Kathy's heart stopped beating for a second. Her eyes got wide and her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.
Jenny bit her lip and gave Kathy a pitiful look.
"I'm so sorry, Kathy." Jenny said, "If your grades are too low, then you can't do any extracurriculars. That includes cheerleading."
Kathy didn't say anything. She stared at Jenny with a hurt, indecisive expression on her face.
Jenny looked concerned and said gently, "Kath..."
Kathy turned and ran away.
"Kathy!" Jenny said, reaching outward.
"So, you told her?" Stephanie said as she and her minions came up behind Jenny.
Jenny whirled around and Stephanie said, "Wow, I'm surprised you could actually do it. You're so weak most of the time that I didn't think your heart could take it."
"I'm not weak, Stephanie." Jenny said softly, "I'm kind, unlike you."
A few of the cheerleaders oohed and laughed. Lydia stood meekly behind them, not saying a word.
"Oh, you're kind." Stephanie said, pursing her lips.
"How sweet!" Melonie mocked.
"S-stop it, guys." Lydia said.
The cheerleaders all looked at her and Stephanie walked over to Lydia. Stephanie was a lot taller than Lydia, so she was good at standing in front of Lydia and looking very intimidating.
"What did you say, Lydia?" Stephanie said sharply.
"I-I said s-stop, Steph-hanie." Lydia said, trying to sound confident, "L-leave Jenny a-alone."
Stephanie pursed her lips and said, "What are you gonna do about it if we don't?"
Lydia scowled at her, but her knees were knocking together.
Stephanie smirked and said, "I thought so."
"To answer your question," Jenny said, "Yes, I'm kind. So is Lydia. We have empathy and we understand other peoples' feelings, which is more than anyone could ever say for you girls."
The cheerleaders oohed again.
"What," Melonie said, "So, you're going to defeat us with the power of love?"
The cheerleaders laughed and Jenny shook her head.
"No." She said, "I don't want to defeat anyone, but I do want you to know that being nice to people doesn't make you weak or stupid or retarded. People are more fragile than you think... Be careful."
The cheerleaders continued laughing still. Jenny's speech had gone in one ear, out the other.
Jenny sighed and left the girls laughing at her logic.
They weren't worth it anyway.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Cool With A "K" PART 28 - CHAPTER 6
When Kathy was at her locker a few days later, Stephanie, the head cheerleader, slammed Kathy's locker in her face. Gwen, Stephanie, Michelle, and Melonie stood in front of Kathy.
Kathy looked at her, surprised, and said, "Um... Hello?"
Stephanie smirked and said, "Oh, so you still have enough nerve to talk to us?"
Michelle shook her head and said, "What a loser..."
Kathy knit her eyebrows and said, "Huh?"
The cheerleaders laughed meanly and Stephanie said, "Oh, you still don't know?"
Stephanie pursed her glossy lips and said, "Well, you'll find out soon enough."
Lester passed by and said, "Ooh, you just got told, girlfriend!"
All the girls gave him a look. Lester hung his head and said, walking away, "Sorry..."
Kathy looked at Stephanie and said, "So, what's going on?"
The cheerleaders laughed again and Stephanie said, "You'll find out."
With that, the girls walked past Kathy and Melonie hit Kathy books out of her hands.
"Oops." Gwen said, giggling meanly.
Kathy sighed and bent down to pick up her books. She wiped her hair out of her face, stood up, and walked toward math class.
Buck and Joey walked by Kathy and Buck smacked her butt.
Kathy whirled around in surprise and gaped at him.
Buck and Joey looked back at Kathy. They laughed stupidly, high-fived, and kept walking.
Kathy scowled in their direction and bumped into Becky, a girl from the Volunteering Committee.
"Watch where you're going, loser?" Becky said, walking past Kathy.
Kathy watched her leave, confused.
"Why is everyone acting like this?" She said to herself, walking into Math.
As she sat down, some girls giggled and whispered things.
Kathy sighed and tried to focus on her work.
As Kathy was walking out to recess, someone put their hand on her shoulder and said, "Kathy?"
Kathy turned around and said, "Oh... Hi, Jenny."
Jenny said softly, "Kathy, may I talk to you for a minute?"
Kathy looked around and said, "Uh, yeah, I guess..."
Jenny pulled her aside and studied her. Jenny said gently, "Um... I'm not sure how to tell you this, Kathy, but..."
Her voice trailed off and Kathy gave her a confused look, "What?"
