EXISTENCE: Recovery

CHAPTER 17: Summer's End

Adam woke up to the sound of his cat, clawing at the window, meowing anxiously. He rubbed his eyes and just stared at the cat, barely registering his own surroundings. 

"What is it, Jibreel, wech kayen?" he mumbled, slowly rising up off of his matress. He walked over to the silver-furred cat and picked him up, absentmindedly looking out the bedroom window. He saw Nadia and Rym standing outside, dressed up and wearing their backpacks, conversing and laughing as usual. The girls looked up at the boy; Rym smiled and waved, Nadia looked annoyed and made a "check the time" gesture. He took a look at the clock on his nightstand and noticed the time - 8:20 A.M. Adam was fully awake now. He put Jibreel back on the windowsill and ran for the restroom, closing the door almost immediately. Jibreel frantically followed and began clawing at the door.  Within minutes, Adam pushed the door open to a startled Jibreel, and quickly searched for his clothes. He stopped, scanning his area, realizing the mess he made. Jibreel softly mewed underneath a thrown bed cover. 

Resigned, Adam slid down to his bed frame, removing the cover off of his cat. Jibreel hopped around him, nudging his arm, as if coaxing him to get up.

"You were just trying to wake me up, weren't you, buddy?"

Jibreel meowed in response, and stopped. Ears perking, he dashed over to the bedroom door and stood on one side of the door. The door quickly opened, a frantic Mimi dashing into the boy's room, carrying a handful of clothes. She quickly stopped and stared at her son in disbelief. 

"How are you awake already?"

Adam smiled. "You can thank my new roommate." He stood up. "Where are all my clothes?"

Mimi tossed them at the boy. "I got you some new clothes that I had washed for you last night, and this came in the mail." She tossed another folded piece of clothing to him.

Adam caught the clothes and unfurled the other piece. "Oh! I was waiting for this!" In his hands was a black jacket, emblazoned with the Fox Bay Alphas team logo. On the back was a large number five. He gave a big grin, and hastily put on his clothes. He wore the jacket and struck a pose. "Mama, how do I look?" He struck another pose, showing his back. 

Mimi playfully applauded her son. "My boy looks like a real superstar now, masha allah!" She grinned. "Now you better go quickly, you've only got a little less than 10 minutes before the first day of school starts!"

Adam smiled. "Trust me, I've got this!" He started for the door and stopped, looked back at his cat, who sat in the middle of the room, making beady eyes at the boy. Adam looked from Jibreel to Mimi, and back, before running over and grabbing Jibreel, holding the silver-furred cat in his arms. He smiled at his mother. "I'll be taking Jibreel too, he can't handle being alone!" He dashed over to the door, but not before his mother quickly grabbed the cat by the scruff of his neck. 

Mimi gave a mocking grin. "You honestly thought I'd let you take a cat to school?"

Adam shrugged. "You let me do a lot of things, to be honest."

"Yes, well, taking a cat with you is one thing I'm not allowing." She smiled. "Don't worry, I'll look after your scruffy little roommate."

Jibreel gave a soft meow in response.

Adam smiled and walked up to his mother, giving her a light kiss on the cheek. Mimi simply smiled and watched as her son went out the door to his first day of sophomore year.

She looked over at Jibreel. "Imagine going so long without seeing him, every day," she smiled. "'Cause you're going to have to get used to it too." She cradled the cat and walked out of her son's room.