Max. Guys whistling and asking her how much for the dance? I feel my face turning three shades of red as I see Kat with her face still hidden behind her locker.
I didn’t know what else to do so I yell, “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get the hell out of here.”
I glance behind her, most people were walking away, except Stephanie and her buddies. They just stand there, laughing. As I walk past Kat I squeeze her shoulder, reassuring her that I am there. My body keeps moving, standing toe to toe with half of the cheerleading squad.
“Hey, Cam. I’d give you a dance for free, no charge,” Stephanie says, smiling with her backpack clutched to her chest.
“If I find out you had anything to do with this Steph, I swear to God it’s not gonna be good,” I snap, waving the flyer that is clutched in my fist.
“Aren’t we awfully protective?” she pauses. “As if I’d waste my time on her anyway, pleaseeee,” Stephanie says, rolling her eyes, throwing her head back, laughing.
“If it’s you, I will find out.”
I turn back around toward Kat’s locker, she is nowhere. I hadn’t noticed her walk away while I was dealing with Stephanie. But, glad I provided her the distraction to duck out.
Normally I’d be right there laughing with the best of them. Today, I couldn’t. Because today it’s about someone that I care for, someone I don’t want to let down again.
Standing outside of History I wait for her to come down the hall. Once she comes into view, my steps meet hers. She isn’t looking up, she has her head buried in her book.
“Kat, how are you?”
She looks up, her brown eyes full of sadness.
“How do you think I am, Cameron? The entire school is laughing at me.”
I don’t know what to say to her to make her feel any better. I’m not sure I can look at her too long before I’d lose it. I put my arm around her shoulder, and whisper in her ear.
“It’s okay, they’ll all forget about it by tomorrow. I promise, and besides I’ve got your back. It won’t happen again.”
She tosses my hand off her shoulder, “You can say that again, because I won’t be going to another party. I was so stupid to think...”
I cut her off, “Kat, don’t let them get to you, that’s what they want.”
The bell rings as she starts to walk past me. “We’re gonna be late.”
She walks away and into History, taking a seat in the front next to Gabby. I walk in behind her, and for the first time, sit down in the front of the class. At the same time I see Max, giving me his usual tsk,tsk,tsk and a shake of the head. I ignore him. I don’t want to let her out of my sight or out of ear shot. She never looks back at me, even though she knows that I am sitting right behind her.
I hear Gabby say, “I’m so sorry.”
She looks at Gabby and shrugs, “You warned me. It’s not your fault. But, would you help me find out who did this?”
Gabby only responds with a nod. I’m relieved and worried at the same time, knowing she wants to find out who did this. The girl I met a few months ago would never take this lying down, and I hope she’s still that girl.
After Mrs. McLaughlin walks in, she announces a pop quiz. One I’m not completely prepared for.
“Class I hope you found time to read over the weekend. You have half an hour to complete this, starting now.”
I can tell Kat’s not too pumped for this as well. I peer over her shoulder ten minutes in, and she still hasn’t answered one question on the sheet. I nudge her desk, trying to bring her back to life, she doesn’t respond. Her head is resting in her hand, halfway lying it down. After the thirty minutes she turns in a half-ass test, only three out of six essay questions answered. I can’t help but feel bad for her.
Max grabs me as we head out, “Dude, what’s up the fatherly protection, we were just having a little fun with your girl,” he says, loud enough for everyone including Kat to hear.
She whips around, “I’m not
I didn’t know what else to do so I yell, “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get the hell out of here.”
I glance behind her, most people were walking away, except Stephanie and her buddies. They just stand there, laughing. As I walk past Kat I squeeze her shoulder, reassuring her that I am there. My body keeps moving, standing toe to toe with half of the cheerleading squad.
“Hey, Cam. I’d give you a dance for free, no charge,” Stephanie says, smiling with her backpack clutched to her chest.
“If I find out you had anything to do with this Steph, I swear to God it’s not gonna be good,” I snap, waving the flyer that is clutched in my fist.
“Aren’t we awfully protective?” she pauses. “As if I’d waste my time on her anyway, pleaseeee,” Stephanie says, rolling her eyes, throwing her head back, laughing.
“If it’s you, I will find out.”
I turn back around toward Kat’s locker, she is nowhere. I hadn’t noticed her walk away while I was dealing with Stephanie. But, glad I provided her the distraction to duck out.
Normally I’d be right there laughing with the best of them. Today, I couldn’t. Because today it’s about someone that I care for, someone I don’t want to let down again.
Standing outside of History I wait for her to come down the hall. Once she comes into view, my steps meet hers. She isn’t looking up, she has her head buried in her book.
“Kat, how are you?”
She looks up, her brown eyes full of sadness.
“How do you think I am, Cameron? The entire school is laughing at me.”
I don’t know what to say to her to make her feel any better. I’m not sure I can look at her too long before I’d lose it. I put my arm around her shoulder, and whisper in her ear.
“It’s okay, they’ll all forget about it by tomorrow. I promise, and besides I’ve got your back. It won’t happen again.”
She tosses my hand off her shoulder, “You can say that again, because I won’t be going to another party. I was so stupid to think...”
I cut her off, “Kat, don’t let them get to you, that’s what they want.”
The bell rings as she starts to walk past me. “We’re gonna be late.”
She walks away and into History, taking a seat in the front next to Gabby. I walk in behind her, and for the first time, sit down in the front of the class. At the same time I see Max, giving me his usual tsk,tsk,tsk and a shake of the head. I ignore him. I don’t want to let her out of my sight or out of ear shot. She never looks back at me, even though she knows that I am sitting right behind her.
I hear Gabby say, “I’m so sorry.”
She looks at Gabby and shrugs, “You warned me. It’s not your fault. But, would you help me find out who did this?”
Gabby only responds with a nod. I’m relieved and worried at the same time, knowing she wants to find out who did this. The girl I met a few months ago would never take this lying down, and I hope she’s still that girl.
After Mrs. McLaughlin walks in, she announces a pop quiz. One I’m not completely prepared for.
“Class I hope you found time to read over the weekend. You have half an hour to complete this, starting now.”
I can tell Kat’s not too pumped for this as well. I peer over her shoulder ten minutes in, and she still hasn’t answered one question on the sheet. I nudge her desk, trying to bring her back to life, she doesn’t respond. Her head is resting in her hand, halfway lying it down. After the thirty minutes she turns in a half-ass test, only three out of six essay questions answered. I can’t help but feel bad for her.
Max grabs me as we head out, “Dude, what’s up the fatherly protection, we were just having a little fun with your girl,” he says, loud enough for everyone including Kat to hear.
She whips around, “I’m not
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