My Neko Boyfriend
"When I needed a hand, I found your paw."
16-year-old May-lee finds solace in a strange white cat that visits her dad's convenience store. One night she finds it scratched and bruised laying behind the dumpster. Before she can tend to its wounds, the cat takes the form of a human BOY!
A cat society governed by a powerful goddess hopes to create a world where humans are the pets. But Sebastian, a cat, who can turn into a boy and is the heir to the throne, falls in love with May-lee who gives him the power to rebel.
My Neko Boyfriend is a dark-romance light novel that weaves a tale of enchantment, danger, and the enduring power of love. Will May-lee and Sebastian defy the forces that seek to tear them apart, or will their love be lost to the ages? Embark on a journey where fate and passion collide and discover the true meaning of sacrifice and devotion.
PROLOGUE:
May-lee wasn’t always a cat.
She was a girl, once. A very timid and unsociable girl with short, brown hair that she often hid behind when she was afraid. School wasn’t exactly her forte — probably because she had a creative mind. She loved to sketch in her notebook, frequently getting in trouble for doing so. Friends were pretty much non-existent, spending most of her time helping her father at his convenience store. How often did he think of her now that she was a cat with no hope of returning human?
It had been years since she saw him, and although she can recall his name and a few other cloudy details, she felt far from these memories, almost as if they were someone else’s. They lingered in the back of her mind, falling further and further from her minds reach. She felt no real attachment to them, but they would float towards the forefront of her mind from time to time reminding her that she was different.
While the prospect of reclaiming her humanity dimmed, amidst the chaos, she found something—or rather, someone—worth holding onto.
CHAPTER ONE
As the sun set on a cool evening, May-lee began her night shift at her father's convenience store. Her flip flops made a tapping sound as she walked past the day-old sandwiches stacked neatly to her right, and then around the stand that adorned popular assorted snacks. She placed her bag on the table in the small office where her dad was sitting staring at the computer.
"Hey dad!" she said with a smile.
"Hey number one," he replied, continuing to stare at the computer screen.
"Here's the house keys." She placed them on the desk next to him. "Chicken is in the fridge. I made it with rice this time."
Her father looked up from the screen and nodded. "Ah, my favorite!"
A bell hanging on the front door chimed in the distance.
"Looks like I'm up!" May-lee said as she walked the counter and reached for her remote to silence the tiny TV that sat on a small shelf above her head.
"Hello!" she called out, but no-one replied.
Peace and quiet, even if just for a moment. She opened up a notebook that was kept readily by the cash register and proceeded to add to the sketch of her father stacking shelves.
"Don't forget to lock up!" her dad said rushing past, almost knocking over the neatly stacked Doritos with his protruding stomach.
"Will do!"
A sigh escaped her lips as the bell chimed once more as her father left for the evening. Night shifts were quiet. But May-lee didn’t mind. Being alone with her thoughts was something she was comfortable with.
She tapped her pencil on her notebook. Even though she was comfortable being alone she was often bored.
It had only been a few minutes into her shift, but May-lee decided to make herself a coffee. They had a small kitchen through a door attached to the office. It was an old building, often cold and mold grew on the ceiling above.
She changed the old filter in the coffee machine and replaced it with a new one. Then scooped coffee into it and hit brew. Her mind wondered slightly while she waited. The summer had just begun, and she was working nights to help her father. He was getting old and needed a lot of help.
A lot of teenagers helped their parents over the summer holidays, but they usually had fun things planned with their friends in-between. May-lee didn’t have many friends, and the ones that she did have hadn’t invited her anywhere. While the coffee brewed, she wondered what it would be like to hang out with a big group of friends, laughing and enjoying one another’s company.
Before the coffee was done, the bell chimed once again. She hurried out of the kitchen and onto the shop floor, but there was no one there. Perplexed, she checked the door and a few steps outside. No one.
Closing the door, she fixed the bell. Was someone playing tricks on her?
Keeping her guard up, May-lee retrieved her coffee which had finished brewing. But as she walked into the kitchen, she was startled by a radiant white cat sitting on the counter.
"Oh!" she gasped, holding her hand to her chest.
The cat hissed and jumped down landing with a thud.
She stared at the cat for a second, then looked up at the counter. A few cans of Vienna sausages and tuna were knocked over.
"Are you hungry little guy?" she asked.
The cat stopped hissing and sat back down.
May-lee grabbed a small bowl from the sink and opened a can of tuna and placed it on the floor next to the cat.
The cat scoffed it down and licked the bowl.
"Wow. You were hungry!"
She reached out her hand to pet its head, but the cat sprung up and began hissing again.
"Okay, okay. You don't want to be touched. I get it." She stared at the cat for a moment noticing something odd.
"You have bright blue eyes." She said, "They’re really beautiful!"
The cat stopped hissing and met her gaze.
"I hope we can be friends?" she said through a smile, opening another can of tuna.
***
The days blended together. Eat, sleep, work, repeat. There wasn’t time for much else. Life was always a little more complicated for her. Especially since her mother disappeared. The store was a place to get away from things. Her solitude. The quiet nights helped her think, and she looked forward to them. Even more so now that she had a friend.
In hopes of the cat returning, May-lee rushed to shop and into the back room where her father was once again staring at the computer screen.
“Hey dad!” she said as she dropped off her bag and rushed into the kitchen.
“Hey number one,” he said as he always did.
May-lee grabbed a bowl and a can of tuna and hurried past her father and back out the front door. She crouched down and opened the can and poured the tuna into the bowl.
She placed it next to a flower bed that bloomed summer lilacs between her father’s store and the sewing shop owned by Mrs. Anne. Still crouched down, she tucked her ruffled dress between her legs and hugged her knees.
“What on earth are you doing?” her father asked.
“I’m waiting for someone,” she replied.
“Someone who likes to eat tuna out of a bowl… on the floor?” he asked, scrunching up his already wrinkled face.
“He’s a cat.” She answered, waiting patiently with a giddy grin.
