01.
This is the first chapter to a short story I’m writing on Wattpad. I currently have four chapters written but whether I’m going to carry on, I don’t know yet. I started out being so hyped and confident with it (literally everything I write) but I lost it somewhere along the way. Please, please let me know if it’s something you’re down for!
Also, I’m going to post the hybrid Justin edit that I made at the end because it’s fooking CUTE.
It's a cat!
It wasn't a cat.
Close, but definitely not a cat. At least not all round.
It was the ears. And the tail. And the delicate features of his face, with the silkiness of his hair.
My first thought was it was some sort of Halloween costume. After all, it was October.
The boy slumped against the wall in the middle of the street. It was dark out. I'd be lying if I didn't instantly assume he was drunk out of his mind.
He hissed as I approached him, I probably should have retreated at that point, but I didn't - I got closer instead.
"Hi," I spoke. "You alright?"
He sat curled up in himself against the wall, merely looking up at me with equal amounts of panic and hatred in his expression. He looked terrified.
"I'm- I'm not going to hurt you," I said rather loudly. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."
Big, green eyes stared back at me. Even the darkness couldn't consume the colour and the light within them.
"I'm Olivia," I said, holding a hand to my chest.
He blinked at me.
I blinked back.
"Have you just come from a Halloween party? Do you need me to call you a taxi?"
The blank expression on his face made me wonder if he could comprehend what I was saying.
I sighed. "Do you need any help? I mean, I don't know what your situation is, but someone slumped down in the middle of the street so late at night doesn't sound like a good one."
Eyes were shimmering suddenly. The boy blinked, and a tear fell down the smoothness of his cheek.
"W-what's wrong?"
I moved closer, feeling it was safe to. He cowered away slightly, and a soft whimper escaped his pinks lips.
"It's okay," I reassured. "You can trust me. To be honest, that's what someone who's probably gonna do something untrustworthy would say," I rambled, frowning because where was I going with it? "But, you can trust me. Scouts honour."
I bit the inside of my cheek.
"J-Just-tin-"
"Pardon?"
"Just-in!"
"Oh, sorry, should've let you finish. My bad." I held my hands up in defence. "That's a lovely name," I said, and did I see a faint pink creeping up the boy's cheeks? I couldn't truly tell; the only source of light I had was the streetlight a few yards away. "So you can tell me your name, can you tell me what's wrong?"
His bottom lip was taken between his teeth, and he gazed up at me.
"It's cool if you don't want to tell me, but I also wouldn't mind if you find you want to, especially if there's something I can do to help."
I tried hard to avoid staring too much at the ears poking through his hair, despite how difficult I found it.
"J-Justin doesn't have- have a home," He squeaked, fumbling with the material of his t-shirt.
Don't do it.
Don't do it.
Don't do it.
Clearly, he's drunk out of his mind.
Just walk away.
All these thoughts ran through my mind. I heard them, but I didn't necessarily listen.
I've been known to be reckless. I've been known to make my decisions on impulse. I've been known to make bad decisions.
"You- You don't have anywhere to go? Really?"
"J-Justin would n-not be sitting h-here if he didn't have anywhere to- to go."
I moved past the fact that the boy was speaking in the third person. At least, I tried to.
"Would you.. like somewhere to crash? My place has a spare room going, you can stay there for the night.
It was a stupid thing to do.
Of course it was.
I didn't even know the boy.
"Justin- Justin does not know.." he mumbled and my heart couldn't help but ache at the adorable expression resting on his face.
"It's not much but it's warm, and cosy too," I said. "And then you can tell me all about yourself."
"W-Warm?"
"Mhm," I nodded. "Toasty, if you like."
"J-Justin likes toast!"
I chuckled. "Then you can have as much toast as you'd like."
A grin broke out on the boy's face all of a sudden, and it was clear he'd been swayed. He clambered to his feet and bounced up and down.
And that was when I saw it. Standing tall behind him was the bushiest tail I'd ever seen. He somehow put every cat I'd ever encountered to shame.
"O-okay, let's, let's go."
The boy followed behind me, staying close to my body. A silence fell over us but I didn't sense awkwardness.
I wanted to get home as soon as possible; not only was it freezing outside, but the boy was shivering violently behind me. I could hear chattering teeth.
"Winter's on its way," I laughed, turning to see the boy looking back at me.
"W-Winter," he muttered, wrapping his arms around his body.
My apartment came into view, and I was quick to scramble through the doors of the building and head towards the elevator. I pressed the button with a bold '3' engraved on it.
I expected Justin to come and stand beside me, but instead, he stayed huddled behind. He sent the elevator doors a weary stare.
"W-what is that?" he whispered.
I couldn't help but stare, bewildered, for several seconds.
"I-it's an elevator," I said. "You've never been in an elevator?"
"Justin has n-never seen an el-va-tor before."
I frowned but didn't press him about it.
"It saves us taking the stairs," I said, hearing the elevator ding before the doors opened.
The boy gasped and his ears disappeared into the fluff of his hair.
His ears disappeared.
My mouth was left gaping. Justin didn't notice but continued to glare at the elevator.
"We- Oh lord," I muttered. "Let's go."
I took his arm as gently as I could and lead him inside. I could feel him trying to resist.
"Justin, it's okay-"
"What- what does it do?" he shrieked.
"It just takes us up to the third floor, that's where my apartment is."
I eventually got the persistent boy into the elevator, although he clung to me tightly, especially when we came to an abrupt stop on the third floor.
Justin was eager to get out; his tail raised the second he did.
LOOK.Â
HOW.
CUTE.
