high on his feet. He was holding a large weapon in both hands as the sun shined off it again. It was the kind of weapon that makes a loud boom when man aims it at something.

I knew what he was gonna do, and knew he was too far for me to run up and attack, so I tried to run away like the doe. But I couldn't move my legs nor my head. It was like something took hold and held me in this spot. What's going on?! Panic coursed throughout my whole body as I helplessly watched the man take aim at me. I still tried to push myself to sprint out of his aim, but it was still no use. NO! RUN! GET OUTTA HERE!!!

A boom erupted from the weapon...

...Then I woke up with a startled breath.

I heaved in and out, in and out while laying on my stomach with a very scared look on my furred face. What the? I looked around...And noticed right away where I was at now.

I was in a place where man, or 'humans' and 'people' as they call themselves, kept me.

In a large cage inside a huge room.

I let out a calmed breath. It was just a dream... That's when I looked depressed, dipping my head as reality settled in. Should have known it was. I was dreaming that I was in the jungle again, while in reality...I was sleeping inside this cage...As usual. I sighed, shaking my head and saying aloud, "I should have known I was still here...Why do I always fall for that?" I heard my belly growl, feeling that it was hungry. I looked at my striped side to my stomach. Darn...I'm starving. I said out loud to myself again, "Heh...No wonder I dreamed of hunting." I eyed at the food and water bowls at a corner of the cage some feet away from me and my bed. I furrowed my brow in disgust at the thought of the kind of food this ASSHOLE of a human left for me inside the food bowl.

Dry cat food.

I didn't like that food all that well, but... I huffed out and toughed this out before standing up. As usual in nights inside the cage, I didn't have a choice but to eat that.

I stretched myself, sticking my hind end in the air before I went up to the bowls. When I got close to them, my maw lowered down for the cat food. Well...Get it over with. It dug right into that stuff. My teeth and tongue were helping with picking up a lot of pieces of that food. I rose my mouth off the bowl and began chewing on it. Before I could THINK about swallowing it, I turned my body a bit and was spitting all the bits out. They were on the floor now in slobber, left out in the cold instead of the warmth of my big mouth.

YUCK! GROSS! My tongue still continued to spit, only to spat out the taste from that food that still lay on it. Despite my efforts, I still taste it. I faced the water bowl and dipped my head down to it so I could have water in my mouth to wash it off. The moment I got some in there I was vigorously swishing the liquid around. Finally after several seconds of cleaning up the mess on my tongue, all the water went down my throat, since I was also thirsty anyways. I lapped some more for good measure, and thankfully, that retched taste was gone along with the thirst.

I took in a deep breath and let out some satisfied air, then I went to form an angry look, shooting it down at the cat food in the other bowl. God, it tasted WORSE than the last time! I growled, backpawing that bowl for putting me through this crap. It flipped over and spilled the food out on the floor. ARRGH! I don't want that! I want some doe! Tasty meat! My mouth almost watered up from the mere thought of doe meat. Oh, if only I could have that. My stomach growled for food once again, and I moaned this to it, "I know you're hungry but get over it!"

I know I didn't want to eat that food, so I figured I tough it out some more and wait till morning. Elsa, one of the human females who actually makes food for others, and a person I really like and friends with, would probably have something good for me tomorrow. Something that ISN'T cat food. Yeah...I think I'll have whatever she's making in the morning. I yawned, turning to slowly pad back to the huge mattress with several blankets that pretty much makes up for being my bed. Well...I'll go back to sleep now. I'm sure napping will make me more patient for Elsa's food than sitting around awake.

I stepped onto the mattress and dropped myself on it, curling around as I got comfortable. Then I closed my eyes, getting back to sleep, with the lingering thought of better food waiting for me in the morning.

*****

Still sound asleep I was feeling my belly growling again. Even my brain was hollering at me to get up and eat something. I moaned deeply and shifted to lay on my side. Though it was a little hard to sleep with both those things, especially my empty stomach, nagging at me, but knowing I was going to have GOOD food later on I ignored them.