“A cat?! No way. Do not bring him into the shop! You hear me? Cats are unpredictable creatures. There’s so many about these days and they get into everything.”
Her father stood in front of her and crossed his arms. His face was red from the heat of the sun, or the rage of knowing a cat might be wondering around his shop.
“B-but why? He won’t be a bother. He won’t destroy anything. I promise. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“The answer is no!”
Her plump father grabbed the bowl of tuna and walked back inside in a huff.
May-lee sat back and stretched her legs out in front of her. The sun that was setting bled a soft hue of orange and purple in the distance, and the cooler temperature became apparent.
“I just wanted… a friend.”
Shortly after watching the sun set, May-lee stood up and dusted off her skirt and placed her mousey brown bangs behind her ears. Her father then left, leaving her in charge. She once again found herself doodling in her notebook behind the counter awaiting customers.
A television broadcast startled her. It blared a news update. Franticly she searched for the remote behind the counter.
“Ugh. Dad, did you move it again?” she said to herself while she pushed paperwork to the side and opened the top draw. As she did, the bell jingled on the door as it opened. May-lee quickly glanced up in hopes it was the cat from last night, but it was teenage boy. His white hair bounced as he walked, and he had eyes that sparkled in the harsh lighting.
May-lee became distracted, watching the boy as he sauntered down the aisles. He looked quite pale and slender, carrying a fancy looking bag over his shoulder.
The bell rang again. Another boy, similar in age but with striking black hair and dark eyes to match. He had an olive hue to his skin and was also carrying a fancy looking bag. His two gold hoop earrings held May-lee’s attention.
She watched as he walked over to the other one and whispered something to him. Her stare caught his gaze for a second before she quickly averted her eyes. She needed to concentrate on finding that damn remote.
The news continued to roar as May-lee rushed through every draw until she found it. It was under a pile of half opened and half eaten kit-kat bars in the bottom draw. She reached for it and pulled it out, her hands a little sticky from the melted chocolate.
Dad! Gross!
Looking for something to clean it with, May-lee was caught off gaud by the two boys who had approached the counter.
“Oh! H-hello!” she greeted, clasping her hands together doing her best to hide the dirty remote.
The two boys placed their items on the counter. As they did, a new news segment rang out.
“A small town in the Southwest has noticed an increase in stray animals,” said a red-haired anchorwoman. “Yes, that’s right Joan,” her co-anchor agreed. “Multiple residence have found a number of cats wondering the streets at night and some are concerned as to where they are coming from.”
May-lee grabbed the two bottles of water the boys had placed on the counter.
“I apologize for how loud the tv is,” she said placing the bottles in a bag. “That will be $2.57.”
Clasping her hands together once again — this time without the remote, she waited for the boys to hand over the money.
Waiting, she looked on as the boys stared at the TV. She turned around and looked up and it also, wondering why they were so interested in it. There did seem to be a lot of cats about lately, but she was also cooped up all night working, so it’s not like she would know anyway.
“Let’s go,” the dark-haired boy said seemingly in a rush.
He handed her a five-dollar note with one hand, and anxiously tapped the counter with the other.
When she handed them their change, the white-haired boy glanced down at her notebook and noticed what she had drew.
May-lee followed his gaze.
“Oh!” she said, looking down at her drawing also. “It’s the cat I saw yesterday.”
The boys looked at each other, tilting their heads and visibly talking with their eyes. The dark-haired boy then snatched the change from May-lee’s hand and grabbed the bag.
“Come on,” he said to his friend harshly. “We have to go.”
The white-haired boy looked down nervously and glanced over his shoulder at his friend rushing towards the door. He then looked at the picture of the cat once more.
“Can I have that drawing?” he asked.
May-lee raised her eyebrows in confusion. “I’m sorry. Y-you want my drawing?”
“Please,” he said.
“Oh. Um… sure.” May-lee carefully ripped out her drawing of the cat and folded it neatly. She then handed it to the boy.
His eyes gleamed with joy, and he placed it in his bag.
“Thank you,” he said before taking his leave.
Wow! May-lee gently placed her hand over her mouth and smiled. A very handsome boy wanted a picture she drew! She couldn’t believe it. She let out a quiet chuckle and danced on the spot. Handsome guys like that never usually give her the time of day. Her looks were plain, and she wasn’t one for fashion. She knew she gave off a loner-type vibe, but she was okay with that.
Still smiling with glee, she picked up her pen and began drawing again. Not before turning off the news and wiping the chocolate off her hands. She drew the same cat in hopes it would wonder by tonight. And she was in luck.
CHAPTER TWO
The luscious white cat walked quietly on its toes behind the convenience store, stopping every few steps to sniff the floor and the air around him. There was a lightness about him in the way he moved, until a much bigger black cat grabbed his attention.
The cat walked towards him with his body low as if to pounce. But he didn’t. The white, long-haired cat matched his steps then stopped in front of a yellow dumpster. With little light, the Bombay cats piercing blue eyes were noticeable in the darkness, along with gold hoop earrings that hung from its ears on each side.
“You just couldn’t stay away, could you Sebastian?” The cat said.
Sebastian searched for a way around him, but the ally was a dead end.
“Raif—I...”
“—you know,” Raif said interrupting Sebastian, slowly pushing him further back towards the dumpster. “Things didn’t end well for you, or for your little plaything last time, did they? And for some reason, I’m always the one cleaning up your mess!”
Sebastian remained silent, studying Raif’s movements, preparing for an attack.
Raif smirked and continued closer. “You’re selfish, you know that? What you’re doing here get’s all of us in trouble.”
“I’m not doing anything,” Sebastian said. “I’m just… eating tuna.”
“Oh! Is that what this is? You’re just eating tuna. You should have told me this earlier, then things wouldn’t have to turn out this way.”
“Raif… please. I haven’t done anything wrong. I was going to come straight home. Bastet doesn’t need to know.”
“Our Goddess Bastet needs to know everything!” Raif hissed.
Two more cats appeared out of the shadows, also adorning gold jewelry. Both a dark gray, and a lot bigger than Raif.
