Pro"cat"stination

Carlie liked pets well enough. She didn't have any back home in Texas and she doubted her parents would let her buy one. and even if she snuck around and bought one, she doubted that they'd let her keep it at home with them. They'd make her give it away. Max, on the other hand, would probably go to the store and buy eighteen cats and barely mention it to his mother and she'd be totally okay with it and tell him to be back before dark. And they lived in the not-so-great-part of Austin.

So Carlie knew that a trip inside the store would not be a good idea. So she watched the commotion in the store wistfully as students bought their new school companions. She was vaguely aware of someone standing next to her the whole time, but chose not to say anything.

She watched a kid buy a sand-colored kitten before she finally spoke. "Aren't pets great? Do you have any?" she asked.

Myles had always wanted a hedgehog. He loved them. They were so itty bitty and cute. He wanted to go buy one, but wanted to see how it worked, so he was watching the line. He was totally unaware of the girl beside him. Then he heard a familiar noise: a good old fashion Texas accent.

Myles grinned and responded with his own. "They're great. Growing up the whole neighborhood took care of a few dogs, but this will be the first pet that I can say is mine, wholly and completely." He pointed over to the hedgehog in the cage. "I'm going to give him an awesome name, as soon as I come up with it."

"Are you from the United States?" Carlie asked. "Your accent sounds familiar. Sorry for the strange question," she said, feeling awkward for the random tangent she had just created. She wasn't quite sure why she felt awkward, though. She rarely felt awkward. Or maybe pointing out people's accents was rude and she was facing the effects of it.

"I'm not allowed to have pets. I was just standing here watching the people," Carlie explained. "Okay. Are you one of those people who gives their pets human names, or do you make them up? Because if you make them up, I totally have a suggetion."

"Texas." He nodded proudly. He thought on her question quite a bit. "To be honest, I don't know. I wouldn't be opposed either way as long as it's not something dumb like Sparkle Princess. Oh! The hedgehog I want is a girl by the way."

He pointed to the hedgehog walking in circles in its little environment. "I just don't want my hedgehog to be lamely named. Because she's not lame at all."