Chapter 12: Ch. 12

Hello there, readers! Here I am with the next chapter of Hairball! Things have been VERY hectic here for me, but I'm so happy to get some free time as well as some good old fashioned motivation to get some serious writing done! Also, please feel free to leave a review.

 

 

 

 

 

Hairball (Chapter 12)

 

by

 

Elite Shade

 

 

 

 

 

"--is in custody. The suspect's name is Adam Barone, having recently made local headlines for his on-air confession of hacking into the CAT test mainframe, seen here caught on camera assaulting Alex Muller. Miss Muller was transformed into an anthropomorphic catgirl, having originally been an ordinary teenaged boy. The current theory as to her sudden and unexpected transformation is the result of a wishing st--" Of course the footage that they used was one where you could briefly see up my skirt when I go down, flashing my panties on tv for anyone to see. I can't watch anymore of that crap. Especially when they replay the part where Adam... hit me... I flinched out of some weird instinct as I watched it, and I don't need anymore of that noise.

With the TV off, I sigh and lean back on the couch. I rub my eyes and wince a little as the side of my face that got hit is still a little sore. Thankfully the swelling has mostly gone down since yesterday... but still. Not wanting to dwell any more than I already have, I stand up and, after stretching, make my way to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. Nick and Rebecca didn't want me to go back to school until they were certain that Adam had been arrested, which it would now seem that he had.

"Hey there, sweetie," Nick greets me from where he stands at the sink, washing off an assortment of vegetables, "I'm about to make a zesty chicken salad for lunch. Want me to make you a bowl?" I have come to learn that Nick is a bit of a health nut, which I guess makes sense since he's been working in medicine for so long.

"Uh... o-okay, thanks," I say. Alright, I get it. It's weird that I'm still a little nervous around him and Rebecca. But I'm working on it!

"Alright, it won't take me too long," Nick said, giving me a smile. "I'll let you know when it's all ready for you."

I thank him again before heading to the fridge and grabbing a prickly pear soda. Yeah, that's right, a soda made from the juices of those fruit-thingies that grow on cacti. It tastes like a weird combination of bubblegum and watermelon and... for some reason, I friggin' LOVE the stuff! I hadn't ever heard of this stuff before Ben turned me on to it. Kendra had come over last night to see how I was doing, having only gotten off with a stern lecture from her dad after showing him the video, and apparently, in the strange altered past where she and Ben had started dating, he had turned her on to the prickly pear soda as well. I had kinda assumed that after seeing that I was fine she was going to... I don't know, try to get Ben alone to ask him about being weird (from her perspective) about their relationship or maybe to make out with him or something. I've never had a girlfriend so I don't actually know what would have been normal couple behavior last night. And she did kiss him again, but... she stayed to hang out with me.

She had to go home before it got too dark out but, some crazy how, she managed to talk me into hanging out with her and Jenny and Hazel and Maeve this weekend at the mall. I feel like that's a cliche for some reason though. I reflect on that, and start to worry about what I'm supposed to do with them while we're there, having never been to the mall with anyone before, as I head back into the living room with my drink. I've only been there twice, and both times it was out of desperation to escape the heat when the AC would quit working back at my old foster home in the dead of summer.

I just don't get why they would want me to be there with them. I figured that after the punch, Rebecca would have asked me to stay home--here! To stay here for a while, but she seemed to like the idea of me spending some time with them. She said that it's great that I'm making friends. I think when she gets back from her day at her firm, I'll ask her more about what I'm supposed to do when I go.

"Salad's on!" Well, that's a new way to break me out of a train of thought that was starting to make me feel uncomfortable, but I'll give him points for originality. I get up, having turned the TV back off, and head straight towards the kitchen table. Nick's setting a bowl down at each end of the table, giving me another relaxed smile, before he takes his seat. I sit down, setting the remaining half of my soda down next to my bowl. I take a few bites, never having had chicken salad before, to find that it's pretty good.

"So, Alex," Nick starts as I pick up my fork, prompting me to look up, "how are you feeling today?"

Rebecca and Ben already asked me that this morning, and I don't really get why. I'm okay. Honestly, I'm just fine.

"Alex?" Nick asks, looking at me slightly concerned.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm okay." Why the hells does everyone keep looking at me like that after I tell them I'm fine, like I'm not?

"You know that you can talk to us if ever you need to, right?" Rebecca told me something similar. But I truly am okay. And even if I wasn't... I can handle it on my own. Nick and Rebecca have already done so much for me, I don't need to go saddling them with anymore than I already have just by being here. But like I said, I'm okay. Besides, all that happened was that I got punched in the face. It's not like that that's something that's never happened to me before. I've been to a few different shitty foster homes. I know how to just roll with it and not let it bother me. Oh dammit, I forgot to answer him again!

"Y-yeah, I know, uhm, thanks." Last night I found out that when I blush, the insides of my ears get a little red. Don't ask.

