Today, I found myself thinking about how much my life has changed these past years. When I turned twenty-five, Mum and Dad gave me a flat in Manchesternot in the sense that they simply handed it over, but they helped me with the deposit so I could get a mortgage. It was a huge gift and a proper step into adulthood. Since then, Ive been living alone, keeping to myself, working as a software developer, and generally enjoying the quiet life without much contact with anyone.
A while back, I decided I needed a bit of company to break up the monotony, so I adopted a kitten. She had a fault in her front pawssome people wouldve abandoned her, but I couldnt bear the thought. The previous owners were planning to put her down, but I felt such pity that I took her home and named her Bella. Bella quickly became my loyal companion. After work, Id rush home to see her, and shed always be waiting for me on the doormat, purring away.
Some months later, I started seeing a girl from the office. She was determined and wasted no time. In less than a month, shed moved into my flat. Her name was Alice, and it was all so sudden I could barely keep up.
Almost instantly, Alice took a dislike to Bella and insisted I get rid of her. She claimed Bellas paws made her look odd and embarrassed us when guests came over. I couldnt accept that, thoughI explained how much Bella meant to me. Yet Alice kept pushing, nagging at me to rehome her, telling me the cat was ruining our image and putting off our friends. I was torn between the two of them; I cared deeply for both.
Even Mum and Dad werent keen on Alice. They said she came off as rude and brash, and urged me not to rush into anything serioussuggesting I take my time before making things official.
When Alices parents visited, the tension peaked. As soon as her father stepped into the flat and saw Bella, he laughed and called her peculiar. I felt compelled to defend Bella. Throughout the evening, Alice and her father mocked Bellas appearance and came up with all sorts of ideas about where I could send her. Her mother joined in the laughter. The next day, when I got home from work, Bella was gone.
Panicked, I asked Alice where she was. She explained shed taken Bella to the vet and left her there, as if that was perfectly reasonable.
I immediately set off searching for Bella, combing the city for five hours. Eventually, I found her, exhausted but purring quietly in my arms as if nothing had happened. After we got home, I told Alice it was time she packed her things and moved out. I couldnt stand the sight of her anymore; shed become utterly intolerable.
The next morning, Alice left quietly, resigned. It seemed she never thought Bella would be more important to me than her. Now, its just Bella and me in our Manchester flat. Every evening, she sits waiting on the mat for me to return, and I realise that some things are worth holding onto, regardless of what others might say.
