Fall In Love With A Feline

Chapter 15

**Kevin's POV**

We should've have not left the house that day.

The sky was dark and I knew the rain would fall anytime soon but we still went out as she insisted. I shouldn't have listened to her because I knew better.

I knew she was afraid of rain. It was raining when I found her and having rain accompanied by thunder and lightning would scare her so much.

But I listened to her.

She wanted to see the girl.

She wanted to see what she looked like -- the girl that likes me. She wanted to meet her despite the girl still on her death sleep and I could not convince her otherwise despite the weather's threat.

She's just too persistent and I couldn't say no.

If I had just put my foot down firmly, she...

She would still be with me.

I closed my eyes as I refused to move from my bed. My alarm had gone off countless times already but never did I even bother to dismiss it or snooze it off.

I just don't want to move.

Tears escape my eyes as soon as I closed them. Every time I close my eyes, I'd see her. This is the only way I can see her now.

And any minute now, my alarm would go off again but before it does, Abey would be waking me up; poking my cheek, holding my nose or biting my lip before she would sit above my tummy.

I can still see her clearly inside my head.

Those beautiful eyes that seemed to gimmer every time she looks at me, her soft pale white skin which feels so smooth to touch, her silky long blonde locks that effortlessly flows as she moved... those sweet, sweet smile that always lighten me up, her melodious laughter that seemed like a serene song, and her lovely face... all these makes me so weak.

I could see her sitting above me wearing just my shirt. After all the debate we had about clothing, we finally came to terms that she will be wearing my shirt, the shirt which I wore in the morning before I got to work. She insisted those would be the most comfortable clothing for her because it has my scent. I would be away for most of the day so she said that those shirts will be perfect for her.

She would then would lay her head above my chest only to tell me to wake up because she's hungry.

I knew it will be too good to be true but I was desperately hoping she'd be here, doing just like what she used to do.

But it's too much to ask... 

However, I've never asked anything in my whole life. 

The wish I made for my birthday -- I wasn't really expecting it to happen.

I was silently praying that before my alarm will go off, that she'd wake me up... any second now. I'll be happy and contented if she's gonna be given back to me even with those soft paws poking my cheek.

Even if she's a cat, I'll be happy... just that she's safe with me... I'll be happy.

If the gods who's playing with my life right now can grant me anything for the last time, I'd be happy and grateful if they bring her back to me even in a form of a cat. I just need her by my side.

But then, my alarm rang and she wasn't there.

I opened my eyes while the ear shuttering ringing kept going and going and going... until it snoozes off by itself only to alarm again because I was hoping that before the second alarm, she'll come through my door, jump on my bed and sit on top of me just to complain that she's hungry. 

I turn my head and look at her bedside but she wasn't there.

She left me with just the emptiness... a hallowed space.

"Abey..." I whispered her name while my tears continued to escape my eyes.

I closed my eyes again and hid it behind my arm as I cry. But every time I cry, I would see that moment when she was so terrified.

I should not have asked her to open her eyes.

----

"I told you we shouldn't have left home," I muttered as we wait on the shed of the bus stop.

We were on our way to the hospital after having lunch out. I knew it would rain since I noticed dark rain clouds the moment we got out of the apartment.

I told her we can go some other time but she said we can just bring an umbrella.

She wanted to see her so bad.

She wanted to apologize for my actions that day I back out and she wanted to thank her for liking me. She said, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have gone out of my apartment and I wouldn't have found her in that corner.

But the umbrella was no use as it suddenly poured down heavily after we got out of the restaurant. It was just like that day when the accident happen.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized sincerely as she hugs me.

Suddenly, lightning struck and the skies flash with lights and seconds later, Abey screamed when the thunder grumbled.

She's just so afraid that I held her tightly in my arms while she trembles.

"I think we'll need wait this out. We can run back to the restaurant? It's warm there." I asked but she shook her head, refusing to move from the spot we're standing.

However, trying to look beyond the heavy rain, I couldn't see anything across the street. The rain is so heavy that I have zero visibility beyond a couple of meters.

The wind blew and the rain surged in the shed which would drench us both so I moved her towards the steel wall behind us and stood in front of her, hiding her in my embrace.

It's starting to get cold and the storm is far from getting weak by the minute. I was trying so hard to keep her warm, even covering her with my jacket because the last thing I want is for her to start shivering and get sick.

But she was already trembling from fear as the lightning kept flashing followed by soft grumbling from the sky.

