I spent the rest of the week with Liam and his friends, occasionally going out to dinner with the entire family and letting them get to know me.
I got registered for school the day before school started. They weren't very happy that we waited until the day before.
The night before my first day of school, I became extra nervous. I hadn't been in a school in years. I hadn't been out in front of hundreds of people, either. I would have to try extra hard to hide the fact that I was half cat.
I woke up earlier than anyone else the morning of my first day, around four in the morning. I took a shower, taking extra long so that I could make sure I smelled really good.
I went through the clothes that I had brought once I got out and wasn't satisfied with anything I saw. I snuck into Liam's closet and pulled out a white and black striped shirt. I stuck with my own pants since Liam wore tight skinny jeans. I couldn't very well do that due to the fact that my tail would be super noticeable.
I went through the backpack my new parents had bought me a week before when they went out grocery shopping. They had gotten me a black backpack with white flame designs.
I kept rechecking it, making sure everything was inside. I had three folders, two mechanical pencils, two notebooks, extra pencil lead and erasers, and two one-inch binders.
I went back to the bathroom after my hair air dried and began fixing it to cover my ears. It wasn't too easy since I had to keep so much hair on my head. If I didn't fluff it up, my ears would show and everyone would know my secret. I wrapped my tail loosely around my leg then brushed my teeth and headed to the kitchen.
I sat at the kitchen table and waited for everyone else to wake up. I was still uncomfortable with making myself food without someone else eating with me.
It was thirty more minutes before anyone else woke up. Ruth came downstairs, slowly dragging her feet. She stretched her arms out and yawned, reminding me much of myself. She came into the kitchen and looked at me, raised her eyebrows.
"Uh...hey," she said, sitting across from me. I smiled at her and waved my wrist.
"Why are you up so early?" She asked me. I shrugged.
"Nervous, I guess," I answered. She nodded.
"You hungry?"
"Yeah," I breathed. She stood up and headed toward the cereal cabinet, searching for something to eat.
"Lucky Charms okay?" She asked, pulling the cereal box out from the cabinet. I laughed.
"Is it cause I'm Irish?" I asked her. She opened her mouth then closed it, clearly frustrated.
"I didn't mean to offend you, gosh, I'm so sorry, Niall. I could...we also have-" I cut her off with a laugh and shook my head.
"It's fine, Ruth. Just havin' a laugh." She blushed and nodded, bringing the cereal box over to the table then grabbing two bowls from the cabinet beside the sink. She fixed us both a bowl then sat and ate with me.
"Sorry about before," I told her. "I'm clearly not good with jokes."
"No, no. It's my fault. I didn't know how to take it." She laughed at herself, shaking her head while chewing on a bite of cereal.
Within the next hour, everyone else got up. Liam commented on the fact that I was wearing one of his shirts, and I quickly apologised.
"It's fine, Niall," Liam laughed. "It doesn't bother me. We're brothers now. You can wear whatever you want of mine." I smiled and thanked Liam for his generosity.
