I saw a pile of clothes in a corner and blindly through them over my shoulder. "Put those on!" I announced frantically.

"I'm sorry, I forgot about that small detail", his voice was higher than normal,"One moment", he amended. I heard shuffling and a zipper's rustle.

"Small detail?" Oh yeah. My mouth went dry, and I wanted nothing more than to run from this room, this house, and maybe to the states border.

I tried to look at the pictures infront of me. Ignoring the heaving feeling moving throughout my body, I caught sight of a baby. Their eyes were squinched, with tiny balled fists. While looking, I breathed through my mouth, feeling myself relax. My monsters were hiding again.

"I'm sorry, I forgot the aftermath."

Hearing a few gasps, I turned around to see him sitting right where he had before. I sent him a very timid smile, which he returned.

"I forgot it too," I closed my eyes to push the question out of my mouth," When... when was the last time you changed? Before now I mean", I asked. His eyes were shifted downward. I think I asked the wrong question. It took him a few minutes to answer.

"The last time I almost attacked my brother. He's one of the only few, full humans left in my family."

His tone hinted to end of that subject. I willingly shut my curiousity up, and moved to another.

"So, you're a furface then?" I teased him.

His eyes lifted to show a brighter expression. He laughed, and the sound flowed around the room.

"And what about you? I smelled a little cat on you, but there were others, scents that stumped the hell out of me."

I dodged his intrusive look, in favor of somewhere to sit. My eyes fell upon his bed. While walking to it I tried to resolve the conflict roaring in me. What should I show him?
 I sat down and took a deep breath.

"Do you like being a panther, Edgar? I mean, would you rather yourself being a fox or maybe.. maybe a tiger?" I raised my eyebrows. The look on his face was that of a scared little girl. Then, amusement replaced it.

"A tiger you say? A fox? I don't know, I favor many animals Abby. But my panther is like a second version of myself", He gazed at me, and he cocked an eyebrow up, the air around him spoke of mystique.

We threw retorts back and forth, trying to get a straight answer from the other. Only to get a more confusing question back.

"If you think I'll be afraid, you're mistaken. I'm sure it's something I can handle", he was all calm, but exasperated with our quarrel. "Please, I just turned infront of you", he pleaded when I put my head down.

At that precise moment, my cell hpone rang. Why was it always at these weird, awkward times?

I flipped it without looking at the ID. I knew who it would be.

"Abbs, get home soon, gool ol' aunties having a hemorrhage. Do you know it's almost four o' clock?!" Christian's lazy voice was annoyed. He always calls first. My aunt yaps his ear off when she's anxious.

"Give Aunt Jen the phone," before she rips it from your hands, I thought.

"Abelinda, how nice to hear from you! How was school dear?" Her cheery facade made me laugh. Why couldn't Christian been a girl?

"I'm fine, I just went to have coffee with a friend. They're just showing my around," hopefully she won't call my uncle, and have him search for me.

"Well, I can't help but worry, sorry," she said to have me call her on my way home, and with that she hung up. I let out a soft sigh. Worry about what, other people's safety?

His voice drifted to me, amused as usual,"So... am I a friend now? Truly?"

I looked up to see him peering at me fromt he side of his eyes. Was he? Through the course of two days, could I really call him my friend? My face crumpled in deep thought. While his was still aloof, and untroubled.

All I could come up with was,"Do you consider me your friend?"

Edgar got up off the floor, and sauntered to his collage of pictures. A few minutes later he seemed to figure out what to say.

"Almost every time I take a picture, it feels like I know that subject better than I had before," he paused to collect his words,"The second I took yours, I was puzzled. A first for me I assure you. I want to get to know the angry person in this photo," he pointed to it. When he turned to me, his arm dropped sadly,"Would you let me try?"

My frustration was out of fuel, and my conficts popped like a bubble.

"Fine. You really want to know? Your choice," I hustled to my feet and let the numbness flow. Before I let them loose though, I remembered something important.

"Where's your bathroom? I'll go there when I come back,"it's not like I can hide everything, like him.

"It's down the hall, middle door. I'll bring you extra clothes," he hesistated on saying something,"Unless you like wearing just towels?" As he moved to his closet, he chuckled at my stern look. When he came out with a pile of clothes, he wore an expectant smile.

'Here we go' I thought miserably. He probably won't ever stare at me with those beautiful eyes ever again. My stomach curled at the thought.

Then, I let go.

I didn't choose, I didn't hide. I just let them go free.

Only one of them would be allowed to come slithering through me, but she caught Edgar's scent, and roared to the front of the pack.

My frame started to loosen, and I imagined a dark door inside me. Being slammed on. I knew that door wouldn't hold for long. The hinges were creaking with the effort to hold back the pounding of their paws. Not wanting the pain that would come if I waited, I willingly opened the path for one of them.

