A couple of months passed since I went back to Kiandra’s house, and most of the time, Arlott came along and stayed in my room. Thus, the room Kiandra made for her ended up becoming an office, and where she had her lessons.

After everything that happened, I’ve been happier than ever in my entire life. And every day it’s gotten better, with Arlott hanging out with me here every second she isn’t working.

Arlott’s wake-up at sunrise routine started changing ever since. When we just met, she wouldn’t go a morning without watching the sun rise, because of her trauma-induced anxiety. But ever since she began sleeping with me, she’d stay in bed with me.

Her habit of waking up early was still there. Although I told her she could wake me up too, if she wanted, the first few times it was a pain to do it so early. But then, she gave me a great incentive. One I would get every one of those mornings.

Waking up with her cuddling me was so wonderful. But for some reason, I woke up first that morning.

It was my chance to wake her up. 

I took some time to convince myself that it would be okay. Then, I put my arms around her body. In that position, I slowly approached  her ear to wake her.

But then, I was suddenly attacked.

Two fast hands caught me; one by the waist, making it impossible for me to leave, and the other one went directly to my ear and began scratching. I tried to run, disoriented by the attack, but someone used that opportunity to kiss me.

Arlott had me completely at her mercy, grabbing me between two hands, a leg that had gotten mine trapped in the surprise, and the two most wonderful lips ever. These were the only ones I had tasted, but still I knew they were the best.

After the surprise faded a bit, I used my new secret technique. My new catgirl body was even stronger than what the rock solid muscles already made me think. So, I used them to counterattack.

Without pulling my lips away from hers, I put a hand on her back and I held her head gently with the other. Then, I lifted Arlott as if she were as light as a feather. 

I got on my knees over the bed, with Arlott wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms resting around my neck. But she didn’t hold on too tightly, as she knew I wouldn’t let her fall.

We stayed like that, nibbling each other. I licked her lips, trying to taste every inch. Then, it started again. She used her tongue to try to attack mine, but I grabbed it with my teeth. She made a sound that was between a pained groan and a pleasured moan.

I kept on biting Arlott’s lips, kissing her as deep as our bodies let us. And she kept sliding her hands all over my back and stomach, feeling my new muscles she liked so much.

That ended up becoming our routine. There were some days that didn't start like this, though not many. But some days would start with us watching the sunrise together, and ending up with us kissing until the sun was fully up.

In a few words, we enjoyed each other as much as Kiandra’s really deep sleep let us.

That morning, we got into a cycle. We’d stop, look at each other and start over again. Rinse and repeat. We only got to actually break the cycle when Arlott had to go to her job.

# 

That day ended up being a really hard one for me. At first, it was a normal magic lesson day with Kiandra. She taught me about how associating moves and gestures to a spell helps with the visualization -I guess that was the dance she was doing the day all this started.-

So I began doing physical training, taking advantage of the abilities my new body had. Even got to try some martial arts out. Although, I'm still bad at those. 

Having this kind of body made me really want to take care of it. Being able to protect Arlott might have been a reason too.

Botany was another thing Kiandra was teaching me. She said that knowing how things worked made it easier when you needed to imprint your will. Also, modifying something will always be easier than creating something. That meant that plants were perfect for many spells, if you knew how they work.

But none of those were hard compared with what was happening that day. That day, I’d have my first date with Arlott. 

Everything was ready, and I was definitely going to ask her to be my girlfriend that day. Yeah, we weren’t a couple yet… officially speaking.

I even had a little ring for it. It was made out of the branch of an old tree in the forest. I compressed it and burned it until it was a deep matte black. Then, I bought a malachite stone to decorate it..

With the little allowance Kiandra gave me, I got a rather cheap bag of small stones. It only cost me about €10. In the bag came around five or six different stones. But I literally did some magic with it.

I first condensed each stone as I did with the wood. Then I joined the pieces together, giving the piece an almost tessellated appearance. I had Kiandra’s help for that part, but it was worth it. 

To assemble the ring, I used the shape of those fiddle rings I had seen, hoping it would help Arlott with her anxieties. So, I cut the wood to make a grove where the stone could fit, then separated it so I could put it inside, and finally, I magically welded the stone once again.

It ended up as matte black with a glossy deep green. Though, I wasn’t finished. I also imbued it with the first complete enchantment I had ever made: a summoning spell.

Kiandra told me a lot of times that that magic was too advanced for me, but she underestimated my abilities. Or at least my ability to keep pestering her until she agreed to help. She also added a key spell, so Arlott could still use the portal when it was closed.

Another preparation was to get some clothes for my size, since the ones Arlott gave me before got too small for my new body.

I also took the opportunity to change my style a little. First, I got some skin tight jeans, to show-off my legs, even while covering them. Also a slim-fit black tank top, and a short red leather jacket that ended on my waist.

Fashion becomes so nice when you like your body. 

While I was shopping for clothes, Kiandra took the time to buy a laptop. I don’t know how the witch made the Wi-Fi work in the middle of nowhere but I was just happy I could use the internet to learn how to do my makeup.

I simply went for some eyeliner, and a little bit of dark shadow. Also some mascara for my gorgeous lashes, and a matte black lipstick that combined with my pretty nails.

I really loved my new body.

To top it all, I used my spirit powers to make only my tail and ears vanish, while the hair hid that I was missing the human ones. Though, funnily enough, Arlott could still see the cat ones. 

I was completely ready to dazzle Arlott, and at last make her my girlfriend.

#

When I arrived at the place we arranged with Arlott, I was twenty minutes early. I did so in order to have enough time to shove my anxiety in the back of my head.

Five minutes before the time, I saw Arlott. I tidied my clothes and got ready to give her the most passionate kiss a bashful girl could give in public. So, a peck on the cheek it was.