Jenny bit her lip and looked at Kathy.
"You're off the cheerleading squad."
Kathy looked at her, surprised, and said, "Um... Hello?"
Stephanie smirked and said, "Oh, so you still have enough nerve to talk to us?"
Michelle shook her head and said, "What a loser..."
Kathy knit her eyebrows and said, "Huh?"
The cheerleaders laughed meanly and Stephanie said, "Oh, you still don't know?"
Stephanie pursed her glossy lips and said, "Well, you'll find out soon enough."
Lester passed by and said, "Ooh, you just got told, girlfriend!"
All the girls gave him a look. Lester hung his head and said, walking away, "Sorry..."
Kathy looked at Stephanie and said, "So, what's going on?"
The cheerleaders laughed again and Stephanie said, "You'll find out."
With that, the girls walked past Kathy and Melonie hit Kathy books out of her hands.
"Oops." Gwen said, giggling meanly.
Kathy sighed and bent down to pick up her books. She wiped her hair out of her face, stood up, and walked toward math class.
Buck and Joey walked by Kathy and Buck smacked her butt.
Kathy whirled around in surprise and gaped at him.
Buck and Joey looked back at Kathy. They laughed stupidly, high-fived, and kept walking.
Kathy scowled in their direction and bumped into Becky, a girl from the Volunteering Committee.
"Watch where you're going, loser?" Becky said, walking past Kathy.
Kathy watched her leave, confused.
"Why is everyone acting like this?" She said to herself, walking into Math.
As she sat down, some girls giggled and whispered things.
Kathy sighed and tried to focus on her work.
As Kathy was walking out to recess, someone put their hand on her shoulder and said, "Kathy?"
Kathy turned around and said, "Oh... Hi, Jenny."
Jenny said softly, "Kathy, may I talk to you for a minute?"
Kathy looked around and said, "Uh, yeah, I guess..."
Jenny pulled her aside and studied her. Jenny said gently, "Um... I'm not sure how to tell you this, Kathy, but..."
Her voice trailed off and Kathy gave her a confused look, "What?"
Jenny bit her lip and looked at Kathy.
"You're off the cheerleading squad."
Cool With A "K" PART 28 - CHAPTER 5
Kathy lay on her bed, staring up at the blank ceiling. She could hear the T.V. and conversation out in the living room. She almost wanted to go out there, but she wanted to be invited.
Suddenly, her older brother, Cameron, flung open the door and it banged against the wall.
Kathy sat up in surprise.
Cameron stomped toward her and grabbed her neck.
"What did you do with my iPod?" He screamed at her.
"Nothing! I swear!" Kathy yelled, clawing at her brother's hand.
"Come on, you little punk! You really think I believe that?" Cameron yelled at her, "Why would anyone else take it?"
"Go ask the twins, you freak!" Kathy cried.
Cameron released her and stomped out of the room.
Kathy held her hand to her throat. No one in her family was very smart and Cameron had just decided Kathy had stolen his iPod.
Kathy shook her head and turned on her T.V. There was nothing good on, but she watched anyway.
An hour or so later, Kathy's mother, Rebecca, called, "Kathy, it's time for dinner!"
"Okay, Mom." Kathy got up and walked down the hall, into the living room.
"Kathy," Her mother called back.
Kathy rolled her eyes and said, "Okay, Rainbow Destiny."
Kathy's mother, Rebecca, had insisted that everyone calls her Rainbow Destiny as her new name.
Cameron was sitting on the couch, watching T.V., listening to his iPod, and eating potato chips out of the bag.
"So, you found it?" Kathy said.
"Shh!" Cameron hissed, "I'm watching T.V."
"I'm asking you if you found your iPod." Kathy said, "Where was it?"
"Piss off." Cameron said, not looking away from the T.V.
Kathy gave him a look and went into the dining room. She sat down by Lunkwill and he said quietly, "The twins had it."
Kathy looked at Lunkwill and said, "What?"
"The twins had Cam's iPod." Lunkwill said, grinning.
Kathy smiled a little.
A second later, her five-year-old twin brother and sister, Joey and Beanabelle, came tearing through the dining room, screaming at the top of their lungs.
Rebecca tried to herd them toward the table and said gently, "Go on, children. Please sit at the table for dinner."
"What's the difference, Mom?" Kathy said, her cheek set glumly on her fist, "Cam never comes to dinner, Dad never comes to dinner, Liz never comes to dinner, and the twins never come to dinner. It's just you, me, and Lunkwill, just like every other night."