Nick gives me another sympathetic smile before casually steering the conversation away from the altercation, which is what I'm choosing to refer to what happened yesterday as.

"So Ben's got himself a girlfriend," Nick asks.

"It looks that way," I answer back.

"We had a little chat about it, and he seems pretty nervous about the whole thing."

"Makes sense. After his wish, he now finds out that he's been in a relationship with a girl he never really talked to before."

"Agreed. How about you though?" I look up at Nick in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, have you found anything similar happening to you? Noticing anything strange from this altered history we're apparently aware of?"
I look at him for a moment before pointing to my own face.

"I meant aside from your new look." The way he says that makes it sound like I've started to dress trendy or something. It's kinda weird how normal this whole situation has started to get. I mean yeah, there's still a few reporters trying to get footage of me or an interview, and yeah, I'm still kinda prone to staring at myself in the mirror from time to time. But that aside... I dunno, maybe I'm just adapting or something, or moving on, or accepting, or... well... talk to a therapist if you wanna better guess.

"Nope, as far as I can tell, my personal history hasn't been altered," I say with a shrug. Nick seemingly satisfied resumes eating his own salad. The conversation then slips back into sci-fi and fantasy. It's kinda cool to have someone else to talk to and 'nerd out' with. We get into a discussion about the metaphysical ramifications of the main character from The Dark Spire series going into a different world connected to his own in the multiverse, and meeting the author of the book himself and having a conversation with him, having to mutually table it upon hearing the front door open. Nick offers to take my empty bowl to the sink as I get up, for which I of course thank him, and turn to see Ben entering with a smile. He shrugs off his backpack, looking really pleased about something. Intrigued, I grab my soda and approach him.

"Hey," I say.

"Hi, Alex," Ben says excitedly. "Did you hear about Adam getting arrested?" Oh, okay. That explains why he's looking like the cat that ate the canar--NOPE! Not gunna finish that thought.

"Yeah, I saw it on the news," I look down at my drink before taking another swig.

"Well, that's not all," Ben said, looking like he is ready to jump for joy, which is really saying something because not once have I ever seen Ben jump. Well, there was that one time two nights ago when I accidentally snuck up on him in the dark and he turned around just as the moonlight hit my eyes, making them glow green. He got some air there.

"He got expelled!" Holy shit.

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"Seriously?" I ask, genuinely surprised. He hadn't been officially expelled after confessing to the hacking. I felt like there had been an implied yet, but I didn't see it coming.

"Seriously," Ben said, his expression growing serious. "He deserves it, Alex, even if he hadn't put me through hell for as long as I've known him, he especially deserves it for laying a finger on you."

I was not expecting the level of intensity virtually radiating from Ben. It's always good to remember that this is the guy who, with a wishing stone, turns people he's furious with into catgirls. Aw crap, and now his shoulders are slumping, which means of course the anger is being replaced with guilt.

"Don't say you're sorry again, Ben," I say with a sigh, "just... don't."

He closes his mouth, apparently that having been exactly what he was planning on doing, and instead nods.

"So, how's life with your new girlfriend?" It can be pretty odd how a certain word or sentence can alter someone's mood. Here he goes from being guilty to being visibly nervous.

"Uh... f-fine," he says. "It's, uhm, kinda weird." Now where have I heard that before?

"You learn how long you two have apparently been going out?"

"Y-yeah, i-it's been almost a year," Ben said before gulping.

"Woah, that sounds pretty serious." Ben nods in agreement with this fairly obvious statement.

"Any idea about how you're gunna move forward with it?" Can you really blame me for being curious? And don't anyone start making any 'curiosity' and 'cat' connections!

"I have absolutely no idea," Ben says, wringing his hands.

"Well, Kendra's pretty cool. And I was starting to think that before she kicked Adam in the balls." And here's another example as Ben relaxes and his face breaks out into a wide grin. I start to walk past him, rolling my eyes, I guess a little happy that he's perked back up.

"Oh, Alex, I also got you homework assignments for tonight from all your classes." Dammit, and after I just went and cheered you up a little! I turn and, mumbling a thanks to him, take the homework and make my way upstairs to my room. I'll just get this done and out of the way.
I set the sheets down at my desk, where I like to lay my backpack, and take a seat. Once I get my mechanical pencil and textbooks out, I grab the first sheet. And of course, it's on wishing stones. Trust me when I say that, shortly after I had got settled in here with the Fergusons, I did a LOT of independent research on everything related to wishing stones. And not just what was written in my textbooks either. I found all sorts of theories about where the stones come from, how they work, how they have affected history, how they have been theorized to have altered history, some of which have been recently proved. And don't get me started on the conspiracy theories. I'm pretty sure I can rule out the one about how the stones are related to a race of lizard people who supposedly control everything. I'm very hesitant to look up how the first documented anthropomorphic catgirl in the news has been incorporated into some of those theories.

