Not so Lucky

Chapter Seven: Exclamation Marks

Dammit.
Dammit it all.
I look blankly at my best friend. She's pressing her lips together nodding like she just got caught dealing drugs.
"What?" I ask again.
"If your dad's here then Louis is probably back with Javier."
"What?"
"Yep."
I scoff. "They finally finished grieving together."
I was fine when Louis turned out gay except for a little vomit on his shoes. To be honest when that word came out of his mouth the question going through my mind was.
Is he bi?
The moment I started puking all over his shoes was when he said he was going out with Javier. My stepbrother.
That's the most revolting thing I've ever heard, that resulted in me puking, of course.
I'm not ashamed. He should be ashamed.
Dumping your girlfriend for her stepbrother.
Gross.
I watch the window and the dark clouds passing by, stuffing gummy's in my mouth.
"You alright?" Amber asks, leaning forward to see my face.
"Do you vomit rainbow?" I ask randomly, turning to face her.
I smile stretches on her lips. She slaps a proud hand on her chest.
"Of course I puke rainbows I'm a fucking elf for fucks sake." She dramatically flicks her long hair over her shoulder.
"What!? Your saying your not a leprechaun?" I ask bewildered.
She clicks her tongue several times in irritation. "No no no. You have got it all wrong, my child. I work for Santa and his a total dipshit."
I cover my mouth with a dramatic gasp.
"Yes yes. He enslaved us poor creatures into making these lame ass presents."
"You poor things." I chew on another gummy bear fully entertained by where this is going.
"Do you want to know what his deepest darkest secret of all is." She says, getting into character.
"Oh yes."
"He lives in a crappy apartment in New York, eating and drinking his days off until it's his time to shine. For like one fucking day and then back to eating and drinking 364 days for a whole year. Worthless prick."
I actually laugh slamming the table with a fist. "What. Is. Wrong. With. You."
"Don't get us kicked out, it's a freakin library."  She hisses putting a finger to her lips.
Just then Louis walked in, my laughter died down as he gave me narrowed eyes.
Fucking joke.
He wasn't all bad when I think back to our relationship, but now he's changed or maybe he was always like this and I just realised it.
When he took a seat at the one of the desks with the computer Amber pointed her favourite finger to his back.
That's why we're best fucking friends.
***
I pack up my books and sling my bag over my shoulder. Amber left for dance practice and since the library was closing early today; the only place I actually like hanging out. I'm here on one of the benches outside the library, peering down at a book I burrowed two days ago and rereading the last few pages because, who doesn't like rereading the last few pages of a novel.
Or maybe it's just me.
I lingered around for a little while until there was no one around and walked to the gates. The light afternoon sun was shaded by clouds. And I take a moment to appreciate the sky. Like I do everyday.
I exit the gate and find Faell petting a street cat.
"What are you doing!?" I hiss at him and the cat scurries away.
He smiles casually like this is his everyday routine. 
"I was picking you up," he says, hooking his thumbs in his jeans pockets.
"I told you not to come out of the house." I say. His ears drop back when he frowns.
Oh shit.
The ears.
I look around in my bag and pull out an ancient cap that's been in there since summer. I pull it over his head and he pouts.
"We're going home now," I say, grabbing his arm and pulling him with me to the bus stop. 
"How did you know I was here?" I ask as we take a seat and wait for the bus.
He shrugs nonchalantly. "I followed a few maps and asked some students."
"So you walked here?" I ask eyebrows raised.
My house is far. Not like super far but 'you gonna have to ride a bus' kinda far.
He nods and I'm shocked because that's a lot of walking he just did and he doesn't even look like he broke a sweat doing it; opposite actually, with his knee bouncing up and down he looks like he has preserved energy somewhere in him.
"Aren't cats supposed to be lazy?" I say.
"That's stereotypical, you know," he says slightly insulted but I can't tell. My cap is covering the top of his face so only his mouth and half his nose is visible.
A cat walks by and rubs her head on Faell's leg. I'm staring and thinking 'what's with all these female cats today?'
"What are you thinking?" Faell asks, rubbing the cats head.
I point my stare upwards at the sunset as the bottom half of it disappears behind a building.
"Are you attracted to cats or humans?"
A man seated next to me subtly but obviously moves away from us.
It takes Faell a few seconds to process, then a few more seconds till his laughter dies down.
"Oh my God gumdrop! What were you thinking?!"  He wheezes.
"That is what I was thinking." I deadpan.
He uses a finger to wipe a tear from his cheek and sighs. "You really want me to answer that?" He says.
I shrug. "It doesn't really matter."
It does though. It just concerns me that he's maybe attracted to animals...but he is a half animal so I shouldn't be as disturbed as I am.
"I see cats how humans see cats," he says gazing at the feline softly and continues. "They're just too animalistic to find attractive. Even when I'm a cat I still have human thoughts."
I slowly start to nod. Makes a lot of sense.
The man that was weirded out by our conversation legit stands and gives us a side eye. 
The bus comes soon after and we climb inside. I plopped myself down on the empty chair next to an aged women. The bus was packed so Faell stands in front of me holding onto one of the hanging straps.
A tipsy man bumps into him and Faell hisses at him, the man doesn't notice, stumbling down the bus, but I do. I look closely at Faell and it was so faint that I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't done a double take.
He has whiskers.
I instantly press the emergency stop button and the bus slows into a halt. I hop up and grab Faell's hand and quickly step out of the bus into a private alleyway.
"What's wrong gumdrop? We're not even home." He says, oblivious to everything.
I drop his hand, facing him.
I think he just became smaller....and is that canines I see?
"When do you transform?" I ask carefully.
He chews on his bottom lip and after a moment he answers. "When the sun sets." He says but that sentence barely sounded coherent. I had to lean in to actually hear any words. 
Just then, in a blink of an eye he disappeared.....or maybe he just shrank.
I gasp, stepping back staring at the bundle of clothes wide eyed.
Did I just witness magic?
"Faell?" I say warily. A black form wrestles out of the clothes, meowing in response.
"Oh my God!" I breath out. "You just transformed?" He meows again in agreement.
It's been over ten minutes and I'm still not over it. We've been walking home and every now and then I eye him from the corner of my eye.
His magic.
He utters a lazy meow letting me know he can see me staring at him. I roll my eyes and enter the corner store.
I get a notification from my phone.

