I woke up the next morning sitting on the sofa, with Kit lying next to me, his head on my lap. I smiled, biting my lip, and brushed the hair away from his face. His long pale eyelashes fluttered against his ivory cheeks, before opening to reveal the gorgeous, entrancing amber eyes that I loved so much...
"Hey", I whispered down at him, my heart beating faster as I saw little dimples forming on either side of his mouth as he bit back a grin, and rubbed his face with his small pale hands, in a very cat-like fashion.
"Good morning", he mumbled through his fingers, stifling an adorable yawn. I knew I had to move and get ready for class, but watching him there, lying so peacefully.... it made me feel like everything was going to be okay. Like it all would be just fine...
"I have to get up I'm afraid..." I chuckled at the scowl that shot across his tired features. "Come on, up you get", I kissed the top of his head, and gently moved him onto the sofa. I stood up and glanced back at him, before going into the bathroom for a shower. I knew that today was going to be difficult. No amount of looking at Kit's relaxing little body was going to change that. The hot water cascading down my torso calmed any nerves I had, and plans began forming in my mind, slowly falling into position.
"Alex!", I heard a shout from the kitchen as I stepped out of the shower, "Toast?" I knew it was only a small thing, but I felt my heart flutter. The fact that I got all romantic when he just offered me freaking breakfast meant I had fallen so hard for this little kitty... I shouted a reply and wandered into my room, grabbing my deodorant and spraying myself before I threw on some clothes. I was drying my hair as I walked into the kitchen, watching Kit hopping about and mumbling to himself as he retrieved the hot toast from the toaster, hissing as it touched his fingers.
"Need a hand?" He looked back at me and smiled, embarrassed at his poor toast handling skills.
"Thanks, but I got it. It was just a little hot", his voice was like honey to my ears, and I couldn't resist draping the towel over my shoulder, so I could walk up and cuddle him with my chin on his head.
"Who knew that toast could be hot?" I teased, turning him around in my arms to see his pouting little face. I grinned and hooked a finger under his chin, pulling him in for a long and deep kiss. When I pulled away, a look of absolute bliss coated Kit's face. His cheeks were slightly pink, and he hadn't opened his eyes, like he was savoring the moment. I reached up to his ear and rubbed along the furry edge with my thumb, slowly, to tease him. He murmured something incoherent, and I smiled, leaning down to kiss his forehead. His eyes opened, and his blush deepened, making my smile even bigger.
"You're gonna be late... Idiot.." He looked down at his bare feet, and his tail, which had wrapped itself around his leg. I took the towel from my shoulder and plopped it on his head, chuckling at his groan of protest as I wolfed down my toast.
"I'm going to sort things today", I finished my last mouthful and Kit threw the towel into the laundry basket. "I'm going to make sure that he leaves you alone". I didn't say Blake's name, because every time I did, I felt a white hot rage course through my veins. Kit said nothing, but nodded, his eyes distant as bad memories clouded them. I kissed him goodbye and left the apartment, a sharp pain touching my heart as I heard a whimper escape his lips when I shut the door...
The drive to school was painful. Images of Kit sobbing on the sofa kept flashing through my head, making me grip the steering wheel tighter, until my knuckles turned a crippling white. I had to stay calm. I had to be rational. I had to just make it right. My plan was to have a normal conversation with Blake, to try and make him understand that my feelings for Kit were real, that every moment with him meant the world to me, and I couldn't just give him up. I loved him.
I parked the car and jogged into the school, my first stop being the art department. I knew that marching out of the classroom angrily last lesson wasn't great behaviour, although it was justified. My teacher was a reasonable woman, and I know she liked me, so I didn't think she'd react badly to my apology. As I walked towards the classroom I heard talking coming through the partially open door. I recognised both of them, and my skin crawled.
"I really like your style, Blake. It's so original", Ms Wain's voice was sincere as she complemented the thing I hated most in this world. I pushed the door fully open and they both turned to look at me. Blake's eyebrows shot up above his cold, dark eyes.
"Alex?" My teacher's expression was full of worry as she looked at me, "Are you ok? You left very suddenly last-"
"I'm fine. I just felt a bit... sick. That's all", I shot a glance at Blake, and noticed the muscles in his jaw clench as he ground his teeth.
"Oh good, I was worried. Are you sure you're feeling up to today?" I was touched that she was so concerned, and I felt awful for lying to her. Her motherly actions made me so guilty, and I stuffed my hands into my pockets, as if I was trying to hide it.
"I'm sure I'll live", I attempted a smile, but I knew it just looked awkward. She nodded, but her expression stayed the same.
"Well, I guess i'll leave you to it", she picked up an empty 'I <3 Art' mug from her desk and made her way out of the classroom, leaving me alone with him. I moved across the room, past him, to the unfinished painting in my corner of the classroom. I looked into those deep amber eyes on the canvas, and then back up into the ebony ones staring at me.
"Good morning", he said, almost casually. I breathed deeply, wanting punch him until he felt the pain that he put Kit through.
"I'm not here for small talk", I stated, leaning against the desk behind me. "I want you to give up on Kit. He doesn't belong to you." Blake smiled, but his eyes remained dead cold.
"I know that I made it sound like giving him back to me was optional, but it really wasn't. I've read your files, Alex, I know everything about you." He walked closer to me, and I tensed, expecting him to try something, but he didn't. Instead he reached out for the painting, trailing his finger across the edge of the canvas dominantly, while examining the unfinished face on it. "You act tough, but you have no one. Your parents split while you were younger, and now you rely on money from your father to pay the bills while your mother plays around with people far younger than her." He smirked and turned his gaze to me. "You're lonely and pathetic".
"Shut your mouth." I snapped, and immediately regretted it. It's what he wanted. I took a deep breath, trying to visualise Kit's smiling face looking up at me while he cuddled me. A soothing sensation ran through my veins and I regained my rationality. "I understand that you're angry, trust me, I get it. But you're acting like a child, like I've stolen your toy from your damn pram". He flinched at my words and scowled.
"You don't understand. I can make your life a living hell", he began, grasping at the shreds of his argument, "I have more mon-"
"Do I look like I give a single shit", I slammed my palm against the desk, and saw panic flash in his eyes, "about your money? Do I seem scared? Because I don't feel fucking scared." I walked around until I was at the front of the classroom, pushing the door shut as I passed it.
"You know I actually came here to have a calm conversation with you", I chuckled bitterly, looking down at my hands and cracking my knuckles, "I thought that if I explained how much I loved him, you'd understand. He told me you know, about what you'd do to him. It's hard to imagine somebody as pathetic as you acting big and dominant", I spat the words at him, watching his nostrils flare as he tried to think of something to say. For a moment, I thought he had nothing.
"You know, he could have left whenever he wanted", that shocked me. A new confidence filled Blake's eyes and he lifted his head a little, as if he had found a chink in my armor. "I didn't exactly stop him from changing into a cat, because I don't know how." He walked forward until he was just paces away from me, a victorious smile playing on his lips. "Maybe because he liked it."
I fought so hard to stop myself from smashing my knuckles against his face. "I'm sure you know how much he enjoys playing around, and feeling good. He's just messing you about, Alex", he stepped forward until he was too close for comfort.
"He doesn't love you".
His thin frame shuffled past me and out the door, leaving me standing there. A sharp pain stabbed at my chest, as cracks formed across my heart..