I heard the door to the room opening up and my eyes were opened up fast by the sound. I lifted my head, seeing a familiar human of which I DID NOT WANT TO SEE coming in here.

Gilbert.

I narrowed my eyes at his presence like I had done more than a hundred times before. Glaring at him was a daily thing. His appearance, which had short brown hair at the top of his head, sharp blue eyes, and a height and body that is built like a bear, always gave me such displeasure.

In other words, he is basically one of the humans that I so very much despise.

Gilbert turned the light for the room on, stood and watched me staring back at him a moment, then began pacing towards the cage. Apparently I slept throughout the night through all the internal growls and shouting. Because when Gilbert comes in here while I'm still in the cage, that's a sign that tells me morning is here, which I think it's a pretty good one since I can't see the sun and the blue sky cause there aren't any of those holes, or which people call them 'windows', in the walls.

I would've gave that man some credit for that...If he wasn't a total ass. That's pretty much the reason why I despise him so much...He's an asshole. An asshole like an ordinary bear...Only TEN TIMES WORSE.

Gilbert stopped in front of the bars, giving me that stupid, obnoxious grin of his. He said, "Good morning, Prem. Sleep well?"

I rolled to my stomach with my gaze not taking off of him. I snapped, "Fine."

Then his eyes caught sight of the spilled cat food on the floor. He spoke in a bit of surprise, "Um, fine?" He put his gaze back on me, "Doesn't look all 'fine' to me. You didn't like the food?"

"You know I do not like the food you always give me." I was getting up on all my fours and turning my whole body to face him, "And I like to complain that this food tasted worse than before...A lot worse."

The guy I hated chuckled, "Well it MIGHT taste different since it's a different type of cat food."

Eck...No wonder it tasted a LITTLE different. I yelled my complaint, "Well it was disgusting! I couldn't get it down my throat!"

He shrugged with his hands, "Hey, I just thought I start giving you something new."

I padded up to the edge of the cage, getting closer to him, "Well I want the other kind of this crap back! Or better yet you should start feeding me some meat from now on cause I am tired of-"

Gilbert formed up his own glaring look, then snapped his fingers and pointed one at me, "Hey!" I shut my mouth, but not wiping away that look on my face, "I don't want to hear anymore of that. Got it?" I couldn't help but hiss. That's when he threatened me with that tone of voice, now pointing at something on a wall to his right, "Behave, you mangy bitch, or I'll get the whip."

My angered look disappeared right away when he said...The name of his torturous weapon. I slowly brought my gaze at where he pointed...To the whip dangling from the hook on the wall. I practically imagined Gilbert grabbing it and using it on me. My body twitched by my imaginary thought. I may have imagined it, but he did use it on me before...Because I've misbehaved and disrespected him.

I admit that other than I hate him...I was also afraid of him. Actually I hated him more than I fear him. The fear shows up when he threatens me with that thing...Or when he uses it on myself. I forgot the last time he did.

But that did not matter to me. I'm happy he didn't grab it and use it on me now.

I held in a breath, and let out some air. I glanced at the threatening human, started being apologetic, "I'm...I'm sorry, Gilbert."

Gilbert melted his anger off his face before smiling in appreciation, "That's better. No need any of that."

Then I went to explain, "Look it's just...I'm hungry. I couldn't eat this food last night and I've been starving ever since. I want to eat something else." I stood only on my rear paws, holding my front side up by my forepaws pressing against the cage bars. I also held a face full of plea, "Please...Let me out of here. I wanna go to the cafeteria and eat something from Elsa. Please Gilbert...I'm very hungry."

He only stared at me for a tiny bit, before he said, "Well, since you said sorry and the magic word twice..." He nodded after that statement, "Alright...I'll let you out and take you there." I didn't show him that I was happy to hear that, but internally I was. I got myself away from the bars and waited for him to let me out. Phew...Least I'm getting out of this thing. Gilbert went up to the wall where the whip was hanging, to snatch what he calls a 'key' off another hook beside it. The key to my cage. He came back and inserted that tiny thing in the gate. I heard a tiny click meaning it was unlocked before he pulled it open.

