Kitty

15

TW: Emotional Abuse & Physical Abuse

Tyler. We were pretty good friends back in first grade. I used to walk to school with him and play with him during recess. We weren't best friends, and we never had any sleepovers or play dates, but he was the closest friend I had.

I also think Tyler was my first crush. So, yeah, it hurt a lot when he broke my trust.

We were at recess, hanging out behind some bushes and playing spies. 'Spies' was a little game we made up where we would spy on our classmates and see who could get caught last. It was a stupid game. But I thought it'd be awesome if I could just turn into a cat when someone was about to see me spying.

It worked too well.

Tyler was jealous of my little superpower, and jealous that I didn't get caught. He was also a little kid who thought he could do anything without consequence.

So, I was in my cat form, hiding behind the bush with Tyler. At this time, I was technically in my kitten form because I was much younger. Anyway, Tyler wanted to hurt me like I hurt him. I didn't actually hurt him, but I hurt his ego.

He grabbed my tail and held me up in front of all the other first graders. Tyler also told all of them that it was me, Leo. Most of them believed him, sadly, because they are first graders and my cat/kitten form looks like me. The bullies got their revenge. Those kids had some real issues. Especially due to them being bullies in the first grade.

There were three of them. Eddy, Pete, and Noah I think. By the time I got away from them, and hid in a tree, they had pulled out patches of my gorgeous fur, bruised me all over from throwing rocks and hitting me, and pulled on my tail several times to prevent me from running.

Needless to say, I still have some trauma.

So when I accidentally run into him outside while trying to get some fresh air, I'm petrified. I also have no Jay to comfort me since he stayed inside.

"Oh, well if it isn't the little kitten who ran away," he says, smirking and coming closer to me. The relentless bullying was one reason we moved closer to civilization. The crappy country children would chase me down after school and beat me up. I guess it was for being able to transform into a cat. Although, only Tyler really knew I could. The others just wanted an excuse to beat someone up. Tyler just wanted to hurt me.

And apparently he still does.

"W-what do you want, Tyler," I snarl, trying to keep my voice steady. He steps closer, cornering me against the fence around the backyard and the mansion. I can feel my anxiety rising, and I start breathing rapidly.

"Me? I just wanted to catch up on what you've been doing for the past nine years. C'mon, kitten, tell me," he says, blocking my escape by putting his arms against the wall and fence. He towers over me, still smirking. I guess this is all amusing for him.

So, I decide to do something I've been wanting to do for a long time, but never had the nerve to. I knee him in the crotch and run.

"FUCK," he yells, doubling over in pain.

I rush into the house, making a beeline to the front door. I have to cram my way through the people, and I know Tyler will catch up soon. Once I make it out into the front yard, I run behind Jay's jeep and crouch down. After making sure no one is looking, I shift into my cat form and crawl underneath his jeep. Hopefully Tyler can't see me. I stick behind a tire, trying to slow my breathing so I'm not heard.

Then I hear footsteps. Then cursing. Then more footsteps. Tyler's looking for me. This could be made into a horror movie.

Just when Tyler kneels down to look under the jeep, someone shouts something at him.

"Hey! What are you doing to my car?" Jay, my savior, has come to the rescue.

"Oh, I was just looking for my pet cat," Tyler says, making me shiver in disgust. To my horror, he leans down and sees me, smiling evilly. I back up, eyes wide open in fear, but he snatches me out from under the jeep before I can run.

"Pumpkin! I've been looking all over for you! You silly cat." I hiss and scratch at his face, but he just holds me out away from him.

"Pumpkin? I didn't know he actually had an owner," Jay says, confused. Ah, fuck, I forgot about him.

"You know Pumpkin? Does he visit you often?" Tyler says, frowning. I hiss again, biting his hand hard, but he still doesn't let go.

"Yeah," Jay says, brightening up just thinking about my encounters with him, I guess. "He likes being petted nicely. Recently he got hurt though, but I fixed him all up. I thought he disappeared for good!"

Tyler tenses, his eyebrows dipping to complete the frown he wears. I decided to bite and scratch him this time, yowling as well. I make sure to bite where I already have, digging my teeth into his already made wound. This makes him curse and drop me, causing me to run back under the jeep. While looking around for somewhere else to hide, I hear Tyler say something that chills my blood.

"Really now... sounds like a certain somebody I know. Do you, by chance, know Leo?"

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. I freeze in place, knowing I can't prevent what'll happen next.

"Yeah, we're best friends. So what?"

"Do you know where he is?" No. Don't. Don't you fucking dare, Tyler.

"No, I came out to look for him." Please no. Please.

"But you just saw him! Oh, has Leo not told you yet?"

"Told me what?"

Tyler laughs like a maniac, then ruins my life yet again.

"Leo is that cat. Have you ever seen them both in the same room together? Think about it. Look at how similar they look."

"W-what? That's nonsense," Jay says, his voice unstable.

"Yeah right. I've seen him turn into the cat before. I'm his best friend. I would know."

I can barely think or hear them, my heart beating into my ears, but when I catch that sentence I tremble in rage. And fear.

"Leo's a monster. He tricks people into believing he's a cat, and then he learns your secrets to spread." Tyler says with cockiness lining his words.

My reflexes make a decision and I go with it. I run home.

Home, where Tyler can't reach me. Home, where I can forget about my dreams of ever being friends with Jay. Home, where my loving parents are waiting. Home.

I slam the door with human hands and throw myself against it.

I slide to the ground and hug my knees, sobbing and shaking uncontrollably.