Growing up Snuggles has always been there for me, he’s been my pillow when I need to rest, my tissue when I am crying or just my own personal fluffiness that I want to cuddle with. Snuggles understands anything or everything his very own eyes just give me a look of “it’s okay, everything will be fine”. He means the world to me and I will never forget the day I almost lost him.

“He has to go!” my dad yelled at my sisters and I, “NO! He’s my dog, you gave him to me! You can’t just give someone something and then take it back! It’s not fair!” I responded loudly trying to save my dog from being sent off to a strangers’ house. “¡Papi please! Miralo esta asustado, can we just keep him? We will all do better and we will remember to take him out.” My sister Diana begged to my father. “Ya te dije que no.” my dad said coldly. My sisters and I knew that there wasn’t anything we could do to change his mind. Snuggles would be gone by eight o’clock, which meant we only had a couple of hours to play with him and say goodbye.

“I love you and somehow I will get you back.” I promised to my dog while waiting for the knock on the door for the monsters that would be taking my best friend away from me. While my sisters played tug-a-war with him I kept thinking to myself “How will I fall asleep without Snuggles keeping my feet warm? Or how will I wake up without his barking? I won’t even know people are at the door because Snuggles won’t be there to have a freak attack. Everything will change…” my thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door and Snuggles’ bark. “They’re here.” Diana said bluntly. We all just stared around the room then went upstairs with Snuggles.
As I entered the dining room with my fluff ball in my hands I saw two strangers; a couple. The woman had brown and curly hair with hazel eyes, she was wearing a black sweater with jeans. She seemed nice, nothing more. The man I don’t remember except for his leather jacket which at that time was a red flag and made me disapprove of him. The couple was okay, but not good enough for my Snuggles. “We love dogs, it’s just where we live, we can’t have pets.” the woman was informing my dad. I ignored the conversation between my parents and the couple because I kept saying to myself “He’s such an idiot. Of course my dad would choose people who can’t even have a dog. This is a sign. Ugh, what’s wrong with him? I don’t understand why he doesn’t like Snuggles. Everyone loves ‘dedes’.”. “Karelin are you ready to give her the dog?” my mother asked politely even though she did interfere with my thoughts…”Of course she is ready, hand him over.” My dad stated with an attitude that I did not appreciate. I pressed my head against his tiny little soft forehead, I closed my eyes and thought “You will come back to me.” I sniffled and gave Snuggles a slobbery kiss and let Diana and Sahira say their goodbyes. By the time my dad handed him over, we were all sobbing, even my mom was crying. ”I’ll take care of him I promise.” The lady told me with a sly smile. All I said was “thank you” before I started to bawl my eyes out. I was wishing that I had my fluff ball to cry into right in that moment. “He’s really gone…” Diana quivered.

It was midnight and my sisters and I were in the basement watching a funny movie to try and lighten our moods, when we heard a knock at the door. My dad beat us to the door, but all I could hear while running up the steps was the lady’s voice that took Snuggles, “I’m sorry, but he was barking like crazy. My neighbors were getting angry. We can’t keep him.” she apologized to my dad and handed him Snuggles. “Snuggles came back?” Sahira asked. “…Yes” my dad responded in a short manner. We all ran towards Snuggles and grabbed him out of my dad’s hands and cried with glee. “I knew you’d come back to me.” I said to myself while holding my best friend in my arms.