"Now, that's not true, Kathy." Rebecca said softly and gently, "Your father comes to dinner most days."
"Yeah, but he always has his DS or his laptop or something!" Lunkwill said, "He lives for gaming and sci-fi."
Rebecca sighed and said, "Well... God bless him. I'll put dinner on the table."
Lunkwill and Kathy exchanged a look.
Rebecca went into the kitchen and came back with a pan of some sort of casserole. She set it on the table and said sweetly, "Barely grass and tofu casserole."
Rebecca plopped scoops of the casserole on her kids' plates.
In unison, Lunkwill and Kathy sighed, picked up their forks, and stuck them into the food.
Kathy pulled her fork up from the plate with a mound of casserole on it. It had about the consistency of oatmeal, but thinner and.... Grassier.
Rebecca was what Cameron liked to call a 'hardcore hippie freak' and she was always cooking this type of food.
Kathy sighed and reluctantly opened her mouth. She shoveled a spoonful of the watery, tan-colored mush into her mouth and almost gagged. Her hand shot over her mouth and she looked at Lunkwill, who also had the casserole in his mouth.
Lunkwill shook his head. If Kathy spit out her mother's cooking, her mother would cry.
Rebecca kept herself together very well at most times, but she got extremely upset when her family (or anyone, really) didn't like her cooking. It was just... One of those things.
Kathy gave her brother a pleading look and he shook his head again.
Reluctantly, Kathy swallowed the casserole and shivered. She looked up at Rebecca, who was watching her intently.
Kathy smiled tightly and croaked, "Casserole's great, Mom."
Rebecca smiled and said, "Oh, excellent... And Kathy..."
"Sorry..." Kathy said quietly, "Rainbow Destiny."
Rebecca beamed and nodded. She ruffled Kathy and Lunkwill's hair and said, "Oh, you two are so sweet."
Her kids smiled tightly and waited for her to leave the room.
Once she was gone, Kathy and Lunkwill both grabbed their water glasses and chugged them down. Then, at the same time, they spit the water out all over the table.
"That makes it worse!" Lunkwill hissed.
"I... Know..." Kathy coughed.
Suddenly, her older brother, Cameron, flung open the door and it banged against the wall.
Kathy sat up in surprise.
Cameron stomped toward her and grabbed her neck.
"What did you do with my iPod?" He screamed at her.
"Nothing! I swear!" Kathy yelled, clawing at her brother's hand.
"Come on, you little punk! You really think I believe that?" Cameron yelled at her, "Why would anyone else take it?"
"Go ask the twins, you freak!" Kathy cried.
Cameron released her and stomped out of the room.
Kathy held her hand to her throat. No one in her family was very smart and Cameron had just decided Kathy had stolen his iPod.
Kathy shook her head and turned on her T.V. There was nothing good on, but she watched anyway.
An hour or so later, Kathy's mother, Rebecca, called, "Kathy, it's time for dinner!"
"Okay, Mom." Kathy got up and walked down the hall, into the living room.
"Kathy," Her mother called back.
Kathy rolled her eyes and said, "Okay, Rainbow Destiny."
Kathy's mother, Rebecca, had insisted that everyone calls her Rainbow Destiny as her new name.
Cameron was sitting on the couch, watching T.V., listening to his iPod, and eating potato chips out of the bag.
"So, you found it?" Kathy said.
"Shh!" Cameron hissed, "I'm watching T.V."
"I'm asking you if you found your iPod." Kathy said, "Where was it?"
"Piss off." Cameron said, not looking away from the T.V.
Kathy gave him a look and went into the dining room. She sat down by Lunkwill and he said quietly, "The twins had it."
Kathy looked at Lunkwill and said, "What?"
"The twins had Cam's iPod." Lunkwill said, grinning.
Kathy smiled a little.
A second later, her five-year-old twin brother and sister, Joey and Beanabelle, came tearing through the dining room, screaming at the top of their lungs.
Rebecca tried to herd them toward the table and said gently, "Go on, children. Please sit at the table for dinner."
"What's the difference, Mom?" Kathy said, her cheek set glumly on her fist, "Cam never comes to dinner, Dad never comes to dinner, Liz never comes to dinner, and the twins never come to dinner. It's just you, me, and Lunkwill, just like every other night."
"Now, that's not true, Kathy." Rebecca said softly and gently, "Your father comes to dinner most days."