I came out of the cage without a second thought. When I saw the door out of the cage room left open, thanks to my hunger I was bounding towards it without looking back. Before I was gonna exit the room Gilbert barked, "Ah, hold it!" I froze, twisting my neck and body to look back at him. His expression on his face showed that same kind of threat he gave me a minute ago. He said after he paused for a second, "I know you can't wait to eat some good grub from the cafeteria lady...But you know the rules. No wandering out in the halls without a guide."

He walked to grab the whip off the wall, and my heart was beating away in fright since I was afraid he was gonna use it on me for trying to leave without him. But I knew he wasn't going to do that when he swung that thing onto his shoulder. I apologized again, "I know...Sorry." Gilbert came up till he stood beside me.

"Ok..." Gilbert looked down at me, and said after he raised his hand a little and shot his finger at the open doorway, "Let's go. And-"

I heaved out a sigh and rolled my eyes upward, "I know, I know, don't do anything stupid."

Then he threw out another threat when he thrust that finger toward me next, "Don't give me that attitude again or I'll put you back in the cage and you'll get nothing from Elsa. I am not in the mood for it after your complaint." My body felt the animosity I always had toward him quickly pushing away that fear. Neither am I...Asshole. After a small pause, he ordered sternly, "WALK."

I complied shortly by heading out the door with him, walking at the exact same speed as we strolled together in the white hallways of the place called Temra. While we were at it I was not looking at him, nor speaking to him. I just kept my eyes straight ahead since I was still angry at him for giving me HIS attitude.

*****

I padded through the jungle, heading for one of the particular spots I usually go off to. I stopped myself and gazed up through the break in the canopy, seeing the blue cloudy sky and...The ceiling of the habitat dome high above me. Well, I wasn't really in the jungle. More like I was walking through a makeshift jungle within the habitat dome. I resumed my pace shortly thereafter, pushing myself through the greenery and such.

A while had passed since I was in the cafeteria and finally had something to eat for my starving, grumbling stomach. Not long after I was through swallowing something, Gilbert went to me and then took me to the huge place in Temra I go to during the day almost everyday. The habitat dome. A place I like to go to other than the cafeteria. A place that looks a LITTLE like home. A place where I can roam freely without a human walking by me and not be stuck in a cage. A place where I can lay around, play around, even urinate and such.

Gilbert, the bear of a bastard, left me alone after he dropped me off here. He always did when he takes me here, not wanting to hang out or talk to me. Which that always been good for me. It's a great way to get away from him.

I glanced to my left before bringing it back forward. Speaking of alone, I was ALL alone here. As far as I know there aren't any people in here at the moment, and this place may look like a jungle, but there aren't any other animals, especially other tigers, in here too. Inside this place...I was the ONLY animal moving around in it. Understandably because I was ONLY animal Temra has.

Most of the time when I'm in the dome, I'm alone. Not all the time everyday though, cause I do have human company that isn't Gilbert come in here and see me, and not to mention play with me. Nobody I know and like came yet since I got here, but I figure somebody will later on...If something isn't holding them back on their end.

But for now, until someone does...I was going somewhere.

I can tell through the trees that I was getting close to this spot I'm wanting to go. Then finally I came out through another big, green bush and was face to face with the edge of the dome. My tail swung a bit behind me when I stood and looked out past the very thick glass that not even my body or claws could break. Beyond it I was seeing the strange landscape that people call...'The desert'. The Mojave Desert to be exact. Seeing yellow-brownish sand layered across the ground along with a whole bunch of shrubs, reddish rocks, and some tall, green things that look a little tree-like only they don't have leaves and appear pointy called cactuses.

At times I come to this spot, to look outside Temra. For three reasons honestly. One was I was fascinated by all the scenery. Pretty foreign no doubt, but it always does fascinate me. It also made me curious of what else is out beyond Temra. What other things I haven't seen before. Two, it gives me something to do whenever I'm all alone here without company.