As I approached her, I noticed she was talking to someone. I knew Arlott wouldn't harm me in any way. But for some reason, that person gave me a really bad feeling. I could even feel the hair in the back of my head standing up.

When Arlott saw me, her face brightened up. She said something quick to the person beside her, and ran towards me.

I was ready to kiss her cheek when she jumped, so she could grab my neck and kiss me on the lips. She almost made me fall to the ground, making my tail stand directly up.

I began to blush, but I just didn’t care for the world around us, and returned her kiss.

We stood there for some time,  biting at each other’s lips. That, until we heard a little cough. We came back to reality, freezing in place and blushing so hard, you could have used our faces to warm yourself up.

The cough came from a girl that looked a bit younger than I, also as small as my human form. Arlott simply smiled and introduced us to each other. 

“This is Breena,” She said, gesturing at the girl. “We work together at the coffee shop.”

Looking at the kid made my tail go from side to side, I just wished it would stop for a second.

Arlott looked at me with sparkling eyes. You could even hear the music as if she were unveiling a treasure as she introduced me to Breena.

“She’s Istas,” Arlott said, pointing at me with both arms, which did make my tail stop waving.

I thought that was it with the presentations, but then she said something that got me by surprise. A welcome one, but I think I should have known better. 

“She’s my girlfriend.”

I remained calm, thinking carefully what to say.

“Wait, What?!”

Both of them looked at me with a similarly confused look on their faces.

I picked Arlott up and took her away to a place where Breena couldn’t hear us. There, I gently placed her on the floor, looked at where Breena was to see if she had followed us.

Arlott stopped me by taking my face in her hands and making me look at her.

“Istas…” I could see her beautiful eyes watering up a bit. Her voice trembled. “Aren’t you my girlfriend? Did I misunderstand?”

Listening to that broke my heart. I do love her, but I hadn't told her that, so far. And then, I had to confess everything.

“Look, Arlott.” Of course, my brain had to pick the words that could create the biggest misunderstanding possible. “Ehm…” I kept trailing off.

Arlott’s eyes were no longer just watering. Tears began falling down her cheeks.

I hugged her as tightly as I could, feeling her struggling. Not strongly, but just enough to make her feelings known rather than for actually getting free.

I took a deep breath and just let it all out.

“I love you Arlott!” I felt all the pressure in my chest leave as I poured out my feelings. ”Arlott, I love you more than anything. It’s thanks to you that everyday is perfect.” I just kept going. “Feeling your lips can make anything wrong into something right.”

Arlott stopped struggling and I could feel her breathing slowing down a bit.

“It never was about if I wanted or not to be your girlfriend. It’s just…” I got too nervous again. She pushed me gently, so we could look each other in the eyes, and gestured for me to continue.

I breathed-in again and, almost as quickly as Kiandra, I blurted out what I wanted to say.

“Being today our first date and all-”

“Wait,” Arlott interrupted me. “Are you saying this is all because you just didn’t know?”

I just showed my most beautifully stupefied face at that moment.

Arlott took a deep breath and released it to calm down. Then, as if I was the student with worse grades in all the school, she gently explained it to me, step by step.

“Istas, my love.” At least it started well. “How can you say that this is the first date?” I was about to reply, but looking at her face I knew it was a rhetorical question.

“What would you call the lunch we had the first time you went to my home?” Arlott paused for a moment. “I mean, the tension was there.” I dropped my head a little, she raised it gently with her finger under my chin .

“What would you call all the times we went to the forest to have a picnic?” She continued. “The times you took me to the movies? What were all of those?”

This time, she gave me some time to ponder. But she still wanted an answer.

“What would you call our relationship, if we weren’t girlfriends?” Even through the confusion, I could still feel the warmth in her voice. “I sleep at your house almost every day. And I don’t do it all the time only because every other day we are still together at my place.”

At this moment I wasn’t sure if I felt dumb or guilty, or a mix of both.

“We literally can't sleep without each other.” Arlott’s voice sounded as she began deflating, but she still kept her patience.

“I can’t wake up if I don’t feel you by my side.” I could feel her feelings behind each and every word. “And a day hasn’t really started unless we have kissed each other.”

I hugged her, sliding my hand down to get a little box.

I gently pulled away from our hug, careful to not break it. I couldn’t let her go. I needed to do this, and do it now. I need to make her feel better.

“The reason I was so shocked about what you said,” I swallowed my nerves. “It’s this.”

Her face changed once I got to show her the box. It began with confusion, but really soon, it brightened up to a big grin that flowed with her love for me. I could feel it by just looking at her.

“I would ask if you wanted to be my girlfriend,” I said while opening the box. But it seems you already are so this will be a way to repay you for not killing me for being so dumb.”

As Arlott saw the ring, her eyes sparkled. She wasn’t someone to use jewelry, and that’s why I didn’t go for an ostentatious ring -and because I couldn’t afford it- but I could tell she loved it.

Picking up the ring from the box, I took her hand. I was about to put it in her index finger, but she corrected me with an exasperated look. Yet, she still giggled along with the gesture.

“I think you should put it in the RING FINGER,” Arlott said, gently moving the aforementioned finger. “You know, to make me your girlfriend oh-fi-cia-lly.”

I blushed, but I did as she told me.

After that moment, Arlott went running to where we left Breena, but she wasn’t there anymore.

“Oh,” she said looking at her phone. “She went to her home, it is just a few blocks away.”

Since she saw we were taking our time, she just left and sent me a message to let me know.”

As Arlott held my hand, I could finally say it: Our not-first date was commencing.

But, of course, those words were just inviting disaster.

When I looked at her again, Arlott was gone. It took me a minute to adjust my sight, but all I could see looked dull. It also felt empty.