"Yeah, but he always has his DS or his laptop or something!" Lunkwill said, "He lives for gaming and sci-fi."
Rebecca sighed and said, "Well... God bless him. I'll put dinner on the table."
Lunkwill and Kathy exchanged a look.
Rebecca went into the kitchen and came back with a pan of some sort of casserole. She set it on the table and said sweetly, "Barely grass and tofu casserole."
Rebecca plopped scoops of the casserole on her kids' plates.
In unison, Lunkwill and Kathy sighed, picked up their forks, and stuck them into the food.
Kathy pulled her fork up from the plate with a mound of casserole on it. It had about the consistency of oatmeal, but thinner and.... Grassier.
Rebecca was what Cameron liked to call a 'hardcore hippie freak' and she was always cooking this type of food.
Kathy sighed and reluctantly opened her mouth. She shoveled a spoonful of the watery, tan-colored mush into her mouth and almost gagged. Her hand shot over her mouth and she looked at Lunkwill, who also had the casserole in his mouth.
Lunkwill shook his head. If Kathy spit out her mother's cooking, her mother would cry.
Rebecca kept herself together very well at most times, but she got extremely upset when her family (or anyone, really) didn't like her cooking. It was just... One of those things.
Kathy gave her brother a pleading look and he shook his head again.
Reluctantly, Kathy swallowed the casserole and shivered. She looked up at Rebecca, who was watching her intently.
Kathy smiled tightly and croaked, "Casserole's great, Mom."
Rebecca smiled and said, "Oh, excellent... And Kathy..."
"Sorry..." Kathy said quietly, "Rainbow Destiny."
Rebecca beamed and nodded. She ruffled Kathy and Lunkwill's hair and said, "Oh, you two are so sweet."
Her kids smiled tightly and waited for her to leave the room.
Once she was gone, Kathy and Lunkwill both grabbed their water glasses and chugged them down. Then, at the same time, they spit the water out all over the table.
"That makes it worse!" Lunkwill hissed.
"I... Know..." Kathy coughed.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Cool With A "K" PART 28 - CHAPTER 4
Kathy opened the front door to her house and went inside.
"Hey, I'm home." She called.
Kathy's twelve-year-old brother, Lunkwill, came in from the hall and said, "Oh, hey, Kath. Mom's picking up Joey and Beanie from daycare and dad's in his 'cave'."
"Okay. Where's everyone else?" Kathy asked.
"Cam's out somewhere and Liz is at the mall with her friends." Lunkwill said.
Kathy nodded and said softly, "Fun..."
Lunkwill nodded and said, "So..."
"Hey, Lunkwill?"
Lunkwill looked up and said, "Yeah?"
Kathy pursed her lips and said, "Um... What... What would you do... If a boy kissed you?"
Lunkwill scowled and said, "Enough of the jokes already, Kathy. I'm not gay."
"That's... Not why I'm asking." Kathy said softly, "I'm just saying... How would you react?"
"What do you mean?" Lunkwill asked, confused.
"Would you get mad?" Kathy said, "Would you be flattered? Or what?"
Lunkwill knit his eyebrows and said, "Uhh... I don't know, I've never wondered how I would react if a guy kissed me."
"Well... What if it was one of your friends?" Kathy said.
Lunkwill eyed his sister and said, "What's this about?"
Kathy stared at her brother for a long time. She shook her head, "Nothing. Sorry to bother you."
Lunkwill looked like he was going to say something else, but Kathy turned and walked down the hall to her bedroom.
She closed the door and stared at her room. Everything was so perfect in that one little room. There was a white dresser with tons of little trinkets and China dolls and a music box. There was a bed with a white frame and very pink sheets and dark pink pillows. The walls were white and at the foot of the bed was a white wicker table with a TV on it.
It was a very girly little room, but everything had its place and nothing ever went wrong. Not once. That was what Kathy liked so much about her bedroom.
It was simple and beautiful.
"Hey, I'm home." She called.
Kathy's twelve-year-old brother, Lunkwill, came in from the hall and said, "Oh, hey, Kath. Mom's picking up Joey and Beanie from daycare and dad's in his 'cave'."
"Okay. Where's everyone else?" Kathy asked.
"Cam's out somewhere and Liz is at the mall with her friends." Lunkwill said.
Kathy nodded and said softly, "Fun..."
Lunkwill nodded and said, "So..."
"Hey, Lunkwill?"
Lunkwill looked up and said, "Yeah?"
