My Neko Boyfriend

Chapter Five - Who is She?

A few days passed with no sign of Sebastian. Time moved slowly, and thoughts of him and what he told her occupied her thoughts.

He looked so small and delicate as a cat. His fur coat was spotless, and the image of him curled up on the floor in her room was ingrained in her mind. She felt like they could have been good friends, and after spending a lot of time replaying their conversation, she couldn't help but think about the look in his eyes when she asked him what he was so scared of. Did he struggle to fit in, too? Was he having problems at home? whatever his fears were, they seemed burdensome—an all-to-familiar weight she understood well.

"Be safe!" her dad yelled from the counter as she stepped outside, snapping her out of her daydream. Her night shift was finally over. "Don't forget to bring my lunch!"

She waved her hand and shouted back, "I won't!"

The sun had begun to rise, dispelling the shadows and lightening her mood a little. Projected highs of around 72 degrees, May-lee wore a pink and white sundress that hung just above her knees, with a beige cardigan draped over her shoulders. Her bangs were pulled back and held in place by a shiny white hair clip.

Passing the grocery store on her left, she turned the corner towards her house. Her footsteps were sluggish, and she watched them as she held her lunch box in her hands close to her chest.

Approaching the crossroads between the train station and her home, she stopped and pondered on a thought.

Would it be wrong to see him again...?

She took a breath and squeezed her lunchbox. Her eyes darted between the station and the path home.

I need answers...

Streetlamps lit her route, and she quickened her pace under the rising sun. Gradually, the streetlamps flickered off and faded from view as she approached the old, abandoned hotel.

After double-checking no one was watching, she searched for a handle where she saw Raif walk through the wall, but there was nothing there.

She ran her hands across the brick, stopping to check underneath some foliage that might have hidden a handle, but again, nothing.

After several attempts to find an opening, May-lee had an idea.

She walked back around and stood in front of the hotel. Vines made their way to the top of the bordered-up windows, and the white paint on the veranda was chipped, and covered in mold.

She carefully placed her feet on the crooked stairs leading to the door. They creaked but were still intact by the time she reached the top. Grabbing the rusted handle on the door, she jigged it, but it didn't budge.

Following the wrap-around porch, May-lee noticed a window that was slightly ajar. She knew she couldn't fit through such a small space, not with all the frosted buns she had been snacking on with her father before bed. Still, she placed her lunchbox beside the window, put her leg through the gap, and attempted to push the rest of the window up. While she was successful, her dress snagged on a rusted old nail and tore at the bottom without her noticing.

Dust and a terrible musty smell tickled her nose as she walked towards the only other light source coming from another window in the hallway.

Old-fashioned chairs were tipped over, and what looked like a dining table was slightly covered by a sheet, wrinkled, and stained an off-white color.

As she reached the wide, circular entrance of the hallway, the split staircase caught her eye. It reminded her of the scene in a movie she watched with her mother—a grand hotel with a beautiful woman standing on the landing of a similar staircase, hoping for a man to ask her to dance. She could sense that the place was once packed with people, and she took her time admiring the décor and timeless beauty. It saddened her to see it in such a state, and she wondered what had led to its abandonment.

As she continued to look around, all thoughts of her dad and the store disappeared. She was too immersed in the old, run-down building, and the search for Sebastian. That was until her phone vibrated.

The word, "Dad" buzzed on the small screen. She debated answering it before deciding to switch it off instead.

A voice in the back of her mind told her she was smarter than this. All the lessons on safety and keeping her phone charged had gone to waste in a matter of seconds.

"Augh, I should probably turn it back on," she moaned, coming to her senses.

Before she could reach for her phone, a small brown cat ran through her legs and underneath the staircase behind her.

The tiny cat was in such a hurry, it left a small, white door under the stairs ajar.

May-lee followed after the cat and opened the square-shaped door.

When she poked her head through, it was too dark to see anything except a spiral staircase leading downward. She paused and looked back towards the window she crawled through.

Following the cat meant ignoring Sebastian's warning, there was no turning back after this. Something inside her resisted.

Was it fear of the unknown? Or was she so comfortable in her mundane life that she was so afraid of change... a little adventure?

Faint footsteps and mummers echoed from below, shaking her out of her thoughts.

"Come on, May-lee," she whispered to herself. "What have you got to lose?"

Slowly, she crawled through the doorway and closed it behind her.

"Come here! Don't run past me! What have I told you about going up there?" a strong voice called out.

"I-I'm sorry. I heard a noise," a meek voice answered.

"What kind of noise?"

"Um, I don't know..."

May-lee placed her hand over her mouth. Someone must have heard her. Footsteps grew louder in the distance, and she panicked, but before she could turn around and run a hand grabbed her waist and pulled her body in close.

"Shhhh!" he said, placing a finger on her lips, "be quiet."

She remained silent, but not by choice. His finger was placed firmly on her lips, and his deep and earthy scent caressed her nose, like the smell of grass after it rained. He held her body in his embrace until a red hue rushed to his cheeks, and he released her.

May-lee almost forgot where she was; too entranced by his radiant blue eyes that almost hypnotized her.

"We gotta get out of here," Sebastian shouted. "Now!" he snapped his fingers, knocking her out of her mesmeric state, but before she could gather her thoughts, a small cat appeared on the steps below. A sandy color and a lot smaller than Sebastian. He tilted his head and innocently asked them a question.

"Seb... w-who's that?"