And three...When I think about my home. I come here and stare out, wondering what everything I know at home and everything that was taken from me is like right now. The third reason was why I'm here now. I was thinking about home while laying around doing nothing earlier, and here I was standing right here.

I sighed sadly as the sadness was showing in my eyes. Will I ever go back? Will I ever go home? Deep inside...I didn't think so. That's always the conclusion I come to in my mind. The people who brought me here, and had me start talking like them thanks to that experiment of theirs, had not taken me back for a long time...What makes me think they would now?

Nothing. This will never change. Never has and never will.

My moment of sorrow was interrupted by a noise echoing across the dome, "Prem!" My ears twitched and I shot a glance behind me. My sad expression was totally replaced by a happy one. Now there was someone I was glad that showed up. Another human I became friends with, who also happens to be one of the humans who gave me this ability to speak like them.

Roy.

I whirled around and went back into the makeshift jungle, heading to where his voice came from, "Prem!" I heard Roy again while my form bounded through all the bushes and trees. It wasn't long before I was at the edge of it again and saw him, standing around with his back turned and hollering for me once more, "Prem!"

I giggled, then announced myself while slowly coming out of the greenery, "I'm over here!"

Roy turned around, smiling at me. From what he acts and looks like, he sure was a whole lot different than Gilbert. Unlike him, gazing at Roy didn't make me feel angry. To me he didn't seem to be like a bear. Probably cause other than he has short brown hair like that asshole, Roy's body and height, and his attitude, wasn't the same as his. When it comes to Roy, for as long as I known him, his face always wore these 'wire-rimmed glasses', as he called them. It was a well-known thing with him considering he was the only person I met in Temra who wears them. Other than his voice, when he looks right at me, I always recognized him just by that facial thing.

Come to think of it, he hardly takes them off, only on occasion, so why would I not?

When I got so close to him, my face went to start rubbing against his stomach, letting off a purr from my throat. Roy chuckled deeply, and I felt his hand making a few strokes at the back of my neck, "Hey there, tiger."

"Hey there yourself, four-eyes." I moved away, smiling back at him, "Where have you been today? I didn't see you this morning."

Roy said with his head bobbing a couple nods, "Yeah, that's because I was stuck in bed longer than I planned."

"Why? I sorta thought you were having a day off." I chuckled, "Which by the way you're not supposed to right now. I think you already used up all of them this month."

He playfully inquired, "Keeping track of my attendance, Premy?"

I said, "Just looking out for you. I do know what happens if you don't show up at your job place like you're supposed to, according to you." I gave him a wink, "Don't want to lose one of my friends."

He giggled, "Well in that case, thank you. I do love my job."

"You better." I held up my head, "Since your job is being my friend."

Roy's eyes squinted as he corrected me, "Ah correction, my job is to make top-secret experiments. You are just something to do when I'm not working."

"Whatever." I asked, "So why were you in bed longer today?"

The four-eyed human explained, "Uhh, my alarm didn't go off when it was supposed to, and I slept in late because of it."

My eyes turned quizzical, "Your alarm clock?"

"Yeah."

"It never went off?"

"No."

"...Well, why didn't it go off?"

Roy slowly shook his head with a confused face, "Don't know. Maybe I forgot to set it last night."

That got me confused like him, "Forgot? How can you forget? You never forget about anything, Roy."

He laughed a bit, "Oh, I don't know. I don't know what happened. But it doesn't matter now, does it?"

I formed a happy grin, "Nope. I'm just happy you're here." Really am. I continued, "And since you are here..." I promptly dropped my chest to the ground with my backside sticking high in the air. It moved a little behind me as I said with exuberant eyes, "Let's play wrestle!"

Through his glasses I saw his eyes went wide, and his hands held out to calm me, "Hey, hold on. You know I don't play that."

I playfully narrowed my eyes, "You should for once. Can't hurt to try to beat a tiger. Besides I'm not in the mood for another 'catch the prey' game with you."