Kathy pursed her lips and said, "Um... What... What would you do... If a boy kissed you?"
Lunkwill scowled and said, "Enough of the jokes already, Kathy. I'm not gay."
"That's... Not why I'm asking." Kathy said softly, "I'm just saying... How would you react?"
"What do you mean?" Lunkwill asked, confused.
"Would you get mad?" Kathy said, "Would you be flattered? Or what?"
Lunkwill knit his eyebrows and said, "Uhh... I don't know, I've never wondered how I would react if a guy kissed me."
"Well... What if it was one of your friends?" Kathy said.
Lunkwill eyed his sister and said, "What's this about?"
Kathy stared at her brother for a long time. She shook her head, "Nothing. Sorry to bother you."
Lunkwill looked like he was going to say something else, but Kathy turned and walked down the hall to her bedroom.
She closed the door and stared at her room. Everything was so perfect in that one little room. There was a white dresser with tons of little trinkets and China dolls and a music box. There was a bed with a white frame and very pink sheets and dark pink pillows. The walls were white and at the foot of the bed was a white wicker table with a TV on it.
It was a very girly little room, but everything had its place and nothing ever went wrong. Not once. That was what Kathy liked so much about her bedroom.
It was simple and beautiful.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Cool With A "K" PART 28 - CHAPTER 3
Kathy sat at her desk in Study Hall, watching Gwen, Michelle, and Melonie make fun of Becky (one of the members of the Volunteering Committee) and Lester.
Kathy sighed and stared down at her homework. The other cheerleaders didn't even ask her to help them throw wads of paper and erasers at the unpopular kids. Not that Kathy really wanted to. It was mean, but usually they at least asked her if she wanted to join them.
The bell rang for lunch and Kathy packed up her homework and slung her backpack over her shoulders.
Kathy walked through the crowded hallway, toward the stairwell.
One kid bumped into her and she fell to the floor. The kid didn't stop walking.
Kathy pushed herself up on her arms. She was shaking under the weight of her backpack. She almost wanted to just lay there on the floor until someone stopped to ask if she was okay, but what if no one did?
Kathy shakily got to her feet and slung her backpack over her shoulders again. She blew some of her hair out of her face and walked to the lunchroom.
Kathy walked with her lunch to the cheerleaders' table. She stopped walking when she was a couple yards away.
Should I say something? Kathy thought.
"Uh..." She said softly, biting her lip. "Hey, guys."
Melonie, Stephanie, Gwen, and some of the other bitchy cheerleaders looked at Kathy distastefully.
"Oh... Hi, Kathy." Stephanie said.
Kathy's lips tightened around her teeth and she sat down awkwardly between two girls.
The girls looked at her, annoyed, for a second. Then, they went back to eating and chattering with the others.
"Hi, Kathy." Jenny said from across the table, smiling warmly.
Kathy glanced up from her lunch tray and smiled a tiny bit.
Jenny... She thought, She's so sweet. It's really good to hear someone say my name like they're happy to see me.
Then, Kathy's smile faded and she looked down at her lunch again.
Jenny's face fell sadly and she looked disappointed. She sighed and picked through her food.
Kathy stirred her lunch and thought, What was that about, Kathy? Why act like that to Jenny? She's nice.
Kathy pondered these questions and couldn't come up with an answer.
She kissed me. Kathy thought eventually, Is that why I'm upset with her?
Kathy glanced at Jenny and Jenny smiled warmly at her.
Kathy looked down at her lunch again and remained silent.
Kathy sighed and stared down at her homework. The other cheerleaders didn't even ask her to help them throw wads of paper and erasers at the unpopular kids. Not that Kathy really wanted to. It was mean, but usually they at least asked her if she wanted to join them.
The bell rang for lunch and Kathy packed up her homework and slung her backpack over her shoulders.
Kathy walked through the crowded hallway, toward the stairwell.
One kid bumped into her and she fell to the floor. The kid didn't stop walking.
Kathy pushed herself up on her arms. She was shaking under the weight of her backpack. She almost wanted to just lay there on the floor until someone stopped to ask if she was okay, but what if no one did?
Kathy shakily got to her feet and slung her backpack over her shoulders again. She blew some of her hair out of her face and walked to the lunchroom.
Kathy walked with her lunch to the cheerleaders' table. She stopped walking when she was a couple yards away.
Should I say something? Kathy thought.
"Uh..." She said softly, biting her lip. "Hey, guys."
