A Walk With Caileen (Chapter 3)

Chapter 3: Panther

The next day Caileen did as she was instructed, she did not receive a reply from Anthony so she decided to wait a bit in front of his gate. A few seconds later the gate door opened and Anthony was dripping wet all over as he let her in. Caileen was amazed with the huge estate so she just stood there frozen. “The pool is this way, follow me” Anthony said and Caileen followed him. They walked towards the back of the house and Caileen’s jaw dropped; she could not believe what she was seeing. It was a huge garden filled with colorful flowers and on the center was the pool where a small waterfall was supplying it with water. “Oh my God, I can live here for the rest of my life” she said and Anthony proceeded to the giant umbrella shade and sat down. Caileen followed him and took a seat while her eyes were being drawn further by the majestic the garden.

“Can we go inside, I want to take a look what the inside looks like” she asked and Anthony shook his head and toke out his mobile phone. “Sorry you have to be contented with the outside” he said as he started playing with his phone. “An i-phone! I have always wanted a phone like that but mom would not buy me one” she said and Anthony just ignored her. Caileen brought out her mobile phone and placed it on the table, “Trade me your phone, I know mine is cheaper but you are so rich so I know you can afford dozens of those” she told him and Anthony looked at her and grinned, “Wow, that phone is ancient, or even Jurassic. I thought you were going to swim, so go swim” he said. “I don’t know how to swim so you have to teach me” she replied and Anthony stood up and handed her some floaters. “Here put this on your arms and go in the water” he told her and she pouted at him.

“I am not a kid you know, these floaters are for kids” she said. “Do you know how to swim?” Anthony asked her and she fell silent and she stood up and started undressing. A few seconds later Caileen was only wearing a skimpy bikini to where Anthony stared at her for a few seconds. “How do I look?” she asked him and he immediately looked away. “I thought you were here to swim but it seems you came here to seduce me. You really are perverted” he told her and she started laughing. “Well I have always wanted to try one of this, but I only get to wear it here, I can’t wear this on the beach because I am ashamed” she said and Anthony looked at her. “I don’t see why you are ashamed when you have a beautiful body” he commented and Caileen smiled at him. “Really? Am I sexy?” she asked. “You are here to swim so now go in the water, and wear those floaters” he told her.

Caileen left the floaters on the table and jumped in the pool, “Hey this pool is not deep, look the water is only up to my chest” she said. “Yes but only for that portion of the pool, it gets deeper when you move to the middle so just stay where you can stand” he told her. “Why don’t you come in and teach me?” she asked. “I had a swim already and I don’t want to get wet anymore” he said. Caileen turned around and started walking towards the center; the water was now touching her chin. “Hey look the water is up to my chin” she yelled. “I told you to stay where you can stand! Go back to where you were right now unless you want to die then just tell me so I can call 911 immediately” he shouted back. Caileen ignored him and continued walking towards the center and a few seconds more she was totally submerged.

Anthony wasted no time, he dashed and dived in the water and immediately Caileen was in his arms as he brought her to safety. “Caileen are you okay?” he asked her and she smiled at him. “That’s the first time you called me by my name. And since your already wet again why don’t you teach me now?” she asked and Anthony sighed. “We can’t be seen together like this, people might say I am a predator” he told her. “Predator? No you are not; you are just going to teach me how to swim. And come on who would see us here, we are the only two people here” she said. “Well have you heard of the Paparazzi, they can turn up anywhere you know” he told her. Caileen laughed and put her arms around him, “Oh, so they might take shots of us in this position right?” she teased him and Anthony pushed her away. “Hey, I was just teasing you. Why in the world would the Paparazzi stake out your place, are you a celebrity? Don’t tell me your going to say you are Fred Flintstone again” she commented and Anthony shook his head.

“Fine, first you have to learn how to float, move closer to the edge and grab on and let your feet float. Don’t worry about drowning since the water here is not deep” he told her. “I am not worried at all since you are here” she said and she followed his instructions and started to float her body. “Okay that’s the easy part, now slowly release you hold on the edge and let your body float in the water. As Caileen released her hands she managed to float for a few seconds then she panicked. Caileen’s whole body sank into the water, a few seconds later she emerged wiping her face and Anthony was laughing at her. “Why didn’t you catch me?” she asked. “How are you supposed to learn if I catch you every time you sink? Come on try again, balance your body as you are floating, don’t panic too” he told her and Caileen tried again. A few more tries and Caileen could now float forever on the water; she was happy and excited to learn how to really swim.