A menacing aura choked Sebastian and he braced himself for a fight. His ears flattened back against his head and his whiskers spread out. He puffed himself up to look twice the size and retracted his claws.
Sebastian had fought these two before, and knew a handful of their tricks, but they were too much for him — they always were. Ganging up on him from both sides. Clawing at his face and biting his back. Sebastian was thrown to the floor, bloodied and bruised and left to fend for himself.
***
As the air turned cold and the bustle of customers died down, May-lee made a quick coffee and opened a pack of sandwiches from the fridge. It was getting late, but she still had a few more hours to push through.
CRASH! HISS! BANG!
May-lee dropped her sandwich.
“What in the—”
She opened the back door leading out into an alleyway where the dumpster resided. Carefully she stepped outside under the streetlamp. It lit up a small area. Only enough to see the dumpster and a neighboring apartments fire escape.
And there he was. Laying in his own blood. This defenseless little cat, unconscious and barely breathing.
“Kitty!” May-lee shouted. She rushed over to its side and scooped him up in her arms. She ran back into the kitchen and slammed the backdoor and bolted it. Holding him gently, but as tight as possible, she checked to see if he was breathing.
“Thank God,” she said through clenched teeth.
Slowly she grabbed her father’s jacket that was still hanging on his chair in the office and bundled him up in it. She then placed him on the computer chair and rushed to the kitchen for a small rag which she ran under warm water. May-lee tended to his wounds as best she could.
“Who would do a thing like this to you?”
May-lee thought about taking him to the vet, but she couldn’t leave the store. Her dad didn’t even want him here in the first place.
“Hang in there, Kitty,” she said over him. “You’re going to be okay.”
A few customers came in here and there, but it was mostly quiet. May-lee held Sebastian and kept him warm for the last few hours of her shift. But just as 3 a.m. rolled around, May-lee was jolted out of her seat and surrounded by a thin cloud of smoke, and what appeared before came as a shock.
It was a boy — a totally naked one.
May-lee, wide eyed and breathless, looked down at the boy who was now on the ground. Her fathers jacket covered his legs to his waist, but she could see his pale muscular chest, and the bulging vein that ran down his bicep as he pushed himself to lean forward. Her cheeks grew hot, and she fiddled with the lace on her dress uncomfortably.
“Y-you’re a boy?”
Sebastian squinted his eyes and looked up at May-lee. “Yes,” he said nervously. Then his eyes darted around the room. “Where am I?”
“But you — you were a cat?” May-lee continued, on one train of thought.
“No. No I’m not. That’s ridiculous! I don’t even like cats…”
Sebastian giggled nervously and tugged at the jacket.
May-lee knew he was lying, she was just having trouble putting her thoughts together. An injured cat, who was now a boy, lay naked in her dad’s office. She stood silently for a moment, then searched his body with her eyes.
“You’re not injured anymore? That’s not possible…” The boy’s body had no cuts or bruises and looked visibly unharmed.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sebastian said, placing the jacket around his lower body as he stood and went for the door. But before he could escape, May-lee slammed it and stood in front of him.
“You are going to tell me what happened!” May-lee stood her ground, with clenched fists and a mean stare. Being lied to was not something she tolerated. Especially when her eyes have told her otherwise.
Sebastian looked away and hung his head. “It’s complicated. Believe me, you don’t want to know.”
The hint of sadness that crossed his face caused May-lee to soften her stare. She looked at him for a moment before releasing the anger in her fists.
“Okay,” she said softly. “You don’t have to tell me. But you were a cat and I saw you change right in front of me. I know this to be true.”
Sebastian nodded, sadness still lingering on his face.
“I just have one more question,” she said. “Are you okay?”
The stiffness in Sebastian’s shoulders faded, appearing a little more relaxed.
“I am okay,” he answered. “Thank you.”
Their eyes connected. Staring deep into them May-lee wondered if this boy was lying to her. Physically he looked okay, but his eyes betrayed him.
Before she could ask him if he was telling the truth, the bell jingled on the front door.
“Oh no!” May-lee whispered, taking a quick glance at her watch. “It’s 3! That’s gotta be my dad.”
They both fumbled around the room, not sure to what to do or where to go. They ran into the kitchen and May-lee suggested Sebastian go out the back.
“Quick. You have to leave.”
“I-I have no clothes on! Let me just hide out here for a little bit?”
May-lee shook her head vigorously. “It’s my dad’s shift. I am going home! You can’t stay here. He’ll find you and kill you. Then probably kill me for having a naked boy in the store.”
Sebastian continued to hold her dads’ jacket around his waist and was looking more and more uncomfortable as time passed. May-lee noticed this and took into account that she couldn’t just throw him outside, naked, so she came up with a plan.
“Okay. Stay here,” she said. “I’m going to get rid of him.”
Sebastian nodded. Anything to not go outside in the cold without clothes.
May-lee made her way to the front of the shop and took a few deep breathes before greeting her dad.
“Hey dad,” she said with a big smile. “Oh. You don’t look very well. Are you feeling okay?”
Her dad, carrying a small lunchbox, made his way past her and towards the counter. “Me? I feel great!” he replied, stopping to adjust a few chocolate bars on the way.
May-lee hurried after him. “But you look so tired. Your eyes—They’re black. And your knee. Is it playing up again? I’m pretty sure you’re limping.”
“Oh, don’t be silly,” her dad said. “I’m perfectly fine.”
Watching her dad move towards the office, knowing he was about to put his lunch in the kitchen, she rushed in front of him and stood by the door. “Don’t go in there!” she shouted.
“What? What is up with you today May-lee. It’s time you go home. Move out of the way.” Her father nudged her slightly but was unable to move her small frame. He was short and stocky but didn’t have much power.
“Let me take this shift! You go home and rest. Mom wouldn’t like how hard you’ve been working, and how tired you look right now.” May-lee said this through clenched teeth. She didn’t want to bring her mom into this. She also didn’t want to lie to him. But what could she do in this situation?