Amber
I've got a great idea for the end of this semester's holiday!!!!!!

Not good.
Six exclamation marks always means trouble.
I groan, running my hand over my face.
I got shit waiting for me cause tomorrow is the end of the semester.
"'Sup Luck. What's with the new pet?" Danny asks eyeing the feline.
"This is Faell. And Faell being the cat that he is, needs milk." I head to one of the fridges and open it. I lift the milk from the bottom of the fridge and accidentally use more strength than necessary and hit the upper part making all the soda and beer cans fall out and loudly clatter on the floor.
Oh for the life of me.
Just how unlucky can I get.
Some fizz out cuz of the impact, others roll onto the floor making heavy clanging noises and I just literally stand and stare until Daniel comes rushing from the counter.
"What happened!?"
His hand flies to his neck as he stares at the mess I've made.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid mess.
"Damn," he says quietly.
"Don't worry Dan. I'll pay—" he stops me with a flick on the forehead.
"Don't Luck, it's fine. I'll deal with it."
I rub my forehead and shake my head. "I made this mess. I'll clean it up." I say.
I get another forehead flick.
"Can you please stop that! I'm losing brain cells here."
He sighs and rubs the crease from between his brows. "I can't let you clean it up." He says with absolute resolution.
I don't say anything, not wanting another flick and head for the counter slamming a ten dollar note on the table and snatching up a voucher, I write down some angry words and leave, Faell on my tail.
It wasn't necessarily angry words more like.
I hate you but thanks.
And keep the fucking change.
My phone vibrates in my pocket.

Amber
And I'm bringing Kyle along!!!!!!!!

It's eight. Eight damn exclamation marks. 
A trillion times worse than six.
"How lucky can I possibly get," I groan.
We finally make it to my apartment and as soon as we enter I slump on the couch.
Faell gives me a long nervous meow. I don't bother answering him.
My eyes fall shut and I think I'm gonna crumple into a pile of shit.
Faell slides next to me, nudging my arm to give himself space to curl into my side.
I don't like the way I get comforted by a cat.
But I do.
***