Half a Man at Best (Sequel to VALERIE)

Chapter Three

Copyright © zylgnagnaba

The cute ball of fur is curled up in comfortable silence upon my arms as I carry it to the lounge area. I was throwing the garbage at the backyard when I spotted the white furry cat scouting for food from the bin. Out of mercy and love for animals, I thought about taking it with me inside and give it a decent meal—and if Valerie agreed, maybe I could also keep it.

She was still seated cross-legged on the couch, her back turned to me, when I came back. Her head was casted down to the notes placed unsteadily on her lap and her hair is messily tamed in a bun with a pencil. For a brief moment, I took the time to admire how dedicated she was at her studies. With few textbooks sprawled around her, the pen between her coiled thumb and index finger while scribbling words in her notes, she pursed her lips in a firm line concentrating on her work—she looked so mesmerizing.

But me, being Harry, I thought about distracting her even for just a bit. I didn’t even remember the last time we really had fun together since she started studying Fashion Design. Since most of her time was spent in College, her job as a model, and when she came home, she’d still study—I’d be lucky if all her homework was done and still wasn’t tired, by then she’ll remember that she still had a boyfriend.

I didn’t complain though. I understood her the way she understood the nature of my job. What’s even worse than being away from your lover for a really long time while he was busy touring the world and you’re just there waiting for him to come back?

Fair enough, Valerie was very understanding and not too clingy. She knew how my job works since day one and I’m just glad that we had no problem about that, since we always had remedies to maintain the fire in our relationship.

“Babe, look what I found outside.” I call her attention while petting the cat, rubbing its furry back causing for it to purr, pleased with my action.

With hopeful eyes, I adverted my gaze to Valerie whose head was still casted down to her notes and I frown.

“Babe,” I called her again a little louder this time. She turned her head halfway just to pay me a glance for a fleeting second and then looked at her work again, but then she quickly snapped her head back up—darted her sight instantly to the cat in my arms. Startled at the sight, she gasped and jumped out of her seat and took the throw pillow with her and used it to shield her upper body.

“Harry, what the hell?! Get it out of here!” She scowled at me, her voice boomed inside the lounge.

“What? It’s cute.” I pressed without taking my eyes off the pet in my arms. I continued on rubbing its back and I giggled when it meowed, yet again. I noticed how Valerie would cringe with every contact I make with the pet.

“Harry, please baby. You know how much I hated cats. Please?” I chuckled quietly at her plea while she gripped tighter on the pillow in her hands.

“Sssh baby,” I chided her mockingly and covered one of the cat’s ears for emphasis. “You’re hurting her feelings.”

Valerie straightened her stance and looked at me in mere incredulity. She placed one hand on her hip and arched an eyebrow at me in a defiant way.

“How did you even know it’s a she?”

I gulped. “Ahh, well-“ I tried to say but then she cut me off.

“Doesn’t matter. Just get it out of here, please? I’m trying to study. I have tests tomorrow.” Surprisingly, her tone became calm—or should I say bored and uninterested.  She sat back on her previous position, hoping that I would grant her plea but as stubborn as I was, I teased her more by sitting down at the loveseat across her.