Roy's hands dropped while his head shook, "Well I ain't in the mood to play any games with you. I only came here to talk today."

I looked disappointed when I whined, "Oh..." I straightened myself up and said with that look still on my face, "Fine." Roy chuckled in response. I turned my back and began padding away from him, "Let's find a spot to sit. Not like I had enough laying around for one day."

Roy laughed behind me, "Oh we'll play a game some other time, Prem." Then he asked as he too began to walk, "And just to get this talk started, how was your morning?"

My thoughts went back to what I learned from Gilbert and him giving me a couple threats of the day. I slowed down to let Roy catch up and I looked at him to reply with a tiny smile to hide my anger, "You have to ask?"

Roy knew without doubt that my morning wasn't ALL great because of Gilbert. He said with a little concern, "Gilbert pissed you off again?"

I finally showed it when I rolled my eyes and sighed, "Don't he always."

"Oh no...What happened?"

My head lowered when I answered, "It pretty much had something to do with the food he gives me."

Roy shrugged with his hands, "That's nothing new."

I shot my eyes at him and giggled a bit, "Well, this time, it's a little new. Same subject, just a bit different."

"Oh." That was all he said as we were under a tree. He lowered and sat down with his back against it. Roy patted a spot on his lap after he got comfortable. That was my cue to lie on my stomach beside him and rest my big head on it, which I did without thinking twice. After that, he started petting me with smooth strokes. With my furred face only directly towards the grass and other trees that are nearby, I heard Roy press me, "So...How's the food subject a bit different?"

I took a deep breath, "Well...I found it out last night..."

*****

Standing in my room, close to the table positioned below my window, I was screwing a wheel on one of the two metal parts underneath my deck called a truck. I laid the screwdriver down on the table and tested it out by spinning the wheel with a finger. I smiled. There we go. Another new wheel on this truck. I shifted my eyes to the other metal part that has no wheels attached to it yet. Now to put the last two on this one.

I picked up a third wheel for this project and the screwdriver again, with both my mind racing and heart beating in anticipation. Oh, I can't wait to try these babies out with my board! Since I bought those new wheels since yesterday and have not yet put them on my skateboard till now, you can understand why I felt this way. These new wheels are colored dark blue, my favorite color, compared to the old, plain white ones I already took off and put in a corner. That's what is exciting me.

Upon finishing tightening the third one, my cell in my pocket rang loudly. I groaned sharply from the interruption and put the tool down once again to answer it. After pulling it out of there, I quickly looked closely at the caller ID. It was my skating buddy, Shawn Landes. He was probably wondering what is taking me so long to come skate with him, knowing him. I held it close to my ear and answered, "What up?"

Shawn replied in the other end, sounding totally excited, "Hey check this out, man! Ryan Sheckler is gonna be coming to the park today for a skate demo!"

Now that pretty much made up for the interruption. Ryan Sheckler is a professional skateboarder, and one of my favorites. I smiled widely, "No shit? Really?"

He excitedly shouted, "Hell yeah! I found it out just now! Come on, get your ass down there!"

I said with commitment, "I'm on my way!" I hung up, and put it back in my pocket with me still smiling. I couldn't believe what I heard. I thought I was dreaming. Actually I thought after I got my new wheels on my board today would have been a normal day of skating, just like any other day. Boy did today got special. I never seen the guy in person before.

Just my lucky day.

I impulsively grabbed my skateboard, then whirled around to dash out of my room. But I was one inch from the doorway when I realized I forgot to do something. I glanced at the board within my grasp, directly at the bottom, and noticed I have only THREE wheels on it.

I thought I heard an alarm bell ringing in my head when I caught my problem. Oh, damn! I spun back to my table, dropping the board on it upside down. I can't skate like this! I grabbed ahold of the last wheel and the screwdriver for the last time to finish this project. Better screw in the last one, then skate to the park.

For not too long I quickly managed to get the last wheel on my board. Then I grabbed it and rushed myself out of my bedroom, through my house and then out the front door.

