Afternoons & Felines

It was somewhat late in the afternoon. The sun peeked through the trees of the sidewalk as you began to make your way home from tutoring. Lazily holding onto your backpack, you held your favorite drink in one hand whilst your eyes stared down at your phone. As you were making your way home from class, a sudden pitter-patter could be heard by your feet. 

Glancing up from your phone, you blinked slowly to see a ginger-colored cat ahead of you. It was laying lazily by a brown oak-wood bench, basking in the warm weather. By the looks of the feline, he was quite plump, doted on by the neighborhood. His ginger fur was clean and groomed, appearing quite fluffy. The cat looked like a walking cloud you just wanted to play with.

As you neared the bench, its ears perked up upon the sound of your footsteps. The cat turned, glancing over at you curiously as you approached it. It appeared to be someone’s pet; you could tell from the red collar it had on its neck. It even had a small little bell which jingled when it looked up at you.

Its green eyes watched you, clearly interested in your presence. The cat had an unfazed expression on its face. Its eyes shimmered underneath the sunlight. There seemed to be a spark in its eyes. You couldn’t quite explain what it was about the feline that drew you to it. 

Intrigued by the mellow feline, you decided to stop by the bench. The cat watched you with a bored look as you placed your backpack aside on the bench. It had an almost amusing look on its face, clearly interested in your company since you decided to join it by the bench. 

Placing your drink in the bag’s pocket, you took a seat in the space left by the cat.

The cat yawned tiredly, stretching its paws out as it flopped over. You were considering whether or not you wanted to pet the furry creature. The cat appeared to be comfortable with your presence, but you didn’t want to scare it.

(Pick between A or B)

A. You gently placed your hand on the cat’s back, stroking its ginger fur. The cat meowed in response, not minding your stroking its fur. The cat slowly sat up, causing you to pull your hand away. The cat slowly rose on its paws, choosing to move closer to you. You couldn’t help but smile at it. This appeared to be a sign of trust. 

Moving towards your lap, the cat kneaded its paws before settling comfortably to nap on your lap. Curling up like a pretzel, the cat yawned once more at you before you watched its soft green eyes close, lulling you off to take a nap.

Chuckling at its antics, you decided to relax thereby the bench for a bit. You let the cat rest on your lap whilst you stroked its fluffy fur. Pulling back out your phone again, you occasionally glanced over at the ginger cat. It slept peacefully, comfortably, and was relaxed by your presence. 

Or 

B. Unsure of whether or not you would scare off the cat, you decided to leave it alone, choosing instead to keep it company for a bit. The cat watched you inquisitively. Its green eyes gazed as you hesitantly pulled your hand back. The cat simply meowed back at you. It rose on its four paws, and you watched as the feline walked slightly closer to you before taking a seat nearer to your side. 

You could feel yourself chuckling a little at its antics, watching as the cat tilted its head at your wondering what was so amusing. The cat meowed at you as its green eyes gently gazed. It was as if it were chatting to you. You smiled lopsidedly at it, leaning back against the wooden surface. Choosing to keep it company, you pulled out your phone to chill for a bit with your new feline friend who watched the surroundings. You enjoyed the sunny and calm afternoon together.

However, a notification buzzed from your phone.

After quickly tapping the screen with your thumb, a message popped up from your mother asking where you were. Realizing that it was getting late, you gently stood up from your spot. 

The cat looked up at you as you grabbed your backpack and drink. Turning to it once more, you gently reached over to the cat, patting its head as a way of bidding goodbye. The cat meowed at you in reply, wondering where you were heading off to. Getting on its four paws, it hopped off the bench before watching for a moment. Titling its head, it sat back realizing that you had to leave for now. 

Meowing once more in your direction, you could have sworn the cat was bidding you goodbye one last time. You paused for a moment, meeting its shimmery green-eyed gaze once more, before smiling, knowing you would see it again. The ginger cat sat by the bench watching your shadow walk away.

The afternoon sky began to paint warm colors of purple, and orange flowed in as the evening began.