Melonie, Stephanie, Gwen, and some of the other bitchy cheerleaders looked at Kathy distastefully.
"Oh... Hi, Kathy." Stephanie said.
Kathy's lips tightened around her teeth and she sat down awkwardly between two girls.
The girls looked at her, annoyed, for a second. Then, they went back to eating and chattering with the others.
"Hi, Kathy." Jenny said from across the table, smiling warmly.
Kathy glanced up from her lunch tray and smiled a tiny bit.
Jenny... She thought, She's so sweet. It's really good to hear someone say my name like they're happy to see me.
Then, Kathy's smile faded and she looked down at her lunch again.
Jenny's face fell sadly and she looked disappointed. She sighed and picked through her food.
Kathy stirred her lunch and thought, What was that about, Kathy? Why act like that to Jenny? She's nice.
Kathy pondered these questions and couldn't come up with an answer.
She kissed me. Kathy thought eventually, Is that why I'm upset with her?
Kathy glanced at Jenny and Jenny smiled warmly at her.
Kathy looked down at her lunch again and remained silent.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Cool With A "K" PART 28 - CHAPTER 2
During French class, the guidance counselor came in and motioned to Kathy.
Kathy glared at the space in front of her for a minute, then she got up and went out in the hall with the guidance counselor.
I gave Chris a questioning look and he shrugged.
Mouse said, "Anger management, probably."
Kathy sat down in a huff in the counselor's office.
The school guidance counselor, Sarah, sat down across from her and said, "Katherine, I brought you here to talk about your grades."
"What about them?" Kathy said in a monotone.
"They are... Not what we would call acceptable." Sarah said, "You're failing French and Math."
Kathy's eyes widened slightly and she said, "W... What?"
Sarah nodded pitifully and pushed a folder toward Kathy.
Kathy picked up the folder and opened it. Her eyes got big and she said, "What? H-how can I have two F's??"
"And a C-," Sarah said, "Which could turn into a D if you're not careful. D is not a passing grade, Katherine."
"I know." Kathy said snapped, "How... How did this happen?"
"Well, I guess you just fell behind." Sarah said, putting the papers back in Kathy's folder, "All you need to do to get your good grades back is focus and work harder."
"You can't just tell me to 'work harder' and send me on my merry way." Kathy said sharply, "I have been working my butt off and as the guidance counselor, you should be able to tell me what the best thing to do is."
Sarah pursed her lips and studied Kathy.
"You're completely right, Katherine." Sarah said, "But,"
"But?" Kathy said helplessly.
Sarah said, "But, all I can tell you is that you need to work harder in school. Really, it's simple as that."
"What?!" Kathy shouted, standing up and slamming her hands on the table, "No, that's not fair! I told you, I've been working hard all year and I've had straight A's!"
"Katherine, calm down." Sarah said.
Kathy bit her lip and stared at Sarah. Kathy shook her head an said, "You know what? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have freaked out like that."
She was lying through her teeth. She had all the right to stand up for herself.
Sarah smiled and said, "You're forgiven, Katherine."
For what?
Kathy smiled tightly and said, "Alright, I'm going back to class now."
Sarah nodded and Kathy turned and walked toward the door.
Kathy reached for the door handle right when Sarah said, "And, Katherine. I hope you know that if you get any more D's or F's, then you're off the cheerleading squad."
Kathy's breath shorted out. Her hand hovered over the door handle.
Sarah said, "I'm sorry, Katherine, but you really need to get a hold on these bad grades."
Kathy swallowed and said, without turning around, "Is that... Is that so?"
"Yes." Sarah said.
Kathy swallowed again and flung open the door, walking quickly down the hall.
Kathy glared at the space in front of her for a minute, then she got up and went out in the hall with the guidance counselor.
I gave Chris a questioning look and he shrugged.
Mouse said, "Anger management, probably."
Kathy sat down in a huff in the counselor's office.
The school guidance counselor, Sarah, sat down across from her and said, "Katherine, I brought you here to talk about your grades."
"What about them?" Kathy said in a monotone.
"They are... Not what we would call acceptable." Sarah said, "You're failing French and Math."
Kathy's eyes widened slightly and she said, "W... What?"
Sarah nodded pitifully and pushed a folder toward Kathy.
Kathy picked up the folder and opened it. Her eyes got big and she said, "What? H-how can I have two F's??"
"And a C-," Sarah said, "Which could turn into a D if you're not careful. D is not a passing grade, Katherine."
