Friday afternoon, Snoopy finally found himself at Kevin Love's house.
He wasn't alone, Russell Westbrook had brought along his girlfriend Nina, and Jennifer Lawrence had arrived after wrapping up a tense day of shooting.
The Love family wasn't just known for basketball; they were also a family of music. Kevin himself hadn't inherited an ounce of musical talent, but his two aunts were celebrated harpists, and his uncle… well, his uncle was a legend. A founding member of the Hall-of-Fame rock band The Beach Boys.
Their history was undeniable. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with The Beatles in legacy, had a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Golden Globe, and countless honors in American music. Their albums broke records with platinum sales, again and again.
Stan Love, Kevin's older brother, might have played in the NBA for four seasons, but his main income came from acting as Kevin's bodyguard and personal assistant. Of course, with Kevin about to enter the NBA, that was all about to change.
In the Love family's backyard, Snoopy met the legendary Christian Love.
That was his stage name. Kevin simply called him "Uncle Mike," and so did Snoopy and the others.
"I listened to your song," Uncle Mike said with a warm grin, striking first in conversation. "It was fantastic. When I heard you'd be recording it here, I dropped everything. You kids could use a producer who knows what he's doing."
In California, no one turned down an offer like that from The Beach Boys.
So when Snoopy walked into the recording studio with his guitar, Christian Love sat behind the glass panel, ready.
The song, Just the Way You Are, was bright, upbeat, with R&B flavor and a snapping rhythm.
Uncle Mike didn't meddle much with the arrangement. He just praised Snoopy's voice, marveling at its texture.
"You should be fronting a heavy metal band," he said, half serious, half awestruck. "That grit, those metallic tones, I've never heard anything like it. Bob Dylan compared to you? Like a soggy burger in a trash can."
Snoopy only smiled. He wasn't planning to chase a music career. Even with Uncle Mike practically worshiping his sound, music was, for him, still just a pastime.
So after recording the track, and after a warm dinner with the Love family, he left with Jennifer.
Before they left, though, Uncle Mike pressed a final invitation: "Let me send your song to a record company." Snoopy agreed politely, without giving it much thought.
The truth was, he had no idea what entering the entertainment world even meant. Not even his mother, once a beloved pop idol in the 80s, had ever prepared him for that.
Out on the streets of Los Angeles, Snoopy and Jennifer went to see a movie, then wandered into boutiques. Jennifer gifted him a Gucci wallet; in return, he bought her a Tiffany crystal necklace.
But when he swiped his card, he noticed something strange, his balance was barely above five thousand dollars.
He frowned. Usually, his family sent him ten thousand every two months. At Christmas, he'd had a full ten thousand sitting untouched, because since then he'd been living on scholarship stipends and team allowances. Now it was mid-March, nearly four months had passed without a single deposit.
"Did Mom… forget?" he murmured to himself.
But he didn't dwell on it. Money had never ruled him. Fifty thousand a month, he could burn through easily. Five hundred a month, he could still survive.
Besides, as an official UCLA Bruin now, most of his expenses on campus were covered. The school gave every team member a campus card, always topped up enough to cover anything they might need. That was UCLA's workaround to support players without breaking the NCAA's no-pay rule.
After shopping, he grew bold, testing out a line Kevin had once sworn by.
"Um… so… should we maybe… uh, find a hotel to… sit down for a bit?" he asked Jennifer, his face flushed, his voice breaking with nerves.
Jennifer saw right through him. She wasn't opposed, but she smiled mischievously as she leaned into his ear.
"Not tonight. It's… that time of the month." Her whisper was silk, and heat rushed into his ears. "But in three days, after Sacramento… after you win… we'll celebrate properly. Think of it as a champion's prize."
Her breath against his ear was enough to send every nerve in his body sparking. His blood surged. His chest pounded.
Then
"Oh!" Jennifer exclaimed softly, her face blooming red.
She'd felt it.
Snoopy nearly died of embarrassment. In a flash, he tucked himself against his waistband like a soldier sheathing a rifle, face burning.
"I.., I'll win," he promised, solemn as if taking an oath.
Jennifer kissed his cheek gently. "I believe you."
Not satisfied, Snoopy pressed deeper into the kiss, hunger rising like wildfire.
He was no longer a boy lost in nerves. He was a young man, full of restless fire, tasting the edge of desire.
But Los Angeles was no place to linger. Even in rich neighborhoods, crime was never far away. He hailed a cab to take Jennifer home.
Then he walked himself back to the dorm, still buzzing, still limping slightly from the tension of it all.
When he opened the door, he blinked in surprise, Russell was playing video games.
"Hey, Russell, weren't you with Nina? What happened?" Snoopy asked.
Russell turned with a tragic face. "She's… unavailable tonight."
Then his eyes narrowed. "And you, Snoopy? Run out of Durex already?"
Snoopy sighed and pulled a box from his pocket—still sealed, every one of the six in its place.
"Jennifer wasn't available either," he admitted with a wry smile.
The two shared a look. Then they both burst into the same bitter laugh, shaking their heads at the cruel timing of biology.
Neither of them could understand it.
Why would God make women bleed every single month?