Forgotten Soul

Exposed

Balloons, streamers, confetti, and banners filled the house from top to bottom. Kiki stood in the middle of the living room with her mouth wide open. Her tail hung low, and her ears lay flat as she looked around at all the decorations. Turning around, she saw more decorations outside on the front lawn. Kiki let out a long sigh. Rose and Lillian hardly knew Kiki, but they were more than willing to throw her a party.

"I asked her not to go overboard..." Kiki whispered to herself as she slumped down in the chair facing the window. "Oh well, I might as well enjoy it. Besides, a party sounds fun."

Kiki decided to take a bath to get ready for the party. She made her way upstairs, grabbing some clothes to wear before proceeding to the bathroom. Kiki shut the door behind her before undressing and ran some hot bath water with foaming lavender bath salts. Once the tub was full of bubbles and water, she slowly made her way in the tub. Kiki chuckled at the thought of a cat liking baths. She had finally come to terms with her genetics and accepted the fact that she was different. It brought her a bit of closure. In fact, she began to enjoy having her cat-like ears and tail.

Kiki laid back in the tub, closed her eyes, and started relaxing. The house was quiet. Before long, she fell asleep in the tub. What Kiki didn't know was she wasn't the only one in the house. Some time had passed by, and Kiki had not heard that someone had made their way upstairs. Moments later, the door to the bathroom opened and Lillian, who had already undressed and was ready to take a bath with nothing but her towel draped over her arm, walked in without noticing Kiki lying in the tub. She stopped suddenly, and her jaw dropped. Her face turned a dark shade of red.

"Oh my gosh! I am so very sorry!" Lillian blurted out before thinking.

Lillian had wanted to leave quietly. Kiki nearly jumped out of the tub after hearing Lillian's voice. Water splashed everywhere, and Kiki tried to conceal herself. However, at that moment, the only thing she could do was sink lower in the tub. Kiki looked up at the bathtub and saw Lillian's naked body. She blushed a deep shade of red. Lillian hurriedly left the bathroom and closed the door.

"I'm so very sorry; I didn't know someone was in there.. very," Lillian called out through the door.

Kiki tried to respond and say it was okay, but nothing came out. Her heart was furiously pounding, and she was at a loss for words. Once Kiki regained her composure, Kiki quickly finished her bath and got dressed. She was worried Lillian might think she was mad at her for walking in on her bath. Looking around the house, she couldn't find Lillian. Kiki walked to the back door and saw Lillian sitting next to Rose, gazing into the small pond. She made her way over to both of them. Her purple kimono was flowing in the breeze behind her.

"Lillian?" She called. "Are you okay?"

Lillian turned and tried to apologize to Kiki for her intrusion.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I am so sorry for--" Lillian replied but was cut off by Kiki.

"Don't worry; it was my fault for not locking the door. I don't blame you at all." Kiki said with a smile and a slight blush. "Come on, don't be sad! After all, aren't we throwing a party? Who is sad at a party?"

Lillian smiled and nodded her head. Her ears perked up, and her tail swayed side to side.

"You're right..." Lillian said, her voice still shaky from crying. "Let's go have a good time."

Lillian and Rose both looked at each other before gasping. The look on their face was easy enough to read. They must've just remembered something they had forgotten to do or get.

"Oh crap, hold that thought... Kiki, we will. Be.. right back. I-it's not like.. we forgot anything.. haha!" Lillian said, grabbing Rose by the arm.

Both of them made a silly side-stepping motion before scurrying off. Kiki laughed a little at the way they were acting. As Rose and Lillian disappeared, Kiki blushed again as she thought about what had happened only several minutes ago. Kiki sat down next to the pond and looked in the water. What was this feeling she felt? Kiki never had the chance to make actual friends, so she didn't know what was normal or abnormal about friendship.

Kiki started to think about the man she had seen only a few days ago. Could he have been the one that gave her this beautiful kimono? Is it possible that he was the doctor that her parents had met all those years ago?

*Sorry, this chapter is shorter than usual; as time goes on, I will try to add more. But for me to move on, I want to finish/end this chapter.*