"I know." Kathy said snapped, "How... How did this happen?"
"Well, I guess you just fell behind." Sarah said, putting the papers back in Kathy's folder, "All you need to do to get your good grades back is focus and work harder."
"You can't just tell me to 'work harder' and send me on my merry way." Kathy said sharply, "I have been working my butt off and as the guidance counselor, you should be able to tell me what the best thing to do is."
Sarah pursed her lips and studied Kathy.
"You're completely right, Katherine." Sarah said, "But,"
"But?" Kathy said helplessly.
Sarah said, "But, all I can tell you is that you need to work harder in school. Really, it's simple as that."
"What?!" Kathy shouted, standing up and slamming her hands on the table, "No, that's not fair! I told you, I've been working hard all year and I've had straight A's!"
"Katherine, calm down." Sarah said.
Kathy bit her lip and stared at Sarah. Kathy shook her head an said, "You know what? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have freaked out like that."
She was lying through her teeth. She had all the right to stand up for herself.
Sarah smiled and said, "You're forgiven, Katherine."
For what?
Kathy smiled tightly and said, "Alright, I'm going back to class now."
Sarah nodded and Kathy turned and walked toward the door.
Kathy reached for the door handle right when Sarah said, "And, Katherine. I hope you know that if you get any more D's or F's, then you're off the cheerleading squad."
Kathy's breath shorted out. Her hand hovered over the door handle.
Sarah said, "I'm sorry, Katherine, but you really need to get a hold on these bad grades."
Kathy swallowed and said, without turning around, "Is that... Is that so?"
"Yes." Sarah said.
Kathy swallowed again and flung open the door, walking quickly down the hall.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Cool With A "K" PART 28 - CHAPTER 1
Kathy opened her eyes in the morning and stared up at the ceiling. She just wanted to lay there, but she could never sleep very later. She looked at her digital clock; 5:02 A.M.
Kathy made herself sit up and she pulled strands of thick, red, curly hair out of her face. She got up and went down the hall to the bathroom. She washed her face and went into the kitchen.
Kathy sat down at the counter, staring at the woods outside the huge kitchen window. It was still dark out and it was pretty cold in the house.
Kathy sat in the kitchen for a while, then she went and laid upside down on the couch, then she decided to go on a walk. She did various things like this to clear her head until her family woke up.
6:30 A.M. That was when the morning always started to get crazy. Kathy's mother, her father, and three out of five of her sisters got up and came into the kitchen and they all crammed themselves around a breakfast table.
Kathy ate her waffles slowly and she looked around the table. Her father was playing some sci-fi video game on a Nintendo DS, Kathy's sister, Liz, was talking on her phone and eating and painting her nails all simultaneously. Two of Kathy's brothers, Lunkwill and Cameron, were the ones remaining. Cameron was teasing Lunkwill about his newest love; Barbara Streisand.
Cameron, who was a senior (He flunked seventh grade once), shoved a waffle in his mouth and picked up his backpack.
"See you guys later." He said, or at least that was what it sounded like. The waffle made it hard to tell.
"Bye, Cam." Lunkwill said.
"Goodbye, Darling." Their mother, Rebecca, said, "Have fun at school."
Kathy grimaced and took another bite of her waffle.
"Kathy, Lunkwill, you kids should get going, too." Their father said, not looking up from his DS game.
Lunkwill sighed and said unenthusiastically, "Yes, another day of being shoved into lockers and called 'homo' every time I accidentally make eye contact with someone."
Boohoo. Kathy thought.
What a typical day it was in the Parkers' house. Everything was exactly how it always was.
Everything except for Kathy.
Kathy made herself sit up and she pulled strands of thick, red, curly hair out of her face. She got up and went down the hall to the bathroom. She washed her face and went into the kitchen.
Kathy sat down at the counter, staring at the woods outside the huge kitchen window. It was still dark out and it was pretty cold in the house.
Kathy sat in the kitchen for a while, then she went and laid upside down on the couch, then she decided to go on a walk. She did various things like this to clear her head until her family woke up.
6:30 A.M. That was when the morning always started to get crazy. Kathy's mother, her father, and three out of five of her sisters got up and came into the kitchen and they all crammed themselves around a breakfast table.
Kathy ate her waffles slowly and she looked around the table. Her father was playing some sci-fi video game on a Nintendo DS, Kathy's sister, Liz, was talking on her phone and eating and painting her nails all simultaneously. Two of Kathy's brothers, Lunkwill and Cameron, were the ones remaining. Cameron was teasing Lunkwill about his newest love; Barbara Streisand.