“Hey, I remember you said you had a pet panther, so where is it?” she asked. “In his cage, he is very dangerous so its better you not see him” he told her. “I want to see it, please. Even just for a second only I promise” she told him. “You promise me not to touch him” he said. “Yes I promise I will not touch him” she replied. Anthony emerged from the pool and dried himself then walked towards a small cabin in the garden. A few seconds later he came out and sat under the giant umbrella. “So where is the panther?” she asked. “You better stay in the water so you are safe” Anthony said and Caileen moved away from the edge and stayed near the center. “Okay, Panther! Panther! Here boy!” Anthony shouted and from minute barks emerged from the cabin. A few seconds later a pure white Chao Chao came running towards Anthony and jumped up on his lap. Anthony patted the dog and looked at Caileen who was quickly walking towards the edge of the pool. “Well here is Panther, my pet dog” he said and Caileen was rushing to get out of the water and ran towards them. “Wow! He is so cute. Let me pet him please!” she begged. “You promised not to touch him, so I am sorry you can’t pet him” Anthony said as Panther barked at her.

Caileen sat on the other chair pouting, “I didn’t know Panther was a dog. You said he was a dangerous animal so I thought it was a real panther. That is why I promised not to touch him. You are so unfair, I want to pet him” she murmured and Anthony started laughing. “Call his name, then pat your lap so he can jump on” he told her and she immediately called Panther and he ran towards her and jumped on her lap. Caileen was so happy, she hugged Panther and the dog started licking her face. Anthony was looking at her and was full of smiles until Caileen noticed him. “Why are you smiling?” she asked. “Nothing, I just remembered someone who loves dogs too. Anyway towel up and get dressed, you can come back tomorrow and continue” he told her.

“Can I stay and play with Panther for a while?” she asked. Anthony looked at her and then thought of a bright idea. “What if I say I will give you this phone of mine for free as long as you keep away from Panther forever” he said and Caileen looked at the phone and then at Panther. “Keep your phone, or better yet let me keep Panther and I will stay away from your phone forever” she replied and started laughing. “I’m turning eighteen in a few months” she suddenly said and Anthony raised his eyebrows, “So what are you trying to imply?” he asked. “My birthday, since you will be giving me a gift on that day why don’t you give me Panther now. I will consider him my advanced birthday present and I will take really good care of him” she stated and hugged the little furry dog.

Anthony called Panther’s name and the dog quickly wriggled out of Caileen’s arms and ran towards him. “I am sorry I can’t give you this dog, he keeps me company at nights. If you take him away from me then I would have no one to talk to anymore” he said and Caileen felt sad for him. “But if you want you can borrow him once in a while but you have to return him before nightfall, you can come over here and play with him too” he added and Caileen smiled at him. “That would be nice, anyway why don’t you show me the inside of your house now?” she asked and Anthony refused. “Why don’t you want to show me the inside of your house?” Caileen asked and Anthony sighed. “I have not been inside that house for two years now and I have no plans of stepping inside that house ever again” he told her and Caileen was confused. “You are kidding me right? This is your house and you don’t want to go inside? Oh come on, I thought we were friends already?” she said. “Yes that is that, I live in that small cabin, I have all the things I need there. People come to clean that house once in a while. So stop asking me to show you what’s inside” he stated.

“Maybe this is not your house after all. Maybe you are just a house sitter and you are just pretending to own this place to make you look cool right?” Caileen said and Anthony just ignored her. “Or maybe you forcefully entered this place and the real owners are out of town, you don’t have the key to the house and you are afraid to break in since there are alarms” she added on and Anthony stood up and shook his head. “I think you should go home now” he told her and Caileen sat still and took her phone, “I am calling the cops now” she said.

“Dammit! You want to know why I don’t want to ever enter that house again? Do you want to know why?!!!” Anthony shouted and Caileen was frightened. “Yeah tell me why” she replied.

“Because that damn house is haunted!!!”