Boon

Maila's life was, for lack of a better word, boring. It was monotonous. Nothing had been able to give a splash of colors to the way she sees life: just a grayscale filled with nothingness.

This was how she lived her whole entire 18 years of life... Come to think of it, when was the last time she smiled? Back when she was a nine-year old who was given a surprise birthday party by her parents? She scoffed. Just by thinking of that past event in her life made her cringe in distaste.

Sighing, she gazed at the ceiling whilst she remained unmoving on her bed. It was a studio-type kind of apartment that her parents got for her when she reached the legal age. They got it for her thinking that she would finally show a grin of merriment, but much to their dismay, she only nodded at them and gave them her thanks. Kudos to them for trying, though.

While she was stuck in her own, depressing thoughts, she felt someone, or something, pawing at her hand. Her hazel optics flitted towards the creature, realizing that it was the black stray cat that she took under her wing not too long ago back when she saw it shivering because of the lack of shelter from the rain. She felt pity for it. Oh, finally, something managed to elicit an emotion out of her.

With its paws, it made its way up towards her and nudged her cheek with its very own ones. Chuckling dryly, she patted its head and it purred because of the attention it was getting because of its owner. Onyx was kind of cute... Props to her for thinking such a proper name for a cat instead of just naming it 'Blacky' which she initially planned to do.

Finally getting up for the first time in the entire day, she beckoned for the cat to lie on her lap. "C'mere," she muttered. It obeyed immediately, setting on her lap as Maila stroked its soft fur.

In many other countries, black cats were seen as a sign for an impending doom. Yet as she kept her own orbs locked on the feline, she couldn't help but feel conflicted with the stated information. I mean, just look at her! How could someone as adorable be seen as a bad omen? Seriously, people nowadays... That was the exact reason why she never interacted with any of them. Gosh, those lowly degenerates.

Only now did she realize that this cat managed to do the unthinkable subsequent to the time it entered her life. It made her encounter varieties of sentiments that she thought she had locked away ever since she was a pre-teen.

She felt kind of conflicted to be truthfully honest. What if these sensations go away as soon as it came? What if it's just making her feel this way so that once it's gone from her life again, she would feel emptier than she already did? She was, like any other times, lost in her thoughts that swirled inside this brain of hers.

The brunette soon snapped out of her unpleasant reverie once she felt her new pet nudging her, as if it was able to sense the ugly thoughts that scoured around her mind. "Onyx?" She called out to it, only to be taken by surprise once it whipped its head towards her. It was the first time she ever had a pet, so she didn't exactly know whether this was normal or not. Whatever.

"I'm so tired staying in this world like this," she complained as she let the cat play with her fingers as if it was the most mesmerizing cat toy in the whole world. "Will I continue living like this 'til the day my face becomes filled with wrinkles? Will I stay being an emotionless bitch?" She heaved out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Seriously, was her sanity slowly depleting and she was just unknowing of it? Maybe that was the case. After all, who would even choose to vent out their frustrations on something that wouldn't even understand her. Gah, she was turning crazy.

"I'm... scared." She didn't know why but she kept spilling her true worries to this lynx that was still continuing its ministrations, though she felt a little bit of comfort as it did so. Raking her hands through her hair, her gaze drifted towards the windows that showcased the bustling city down below that she could only compare to her mind filled with raging thoughts.

"I fear being heartless during my entire lifetime, yet I also feel the same way when it comes to finally experiencing emotions. I don't want to become vulnerable... I don't want people to use those feelings as a leverage against me..." Her head was in shambles.

"I'm so confused... I don't know what to think anymore," she halted her words when the cat licked her motionless hands. "Oi, I'm not food ya know."

It just stared at her with its doe eyes that made her relax her shoulders, which stiffened prolly when she was monologuing. "You're so cute. I used to regret keeping you, but now, I can't imagine having you not by my side," she admitted even though she knew it wouldn't exactly be able to comprehend her words.

It snuggled against her, making her sign because of contentment. She closed her eyes, letting them rest for a bit as she tried to calm herself down. And with the help of the cat giving her some kind of comfort, it didn't take that long before she was in a state of tranquility.

Finally opening her eyes, she remembered the things she'd researched when she first had Onyx inside her apartment. "Hey... I wonder if this really works," she pondered before finally lifting the cat, making it face-to-face with her before doing the thing that website listed for cat owners to do.

She slowly blinked, hoping it would not be all for naught. Much to her surprise, the cat did so as well. This spurred something within her. Something that was changed and was replaced with something else she couldn't exactly pinpoint.

Was it joy?

Elation?

Or perhaps love?

Whatever it was, she liked it.