"I want to go home." She said while clutching my shirt so tightly.

"We will. We just need to wait out the rain." I muttered over her head before laying a kiss to somehow keep her calm.

Suddenly, my phone rang so I pulled it out of my pocket and saw Lisa calling. I've told her that I'll be coming to the hospital with a friend and she may be wondering where we are because we're running late already.

"Hey... do you wanna visit some other time? The storm is too strong." She said over the phone and I can sense the worry on her tone.

I needed to ask her to speak louder as pouring rain was too loud.

"We're already at the bus stop when the storm caught us. We're waiting it out at the shed."

"What?" She asked, not hearing my response.

"I'll just text you!" I exclaimed and hid my phone in my pocket.

I then checked up on Abey and cupped her cheeks. She's now crying as she trembled while holding both my wrist. She had her eyes closed and she refused to open them because she doesn't want to see the lightning's flash.

I knew that yet... I still asked.

I thought that if she sees me, look at my eyes as I convince her that everything will be fine, she'll believe me.

To be honest, this weather's a bit freaky because yesterday, the sky's so clear.

I wanted to help her. I want her to overcome this just like she overcame her fear of going out.

"Abey... look at me?" I asked softly with my forehead over hers and she shook her head before she started sobbing.

Thunder continues to grumble and this time, everything shakes. That particular lightning and thunder were so strong I felt the ground on our feet shake along with the startling sound it made.

And with it, her scream.

I couldn't hold her the moment she opened her eyes at the same time the thunder rolled on the ground which had startled her so much that she screamed her lungs out. Then, she ran.

She ran faster than my brain could ever make my body respond to chase her. She ran so fast into the blinding rain.

However, that car was faster than she could ever run.

Out of nowhere, this car came with its light's blinking and headlights on high beam due to zero visibility through the rain but despite it, the driver didn't see her cross the street.

I screamed her name louder than I could've ever screamed.

But, it was too late.

----

The doorbell rang which I have mistaken for my alarm.

I fell asleep again with my tears that were beginning to dry upon my cheeks.

"Kevin?" A familiar voice called from beyond the front door. Knocks then followed before a brief while of silence.

It's been a week.

I told my boss that I couldn't go to work because I lost my cat and because of it, I've gotten sick.

What else am I gonna say? My brain could no longer function well so I told him a part of the truth. Fortunately, he was lenient about it and gave me a few days off but I still couldn't pull myself together.

I lost my companion and the love of my life all at the same time. Of course, I can tell nobody about the peculiarity of Abey's existence. The driver couldn't even believe his eyes witnessing the change but he was gracious to not tell anyone about it.

I peeled myself from the bed, sitting on its edge as I rub my face with both my hands.

Soon, Lisa pressed the doorbell again and called for me followed by a series of knocks.

I forced my way to the door and as soon as I opened it, Lisa was smiling widely while holding a familiar-looking cat... Leo -  a male bicolor tomcat.

"Why are you here?" I muttered as I asked, keeping the door slightly open, looking at her cat first before lifting my gaze up to her face.

"Well, I came to check on you and to be honest, our boss wants to visit you but there was a last-minute meeting so he couldn't make it." She replied.

"I'm sorry. I'll try to go to work tomorrow." I sighed.

"Kevin, about your cat... I'm so sorry to hear about her. I know how it feels to lose a companion but you need to move on and pull yourself together." She said in the softest tone.

"Easy for you to say." I retorted nonchalantly.

You don't know who I lost.

"I'm sorry but, nothing will happen if you stay like this. If you'd like, you can keep  Leo in the meantime so you'll have him keeping you company. You've babysit him for me before but if--"

"No... the last thing I want is another cat." I shook my head as I cut her off.

Then, there was an awkward silence between us that I couldn't take so I decided to close the door.

Even if it may seem rude, I can't last another talk about moving on and get over my cat by people who don't know anything. Of course, they don't know. I can't tell them.

But as I was about to close the door, "Have you read my messages?" She asked the same time she pushes it open. I shook my head in response.

"Well... my friend. She's awake."

I looked at her and forced a smile out, "I'm happy for you."

"She uhm... she actually asked how were you doing and I told her about your cat. Kinda made her sad but she said she hopes you can get by." Lisa added.

"Tell her I said thanks. And tell her... I'm sorry for what I did." I sighed in the end.

"Why don't you do the apologizing yourself? You're the one who stood her up." She retorted, tine completely changing from careful to sarcastic.