Her dad paused and chewed on his bottom lip. “You might be right,” he said dispiritedly. “If you think your mother would want me to, maybe I should take today off.”
Painfully, May-lee replied, “I do think that. It’s best you go home and get some rest, dad. I have it covered here.”
Her dad handed her his lunch and sluggishly plodded out of the shop and down the pathway towards his car. She watched as he did, and instantly regretted what she said. She brushed her hair out of her face and took a deep breath. She then pulled up her socks and adjusted her dress and proceeded to the kitchen.
Sebastian was still standing by the backdoor trying not to reveal much of himself. May-lee walked in and confirmed her dad’s departure.
“Is he gone?” Sebastian asked.
“Yes. He’s gone.”
Sebastian looked her over, and then commented, “You look super tired. I’m sorry for getting you involved in all of this.”
May-lee was tired. She had worked an 8-hour shift and was ready to go to bed. “I just have to make it through this next shift, and I’ll be alright.” May-lee said this while walking into her dad’s office and placing the lunchbox next to the computer. She then searched a large box that was tucked behind a create of expired chips.
“Here,” she said handing Sebastian a rather big sweatshirt and a small pair of shorts. “These are the only clothes we have here. Don’t ask why we have them.”
Sebastian hesitated, then politely took the clothes, and fumbled around for a second before entering the kitchen and closing the door behind him. May-lee sat in the office chair and exhaled. It didn’t take Sebastian long to change and before she knew it, he was standing beside her. She swiveled the chair around to face him.
“Thank you,” he said again, handing her back her father’s jacket. “You might want to wash that.”
May-lee agreed and put it to one side. With a sheepish grin, Sebastian turned to leave.
“Wait!” May-lee called out. “I don’t know your name.”
She waited anxiously as he paused before answering.
“It’s probably for the best,” he said, and left through the kitchen and out the back door.
CHAPTER THREE
It had been a few days since May-lee saw Sebastian. He had crossed her mind more than a few times. Her range of emotions ran hot and cold towards him and what took place. It was such a strange turn of events that May-lee wondered how humans turning into animals — or the other way around — could even exist!
“Hey hey! May-lee! The water is boiling!”
Her dad’s uneasy voice shifted her train of thought towards the boiling pot on the stove. It was a Sunday which meant May-lee and her father could rest.
The day had dragged on, and the streetlamps were turning on for the night. She quickly grabbed the pot and took it off the stove.
“Ah! Sorry!” she said putting it to one side.
“Are you okay?” her dad asked from the sofa. He hadn’t moved for most of the day. Watching movies with his feet up on his old leather recliner.
May-lee patted down her frilly apron and turned to finish cutting the vegetables for dinner She thought about the question for a few slices, then placed the knife down and turned back around to face her father.
“I’m not sure how I feel right now, dad.”
“Oh,” he replied, straightening his back and trying hard to search her face for any clues.
Opening her mouth, May-lee almost told him everything that happened that day, but she quickly remembered how bizarre it seems, and being scolded for “lying” wasn’t something she wanted.
“I’m just tired,” she lied. There she was, twisting the truth again. “I may go to bed after dinner, if that’s okay?”
A sympathetic look crossed her fathers’ face, and then one of guilt.
“That’s it! I’m making dinner. You sit down.” He said, slapping his hands together. With a crack from his knee, he stood up and made his way over to her in the kitchen.
“No. No. No. We both know what happens when you end up in the kitchen,” May-lee said with a wave of her hand.
“Scooch over!” Grabbing her apron and bumping her away with his waist, he tied it around his belly and began chopping the carrots. He sliced the top off and looked back at her for approval. “See,” he said, “I can do this.”
May-lee gave him an unenthusiastic smile.
Reassuring her, he gave her a nod and continued to slowly slice the carrots. “You know, you don’t have to worry. It won’t be like the time after Jane... You know.”
May-lee tried not to blink in fear of the tears that might soon fill her eyes. Her father hadn’t spoken her name in years, which took her by surprise.
“There’s a reason she never let you in the kitchen,” she joked, trying to alleviate the tension and heartbreak in the room.
“And she was right not to!” her dad replied playfully. “You should have seen the disasters I created before you were born. Your mother learned quite quickly to distract me with a good action movie and a cold drink while she did all the cooking.”
His shoulders bounced as he chuckled at the memory. The kitchen looked smaller somehow with him in it. The little hair he had was slick back and stuck to his head, collecting beads of sweat from the heat of the stove. Watching him carefully handle a knife reminded her of a time less pleasant than this one, which had her appreciating how far they both had come since the death of her mother.
May-lee retired to her room, feeling a little more confident in her dad’s ability to finish cooking. She slumped down on her desk chair tucked away in the corner of her room. Multiple notebooks were piled high, and colorful pens sat in an orange mason jar next to them. The peace lily that sat close to the window was wilting, exposed to too much sunlight earlier in the day from the open curtain next to it. She closed the curtain and sprayed her plant with a spray bottle, then sat back down.
Grabbing one of the notebooks from the pile, and a pen, she began sketching. When her thoughts were difficult to unravel, she would often draw to relax and let out her feelings. It was what her mom often did when she was overwhelmed. She sketched vigorously, ignoring the strands of her hair being blown across her face by the ceiling fan. She drew him. Bright, enticing blue eyes, with wavy white hair and a half smile. His face engraved into her mind.
“May! Dinner’s ready!” her dad called out.
She closed the notebook and tucked it away in the bottom draw of her desk.
“Coming!”
May-lee spent the rest of the night eating and laughing with her father. Time passed quickly, but she ended up in bed at a reasonable hour. She had a few errands to run before her night shift, and knew she needed a good night’s rest. She drifted off to sleep cuddled up to her penguin plushie.
***
As the sun rose on a beautiful day, May-lee slept in. With no alarm set to wake her, morning soon turned to afternoon and the clouds blocked the sun.
A buzz of her cellphone that lay charging by her desk woke her from slumber. It was an old silver phone that she only used to message or call her dad. The buzzing continued in the background while she sat up and shook her head, trying to shake herself awake.
