February, it accepts my affection. March, you scoff, it’s using you. April, I argue, isn’t love inherently selfish? May, June, July, we fight, apologize, fight. August, I discover your infidelity. September, you leave. The months blur together. I adopt the Stray. It purrs. Scratches. Stays. January, we come full circle.

Mugdhaa Ranade lives in Mumbai, India, and works at a production house as a writer. Her writing has been published in Overheard Literary Magazine. She wakes up every day hoping to find dry leaves to crunch underfoot and stray cats to pet.