Charlotte's Law

"It was best for them to expect the worst."

As the next week passed, Camden grew more and more withdrawn. He'd started to overthink everything. He was afraid of what his parents would do on visitor's day, and now he only had one day to mentally prepare himself.

On Wednesday, they had had a mandatory meeting for all the new students. They had gone over how to "come out" and explain everything in the best way. They had talked about how most parents wouldn't accept it, at least not right away. Some would never accept it, and a very select few would accept it wholeheartedly right away.

It was best for them to expect the worst. Camden had already been expecting the worst, but to have it said openly like that really made him realize just how strange his situation was.

So that's how Camden ended up on the roof of the castle, with Tiger curled up on his chest. It was the morning of visitor's day, and his parents would be arriving in two hours. The sun was just coming up, and Camden was peacefully watching the beautiful sunrise.

He had started doing this a lot; climbing onto the roof and just thinking in the early hours of the day. Only Landyn knew where he went when he disappeared (he had found him one day).

Camden felt like he was ready to tell his parents. He was still dreading the outcome, but he knew who he was and he wasn't going to let anyone change him. He had found a group of people who accepted him for who he was.

Tiger purred against his chest. He had made a full recovery, and Camden was proud of him. He stroked him behind the ear and smiled at the small kitten.

"You'll always stick by me, right?" Camden asked, not expecting an answer.

"You're my human," Tiger replied, in a deeper than expected voice. He had a strange accent, but spoke English. "I'll never leave you alone."

Camden wrapped his arms around the cat and sat straight up, pulling him back so he could look at him.

"You can talk?" he asked. Tiger seemed to nod his head a bit. "Since when? I must be losing my mind!"

"I just never felt the need to reveal it before," Tiger shrugged a bit. "As soon as we made a bond in the pet room that day, I could communicate with you. You're the only one who can hear me, though."

Camden shook his head and squinted his eyes shut.

"This is insane," he whispered. "Can all animals do that?"

"Not all, but some," Tiger shivered and stretched, yawning. "Mostly felines, really. We're the best species."

Camden laughed. "O' course they are."

"There's the accent I love so much," Tiger flopped over in Camden's lap lazily.

"What?"

"Your accent," Tiger responded. "From when you first came here. Before you could read or write, that is. It feels more like the real you."

Camden sighed and nodded. "It takes so much effort to talk proper. I just don't wanna get teased, yeah?"

"Who cares what other people think?" Tiger said indifferently. "You are who you are. No one should want to change that, and if they do then they aren't worth the trouble."

"I s'pose so," Camden nodded. "Wha' 'bout Landyn, then? I dunno what I'd do if me best friend didn't like me anymore."

"Landyn tried to talk you out of it to begin with," Tiger retorted. "He liked your accent almost as much as I did. It's soothing, friendly. I'd even go as far as to call it intriguing."

Camden nodded and laid back again, looking at the now risen sun.

"I'm glad I talked to ya, Tiger," he admitted. "Otherwise, I might not 'ave realized 'ow stupid it was for me to 'ide me accent."