Rolling out of bed she stumbled slightly over her stuffed penguin that was now on the floor. She flipped the phone up and answered the call.
“Hey dad,” she said with a raspy tone.
“Hey number one. Just checking in on ya!” Her dad then mumbled something to someone in the background.
“I’m okay dad. I just woke up. Who are you talking to?”
“You must have been tired! And I’m just picking up a few things. Reg is working at the shop right now.”
May-lee glanced at the time on her phone. It was already 1:30. She didn’t have to be at work until 6 for her shift, and she still had time to spare to run errands, but she was surprised at how long she had slept.
“Oh wow. I did sleep a long time.”
Her father mumbled something again. “I have to go, May. Some woman just knocked over all the shoes on the rack next to me. See you at 6!”
May-lee didn’t have time to say goodbye as her father hung up quite abruptly. She placed her phone back on her desk and wondered why her father was at a shoe store. He had been wearing the same pair of Nike sneakers her mother bought him four years ago. But that also made sense, and a smile came to her face. It was about time he bought himself something nice.
The thought lingered with her for a while, bringing color to her cheeks and a pip in her step while she got ready for the day.
The makeup that adorned her dresser was simple. Pink blush, mascara, and some flavored chap-stick. A small red perfume bottle went untouched unless there was a special occasion. She wore a classic white dress down to her knees and black combat boots. Pretty much what she wore most days.
After grabbing her backpack and lunch she made the day before from the fridge, she locked the door behind her. It wasn’t long before she made it to the grocery store. It wasn’t far from her house and was somewhere she often shopped for things she couldn’t get at her dad’s store. She browsed the isles before finding what she needed. Cat treats. Something her dad never had in stock.
“I’m sure he’ll like these,” she said blushing at the thought.
She picked up a few packets, paid for them and put them in her backpack. May-lee set off towards her dad’s store with time to spare. The once dark cloud that filled the sky turned pale and bright white, making room for the sun once again.
Strolling down the busy street, packed with young couples shopping, and elderly men and women sitting outside restaurants for lunch, her mind wondered to thoughts of him. She thought about the boys in college and couldn’t recall seeing anyone that remotely looked like him. White hair like his would have stood out, and she was sure the girls would have been gossiping and throwing themselves on him. Maybe he had a job somewhere? Or maybe he was new to town? He looked about her age, but she wasn’t sure.
May-lee continued in thought when a couple kissing on a bench under tall trees that sprouted pink flowers caught her eye. Just as quickly as it caught her gaze, she looked away, searching the ground for something else to look at. Just as she did, she felt a thud against her shoulder. The words “sorry” left her lips automatically, and she looked up to see a boy with dark hair and gold earrings that caught the sunlight as he passed by, unfazed with his hands still jammed in his pockets.
It was the boy that was with Sebastian at her dad’s store. He walked fast and looked to be in a hurry. Taken back, May-lee grabbed her shoulder that was now sore and watched him walk down the petal filled pathway and towards the train station nearby.
Her dad’s store was in the opposite direction, but something compelled her to follow him. Her feet moved as if they weren’t her own, making sure to keep back and out of sight as much as possible. She couldn’t risk him noticing, mostly because following someone is a creepy thing to do. Cringing at the thought of being caught, she checked her watch. An hour to spare.
She watched as he walked up and over the bridge that crossed the railroad tracks. There was no indication he knew someone was following him, so she continued. It wasn’t until they were on the other side that his slow, confident walk turned into a slight jog. May-lee wasn’t unfamiliar with exercise and was able to keep him in her sight. She just didn’t like the profuse sweating that came with it.
“It’s a curse to sweat this much!” She mumbled through short breaths.
He banked around the corner of a small, run-down hotel. The front porch was overgrown with weeds, and a slight musty smell grabbed at in her nose. Poking her head around the corner, she noticed he had stopped jogging and was standing still. It was just him in the middle of a small alleyway.
May-lee checked the time again. It had been 30 minutes. She knew if she didn’t leave now, she wouldn’t make it in time for her shift. But what was he doing here? She had to find out.
“Raif,” she heard a voice call out. A small white cat emerged and transformed into a boy in front of him.
“Kitty!” May-lee whispered, trying to contain her excitement and curiosity. He was naked, but from where Maye-lee stood, it was hard for her to see anything… private. She stretched her neck out a little more but retracted it when she remembered she couldn’t risk being caught. Also, being a pervert was not a good look.
“Where are your clothes?” Raif asked, pressing his fingers against his temples.
“I left them inside. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is that you’re naked and in front of me! I don’t want to see that. And what if someone saw?” Raif reached into his bag and pulled out a pair of black shots, a light blue shirt and two smaller blue bags.
“Here. Don’t lose these,” he said, throwing the clothes and one of the bags at Sebastians feet.
With a small puff of smoke, Raif transformed. As a cat he was big and black, earrings were still attached.
May-lee eyes widened at the sight and her heartbeat quickened. “T-there’s two of them?!”
Hurry up and get dressed!” Raif rushed Sebastian before pushing his head through the strap of his tiny backpacks, pulling it tight with their teeth. Dragging the bag towards a small door in the wall of the hotel, a small hatch opened instinctively and Raif went in.
May-lee turned her head and leaned against the wall, holding her chest and trying to slow her breathing.
When it eventually slowed, May-lee began to feel as if she had seen something she was not meant to — a creepy, frightful feeling bubbled in the pit of her stomach. She clutched at her chest a little tighter, then felt a rush of adrenaline.
She needed to leave. And fast.
Tiptoeing towards the road and away from the abandoned hotel, May-lee was taken by surprise.
Sebastian appeared in front of her with his arms crossed, blocking her path.
“What are you doing here?”
May-lee tried to speak but the words died in her throat. She was caught and had no explanation other than the truth — that she followed Raif. Not exactly the best look.
Sebastians stern looked turned into a more relaxed one as he stuffed his hands in to his pockets and began to walk backwards.
With a slight smile, he said, “Are you stalking me?”
