How I Heard My Cat and Ruined Them

My boyfriend thought I was too fat at 121 pounds.

I signed up for a gym and started working out like crazy, but the more I tried to lose weight, the more I gained.

Meanwhile, my best friend, Chloe Woods, was doing late-night eating streams every single day, stuffing herself with steaks, seafood, and greasy takeout. Not only did she not gain weight, she dropped from 154 pounds to 143.

When my boyfriend started tearing into me even worse than before, I suddenly heard the tabby cat’s voice in my head.

“You idiot. Chloe’s got you trapped in a weight-swap system.

“No matter how hard you try to lose weight, she’s the one getting thinner. Every pound you lose is a pound she drops. She’s trying to ruin you.”

I froze and turned to look at my best friend, Chloe.

She was staring at my boyfriend without even trying to hide it, her eyes full of admiration.

Then the tabby’s voice exploded in my ears again.

“Chloe is obsessed with that trashy loser. Once she gets skinny, the two of them will hook up. Then they'll team up to get you killed and spend your settlement money living a happy life.”

The moment I learned the truth, I smiled.

Since my so-called best friend wanted to be skinny that badly, if I made her whole body weigh less than 50 pounds, she’d probably be very grateful to me, right?

My boyfriend, Jason Miller, kept going, his voice full of contempt.

“Can you stop eating already? You’ve got a double chin now. You look like a pig. And you seriously think I’m supposed to propose to you looking like that?

“I’m telling you right now, if you don’t get down to 100 pounds, forget about marriage.”

I looked at myself in the mirror, still trying to steady myself after the shock of hearing a cat’s thoughts.

I was five foot six and weighed a hundred and twenty-one pounds. That was a perfectly healthy, normal weight. But the way Jason talked, you’d think I was huge.

I’d loved him so much before that I really had tried to lose weight.

I was eating one meal a day. I was working out like crazy. I was practically starving and exhausting myself just to slim down, all because I wanted his approval.

And not only did he not care, he kept mocking me the whole time.

It was ice-cold.

Chloe stuffed the imported fruit I’d bought into her bag and chimed right in.

“Exactly. Jenna, it’s not just the double chin now. Your arms are getting thick too. You’ve got way too much flab. Honestly, I feel like you could punch Jason to death at this point.

“You sure this whole diet thing isn’t just talk? Are you secretly sneaking good food behind everyone’s back?

“If you keep getting fatter, Jason’s really going to dump you. And when that happens, don’t come crying to me.”

Before I could say a word, the tabby’s voice exploded in my head again.

“What a vicious little bitch. The only reason my owner can’t lose weight is because you bound her to that stupid weight-swap system!

“Every pound my owner loses goes straight onto you, and every pound you gain from stuffing your face gets dumped onto her. That’s why the more she diets, the fatter she gets!

“Owner, you may be the minor side character in this story, but you’ve actually got amazing luck. You have to stay away from this trashy man and this scheming witch. Not only are they going to get you killed, after you die they’ll use your money to start a company and end up on top!”

Listening to the cat’s furious rant, then seeing the gloating look on Chloe’s face, something twisted hard in my chest.

I’d known Chloe since high school.

We’d been friends for ten years. We graduated, struggled, and built our lives side by side.

When she needed money, I gave it to her.

When she had nowhere to stay, I took her in.

When she had emotional breakdowns, I was the one who stayed up comforting her.

I’d really thought we were inseparable.

I never imagined she’d stab me in the back like this.

But if all of this was true, then now was not the right time to turn on them.

“Jenna, are you deaf or what? Why aren’t you saying anything?” Jason snapped, already annoyed.

I swallowed my anger and smiled.

“I heard you. I’ll work hard and lose the weight. Don’t worry.”

“Really?” Chloe’s eyes lit up. “Then do it right. 100 pounds is the prettiest weight for you.”

She kept stressing the number, and my eyes went cold.

But on purpose, I wrapped myself around Jason’s arm and spoke in a sweet, clingy voice.

“Of course. If my boyfriend wants me to lose weight, then I’ll be a good girl and lose weight. Otherwise, how am I supposed to become his beautiful bride?”

Jason nodded, satisfied.

Chloe’s face darkened instantly, and her eyes filled with jealousy.