Mavis.

I shouldn't be stressing this much over a text, but I do. He said that it would be okay for me to visit but It's only been three days since our last encounter, and I had sent the text over ten minutes ago but still no response whatsoever. I'm debating if I should call or wait longer, I hate calls. I can't see the other person's expression and the tone they use tends to be confusing to me sometimes.

I really hope he is taking good care of the babies, I searched for other shelters and most of them are either full and we have to wait for a long waiting list, or it's too far away. My ringing phone startled me, and I was suddenly holding my breath.

"Hello" my voice was hoarser than I intended it to be, and he somehow picked up on that as his first words to me were, "are you okay? You sound out of breath?"

I clear my throat, "yes, I'm fine." there was a tiny pause between us before he says, "I'm sorry I just saw your text, it's time to feed the kittens and it's harder than it looks to bottle feed six hungry little gremlins-" he took a halt before I heard him screaming at someone else, "be gentle dude, don't force the bottle down," I heard the other person shout back "I am gentle." which June replied to, "Well, be gentler."

I chuckle at the interaction, trying to imagine those guys bottle-feeding four weeks old kittens. "I'm sorry about that. And Mavis I already told you, you can come to visit."

I chew on my lower lip, looking around the garden I was sitting at, some kids yelling in the far background and a group of moms speed walking around the lake. "Are you sure?"

"Where are you? I will pick you up." he asserts as a matter of fact, but I don't want him to. I don't want to be trapped into the same car again, because last time I was feeling things I shouldn't be feeling. "Just send me the address I will walk,"

"What if it's too far? You can't-" I stopped him before he could finish his sentence. "I want to walk."

He sighs and agrees reluctantly. It's only thirty minutes away, I can walk that. I can walk that and hope that this stupid fuzzy feeling I get every time I hear his voice, gets annihilated by the wind. God, the last time I felt like this was when I was sixteen and it did not end up well. I became worst and worst. if people think my attitude now is bad, it was ten times worst in high school. That's why I stay away from people, I ignore them in the hope they will ignore me back, but some are persistent, some are like June, who expect the best of people, and somehow for the first time I don't want to disappoint someone. I'm used to disappointing people, it doesn't hurt like it did at first. My parents swear they are proud, but I know better. And for Arden and Wren, that's another story.

But now, I really don't want to see June's disappointment, I don't want him to see the deep truth of me.

But he will eventually see right through you.

I clench my teeth at the thought of that. Of course he will, everyone does eventually see right through me. I can act all I want, that part of me will scare people away.

I arrive at his house, his car is parked in the driveway along with two others. The house is pretty normal, like any off-campus house. I make my way to the front porch and take a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.

A minute passed by and the stress is getting overwhelming, I heard some noises behind the door when a smiling green-eyed man open the door. "Hi." He is not June. But June does come seconds later pushing him off the door, heavily breathing as if he was running a marathon. He glares at the honey-haired guy who only beams at him with a sheepish smile. "Go,"

The guy ignore him and stares back at me, "I'm Jamie, nice to meet you again."

He was with them at the bar that day, I hadn't particularly noticed him, but I know they were four including June. I was pissed that evening, I only wanted a drink before going home, and I guess I lashed out on their other friend. But then again, he kept pushing when I was clearly not interest so I have nothing to regret.

When I didn't respond and only kept staring, the guy sighed. "Still as cold as a storm." at that June pushed him inside and closed the door behind him. His russet-colored eyes were finally on me and somehow it felt like I forgot how to breathe. "I'm sorry about him, he is not a bad person, just his teasing tends to be without limit."

I only nodded, words refusing to leave my lips as I kept staring so openly. He then smiles, and his face lights up like every time he does. I gulp it down, memorizing every trait of his face so I can imagine it later and torture myself when he finally decides that he hates me.

God, I'm so pessimistic.

"I like your makeup." he likes my makeup. Yes, that's exactly what he said. I didn't imagine it and I don't know what to say to that, so I mumble an almost incomprehensible "thank you." but he heard it, and responded to me in his always earnest voice. "You're welcome, Mavis."

"And I don't know if you're going to be comfortable but there are five guys inside," he says gesturing to the house, "I tried to make them leave, but somehow they all became kitten obsessed."

He looks apologetically at me as if it's my house and he invited them. I'm already grateful enough that he offered to take them in, I don't think I'm in a place to make amends. "It's fine. Thank you for taking care of them."

He nods a small grin playing on his lips. He opens the door and gesture for me to get in. A somehow neat foyer presented itself to me and just a bit down right was a spacious living room where a big couch is situated in the middle, and four guys sitting on the floor surrounding the six kitties were staring right back at me.

One was the familiar green eyed dude, and another was a brown-skinned guy that was at the bar that night, the quiet one. And two others that I do not recognize at all.

A throat was cleared, and I felt June standing closer behind me. "Guys, this is Mavis. Don't forget to be nice."