Warm weather and sunshine greeted me as I ran outside and out onto the sidewalk a few feet from my house. I dashed for the direction of the skatepark I go to for about several feet, before I switched from running on foot to riding on my skateboard. Now, with my feet on the griptape side of the board, with the sound of my newly purchased wheels rolling on concrete, I was riding and being a skater. With my right foot, or back foot since I'm now standing sideways on a board, I pushed it against the ground and continued to roll with the board.

For a while, I rolled smoothly across my neighborhood without any people in my way, till I was out of there. Outside of it, in the city streets, about halfway to the park, I almost ran into one person when I skated around a corner of a building. I gasped and luckily turned my deck to dodge the guy, who looked like some kind of business man, in time. When I skated past that dude, I heard him bark angrily at me, "Hey, get out of the way!"

I just ignored him and continued rolling for the park. That wasn't the first time a person like that yelled at me for skating near them. I was used to that, and it was easy to ignore. And it's pretty much like Shawn always says, 'Don't turn back and never look back'.

Well...Sometimes that's not the case with him, but it usually is with me.

Finally, I've made my way to the skatepark, where apparently a crowd had gathered, possibly a bunch of other skaters, to watch the demo.

I turned my board beneath my feet and skidded to a stop near the tall wire fence that acts like a border between the real world and the skatepark. I stepped on the rear end of my deck, making it stand upright, and snatched the side and carried it in my hand. Looks like Shawn wasn't kidding. Ryan must be here.

Speaking of the devil, I heard Shawn calling out to me, "Hey Jason!" I turned my head, seeing him and my girlfriend, Maddie Ramos, jogging to where I was. Shawn, while carrying a skateboard of his own, had wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. A scar was also evident on one of his eyebrows, cause of a fight he'd gotten into a year or two ago. My girlfriend was practically different than us. She apparently was a girl of Mexican descent with brown eyes and long black hair.

In other words...She was beautiful. In fact, she was the most beautiful girl I ever met. I think you can see why I'm with her. And based on my good looks, including my short brown hair, green eyes, and a slightly athletic body, you can see why she's with me.

I giggled out loud, turning myself to face them as they were almost here. Well what do you know, Shawn must've called her and told her about this too. I mentally kicked my brain for forgetting something else before I left home. I can't believe I completely forgot to call her! Thank you, Shawn, for saving my butt!

Shawn and Maddie stopped in front of me, and my buddy said, "There you are, bro! Got here just in time!"

I let out a small chuckle, "Yeah, lucky me that I had smooth sailing getting here."

He showed some dismay, "Well you must be cause I didn't. I bailed against a moron bike messenger kook on my way here."

I made a crack, "And I was thinking you accidentally ran into a granny who didn't hear you coming."

Shawn glared, "Screw you, man, at least I'm smart enough to smooth sail past a slow, deaf granny!"

Maddie remarked with a smirk and her hands on her hips, "You weren't the other day, dipwad."

Shawn faced toward her, defended, "That's because she came out of nowhere. She didn't see me, and just walked and never stopped like she had a thought that nothing's gonna ran her over that day."

I rolled my eyes, "Boy she must've been wrong."

Shawn turned back his attention on me, "Oh definitely on the count of me. I mean I still don't get it. She probably knew to watch for cars when crossing a road, but hasn't she heard to look left and right for skaters when about to walk on a sidewalk?" I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head as a response.

Maddie replied on her end, "I think she hadn't." She tapped her hand on his shoulder, "And don't blame it all on her. It was your own fault for not watching where you're going."

I giggled when I concurred, "She's right. You were looking at us while you were rolling away saying 'catch you on the down-low'."

Shawn waved us off, "Whatever...That hag better look from now on...And get a new hearing aid since the one she wore wasn't working!"

I laughed and so did Maddie while she came to stand beside me. I said when I wrapped my arm around her, "Look on the bright side...You didn't run over my mom." That would have been a disaster.

Shawn stared at me for a second till he shrugged and agreed, "Riiiight...She'd probably throw my board in a shredder."

