Chapter One: The Girl, The Diagnosis, and The Dog-Boyfriend
Sheen had always known college would be weird. But “weird” took a whole new meaning when her boyfriend James morphed into a golden retriever during midterms.
“James,” she said, blinking at the fluffy tail wagging in her dorm room, “Did you… always have paws?”
James, now the most enthusiastic golden retriever she’d ever seen, barked twice and knocked over her coffee.
Classic James.
See, Sheen wasn’t new to surprises. Diagnosed with Bipolar I she knew life came with extra sparkles—hypomania-fueled art sprees, depression naps, and occasionally… hallucinations. But this hallucination? Her perfectly decent boyfriend turning into a golden retriever? That was new.
Chapter Two: Puppy Love (Literally?)
The thing about James (pre-dog form) was that he already had big Labrador energy: loyal, overly affectionate, and weirdly obsessed with snacks. The hallucination just… amplified things.
“Babe, do you think you could, I don’t know, stop shedding on my textbooks?”
James tilted his head, tongue lolling.
“Right. You can’t answer. Because you’re a dog.”
Sheen sighed dramatically. She wasn’t sure if this was a side effect of her meds, stress from finals, or the universe just trolling her. Regardless, she decided to roll with it.
Chapter Three: Therapy and Treats
“So, you’re saying… you see your boyfriend as a dog?” Her therapist asked, scribbling something down.
“A golden retriever, specifically.” Sheen corrected. “Very loyal. Very energetic. Honestly, 10/10 good boy.”
Her therapist gave a thoughtful nod. “And how does that make you feel?”
“Confused. But mostly? Hungry. Because every time I see him, I start craving Scooby Snacks.”
They shared a laugh.
Sheen loved her therapist because she got it. She never minimized her experiences or treated her like a broken machine that needed fixing. Sheen had Bipolar I—yes—but she also had layers. She was an artist. A caffeine addict. A college student. A girl in love.
Even if that love sometimes had fur.
Chapter Four: Doggy Dates and Reality Checks
College couples went on normal dates. Dinner, movies, study sessions.
Sheen and James?
“Oh my god, you brought a frisbee to our picnic?”
James grinned. “For you. Thought you’d like some fresh air.”
Fresh air? Frisbee? The man had golden retriever energy even when not hallucinated.
But Sheen learned to take things day by day. She joked about James being part-time canine, but deep down, she knew she needed to check in with herself. Was the hallucination a sign she needed a med adjustment? Or just another bump on her bipolar rollercoaster?
She scheduled an appointment. She took her meds. She laughed with James—human James—who held her hand and didn’t mind being compared to a dog.
Chapter Five: Love, Actually (Not the Dog Version)
Eventually, the hallucination faded. James was back to being fully human, though Sheen still insisted he’d been spiritually canine all along.
“You’re loyal, affectionate, and have the emotional range of a golden retriever. It’s a compliment.”
“I’m choosing to take it that way,” James said, grinning.
They sat together on the quad, watching other students toss frisbees and sip overpriced lattes. Life wasn’t perfect. Some days were heavy. Some days felt like the whole world had gone fuzzy.
But for Sheen? The love was real. The laughter was real. The journey—messy, unpredictable, and utterly theirs—was real.
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