MY IMAGINARY BOYFRIEND

I was really going to bed, when I felt a familiar presence at my door. I looked at the clock. It was past midnight. I went to the door to check. He was really there.

I opened it.

My cat stepped in with a crate of beer and some groceries.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm going away for a couple of weeks. Take care of the Sanza account, and keep an eye on the ticker for me." My cat stocked up my cupboards with supplies, "Don't let strangers into your apartment. Don't drink too much. Don't..."

"What the heck? Mr Reid, I'm on leave for the next two weeks. I'm going home..."

"Work from home." He answered without missing a beat.

"No! Mr Reid! I am on vacation!" I said, "Remember? I told you! I'm going home to visit my parents, then I'll be visiting my friend at the gold packlands."

"Hm. No. The gold packlands isn't safe right now. The red one is rogue infested too." My cat informed me.

What? I shook my head, "We've been planning this trip for weeks."

"Cancel it." He said.

He's just a cat. He's just a cat. He's just a cat.

If I was a wolf, I swear I would have shifted and tore his head off.

"Look Mr Reid, fine. I'll keep basic maintenance on the accounts. And service the Sanza account... And watch the ticker. But I'm going on my vacation."

"When do you reach the Gold Packlands?" He asked. His voice low and growly.

"Next Tuesday." I answered.

"It should be fine by then." He decided, "Stay out of the woods. Don't travel alone. Don't stay out after sunset. Don't talk to strangers. Don't enter..."

"Alright, I got it. I'll stay in my hotel room and just work during my vacation." I snapped.

"That should be safe." He nodded and turned to leave.

I opened the door for him. I would have kicked him out myself if he had stayed a second longer.

He's just a cat. He's just a cat. He's just a cat.

And once the anger subsided, all I had was a feeling of loss... I wouldn't see him for a whole two weeks. Was I missing my boss? OMG.

He's just a cat. I was just missing my cat. Omo. Don't think too hard about it.

Needless to say, I didn't sleep a wink last night because I was too busy not thinking about it.

The next morning, my friends came over for breakfast before heading out.

It had been too early for them to buy anything from the shops around so Clara made good use of the new groceries in my fridge.

"Why would you stock up your fridge if you knew you were going away for two weeks?" Mona asked.

"Urm... For you to eat breakfast." I answered and then flashed them my usual flippitant grin.

"Yeah, right." Mona wriggled her brows at the others. There was a conspiracy theory afoot. I decided to play along.

"Alright," I said, "Why would I stock up my fridge?"

"Well, maybe you were worried about someone getting hungry while you were gone?" Mona suggested.

"Like who?" I asked.

"Like whoever left his jacket on your sofa." Mona pointed out.

OMG. My stupid cat.

The funny thing was that while Mona and Marco found this terribly amusing, Clara and Fred were rather silent.

"What is it, Clara?" I asked.

"That's my brother's jacket." Clara said, "I can smell him. He was here last night."

"Ooooo" Mona gasped, "You're living with Clara's brother? Wait, isn't he your boss. OMG girl."

"It's not like that." I protested at once.

"Yeah. Right." Mona said with a happy wink, "Why the glum face, Clara? Don't you want Serene to become your sister? OMG we would be like legally a family! Fred and me, Marco and you, and your brother with Serene."

Clara shook her head, and then she said the words that I had only known too well, "My brother is a wolf. If Serene is not his soul mate, then any relationship would be only temporary."

Ouch. That stung.

"Not to mention against company policy." Marco reminded me, "Luckily we have no such policies at Philips."

He and Clara made eyes at each other. It was so sweet it was sickening. Hahaha. I guess the lack of sleep was making me a grouch.

"It's really not like that." I sighed, "Look, Mr Reid just came to give me work. He's going away for a couple of weeks."

"But aren't you on holiday?" Mona asked.

"I'll bring my laptop." I sighed.

Clara looked stricken, "I'm sorry, Serene, I just assumed. I mean, it's just that you're really my brother's type, and... I'm sorry I assumed. And also... I'm sorry my brother is such a hard boss."

I laughed it off, like I always just laughed it off, "Don't worry. He pays me well, and promotes me properly, so I will put up with him."

I didn't tell them that he was my cat. That would be weird right?

"Aw man..." Fred laughed a little, "For a moment there, I thought you really got attached to someone."

I laughed again, "At this rate, the only boyfriend I'd ever have would be an imaginary one."