When We Were Still Human by Vaughn Foster (best ereader for textbooks .txt) 📕

crossed her lips. For someone supposedly living alone, her condo was really was quite nice. It was a graduation gift from parents; a Hail Mary to win her affection. She audibly scoffed at the thought of her mother, but her mind soon drifted to how needed a dip in the Jacuzzi was. Had she remembered to buy more candles last night? If not, the store was only—

“Rough day?” a familiar voice asked from above.

“Same as any other, I guess.” Avia glanced up to see a him sitting on top of a bookshelf. He seemed lost in thought, examining his fingers as his legs dangled absently.

“What are you doing up there, Cheshire?” she asked, not bothering to get up.

“I think I broke a nail. This spot had the best lighting for me to examine it better.”

“And you couldn’t hold your hand under a lamp because…”

“I only use natural lighting, you know this!” He gave a dismissive wave before gracefully jumping down. He walked over to the couch and lifted her feet so that he could sit, then placed them back across his lap.

“So, what have you done today?” Avia asked.

“Well, if you muusstt know,” he began, brushing black and blue hair out of his eyes, “I had quite the exhausting day. When you woke up this morning, I had to make the decision of whether or not I was going to campus with you. Then, when I decided not to, I went back to sleep. I woke up a few hours later, ate breakfast— you’re out of salmon now, by the way— watched TV, fell back asleep, and I woke up again mayyybe twenty minutes ago.”

Avia pulled off her hair tie and snapped it across the room. “How did you possibly manage to break a nail during such vigorous physical activity?”

“I—I mean, your ever-so-charming visiting cousin—had to walk to the mailroom to sign for his new Converse,” he added. He lifted his feet up and flexed his toes in the sneakers.

She ignored the shoes. “Is that all?”

“Well…” He casually looked away and started to scratch the back of his neck, as he often did when he was nervous. “There may have been a fifteen minute portion of my day where I zoned out and was scratching the back of the couch—”

“Cheshire! I told you about that!”

“I know, I know, I just couldn’t help it. It’s a reflex.”

Avia had half a mind to yell at him, but turned to see him batting his eyes. She frowned. There was something about those eyes that always struck a soft spot. Maybe it was the air of magic in their teal color, or just how they fit in his freckled complexation. Either way, any irritation over the couch had already sizzled out. It would have be the same lecture she’d given countless times before. If he hadn’t gotten the message already he probably never would.

“Why is it that you can take a human body when you cross over, yet you can’t leave your cat…ness behind,” she sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“Maybe it’s the ears?” He pointed to the two cat ears that stuck up from his hair. “Hold on a second.” He pulled back and accusingly pointed a finger. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going out with friends tonight.”

“Wasn’t feeling up for it.”

A shadow crossed his face. “You never are. What was your excuse this time?”

“Do I need an excuse to lie on my own couch?” She forced a laugh. “Last I checked, you don’t pay rent. Don’t stress me about when I decide to come home to my condo, and catch you scratching up my couch.”

“Last I checked, you don’t pay rent either,” Cheshire countered.

Avia scowled, then stood up and walked to the balcony. “Haven’t you ever heard that old proverb, ‘curiosity killed the cat’?”

“That’s an old wives’ tale, not a proverb, thank you very much,” he answered dryly before following her outside. “But seriously, Avi, you can’t keep living this way; blowing off your friends, hiding out in your condo. You’re so serious all the time; it’s going to burn you out. Just take a breather and smile.”

She half-heartedly stomped her foot. “It feels like that’s all I ever do.”

“Because you’re smiling for the wrong reasons.” He tentatively reached for her shoulder, then stopped, bringing his hand back to his pocket. “You’re forcing it to make everyone around you happy. Why can’t you do it for yourself?”

“Because I’m never happy, you know that. And if I was myself, I’d be a total bitch to everyone.”

“Being a bitch is better than carving a smile into your face; besides, one day you might not be able to take it off.”

Avia laughed and rested her elbows on the railing. She glanced over to see his soft smile. In all the years they’d known each other, he never seemed to change. He was always smiling and carefree; even on days when she was on the brink of breaking down, he never wavered. Sometimes it drove her crazy. Other times, like today, it was comforting to know she had something constant— someone she could rely on when life was dragging her to an early grave. She’d never forget the day she met him. Though she‘d never admit it out loud, he hadn’t just become her friend that day. He’d saved her life.

Chapter 9

Six Years Prior 

Avia opened her eyes and gazed at her surroundings in awe. She stood in a vast meadow, long grass tickling her ankles in the warm breeze. She squinted, enjoying it for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the light. There were flowers everywhere, and some were almost as large as she was. The colors radiated with a neon glow, vibrant hues enchanting everything in sight. The sun poured down