“N-no,” May-lee stuttered, waving her hand in front of her face. “Another cat — I mean, boy… um…”
Embarrassment found its way to her cheeks, producing a pinkish hue.
“So you’re stalking another boy,” Sebastian playfully teased.
“Yes… Wait, no!” May-lee’s brain felt scrambled, leaving her feeling defeated. She hung her head and followed after Sebastian.
Turning on his heals, Sebastian waited for May-lee to catch up and they walked side by side.
“I’m sorry,” May-lee said after a few seconds to think and gain her composure. “I did follow another boy here, and I saw you two talking earlier.”
She turned her face to Sebastians, meekly waiting for a reaction. She watched as he smiled slightly — the kind that dissipates any looming tension.
“I know,” he said. “It’s okay. I’m not here to grill you.”
Both walked in the middle of the road, past a few other abandoned houses and potholes that they had to avoid. The street was dead and lifeless, and not another person in sight. Yet, May-lee felt at ease.
“Is that where you live? Back there in that old hotel?”
“You could say that,” Sebastian said. “Speaking of, I should be heading back soon.”
May-lee stopped walking and turned to face him. “Oh. I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t have come here. I don’t know what I was thinking…”
“Hey,” Sebastian faced her also, his eyes softening. “I said it was okay. But you probably shouldn't come here again. It’s not safe.”
The look of concern on Sebastians face, as far as May-lee could tell, was genuine. And the sadness she witnessed on his face the first time they met still lingered. But after all she had witnessed in the last few days, she needed to know more — She needed to know the truth. Even if that meant living a little dangerously.
“Thank you for looking out for me,” she said. “But I need to know that what I saw was real. That boy you were with… he changed into a cat just like you did before. Saying it aloud makes me sound crazy, I know. But it was real, wasn’t it? Both you and him transforming into cats?”
May-lee searched his face for any sign of acknowledgement.
Sebastian leaned in closer, then quickly scanned the area before looking back at May-lee.
“I should tell you that you’re crazy,” he said softly, almost at a whisper. “But I can’t do that. What you saw is true but trust me… you don’t want to get involved in this… involved with me.”
He grabbed May-lee’s hand and cupped it with the other. “Promise me you’ll let this go.”
Looking down at her hand in his she felt hot once again, but a strong “need to know” feeling nagged at her from within, overpowering his touch.
She gently pulled her hand away and told him the truth of how she felt.
“That’s not something I can promise,” she said, the words slightly reluctant to leave her lips. “There’s something strange going on here. When I fist met you, you were a cat, bloodied and bruised behind my dad’s shop. Then, you’re miraculously healed and turned into a boy! Now I know there are more of you… I don’t know what to do with this information, but I know I can’t just forget this.”
Sebastian smiled in remembrance. “You remind me of someone I met a long time ago. She was also very stubborn.”
May-lee giggled, softening her composure.
“I understand how you feel. I don’t have much time right now, but I can come and visit tonight, if you’ll be around?”
“I’d like that,” May-lee answered, finding herself feeling a heat rise to cheeks once again.
Sebastian took a few steps backwards, keeping his gaze on May-lee with a slight awkward smile, then turned away from her a jogged towards the abandoned hotel. She stared in that direction for a while, until the buzzing of her phone startled her.
Reaching into her pockets she pulled out her flip phone and saw a text message from her father.
Where are you?
Dad.
“Oh shit! I’m going to be late!”
CHAPTER FOUR
A chaotic, and overwhelming feeling woke May-lee.
She peered at the clock on her desk. The time read 5:13 a.m. She was familiar with anxiety and how it felt. The lack of sleep, tossing and turning. Your mind never slowing down.
It used to play on loop when her mother disappeared — a dreadful memory May-lee didn’t want to acknowledge this early in the morning. Yet, a bottomless pit of overwhelming emotions welled up inside her. It had been a while since she felt it that way.
She sat up and adjusted her pillow. Brushing her hair out of her face, she sighed.
After taking a sip of water that sat on her bedside table, May-lee opened the draw and pulled out a small box.
She sat with it for a while. It was still dark out, but the small nightlight next to her bedroom door glowed a gentle orange.
Opening it, she reached for the necklace inside. A simple gold chain with a round locket. She clicked it open and stared at the picture inside.
It was a picture of May-lee and her mother. Similar brown hair and contagious grin. She chuckled to herself with glossy eyes.
“I wish I could talk to you about this,” she said. “Knowing you, you’d be so surprised, and you’d run down to that old hotel, barge in and demand answers. But you were always stronger and bolder than me.”
She brushed the picture with her thumb.
“Lend me your strength, mom. I need it. I’m confused, and I don’t know how to process it.”
May-lee closed the locket and placed her hands by her side.
“It doesn’t make sense. How can they turn into cats? Where does that hole lead?”
She threw herself down, head landing on her pillow. Feeling crazy once again, she scrunched up her face, rolled over and buried it into the pillow.
Before May-lee could really focus on that thought, she heard a tap on the window. Her heart jumped. Lifting her head, she looked towards the window beside her desk.
Tap tap.
She took off her covers and placed the jewelry box on her side table. She then creeped over towards the it, awaiting another tap.
Her nightlight produced enough light for May-Lee to see a small shadow.
When she was close enough, she opened the curtain and saw Sebastian staring back at her in the form of a cat.
“W-what are you doing here?” She asked.
Sebastian shivered. “Can we talk about this after you let me in?”
Fiddling with the lock, May-lee managed to open it and lift the window up. A cool breeze rolled in the Sebastian climbed onto her desk and then jumped on the floor.
Closing the window, May-lee felt a little uneasy. She wasn’t sure if it was just from the chill of the night, or if it was because it was the first time she had a boy in a room.
“Sorry just to show up like this,” he said. “I figured it would easier to talk at your house.”
“How do you know where I live?” May-lee asked, taking a seat on her desk chair.
“You’re not the only one who knows how to stalk someone,” he jested.
She laughed awkwardly for a moment before relaxing into her seat. Still, even though she felt somewhat relaxed around Sebastian, having a conversation with a cat felt strange.