I didn't expect Lisa to say those words and it caught me off-guard. She blaming me straight to my face.

"She was asleep for two years because of... well, it's because of me too but I realized, it is also your fault."

Her sudden attack on my guilt had struck me. I knew it very well but hearing her blaming me upfront is adding to the weight I'm feeling right now.

"She's taking a therapy since half her body is still asleep. You can at least visit her.. just once. At least get out of your apartment and get some fresh air. Maybe then you can move on from your depression. You need to help yourself as well... I know I may not know what I'm talking about but... I've been trying to support you for as long as I can remember, Kevin."

"It's so easy to state your opinion when you don't know how it feels, isn't it?" I retorted

"I'm sorry, I don't really understand what it feels like to be depressed but, I think in your case, you're bottling everything up. How can I know what if feels like when you won't let me inside and help you? You're just standing there, guarding your door." She fired back.

"Okay.. come in." I said with irritation evident on my tone as I opened the door wide open for her.

"No thanks. I changed my mind. I thought that... maybe if you knew she's awake now, you'll come to see her. That somehow, your conscience for what happened to her will pull you out of your house... maybe it's really better that you didn't meet her. It does seem like fate didn't want you to meet anyway."

I look down at my feet as she said those words.

Abey insisted to meet that girl and I lost her because of it.

How can I meet her when it will remind me of what happened to Abey?

But then again, she wouldn't be in that situation if I had the guts to show up.

"I hope you get better soon." Lisa said and before I knew it, she had already turned her back on me.

Despite everything she says...

I realized that I should really go to meet that girl.

It's what Abey wanted to do.

To apologize.

----

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry..." the man gasped as his eyes widened in fear and anxiety when he saw her laying on the ground.

"Abey?... oh God, Abey...." I whispered as I crouch down beside her.

She laid there on the ground.

Her once white dress had become somewhat muddy with stains of red as blood from her wounds gushes out slowly.

Curiously, the rain turned to a drizzle until it completely stopped.

"Kevin..." she called out, whispering weakly. "... I... I can't feel anything."

I couldn't touch her...

My hands trembled violently as I wanted to touch but I couldn't, not when she's like this. Touching her may make her situation worse.

"I want to go home..." she asks and my tears started falling as I look intently to her eyes.

"O-okay... we'll go home, Abey... you're gonna be fine," I assured her, forcing myself to touch her cheek but my trembling fingers could only do so much.

Despite being drenched, I saw tears falling from her eyes the moment my fingers touched her cheek.

"I can't move... I can't feel anything Kevin..." she cried.

"It's gonna be alright. I promise you." I lowered my head as I cry.

I then hear the man talking on his phone, perhaps calling for help. I couldn't even ask for help at the moment. I don't want to leave her sight.

"This is what happened in the movie... They have to convince the cow every day that she's a cow?" She asked slowly as she let's go of every word pulling off a smile.

"Yes..." I chuckled as I cry.

"Am I gonna be just like Lucy? or the cow?" She asked, chuckling.

"No, Abey. You said you won't forget me. But if you do, I'll make you remember." I replied before laying a kiss on her bloodied forehead.

"You promise?" She asked.

"Yes... I promise with my life." I nodded vehemently, forcing a smile out despite how my lips tremble.

"I love you, Kevin...." she replied, tears streaming from her eyes and smiling ever so sweetly despite laying there, hurt and wounded.

But I didn't realize that she could no longer hear me, "I love you too... so much. So please hang on, okay? Help is coming...." I trailed off when I notice her smile faded and the life from her eyes vanished.

It's too quick...

Why is this too quick? Why is this happening?

"Abey?" I called out but she was no longer looking at me, not at anything... then, I noticed that she had already stopped breathing. That's when I noticed the pool of blood just behind her head.

However, out of nowhere, there sparkles of dust coming out of her body. It gleamed around her like star twinkling.

"Oh my God." The man behind me gasped and my breath hitched as her body slowly becomes blurry from my sight despite these sparkling dust that now slowly lifts into the air. I wasn't sure if my eyes were playing tricks but I'm not the only one seeing this.

But instead of being in awe, my tears couldn't be stopped.

I knew right that moment I've lost her.

And I can't do anything about it.

Slowly, her form changed...

The dust that slowly lifts from her body vanished just as slowly until whole form changed and she was once again my orange tabby cat, laying above the pool of blood and the dirtied white dress.

No more blonde hair, no more pale white skin, no more sweet smile...

She was a cat again.

But most painfully, my Abey is gone.