Page 55 of All That We Never Were

“Are you joking? I wouldn’t trust her. She seems nice when she wants to, but she could reveal her claws at any moment. Have we never talked about what makes cats so awesome?”

“No, it’s not one of our regular topics of conversation.”

“Well, we should. They’re independent, curious, and they sleep a lot. The three keys to a happy life. They’re wild and solitary, but they’ll let themselves be domesticated in exchange for comfort. This is how it must have been at first: ‘Hey, human, I’ll pretend to be civilized and you stuff me with food, protect me, and take care of me. Deal.’” Leah started laughing and I stretched out more on the floor, just as a lazy cat would do. “Don’t laugh. It’s true.”

“I think I’ll try and sleep with her.”

“Okay,” I said, standing up. “If she attacks you and you need help, shout and I’ll come for you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Good night, Axel.”

“Good night.”

47

_________

Leah

That week, i concentrated on school. I tried to pay attention in class, finish my homework during the day, and study in the afternoon while Axel was working. On Wednesday, I had coffee with Blair. On Thursday, when the math teacher asked me a question and the whole room was silent, expectant, I managed to answer without my voice giving out on me. When it was time to go, I pedaled fast, leaving my nerves and insecurity behind.

“Do you have a lot to do today?”

“Lit and Chemistry,” I responded.

“What record should I put on?” Axel got up.

“Whatever you like. I don’t care.”

I opened my books, sat on my side of the desk, and started to do my work. We didn’t talk again all afternoon. Now and again, I would look up a bit and watch him draw. He was my exact opposite. He didn’t let himself go; there was no emotion, nothing to pour into what he was doing. He was delicate, with well-planned, subtle lines and little room for improvisation. But there was something captivating in his movements, so contained, so willing to maintain a line between himself and the paper.

“Stop watching me, Leah,” he murmured.

I blushed and looked quickly away.

* * *

When Friday came, I had the feeling this had been the most normal week of the past year. I had studied, I had hung out with a friend, I had exchanged a few words with a classmate after lending her an eraser, and Axel’s presence still gave me a tingle in my stomach.

That was how my life used to be. Or pretty much.

When I got home, I had left my bike next to the wooden railing and my backpack on the porch when I saw the cat sitting there giving me a serious look.

“You hungry, pretty girl?”

She meowed, then followed me into the kitchen, as if she were perfectly in her rights to spend another night at the house. I looked in the pantry.

Axel appeared ten minutes later, still wet.

“What’s the cat doing in the house?” he grunted.

“She came in on her own. What’s for lunch?”

Axel grimaced. He grabbed a T-shirt he had left on the back of the sofa and put it on, stretching his arms. I tried in vain not to look at his torso, his golden skin, his defined muscles…

“What are you in the mood for?” he asked.

“Anything would be fine.”

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