This Tragic Affair

"Okay, I thought your friends were rock concert, black tee-shirt, skull and bones kind of people."

"They are. Well, except Sophia. She's a fucking hippie.... but they are. Yeah."

"Okay, then explain to me why the hell there's a picture of Hello Kitty on Natallie's wall."

I stared up at the hand-colored picture of a tap-dancing Hello Kitty in the corner. I guess Ronnie had a point. For the kind of people I described my friends as [and knew them to be], they sure weren't living up to it.

"Because it's so fucking cabaret. Come on. Look at those fishnets, that bowler, and that leotard and tell me she doesn't look slutty."

"But it's Hello Kitty..."

"Yeah. But it's a hooker Hello Kitty. Think of her as Hello Hooker." I knew it was stupid. I knew, but I couldn't stop myself from saying it. [I mean, would you have? I didn't think so.] "Besides, she's an Asian cartoon. Give her some credit."

I smirked at Ronnie, watching him try and process it all. [Although, I can't say anything. The same thing happened the first time I saw it.] I sat in the computer chair, Ronnie right behind me [standing behind the chair! Johnny Christ, you perverts!], and watched Natallie sketching on her bed. "Disenchanted" coursed through her bedroom speakers as her pencil worked its magic.

"Same old Natallie," I sighed. "Thank God."

Meow.

I turned to where the sound came from. There by Ronnie's foot was a small white and gray kitten, pawing at the ground.

"I swear, dude, what is it with you and cats?"

"Billie, what are you doing?" The cat continued to pounce on what would have been Ronnie's foot, batting at the air around him. Natallie walked over and scooped up the mewing ball of fur into her arms and cuddled him. "Silly boy," she cooed.

As she played with Billie, the song on the stereo changed to a low growling voice.

"Now I know that I can't make you stay, but where's your heart?"

Her face went blank. I watched as she carefully sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the mirrors on her closet. I felt a small twang of remembrance somewhere in me- this was the last song I heard alive, after all.

"She remembers... Damn, I miss her. All of them..." I smiled and focused on the volume knob of the stereo, turning it up. "Love you, bitchy."