he whispered:

“Star… I…We… I- We have been friends since you came here. And… Starlett… I-“

NO, PLEASE, DON’T SAY IT! PLEASE! Starlett’s thoughts screamed at Tim.

“… And I feel … I think… Starlett, I love you.”                

                  So now Tim backstabbed her, even though he didn’t want to and he didn’t even know. And the worst was Starlett couldn’t tell him the reason why she couldn’t be his love.

She couldn’t tell him and she had to hurt him.

“Tim, you are amazing friend-,“ She sighed. ‘Well, that wasn’t the best start…’ her thoughts smirked again. Yes, it wasn’t the best start but it was clear the rejection was coming. She saw it in Tim’s eyes. “But… Tim, I am so sorry… I can’t. I like you but-“

            “I understand,” Tim got up and Starlett gasped. Tim… did he know? But how?

“I understand… you don’t need to explain. Every girl I’ve asked told me something like you.”

Starlett wanted to jump up and hug him. Yes, she was sorry for him, but now she was sure he didn’t know about the Doberman. “Tim… I am sorry. But… but I am sure you will find perfect mate.” Tim looked at her like she was insane. “They said this too.” Starlett knew she was rejecting him without the reason, at least in Tim’s eyes. She stood up and slowly bowed her head. And then she placed light kiss on his cheek. “Friends?” her voice wasn’t as firm as she wanted it to be. But Tim turned away and headed home. Alas, he stopped after few steps, looked at her and smiled. “Friends…” And he was gone.

Starlett wiped tears from her eyes. She didn’t want this to happen. But heart was beating for that Doberman.

            Sky was clouded and it wasn’t promising a warm night. The rest of the day was the longest rest of the day Starlett knew. She was just lying on the grass and prayed for the evening. She yawned. Well, she had stayed up the other night and now she was tired. And her head felt on her paws soon.

            The evening came and Starlett was still sleeping. But the one she loved was waiting. He had had a meal earlier and he had eaten it quickly while his master had been watching him and murmuring: “I don’t know why I feed it?” Now, the Doberman’s stomach was filled a little and it wasn’t rumbling at least. He was hungry but he couldn’t hope in more food. His master would give him just a kick or something painful instead. He watched the fence carefully and he was sure the mysterious helper had been using the hole his master didn’t want to repair. The Doberman smirked and closed his eyes. He or she could be watching him so it was better to pretend the sleep.

            Starlett squirmed as her master stroked her and put her bowl in front of her nose. The smell of her meal woke her up quickly. Yes… she had forgotten something! She jerked and looked around. Her master was gone so she grabbed her bowl and headed to the Doberman quickly. It was about 200 metresand Starlett did her best to be quick and quiet at the same time. She reached the hole and looked inside. Yes, like usual. The master was sleeping or he was gone and the Doberman? His chest moved up and down periodically and his eyes were closed.

            So Starlett went through the hole with the bowl in her mouth. The last time she had been there she had been more cautious but now she almost ran. She couldn’t resist and the previous successful attempts made her sure everything would be okay. The content of her bowl was moved into the Doberman’s bowl soon and after this Starlett looked around. Perfect. The night was cold and nobody was near. She lay down near him like the other night.

            And then happened something Starlett wouldn’t ever forget. The Doberman opened his eyes and said: “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Starlett gasped. She had been expecting something more romantic. Like a kiss or at least a hug.

“I- I-,“ her tongue refused to work.

The Doberman looked into her eyes. “I know what you are doing here. I know what you have been doing all the time for me. And tonight, we have finally met.” Starlett was not able to talk. She just nodded but her face was full of fear. Yes, she was sure he wasn’t going to hurt her… but ... well, she had been lying to herself. It was just a matter of the time. And now… Now she was looking into his eyes, listening to his voice and touching his thin body.

“And I have just one question. Why are you doing this? I am a monster, do you know that?” The dog smirked.