She pushed her way through my body, nuzzling through my skin, wanting an out. Her stripes covered my frail, light skin. Her legs broke me down, falling to all fours. I heard the padding of paws. The tail wipped back and forth furiously, embracing the long dormant stretch. We lifted our dark eyes, and saw Edgar's face startled.

I saw his eyes roam along my orange and black stripes, and watched my claws detatch from his carpet. My tiger was nervous to meet him, though she refused to let him see it. She purred loudly, and laid flat on the ground, waiting for him to come to her. 'Us.' She responded to me.

Slinking forward with more feline movements than any human was capable, Edgar tried to reassure my tiger that he was no threat. He was a cat like her. A big, reassured cat, with nasty claws that could put different stripes on him.

Edgar shivered visibly when he pet her, and ran his fingers through the longer hair around our neck. We purred together again, though she was the one to lick him. He jumped, but moved to the other side. Marveling at the colors that intertwined, running down her spine. As my tail swayed, and Edgar started playing with it. When he caught it finally, we swung around and swatted him playfully.

"So, miss tiger, what else are you hiding from me," he mused, moving infront of us to flash a not so human smile.

We rose up, and he backed off cautiously. I finally took control, and nosed our way through his door, and ran for the bathroom. Before we could utter a single meow, Edgar's arm flitted forward to open the door.

"Thumbs are an amazing accessory, don't you agree?" He laughed when we growled. Slipping the clothes onto the counter he disappeard behind the door mumbling,"Don't shed too much."

I sent a push towards the darkened doorway, and my tiger retreated, closing the door with a whip of her tail.

As soon as my mouth formed I was laughing. At her, and Edgar.

I picked up the clothes he left, and inspected them. They were a good size for me, even the jeans that looked a size too small. They were a little worn, and grayed at the knees, but, what was I going to do? The shirt made me wonder whether his sister was missing a shirt, because it was a snug fit on me. I bellowed a good laugh when I saw a pair of clean boxer shorts. 'I suppose it would be a little more comfortable with them on,' I thought.

When all was done, I stood and looked at myself in the mirror, and had a thoughtful moment. I've met another person like me, and there was still more of them. Not to mention, I actually changed for h---infront of him. I haven't let any of them out for over a year. It took me five years just to tell my best friends. They didn't even get a show like Edgar had.

And... quite a show it was.

I hesitantly left the bathroom to find him waiting for me. He face was covered with worry.

"Sorry if you're not too comfortable. I should have waited, made sure you had clothes of your own to change into. Sorry," he mumbled them, not looking ta me still. Who was afraid of the big bad tiger?

"Don't worry, these will do for the time being," I tried to put animation into my voice, to reassure him for once.

"Well, Lee is going to be home soon," he looked up with a calm face," I just wanted to let you know you didn't have to change again. Even if she does argue, I'll deal with it."

I smiled to show my gratitude. I walked towards the stairwell, with him joining my side. We entered the kitchen, and I noticed our drinks were all wet from sitting around. I managed to salvage mine. His looked like mud, with coffee mixed into it.

"How did you become a tiger?"

His question caught me off guard, and I choked a little on my drink. It's gonna take awhile for me to get used to this whole arrangement. Even thinking about my animals made me shiver.

"My mom was a tiger. Well, when she changed she was. She didn't like to talk about it much," I leaned on the counter, playing with my straw in the drink,"She ran away from her family, due to an arranged marraige." I bit my lip wondering whether to go on or not.

Edgar leand against a wall on the other side of the kitchen with an understanding face,"Go on, please."

The courage he seemed to have seeped into me let me blurt out the next sentences.

"I was told she was to marry a cousin. Tigers marry within the family, you see, to keep it fully tiger blood, nothing else. She didn't want it. She wanted a free life, where she could be her own boss, her own person. She met my dad a week after she left," I smiled," Then two years later, I was added to the house hold," my vioce ended in a mixture of happiness, but a surge bitterness cut in.

Watching the expressions change dramatically on his face was nerve-wracking. Shock. Worried. Sorrowful. Sunken. Awed. And strangely Anger. They all flitted away until he finally composed it into a poker face.

I ducked my head down. Thinking about my parents made my eyes sting, and my breathing kick up. I struggled, trying to push calmness through my body. No need to have a break down infront of him too.

Unexpectedly, I felt bizarre objects locking around my upper body. I pulled my head up to catch an image of Edgar's shoulder, and whisps of his hair. What was he doing? I didn't get what was going on. I shifted through theories quickly in my racing mind. Was he shielding me from something or someone? Did he want his drink, that was on the counter right behind me?

The last thought that occured made lightning strike down my spine-- was he..... was he h-hugging me?

After my epiphany, I heard the front door barrel open. 'Perfect timing' rung in my head.