I finish up the assignment and move onto the next one. So it goes for the next hour until I sign my name and put the last of the assignments into the proper folder, zipping everything back up into the backpack. I lean back in my chair and stretch my arms a little. It was just then that my ears perk at the sound of the front door opening again, signaling Rebecca's return. I stand up and head out the door and towards the stairs. She enters and lays her keys down in a dish by the front door, setting her briefcase down by the small table, massaging her temples. She looks up and spies me -- I swear, it's like she can just sense where I am -- and smiles. Why does that make me blush so damn much?

"Are you feeling any better, sweetheart?" she calls up to me as I descend the stairs.

"Yeah, pretty much," is my response before I'm pulled into a hug. Rebecca releases me and gently starts to guide me towards the couch in the living room.

"That's great. And have you heard about the arrest?" I nod. "Well, he's been expelled, and I've filed for a restraining order against that monster."

"Does that mean I have to go to another hearing?" I ask. Oh geeze, my ears are splaying themselves on top of my head again.

"Yes, sweetheart, but this way he won't ever be allowed to come anywhere near you." It's not that I haven't learned to trust Rebecca by now, it's just that a piece of paper that says Adam can't come within however many feet of me doesn't sound very protective to me.

"I know that it may not seem like very much protection," alright, now I'm positive that Ben wished for his mom to have some sort of telepathy, "but it's an important extra precaution."

Rebecca takes one of my hand-paws, the one not still holding my tail, and gives it a squeeze. It's kinda an odd gesture when you think about it. Someone just applying pressure with their hand to someone else's. But it somehow conveys unspoken things. I'm not one hundred percent sure what exactly is being conveyed to me, but I think I get the gist of it. She wants me to feel safe.

"And you don't have to go back to school tomorrow if you don't feel up to it," she offers.

"I'm still trying to catch up to what I've missed, I can't really afford not to go."

Rebecca nods in understanding. "What's important is whether or not you feel comfortable, okay?"

I nod because, why would I feel anymore uncomfortable than I already have been? I showed up to school a different species and gender than I used to, wearing girls clothes, and with shots of me having already been on the news and on the Internet. That's enough to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but I can push right on through. Yup, just push past it all, no problemo whatsoever.

"Oh!" Rebecca says, startling me out of that little self reflection. "I have some more good news!"

"What?"

"You remember those reporters that have still been hanging around?" Ah yes, those darn pesky reporters that have been stalking me. A little hard to forget about them.

"Y-yeah?"

"Well, after a few more calls, and maybe the threat of a lawsuit, they're going to be backing off! Isn't that wonderful, honey?" Rebecca asks, looking so excited. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to hear this, and I can feel a little excitement bubbling inside of me. I'm just also thinking of how scary Rebecca can be when she's angry and determined. I've already seen her on the warpath, and gods help anyone who's drawn her ire. And yeah, I said ire.

"Woah," is the eloquent response that I give.

"I'm not going to stand for anyone harassing you anymore," Rebecca says, reaching over to pull me into a hug. Since coming to live here, I've learned that Rebecca's pretty persistent with her showing of affection. She won't hold me down and hug me but... well, she will hug me one way or another. And while at first, it would make me a little nervous, which she could totally tell, it's actually kinda comforting. Who knew? Wait, is she? Oh geeze, why is it people seem to want to pet me now. Seriously, I get that I look like a cat, but that doesn't mean that running a hand from the top of my head down to my back is suddenly not weird.

"Oh, I almost forgot," she says, letting me go. I didn't say that I wanted the petting to stop.

"I stopped by a little shop at the mall to get something that caught my eye!" Oh crap, that's the excited voice she used when she bought me some of my new girly clothes. My ears perk up at the sound of rustling as she reaches down beside the couch and picks up a small paper bag that has pink and white diagonal stripes. She opens it up, smiling at me, and pulls out a small wooden box. She holds it out to me, and I hesitate for a moment before taking it. I look to her and open it, my tail swishing behind me signaling my curiosity. Inside is a silver dragonfly pendant, with opalescent wings, no bigger than my thumb. It's attached to a white gold chain. It's beautiful.

"F-for me?" I ask. Okay, maybe it's a dumb question, but no one's gotten me any jewelry before.

"Of course, sweetheart," Rebecca says as I lift the pendant out to look at it. "I saw it and just knew that it would look so pretty on you."

It feels kinda odd whenever Rebecca or Nick tell me I'm pretty and stuff like that. I mean, I am a guy... who just happens to be a catgirl. But... it is nice. I figure that this is the part where I'm supposed to try it on. Okay, no problem. Lemmie see here. Are the clasps supposed to be tricky to open? Or is it my hand-paws? No wait, I got it. Oh, look at that. The dragonfly has come to rest right on my c-cleavage. That aside, it's a gift from Rebecca, and I like it. In a totally manly way. I mean, it's not like it's a unicorn or a fairy or something like that. Nope. Dragonflies are about as masculine as it can get. I look up to see Rebecca smiling widely at me, before she practically lunges forward to pull me into another hug. Aw crap, and there I go purring again.

 

 

 

 

 

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