“No. No, when I saw you for the first time, I saw just a poor and abused dog. And I wanted to help him. So I did. And… I… I will go now of course.” She whispered and her heart almost stopped. This was not a fairy tale. She loved him but it didn’t mean he loved her, too.

“No, stay with me, please…”

Or did he? Starlett lay back and she held her breath. “I am Starlett. What’s your name?”

“Name?” The Doberman looked down like he was searching for something. Name? He hadn’t heard it for so long. And now it was like he took a rarely used book from the shelf. A lot of dust and content recalled hardly. But recalled. Sometimes you need to read just one page…

“I am Rocco, Starlett.” He smiled at her. “I am Rocco!” He laughed and tears of happiness appeared in his eyes. He couldn’t remember when he had used it for the last time and now it was like he found himself again. “Starlett… thank you…” he whispered and…

Their muzzles finally met.

“Starlett… You have fed me… you have warmed me… you are talking with me… and there is nothing I can give you in return.” Rocco bowed his elegant head and sighed.

She just laid her head on his back and whispered. “Rocco, I don’t want anything in return.”

            She wanted him to say the phrase which changes the whole world for you. The phrase you want to hear and you are … well, your happiness can’t be described when you hear it from the one you love.  

            But sometimes the one you love doesn’t love you.

“Starlett, I…I cannot love you,” Rocco hid his head under his paws. “I cannot… my master won’t approve this…”

Starlett gasped.

My master won’t approve this…          

“Rocco,” she finally gathered her strength, “your ‘master’ can’t tell you whom you are allowed to love or not. It’s your life. Let nobody to decide instead of you.”

            “He is my master. He gives me food and water and the shelter. I have to obey him. He gives me the place I can call the home.”

            “No… he is your master, but he gives you just the pain, the leftovers and… he abuses you, Rocco!” Starlett had to do her best not to shout. He was blind and deaf and loyal. The worst combination. “Rocco, there are masters who give you the food I gave you, who don’t kick you and don’t keep you on the short chain. They play with you and pet you. Masters who love you.” She emphasized the last two words. “Just go with me and I will show you.”

            She was about to cry. She was watching her work was useless. She wanted him to leave his abusive master, but now it was really sad…

“I can’t leave him. He cares for me.” Rocco explained in a silent voice.

“Rocco. I love you. And that’s why I can’t watch you dying here!” She shouted as her tears were falling on Rocco’s back. Rocco rolled on his back and Starlett’s head was on his chest now.

“Starlett… I l-“ He whispered but… His master hadn’t been at home. He had been in a pub and now he returned. When he spotted these two dogs and realized he had just one, grabbed a stone.

“GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!” he shouted at Starlett and came closer just for better chance for a hit.

“Rocco…” She whispered. She wasn’t able to move. The fear petrified her. But she just spotted the Doberman’s helpless eyes. It was his master… so his duty was to help him and serve him.

“AND YOU… WE WILL HAVE A SERIOUS TALK AFTER THIS!” the man threw the stone at Starlett but he missed. “BE USEFUL AND KILL IT AT LEAST!”

            Rocco growled. He was his master…

            But even the master can't say this. Rocco growled once again. The master ordered him to kill Starlett. Starlett who cared for him. Who gave him something his master had never given.

            Rocco jumped at his master and barked. He didn’t want to hurt him… he just wanted him to leave Starlett be. Man cried with surprise when he was pinned to the ground and he started to search for something which he could as a weapon. Finally, he grabbed a chunk of wood and swung it. Wood hit Rocco’s head and the Doberman whined and collapsed to the ground, blood scattered everywhere... Starlett gasped. Rocco stood against his master and paid the highest price… and finally, finally she stood up, looked at Rocco’s body and ran away.

He killed him…

He killed him…

I killed him…

I did it…

            Starlett spent the rest of the night in tears and deep sorrow. Her heart was ripped to pieces and