Tori's nails scratched the back of her neck while her head was bowed. The ring on her index finger felt cold on her skin, so she pulled away. "Aren't you cold?"
Cat looked up from the grass underneath her fingers. "Nope. It's just super cloudy, but not really cold," she answered softly.
Tori studied her for a moment longer before nodding. Cat had shown up at her doorstep that afternoon with puppy dog eyes and a pleading tone when she asked Tori to come to the park with her. Tori had grabbed her jean jacket and keys before heading out the door, and now there they sat. The slide dug into Tori's back and the grass was damp and soaking into her jeans. The sky was about to open up, but Cat didn't look like she was close to going home.
"Cat," Tori said hesitantly, "Why did you want me to come here with you?"
Cat moved a strand of her red hair behind her ear and looked up at Tori. Her brown eyes were crystal clear; Tori's own brown eyes were clouded and dark with confusion. "I just really wanted to sit at the park today and I didn't want to be alone. I really like spending time with you, Tori. You make me feel calm, and I wanted to feel calm today."
Cat's eyes flickered across Tori's face before dropping down to concentrate back on the grass necklace she was stringing together. Tori's head was cocked to one side and her eyes were fixed on Cat. It was the first quiet moment they had ever shared together, and Tori was starting to realize she treasured it more than any other moment they'd spent in each other's company before. She almost considered it an honor that Cat chose her to spend this moment with. A clap of thunder startled Tori out of her thoughts and she jumped.
Cat laughed at her, which in turn made Tori smile. "Gee, thanks, Cat."
"No problem," Cat answered with her face turned up towards Tori's. Her smile was infectious, and soon Tori didn't really mind that they were just sitting in the grass in a park doing nothing. It's not like she'd had any other plans for that Sunday, anyway.
Eventually, the silence overpowered them. Tori's eyes darkened with the clouds. The park was starting to look less peaceful and more ominous by the minute. "Maybe we should get going," Tori suggested.
Cat lifted her eyes and stared hard at the spring animals in the little kid section of the park. The little dolphin was gently rocking back and forth in the wind while the little robot didn't seem to be moving at all. "I think they can hear us," Cat said softly; honestly.
Tori raised an eyebrow and followed Cat's line of sight. Tori was half-expecting to see other people in the park, but when she only saw the spring animals that kids rode on, she knew she should have known better. Her fingers ran through her hair in thought. "The toy things?"
Cat nodded. Her eyes were focused intently on the statues. "Sometimes I think all of the statues in town are alive." When she turned her head to gauge Tori's reaction, she smiled. "You think I'm crazy, I know. But I think they are. I think they've been alive for a long time, but they've been watching us long enough to know better than to ever move."
Tori's eyes narrowed in thought and surprise. Sure, it was a crazy thought, but it also made perfect sense. Kind of like Cat; kind of crazy, kind of making perfect sense, and kind of one giant contradiction. Tori was still letting that thought sink in when Cat's shoulder nudged her own. "C'mon. It's about to rain."
