Meow, Meow

PART ONE

With Penelope’s slender arms around me, holding me tightly, I feel safe, content. Like I’m where I’m supposed to be and that no matter what else is going on in my life with my school work, my job, my family- it just doesn’t matter, because she’s here.

It’s a scary feeling and I tense against her arm at first, trying to figure out why and how I’m feeling this way exactly. But her warm body, her presence it erases away everything and I meld into her embrace, wrapping my arms around her.

This is when I realize that even though we’ve literally only just met I care about her. A lot. And because of this, I’d do anything for her to not get hurt by Luka again.

My gut is telling me that something bad is going to happen. I know it. The Tracker is going to come back and I don’t want him to hurt her too, or take her back to that hell she’s had to live through.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I state, staring at her coolly as I pull from her grasp, putting some distance between us, “You have to go.”

She looks at me with widened eyes, her mouth falling open. “What-what are you talking about?” She asks incredulously, attempting to close the space between us again.

I move shakily from the bed, clutching onto the poster for support. However, before I can open my mouth for a verbal reply, she shifts from the bed, revealing her naked body, which causes my eyes to wonder briefly, before snapping back to her delicate face.

“I’m alright, I promise, okay. Just leave.” Even as I breath the lie, my chest spasm painfully and I reach up to press my hand against the spot where the Tracker touched me first.

“You’re not alright,” Her face is twisted with concern as she edges slowly towards me, the palms of her hands facing the ceiling, “But I’m going to fix that. And I’m not leaving; I’m going to protect you.”

“Look, Penelope, you have to leave. Now.”

“I told you, I’m not leaving,” She snaps, almost in irritation. Her body is suddenly pressed against mine, her left arm around my waist, holding me up and the other hand is clutching the one I have raised to my chest.

My breathing hitches in my throat. I bite my lip to keep the whimper in my throat from escaping.

Those eyes of her, the defiant tone in her voice, her firm yet gentle touch- they almost make me lose my resolve. I want nothing more than to melt into her body, wrap my arms arm her and tell her that whatever happens I’d be willing to stick this whole thing through. But I get myself together, reminding myself of the stories that she told, about Luka and what he does to her.

“Look, Penelope, let go,” I yank myself from her grip , teetering unsteadily as I do.

Staring into her face, I know. I know that she’s not just going to leave. Even if I asked her and explained why. So I do something drastic, something...something that will hurt her. It’s wrong, I know, but there’s nothing else I can think of to get her to leave before he comes back.

“I don’t care, I don’t want you in my house. I don’t want to see you. I don’t you to be near you. Just leave.”

Her mouth trembles and I hear the sharp inhale of her breath. Her eyes begin to waters as she simply looks at me with her broken expression. It’s like her world has just crashed down into a million little piece right in front of her.

And I caused it. For the second time.

My insides begin to struggle with themselves, my brain yelling one thing and my heart saying another. How could I be so cruel, so mean? She’s only trying to help. But I’m doing the right thing, the best thing. Not only for her, but for us both. Right?

Shaking my head, I quiet both of these little monsters inside me and focus on trying to get Penelope out of her before the Tracker comes.

“Look,” I state forcefully, more to steady my own emotions that for any sort of emphasis, “I. do. not. want you here. You’re the reason why any of this even happened in the first place.”

She stops in her tracks, as she had been closing in on me, making me back up in the process. Her hands fall to her sides and her tail lowers to the ground behind her.

“I-I know I haven’t been the best at protecting you and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ll be better. I promise. I just want to help you. I-I just...I need you.” Desperation leaks into her voice, making it raspy.

I falter for a second, my lips quiver and I take a hesitant half step before turning rigid again. “I don’t care, I don’t fucking care. Get the hell out of my house, you fucking freak!”

The rapid gasping of Penelope’s breathing is the only thing that fills up the room after my yelled statement. There’s so much pain in her eyes, so much that it wells up into huge tears that slide unyielding down her face, which is flush and contorted with despair.

What are you doing?! You’re hurting her! You’re breaking her heart! She cares about you, she love you! Dumb prick!

My brain begins to side with my heart, screaming at me from inside my head, adding a headache to the list of growing pain that is beginning to consume my body.

When the Tracker first touched me, it hurt. It was an icy hot pain that left quickly, the weird looking marks on my chest, hip, and inner thigh being the only thing left. Or I thought at first. Slowly, after being back at my house it got worse. Then since Penelope has shown up, her presence has made it intensifying substantially.

And suddenly at this moment it becomes unbearable. Gasping, I clutch my chest and my knees buckle, but before I can fall Penelope’s arms encircle me, easily picking me up for the second time.

Once she situates me on the bed, her hands begin to fumble with my clothing, which makes me panic. For a split second, I think the worst of her.

This is her way of getting back at me, for what I said, for hurting her.

Instantly, I ignore the pain in my body and try to fight against her, pushing her hands away and moving to get up.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Penelope reassures softly, hands trying to restrain me, “I’m just going to heal you, that’s it. Then I’ll leave.”

“Stop touching me and just leave,” I grind out, struggling against her with earnest.

“Narissa, Narissa, just relax. Please, relax Narissa,” Her fingers find their way to one of my failing arms and gripping firmly, tugs me closer to her, “I’m not going to hurt you, I just want to help,” Her other free hand grabs my other wrist as she uses her body to maneuver mine down onto the bed.

Loosing pretty much all my resolve about this whole thing, I whine quite childishly. Not only is Penelope a freaking body builder in a petite girl’s body, but I can tell that she’s intent on helping me whether I want it or no. My not so brilliant plan of getting her away from here is looking like a failure. So, I stop fighting against her and fall back onto the mattress, my head buried in-between my pillows.

The pain racking my body seems to have a renewed strength and I close my eyes against it, trying to will it away.

“Forgive me,” I hear her whisper in my haze just before I feel her hands ripping away my loose tank and pajama shorts.

My eyes fly open and I stare straight into Penelope’s face. The dilated pupils of her mesmerizing catlike irises are focused on the dark black, shadow-like markings that have gotten more pronounced since my run in with the Tracker. She bites her lip, scrunching up her face, which is obviously deep in thought.

The moment lengthens and I squirm beneath her body, feeling very unselfconscious with nothing on but my underwear in front of her. My body has gotten warm, and not from just pain, fear, or embarrassment alone.

“I am going to heal you,” She states fiercely, breaking the silence, her eyes raising to finally connect with mine.

I nod, mumbling a pitiful, “O-Okay.”