This Cat Has Claws

4: Pretty Kitty

After I had downed the whole cup of chocolate milk, I really had to pee. I just didn't know where the bathroom was. And I still hadn't found the dance party somewhow. The girls were nowhere to be seen, so I was completely on my own in this frat house. As cliche as it was, I opted to head upstairs in search for a bathroom. All those people in movies had the right idea for a reason. There was less space upstairs so that meant there were far fewer people, and those who were upstairs were probably in the closed off rooms getting it on. Of course, I didn't want to accidentally walk in on that, but there wasn't much I could do; my bladder was about to explode.

With luck on my side, I opened the third door on the left, and it happened to be a bathroom. Having a sixth kitty sense is really handy at times like these. I walked into the bathroom and closed and locked the door. When I opened the door again, I felt it stop abruptly by hitting someone.

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry," I said and quickly made my way out of the bathroom to see who I had just hit.

"You have a talent for bumping into people through doors," the guy on the ground said.

"You again?" Of course it was Landon Assface that I hit. At least this time he wasn't looking at me like he wanted me dead. "Look, both times have been accidents. And it's not like I can see through walls and doors. There's no way I would have known you were there when I opened the door."

"How's your arm?"

"It's fine. Honestly, I've had worse."

Landon Assface gave me a confused and concerned look, which was unexpected. He did a lot of things that I didn't expect after our first meeting. I mean, who looks at someone with such disgust and utter revulsion one minute and then the next asks how you are and is concerned about you? Apparently, this guy.

"So, what brings you here, Landon?" I asked, breaking the ice that had enveloped us.

"My roommate brought me only to leave me for some girl. You?" he asked.

"Same. I was told there was going to be a dance party, but I have yet to find it. At this rate I'm going to go home disappointed."

I could tell that Landon didn't have much else to say so I started walking towards the stairs to find the dance party before going home. Landon followed in silence. We both walked down the stairs without a word. Landon wasn't much of a talker it seemed, and I wasn't the greatest at small talk, so I didn't think another conversation was going to be started between us. When we got to the bottom of the stairs a very drunk man threw his arm around Landon's shoulder.

"Heyyyyyy mannnnn!" he shouted. "I haven't seen you all night. What happened?" He then looked at me and a wide grin spread across his face. "Oh, I see. Sorry for interrupting. I didn't know you had a girlfriend, or sex friend or whatever it is you two are."

"We aren't anything, Josh," Landon said sternly.

I looked at him in mock hurt. It would be fun to play it up some more and turned my head to the side sniffling. I tried my hardest to think of something that would make me cry and sure enough a tear or two welled up in my eyes and I looked back at Landon and his friend Josh.

"How can you say that, babe? You told me you loved me!" I exclaimed and wiped a stray tear from my cheek.

God, it was almost impossible to hold in my laughter and keep up this facade after looking at both their faces. Landon was beyond confused, and after a minute he understood that I was playing with him. Josh looked very uncomfortable since he thought I was genuinely upset and heartbroken. Landon scoffed and rolled his eyes. When Josh saw him do this, he pulled Landon to the side a little ways from me to have a talk.

"Man, I don't think you should treat your girlfriend that way. She looks pretty upset and you never want to find out what a heartbroken person can do to you," Josh said.

"He's right, babe. You really don't want to find out what I'd do to you," I stormed up to them with a smile. "I never wanna see you face again!" I yelled and stormed away.

After I had turned a corner and was no longer in Josh and Landon's line of sight, I burst out laughing. I was hunched over and wiping my tears away. Josh was so genuinely concerned and trying to help, it was hilarious.

"Ha ha, you're very funny," Landon said. So he had followed me. "Josh gave me a hard time about that little show of yours. Thanks for that."

"I'm Marley Parker," I said, extending my hand for a hand shake.

"How are this and that at all related?"

He still shook my hand, but didn't properly introduce himself.

"If we are going to be boyfriend and girlfriend, we should at least know each other's names," I replied.

"You already know my name, though."

"Only your first name."

"Fine. Landon West. Wait a minute, who said we were going to date?"

"I was wondering if you were going to catch that," I said laughing. "Well, I'm gonna go home now. Bye Landon West."

I waved and Landon looked exhausted. It was really fun messing with him. Now all I wanted to do was stalk around as a cat. Yeah, that sounded just about right. Then I wouldn't have to worry too much about my wound. For some reason, all the injuries I got while I was human were not transferred to my cat form, and vice versa.

After walking a little ways from the party but not quite to my house, I decided it was as good a time as any to transform. No one was around and there were prime trees and shit to climb on. When we transform, it's not like in the movies where our clothes rip and stuff, they just kind of disappear along with our human form and then reappear when we change back. I changed into an inconspicuous tortoiseshell cat and sauntered around.

I was surprised when I turned a corner and was met with a pair of feet. I jumped back and looked up to find Landon. He was seriously everywhere nowadays. He bent down and began to pet me. I purred when his hand made its way under my chin.

"What a pretty cat you are," he said.

Like, I know. I'm super cute.

I meowed like any normal cat would, because that's what I had to be right now, a normal cat. Not a person who can transform into a cat.

"Just where did she go?" Landon said to himself.

Was he talking about me? I'm pretty sure I was the last person to talk to him, unless immediately after I left someone swooped in and began talking to him only to leave two seconds later. And he was so taken with this mystery woman that he had to run after her only for her to disappear so he's left wandering the streets looking for her. But, if he was looking for me, well, here I was, but he wasn't going to know that. I tried my best to give him an inquiring meow hoping he would talk to me thinking I was a cat that couldn't understand him. It would be fun to tease him if my imagination was correct.

"I was going to walk this girl home since it's so late and pretty sketchy over here. Plus with all the drunk guys wandering around, it's even worse than usual," he said.

So he was definitely looking for me. That was really sweet, honestly. I mean, I could totally handle myself, but it's the thought that counts, and Landon hardly knew me so how was he to know that I wouldn't feel any safer with him walking me home? I decided it was time to walk away and head home. I was tired and just wanted to be in my nice, cozy bed.