Yours Musically

17. The Shock Waves

Chapter Seventeen - The Shock Waves

Considering how shitty everything was going lately, I think it was fair to say that the only good thing to happen in my life was me finding a little kitten in my garden after school.

It came out of nowhere. I was dragging my exhausted self up the stone path after my friends dropped me home when I noticed a movement in the bushes. I'd walked closer to investigate and suddenly, a little orange tabby cat had jumped out of it.

"Did anyone show up for him?" I asked Mrs. Brooke in a whisper, careful not to wake the kitten napping on my outstretched legs.

"Not yet." She placed a bowl of spaghetti for me and a bottle of milk for the cat next to it on the nightstand.

"I'll ask mom to keep him if no one does."

"Really?" She smiled. "That is great! He's really warmed up to you in a couple of hours. Look at him, so cute."

"I know, right?" Every few seconds, I had to resist the urge to squish his adorable little face so I wouldn't wake him up.

"Hey, Mrs. Brooke." Meera beamed over Facetime. "You made spaghetti! You know how much I love your spaghetti."

"Hello, Meera, Cheryl. I'll make some the next time you girls come over." She gave them a warm smile.

"Can't wait! I miss it so much." Cheryl pouted.

I rolled some spaghetti around my fork and ate it, grinning at the screen just as Mrs. Brooke quietly shut the door after her. "It's delicious." I smacked my lips.

"Fuck off." Meera smiled sweetly.

"How's the cat doing?" Cheryl asked.

"Still napping on my legs adorably." I pointed the camera towards him.

"Aw! He's so awsknimkaq..." she cooed something incoherent, pretending to squish his cheeks through the screen.

"I know I know." I chuckled.

"Can we call him Garfield?"

I stared down at the kitten pensively while grabbing a Cheeto and my eyes instantly lit up. "How about Cheeto? He looks like one."

She gasped and stuck out her bottom lip like she was gonna cry. "Yes, he does. I like Cheeto."

I gently stroked the kitten's head. "Hey, Cheeto."

He was sleeping so peacefully, one could easily mistake him for a nice little charmer but I knew he was a feisty little thing when awake, biting almost everything within his reach—even tried one of my fingers once. Ever since I'd found him, he'd kept me and Mrs. Brooke busy petting him, running after him and feeding him until he'd finally decided to nap half an hour ago.

"Guys," Cheryl wiggled her brows. "What are we wearing to the party?"

"Actually." Meera sighed. "That's why I called. I had to let you guys know I'm not going. Sorry."

"What? What happened?" we blurted out at the same time.

"My parents." She rolled her eyes. "They won't let me go on a school night."

I wasn't sure mine would've allowed either but it wasn't like they were going to find out. I'd be in bed way before they could come home and even if I wasn't, I was certain they were not going to stop by in my room to kiss me goodnight after the kind of tiring days they'd been having lately.

"Is there any way you can convince them? Try puppy eyes and go 'this is the first junior year party. Everyone's gonna be there. Please, please, please let me go'," I suggested.