Her fingers grasped at her frilly pajama shirt that matched her pants, twiddling the fallen hem on her sleeves. Not the best look.
“I know this is strange,” Sebastian said. “You must feel uneasy. That’s normal. It’s not everyday you talk to a cat and it talks back.”
Sebastian smiled, his top two whiskers moving independently from the others as he curled up on the fluffy salmon colored rug beside her bed.
“You can ask me anything,” he added. Making himself comfortable on the white rug in the middle of the room. Patting his paws on it, he curled up and rested his head.
“Right… questions,” May-lee searched her mind. She had so many questions but was struggling to put the words together.
“I—um,” May-lee continued pulling at the hem. “How old are you?”
“How old am I?” Sebastian questioned with a perplexed look on his face. “That’s what you want to know right now?”
Even with more pressing questions on May-lee’s mind, she ultimately decided that getting to know more about him as a person — and as a cat, was equally important. Plus, she was curious.
She nodded in response, eagerly awaiting his answer.
“I’m 19,” he said. “How old are you?”
“I’m 18,” May-lee replied. “What school do you go to? I haven’t seen you around Bayville.”
“It’s a little complicated, but I attend Hunter Helm on occasion — the private school.”
“Wow,” May-lee said, “So that’s the school symbol…”
“It’s an Ankh. Or the key of life symbol as some call it,” Sebastian said.
“That school has a reputation for being very private. I’ve heard girls whispering about it in the bathroom at school. Is it true that you have to be a millionaire or a celebrity to even be considered?”
May-lee looked at Sebastian with anticipation. She watched the corners of his mouth rise slightly, and his ears twitch.
“Something like that…”
May-lee brushed off the vague answer and asked another question.
“How are you able to change into a cat?”
“You mean how am I able to change into a boy?” Sebastian corrected.
“Oh!” May-lee let go of the hem and placed her hands on her lap. Silence filled the room for a second or two, interrupted by the sound of a car passing by outside.
“I know,” Sebastian’s ears moved towards the sound of the outside commotion. “It’s a lot to take in. I don’t even know why I came here to be honest. I guess just to reassure you that you’re not crazy.”
May-lee watched as his ears relaxed and placed his head between his paws. Out of her bed covers, May-lee felt a shiver spread throughout her body. Sebastians fluffy fur coat must keep him warm, she thought.
His demeanor looked calm, yet she felt like something was weighing him down — anxious, perhaps, or scared. A feeling May-lee knew all too well.
She decided to ask the question that pressed her the most.
“What are you so scared of?” she said, a little afraid of the answer. “Why can’t I know more about you, that other cat and where it is that you stay?"
Stretching his paws out in front of him, he arched his back and sat up. Peering up at May-lee, he paused for a moment, then shifted his weight back onto his hind legs and stood up. Hand on hip, he began pacing back on forth on two legs.
Surprised, May-lee stifled a laugh. She hoped it went unnoticed, but the way his little legs were moving and how his tail swished behind him caused a giggle that just wanted to break free.
“Though we may be similar,” Sebastian said gesturing to his legs and the way he walked. “We are very, very different. You don’t belong in the world beneath this. It’s not safe for humans. Me and that boy are the only two who can change, so we are forced to live two lives that are at war with each other.”
Sebastian continued to stand, looking slightly silly as he did so — a contrast to the serious conversation they were having. His words suppressed May-lee’s laughter, taking a more serious tone of her own.
“What do you mean war and the world beneath?”
“The society of cats that live underground — my home. I can’t say much more,” he said, ears alert once again. “You never know who might be listening.”
It was the middle of the night, and they were in her room. May-lee wasn’t exactly sure who else could here the conversation, but she now understood why his mind was so heavy.
She didn’t want to pry any further, what he had told her was enough — for now. The war he spoke about could mean a literal war of species, or a war within themselves. Whatever kind of war it was, she wondered if she should stay away like he asked. But she could already feel herself being swept up by the wave of the unimaginable — the fantasy and adventure of it all.
Sebastian began walking around and oh hind legs again. Was it his intent to dispel the tension in the room? Maybe. Whatever the reason, it did make things a little less tense.
This time, a light, airy chuckle found its way out of May-lee’s mouth. Sebastain noticed this, and grabbed a hold of his tail and swung it around in his hand as he walked closer to the other side of the room.
It was so silly that even Sebastian couldn’t contain his laughter. They giggled for a moment — a refreshing moment — then he placed his two front paws on the floor in front of him.
Back on all fours, Sebastian made his way towards the desk and jumped on it, avoiding the few pens that were scatted across it.
“I’m glad to have met you,” he said, looking into her eyes.
“I’m glad to have met you too,”
With that, May-lee opened the window and Sebastian took his leave.
A somber feeling washed over May-lee as she sat back down on her desk chair and swiveled it slightly with her feet.
She had been told to stay out of it — to back off and basically forget she ever met Sebastian. But she had heard these words before, from her mother. A similar weight seemed to encumber her just before she died. The regret that came with obeying her mother’s words resurfaced, forming a lump in her throat that she struggled to swallow.
She couldn’t walk away from Sebastian or what she had discovered, could she?
Ruminating on that thought, she tucked herself underneath her covers and laid her head down on her pillow. Maybe she’d be able to make up her mind after some rest.
CHAPTER FIVE
A few days past with no sign of Sebatian again. Time moved slow, and thoughts of him and the story he told her occupied her thoughts.
He looked so small and delicate as a cat. His fur coat was spotless. The image of him curled up on the floor in her room was ingrained in her mind. She felt like they could have been good friends, but that it might be best to stay away. As the days past, she gradually reconsidered her decision to stay away. Something inside her didn’t want to leave things alone. What was weighing on him? Did he have trouble connecting with people to? Protecting a secret like that must be hard, she thought. He was hurting —at least he looked like he was — and she knew that pain all too well.