"Exactly." I gazed at my girlfriend, grinning at her eyes staring back at me, "So how's your day going, babe?"

Maddie giggled, "Boring, until now." She planted a kiss to my lips, "I was hoping you'd be calling me and..." Her voice lowered to a whisper, "We'd do a little phone sex."

Not a bad idea. I whispered back, "Or I'd invite you to my place and do the real stuff...With my mom being gone for work."

Maddie deviously giggled deep, "Don't forget the condoms."

"Sure thing. You don't forget the pill." We both shared another kiss.

Maddie shortly asked a playful question, "That's good thinking, but why didn't you call me today, or at the least text me?"

I made a sorta guilty look, "I...Forgot."

That made her frown. Then she softly slugged on my shoulder, having me let her go. She spat, "Jerk."

I defended with my hands up, "But it was for a good reason!"

Even though her face was frowning, her lips made a grin like she wasn't mad at all, "What's the excuse to get you off this dilemma?"

Shawn said as well, "Yeah, what's your excuse for forgetting, bro?"

I grinned back at my girl, "Well, while you were waiting for me all that time, I was more focused on waiting for mom to leave the house...And then put some new wheels on my board. You know...Because of her issue with skateboarding."

Maddie, and Shawn near us, looked surprised. Maddie said, "Wait. You actually-"

"Yep." I lifted my board a little and showed them the blue wheels at the bottom, "Got them yesterday and got them on today. Pretty stoked?"

Shawn praised with happy eyes, "Woohoo, yeah! Those look totally rad!" A couple bystanders glanced at him momentarily and then looked back at the landscape of the park.

Maddie chuckled and kissed my cheek, "They look good on your board."

I gestured my board towards our blonde friend, "Well I would've got all of them on it sooner if blondie here didn't call me earlier, but hey it all worked out."

Shawn responded with a shrug, "Well I wouldn't have called if I had known about this demo yesterday or something. But thanks to Tom, the drunk moron, he planned to, but he forgot, and just told me about it today."

"Huh, no wonder you just found out today." I shot my gaze through the fence at the skatepark, "Least we weren't late."

Shawn grumbled with his brow furrowed, "Yeah well, next time Tom forgets to tell me something about something like this, I'm gonna kill him."

I rolled up my eyes and told him while Maddie went more closer to the fence, "Oh relax. Even if he didn't tell you and we never knew of this, we were planning to come here anyway." I joined Maddie by standing beside her and facing the fence, and asked them both, "Did you guys see Ryan before I got here?"

Maddie answered as Shawn stood with us, "No. But I think the demo's about to-" Her air sucked in as she whispered and pointed at something, "Hey, over there!"

Shawn and I saw what she pointed at. A lone skater with his head down and his face hidden by a cap on his head. I squinted. Is that...?

Then, the skater raised his head, and twisted his hat so that he was wearing it backwards. I recognized him right away.

It was Ryan Sheckler.

I smiled as everyone else in the crowd recognized him also and cheered. Ryan acknowledged the cheering by holding his fist in the air. Then without further ado, he dropped his board onto the ground, casually moved and stood on it, and kicked against the ground. His foot kept pushing on the concrete ground, and it helped him and the board pick up speed across the skatepark. Then as he went a bit fast, he crouched down a bit on the board, and then jumped up with it, doing an ollie. Being off the ground gave Ryan the opportunity to kick the side of the board, making it spin one time and thereby performing a flip trick called a kickflip. His feet caught the board and he landed it without crashing.

The crowd cheered as he still moved on the ground, and he next went for a nearby railing. He ollied again, only that time afterward he was having the nose end of his skateboard sliding along that railing. As he was at the end of the line, he along with his deck jumped off and both landed safely back on solid ground. Ryan's and skateboarding fans, and my girlfriend and buddy, cheered as that guy cruised smoothly after landing from that grind.

Me, well, I was just standing there, watching in admiration. Wondering what it would be like to be a pro like him.

What a dream.