BeSwitched, Paranormal Romance by Molly Snow

hideout.
    “Well, I might leave in a couple days or I might leave tomorrow,” he said nonchalantly on purpose, “…or maybe I could go early in the morning before you wake up. I don’t want Idis to get too upset. You know how she is, Surla. If I don’t go back soon, I could get one of her boots thrown to my head.”
    “You dirty hairball! Poor excuse for a cat! You are saying that to make me mad.” Surla stuck her face right in front of his . “Remember, Pusface, for the time being, I am bigger than you. Idis can go stuff both her boots right in her mouth, because I don’t give a rat’s tail about her. You are going to stay here as long as I want.”
    Pussface extended sharp nails on his right paw. “I think I have a right to leave when I want.”
    Surla stepped back, but not from fear. “That’s how I felt the day I ran away from Idis.”
    Pussface’s claws retracted. Just then the phone rang. Surla stared at him as she went to answer it from off of Cathy’s bedside dresser. “Hello?” Surla’s tone changed to sweet.
    “Hey, Cathy. What’s up?” she heard the male voice say.
    “I’m sorry, who is this?”
    “How many other guys have your number?” he joked. “This is Craig.”
    “Oh, Craig,” she repeated for Cathy to hear.
    “Craig?!” Cathy jumped up excitedly. Her tail stood like a candy cane.
    “Watch out.” Pussface was making fun. “You’ll jump right out of your fur. Who is this Craig guy anyway?” No one answered him.
    “I figured I would give you a call,” Craig continued. “Are you busy?”
    “What kind of busy?”
    “Too busy to go out and do something with me?”
    Cathy is getting asked out on a date! “No I’m not busy,” Surla responded coolly.
    “Good… do you wanna grab a milkshake with me? I can pick you up in a half hour.”
    “Sure, that would be…” She suddenly remembered Cathy’s mother getting mad at her, punishing her for a week for catching a boy in the house. “Wait. I’m sorry, Craig… I can’t. Tonight is bad. My mom grounded me.”
    “Oh… Okay.” There was a pause. “What about this Friday? Are you free then?”
    “I’m pretty sure.”
    “All right then. Don’t get into anymore trouble.” He laughed.
    “I won’t, Craig.” She knew it was coming to the end of their conversation.
    “See you at school. I’m playing basketball against you tomorrow in P.E.” He sounded ready for more competition.
    “I know. I’ve been practicing my skills in the backyard,” Surla kidded.
    “I’m ready. See you tomorrow.”
    “Okay. Bye.”
    Surla hung up, then plopped on the bed next to Cathy. “Didn’t I tell you I would hook him by my cat-like ways?”
    “Did he just ask me on a date?!”
    “Yep, but it would be even better if you could go yourself.”
    “That’s okay. I’m on a roll having you be me.”
    Pussface’s tongue curled into an exaggerated yawn. “Lonely souls are lonely because they don’t have enough guts to go out and do things themselves. They don’t interact well. They have poor social skills.”
    “What is he talking about?” Cathy asked.
    Surla knew he was speaking of t he Black Cats’ Curse. Surla didn’t want Cathy to know that part—the part where it only works with lonely souls. “Pussface likes to ramble a lot. He doesn’t make any sense most of the time.” She shot him a mad look for him to stay quiet. She knew it would be a sensitive subject for Cathy to hear.
    It was getting late out. Surla was tired and needed her sleep for school the next day. Cathy was overjoyed from Craig’s call and soon was dreaming about being human again and kissing him. Surla made sure Pussface slept on the rug. There wasn’t enough room for the three of them to be on the bed, and even if there was room, she wouldn’t have it any other way. The window next to her was locked tight to be sure the obnoxious cat couldn’t escape.
    The next morning, Cathy’s clock radio turned on as an alarm to wake Surla. It was 6:30. She