After collaborating with the nation’s hottest heartthrob, his obsessed fangirls dragged me so hard I almost quit the industry. Drunk and scrolling through hate comments during a livestream, I finally snapped: "Leo Sterling? Please. He’s nothing. I trained that guy like a puppy back in the day." "If he wanted to be my dog now, I’d have to think twice!" The haters lost their minds, calling me a clout-chaser. Until one day, a grainy video from my elementary school playground surfaced online. It showed a ten-year-old me, confidently walking two boys across the grass on literal leashes. One of them was the untouchable A-list star, Leo Sterling. The internet imploded. 【Is this really our brooding, high-cold king?】 【Holy hell, he’s actually panting for her. Get this girl a training manual!】 1 Back in the day, I was the undisputed queen of the playground. In elementary school, we had "Pet Responsibility Week." The teachers asked us to bring in small animals to learn about care and commitment. Everyone showed up with cute goldfish or tiny turtles in plastic terrariums. My parents, however, were total germaphobes. They wouldn’t let a single stray hair in the house, let alone let me bring a living creature to school. Watching the other kids show off their bunnies and lizards made me so jealous I actually started sobbing. There was a new kid sitting next to me—pale, skinny, and incredibly shy. His name was Leo. He had brought a tiny hamster. Seeing me devastated, he whispered, "Do you... do you want to pet him?" That only made it worse. I wailed louder. He panicked. "Don't cry! I didn’t mean to make it worse!" The whole class was staring. He looked terrified, like he’d committed a crime. "Please stop crying," he pleaded. "If it helps... I’ll be your pet. Okay?" I sniffled. "For real?" He nodded solemnly. "For real." "What kind of animal do you like?" I thought about my neighbor’s Golden Retriever—the way it always ran up to lick my hand. "A dog," I said. "I like dogs." Leo took a deep breath. "Fine. I’ll be your dog." 2 Once I had my "dog," I became insufferable. I’d tell everyone, "Look, this is my pet." Leo would stand obediently behind me, head down, letting the other kids stare in shock. "That's just a boy," one kid mocked, holding up a turtle. "Is your dog as cute as my turtle?" I lost it. "Who cares about cute? Can your turtle bark? Does it understand English?" I took a piece of candy from my pocket, tossed it across the yard, and patted Leo’s shoulder. "Go get it, boy!" Leo’s ears turned bright red. He hesitated, then trotted over, picked up the candy, and placed it in my palm. "Good boy!" I ruffled his hair and smirked. The other kid looked like he was about to cry from envy. "Whatever," he muttered. I wasn't done. I gestured to the ground. "Sit!" Leo obeyed instantly, squatting next to my leg. He nudged his head against my hand and gave a soft, "Woof." I unwrapped a chocolate and fed it to him. "Such a good boy." Leo’s thin face flushed red. He took the chocolate and leaned against my leg, treating me like his entire world. The crowd was stunned. A dog that could talk? The turtles were suddenly trash. Leo was the perfect pet. He’d sit when told, and he’d even lick my hand if I told him to. Soon, other kids were approaching him, asking if he’d be their dog too. Leo, usually quiet, would look up from his notebook with a cold gaze. "Get lost," he’d snap. My heart soared. He only had one owner. To reward him, I gave him all my snacks. "Since you took my snacks, you’re officially mine forever. No other owners." He blushed, clutching the cookies. "Then you’re only allowed to have me," he whispered shyly. "Deal!" I didn't notice my cousin, Austin, standing by the door, looking absolutely horrified. 3 After school, Austin blocked my way. "Why do you give him all the snacks? I’m your cousin!" "Second cousin," I reminded him. He didn't care. He literally dropped to the sidewalk. "I want snacks too! It’s not fair!" "What do you want, Austin?" I groaned. He stood up, hands on his hips. "I want to be your dog too!" I couldn't get rid of him, so I agreed. To earn his treats, Austin went full method. He found an old rope, tied it around his neck, and handed me the end. "Walk me to school tomorrow," he commanded. At ten years old, I saw zero issues with this. I walked Austin the next morning. He was committed—crawling on all fours, sniffing the grass. I held the rope, trying to keep up. Passersby stared in absolute silence. I didn't know what those stares meant yet. I just felt famous. When we arrived, a crowd gathered. "Another one?" a girl asked. "What about Leo? Are you dumping him?" I felt a pang of guilt. "No, Leo is still my dog." Austin jumped up. "No! I’m the only one!" The kids cheered. What a loyal hound! I looked at Leo, who was standing nearby, looking hurt. "But I like Leo too..." Austin leaned in and whispered, "You don't want your parents to know you’re 'keeping pets' at school, do you?" I froze. My germaphobe parents would kill me. "Please don't tell them," I begged. "Then tell me. Who’s the best dog in the world?" "You are." "And who do you love the most?" "You, you, you!" Leo was never loud. He’d buy me sodas and rub my shoulders after gym class. All for a single piece of candy. Austin was a husky; Leo was a purebred. "So," Austin grinned. "Who gets the snacks today?" "You," I sighed, heartbroken. "All of them." The crowd went silent. I turned around. Leo was standing there in his white polo, his eyes red and brimming with tears. "Are you replacing me?" he whispered. 4 The crowd gasped. I felt like a cheater. "You're heartless!" a boy yelled. "You're a bad person!" Soon, the hallway was packed with kids watching the drama. "I'm not replacing him!" I yelled. Austin barked, "Tell her, and I tell your parents!" Leo twisted his fingers, teary-eyed. "Mistress, please say something." It was chaos. I wiped my forehead and pointed at both of them. "Fine! You both want to be my dog? We're going to the track. Whoever runs the fastest stays!" Leo and Austin locked eyes. What happened next became legend. Even today, people in this town talk about the "Great Race." It was a beautiful day for a dog walk. Leo and Austin had their leashes on. They were on all fours at the starting line. I held the leashes, and hundreds of students lined the sidelines. "The Dog Queen is holding tryouts!" someone shouted. A student even recorded it on a phone. I walked them to the start. The crowd chanted: “Dog Queen! Dog Queen!” I dropped the ropes. "Go!" Leo looked at me. "If I win, I’m your only one." "Deal," I said. He bolted. They both did. It was hot, so I went to the shop to get an ice cream and sat under a tree. After a while, I saw our teacher walking toward the track with a very elegant woman. "My Leo is so shy," she was saying. "I worry he doesn't express himself." The teacher laughed. "No way! He’s leading a 'pet competition' right now." The mother looked relieved. "Leo is so sensible. Not like the other wild kids." Just then, a roar erupted from the track. The teacher and the mother turned just in time to see two figures fly past. Leo was in the lead, hands and feet blurring, running like a machine. The mother’s face turned white. Is that... my son? The teacher was speechless. "Nora Miller!" the teacher barked, spotting me. "What is the meaning of this?" I nearly dropped my ice cream. In the distance, Leo crossed the finish line. He sat on the grass, panting, looking for me. When he saw me, he lit up. He scrambled over on all fours, faster than a bullet. "Mistress!" he chirped happily. "I won! I’m your only dog!" Leo’s mom fainted right on the spot.
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