"What type of dog do you want Adrienne?" Erik asked me as we walked through the pound, I liked dogs and I didn't want to be without one, whether they were Samaria or not. I looked back and forth from one dog to another, they all looked like they wanted me to take them home. I would have taken them all home if I could, I didn't want a dog with too much strength. I definitely didn't want a repeat of what happened with Samaria. I came to the end of the line, and looked in at a huge dog, an Irish wolfhound sitting on his bed, his paws tucked under his chin, his eyes darted around and landed on Erik and me. They light up but he didn't stand up, it just sent the message that he'd been there for a long time, it tugged on my heartstrings, and made me fall in love with him.

"Do you want him?" Erik asked me.

"I do, but he's huge." I told Erik.

"What's your point?" He replied.

"He won't take up too much space?" I asked.

"If he does, I can always get a new house, its not like we're on low funds Adrienne." Erik told me. I swallowed, kneeling I cooed to the floor, trying to get the shaggy grey dog's attention. The dog jumped up, standing at least four feet high and bounded over to me. He lay down in front of me and I patted his head. He loved it. Erik kneeled down beside me and reached through the bars and scratched his ear.

"He's so sweet." I muttered a smile on my face. Erik stood and went into the office. He came back out with an attendant with a leash.

"His name is Zeus. He's wonderful with children and he's very lazy." Erik told me. I smiled and stood, hugging Erik around his waist.

"You are the best person I've ever met, do you know that?" I asked him. Erik laughed and hugged me back.

"It's a new title." He told me.

"Don't listen to them, they're jerkfaces." I told him. He laughed again as I pulled away.

"How old is he?" I asked the attendant.

"Three years, he just matured." She told me. Hooking the leash on Zeus. The woman handed me the end of the leash. But Erik took it instead; I glared at him playfully as we left the pound. Erik put Zeus in the back of the car; I turned around and looked at him, he tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth and he was looking around the car, almost having to crouch.

"We'll have to leave him at the house, we have the Opera tonight." Erik told me.

"Yeah, I know." I replied. Erik pulled into the drive and I froze, my parents black Porsche sat in the driveway, my mother stood on the front step, my father standing in front of us, leaning against the car. My eyes flamed, anger made my blood boil, everything I saw had a red tinge to it, I got out of the car and went after my father, he opened his arms, like I'd hug that sorry excuse of life. Grinding my teeth, squaring my jaw, I gave him my best right cut. My punch hit him square in the jaw. I heard Erik give a cry, my father curse, and my mother scream in outrage.

"What ON EARTH would make you think I actually wanted you in my life after what you did TO ME!" I screamed at him.

"Adrienne!" Erik yelled, he pulled me away from my father before I could do anymore damage.

"What have you done to her you MONSTER!" My mother yelled.

"Oh so he's the monster! The man that took me in when you two wastes of life couldn't bother yourself to show me any type of affections, and when I'm finally making a name for myself, NOW YOU CHOOSE TO TAKE ME BACK, HELL NO!" I yelled. People began to come out of their houses; I could hear Zeus barking from the car. My parents were taken aback.

"Yeah, that's right, I said it." I hissed, glaring at them through my eyelashes.

"Where's Samaria?" My mother asked.

"OH LIKE YOU CARE, JUST MORE MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN FOR YOU SORRY LITTLE SL-" Erik slapped is hand over my mouth before I could say anything else.

"Samaria got ran over, and I will fight for custody of Adrienne, and I will win. Then I will tell the whole world of you neglecting Adrienne, once I've won custody. All this, unless, you sign custody over to me without complaint." Erik told my parents, his voice dark. My parents looked scared.

"He's just bluffing, Anne." My father told my mother.

"Am I? I have some very good friends in a very popular newspaper and so many people would frown upon you, Madame and Monsieur." Erik hissed. He stood up, taking his hand from my mouth. I smiled evilly.

"And most likely everyone on jury reads that newspaper? Do you want to be humiliated in court, or just sign custody over to me and that be the end of it?" Erik asked. My parents stood quiet, people began to murmur amongst themselves on the sidewalk in front of our house.

"Fine, we'll give you custody, just give us a few days for our lawyer to get the papers ready. We'll come by then." My mother told Erik.

"Anne!" My father hissed.

"Charles! Adrienne ran away for a reason, and it took us four months to start caring that she hadn't came home, what does that say about us!" My mother hissed.

"We don't deserve Adrienne in our lives, the gentleman has done a far better job in than we could ever do. Let's just let him have her." My mother spat. It was clear that their marriage was falling apart. The two people got in the car and left Erik pulled the car into the drive. Zeus jumped out of the car and made a beeline for me, tackling me to the ground. I laughed and giggled, fighting the dog off of me. My parents are going to let Erik keep me, I have a new friend, and my career as a ballerina was taking off. Life was good.