There is nothing surprising about the fact that May-lee wasn’t very popular in school. She blended into the background putting in no effort to stand out. Her grades suffered due to no fault of her own — she just wasn’t very bright when it came to her studies. The only class she excelled in was Art. As a creative person, it can be difficult to express yourself with words, and May-lee’s words fell short most of the time. Her peers were hard to connect with. She didn’t understand the fuss about trivial things such as boys and partying. She would much rather help her out mother at home or her father at his convenience store.
But she was staring to understand the fuss about boys. Especially since this one had captivated her beyond words.
I want to see him again.
His bright smile came to mind, along with an image of his bare arms and chest before quickly shaking it away.
“Be safe!” her dad yelled from the counter as she stepped outside, her night shift finally over with. “Don’t forget to bring my lunch!”
“Yes, dad! I won’t forget!” she shouted back with a wave of her hand.
The sun had begun to rise, dispelling the shadows and lighting her mood a little.
Projected highs of around 72-degrees, May-lee wore a pink sundress that hung just above her knees with a white cardigan draped over her shoulders. Her hair was pulled back and held in place by a shiny pink hairclip.
May-lee strolled by the grocery store and turned the corner leading to her house. Her footsteps were sluggish, and she watched them as she held her lunch box in her hands close to her chest.
Approaching the crossroads between the train station and her home, she stopped and pondered on a thought.
Would it be wrong to see him one last time?
She took a breath and squeezed her arms around her lunchbox, pulling it in closer to her chest. Glancing towards her home, she turned her head and proceeded along the path that went over the train tracks and towards Sebastian’s home.
Streetlamps still lit up the path she walked on, and she picked up speed as the sun continued its way to rise. As it did, the streetlamps turned off and faded out of view and she found herself approaching the old hotel.
Before creeping around the back, she made sure no-one was watching. As she approached the wall where she saw Raif walk into, she searched for a handle, a hole —anything.
There was nothing. She ran her hands across the brick, stopping to check underneath some foliage that could be hiding something. Nothing, again.
After several attempts to find an opening, May-lee had an idea. She carefully walked back around and stood in front of the hotel. Vines made their way to the top of the bordered-up windows, and the once chipped white paint looked black and moldy. She placed her feet down gently on the crooked stairs that led to the door. They creaked but were still intact by the time she reached the top. Grabbing the rusted handle of the door, she jigged it, but it was locked.
Of course it’s locked.
Following the wrap around porch, May-lee noticed a window that was slightly ajar. She knew she couldn’t fit through such a small space, not with all the frosted buns she had been snacking on with her father before bed. Still, she placed her lunchbox beside the window, put her leg through the gap and attempted to push the rest of the window up. While she was successful, her dress snagged on a rusted old nail and tore at the bottom without her noticing.
The dust and musty smell tickled her nose as she walked towards the only other source of light coming from another window in the hallway. The old-fashioned chairs were tipped over, and what looked to be a dining table was slightly covered by a sheet, wrinkled, and stained an off-white color.
May-lee covered her nose and tired not to sneeze or inhale anymore of the dust and pungent smell coming from the carpets. When she reached the wide circular entrance by the hallway, the red, carpeted split staircase caught her eye. It reminded her of one she saw in a movie she watched with her mother. A grand hotel, with a beautiful woman standing on the landing of a split staircase, longing for a certain man to ask her to dance. She could tell this place was once packed with people enjoying their stay and she took her time appreciating the décor and timely beauty of the place. It was a shame it was left in a state, and she wondered what had happened to everyone. Why it had been abandoned — and in such a hurry.
As she continued to look around, all thought of her dad and the shop had disappeared. She was immersed in this old, run-down building, and the search for the two boys. Until her phone vibrated.
She reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out her phone. “Dad” buzzed on the small screen. She debated answering it before holding down the off button and shutting off her phone completely.
Placing it back into her pocket, she wondered if it was a smart move — He couldn’t possibly want his lunch now! But what if something was wrong?
A voice in the back of her mind told her she was smarter than this. All the lessons on safety and keeping your phone charged had gone to waste in a matter of seconds. The thought lingered in her mind, and she decided to turn her phone back on and call him back. Before she could reach into her pocket again, she heard a from underneath the staircase.
A small tail bounced and retreated underneath the staircase. May-lee went to investigate and noticed an outline of a small door, camouflaged against the pale color of the walls. It was left slightly open, and May-lee jumped at the chance to see what was behind it. Opening the door wider, she poked her head through. It was dark and she couldn’t see much of anything apart from the stairs that spiraled downward. She hesitated for a moment, and looked back towards the window she crawled through. Taking a deep breath, she crawled into the doorway and closed it behind her.
The small spaced opened up to a much larger space, allowing her to stand up. Running her hands against the cold wall, she took each step slowly and quietly. Mumbled voices echoed in the distance. As she creeped closer, she could hear them more clearly.
“Come here! Don’t run past me! What have I told you about going up there?” a strong voice questioned.
“I-I’m sorry. I was playing on the stairs, and I heard a noise,” a meek voice answered.
“What kind of noise?”
“Um, I don’t know…”
May-lee placed her hand over her mouth and began walking back up the stairs. Someone had heard her in the hotel, and they knew she was there. The footsteps of someone approaching grew louder, and she panicked. But before she could make it to the top, a hand grabbed her waist and pulled her body in close. As he did, he spun her around to face him.
It was Sebastian. Her eyes widened and she let out a gasp.
“Shhhh!” he placed his finger on her lips.
No words left May-lee’s mouth, but not by choice. His finger was placed firmly on her lips, and his deep and earthy scent caressed her nose, like the smell of grass after it rains. He held her body in his embrace, until a red hue rushed to his cheeks and he released her.
In that moment May-lee forgot where she was. Too entranced by the warmth of their breath intertwining and his radiating blue eyes that almost hypnotized her.
“We gotta get out of here. Now!” he said, snapping her out of her mesmeric state.
But before she could gather her thoughts and produce a word, a small cat appeared from the steps below. A sandy color and a lot smaller than Sebastian. He tilted his head and innocently asked them a question.
“Seb… W-who is she?”