Cameron, who was a senior (He flunked seventh grade once), shoved a waffle in his mouth and picked up his backpack.
"See you guys later." He said, or at least that was what it sounded like. The waffle made it hard to tell.
"Bye, Cam." Lunkwill said.
"Goodbye, Darling." Their mother, Rebecca, said, "Have fun at school."
Kathy grimaced and took another bite of her waffle.
"Kathy, Lunkwill, you kids should get going, too." Their father said, not looking up from his DS game.
Lunkwill sighed and said unenthusiastically, "Yes, another day of being shoved into lockers and called 'homo' every time I accidentally make eye contact with someone."
Boohoo. Kathy thought.
What a typical day it was in the Parkers' house. Everything was exactly how it always was.
Everything except for Kathy.
Cool With A "K" PART 27 - CHAPTER 4
Alice, Chris, and I walked toward the racing track on our school grounds.
I looked at Chris and said gently, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, thanks." Chris said, wiping his nose on his sleeve. His face was red from screaming.
Chris turned his attention to Alice and said, "More importantly, are you okay?"
Alice nodded and sniffed, "Yes. Thank you, Chris."
Chris smiled, "No problem. Thank you."
"For what?" Alice asked.
Chris looked ahead, smiling slightly, and said, "For telling me what happened. Geoffry isn't worth it, but I tried to hard to prove that that wasn't true. I was too distracted by his good qualities to think about how he affected you guys."
"Well..." I said, "I tried pretty hard to tell you..."
Chris gave me a look, but he was smiling, "I'm sorry."
I nodded and said, "It's fine as long as he didn't hurt either of you permanently."
"I think I'll be alright." Alice said, smiling softly.
Chris put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Good."
A minute later, Mouse and Leo met up with us.
"Whassap?" Mouse said.
"Oh, nothing much." Chris said casually, "I got an A on my math quiz, I ate something resembling vegetables for lunch, I dumped Geoffry..."
"Ooh," Mouse said, "I liked that last one. Did he cry?"
Chris shrugged, "I don't know, we didn't stick around long enough to see."
"What happened?" Leo asked.
Chris and Alice exchanged a look.
"Um..." Chris said, "How did apologizing to Kathy go?"
Leo shrugged and said, "I don't know, she forgave me, but something seemed wrong. Something about her response seemed... Not Kathy-like."
"Ah." Chris said.
"So, what happened with you and Geoffry?" Mouse asked.
Chris gritted his teeth. His plan to change the subject had been foiled thanks to Mouse.
"Um..." Chris said, looking at Alice, "Do you mind if I tell Mouse and Leo?"
Alice shook her head, "No, they're our friends. They should know."
Mouse and Leo stared at Chris.
Chris looked at them and said softly, "Geoffry touched Alice without her permission."
Leo's jaw dropped and he said, "You mean like... Her..."
Chris nodded, "Her arms, her legs, her waist, her chest..."
"He kissed me once, too." Alice said timidly.
We all looked at her and I said, "Really?"
Alice nodded sadly and Chris put his arm around her comfortingly.
"So, Alice told me and I chewed Geoffry out." Chris said.
"This might sound insensitive, little brother, but it was really good to see you stand up to him like that." I said.
Chris shrugged, "What can we do? It felt good to say it. He certainly needed to hear it."
Mouse shook her head and said,
"God, I hate him so much."
I looked at Chris and said gently, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, thanks." Chris said, wiping his nose on his sleeve. His face was red from screaming.
Chris turned his attention to Alice and said, "More importantly, are you okay?"
Alice nodded and sniffed, "Yes. Thank you, Chris."
Chris smiled, "No problem. Thank you."
"For what?" Alice asked.
Chris looked ahead, smiling slightly, and said, "For telling me what happened. Geoffry isn't worth it, but I tried to hard to prove that that wasn't true. I was too distracted by his good qualities to think about how he affected you guys."
"Well..." I said, "I tried pretty hard to tell you..."
Chris gave me a look, but he was smiling, "I'm sorry."
I nodded and said, "It's fine as long as he didn't hurt either of you permanently."
"I think I'll be alright." Alice said, smiling softly.
Chris put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Good."
A minute later, Mouse and Leo met up with us.
"Whassap?" Mouse said.
"Oh, nothing much." Chris said casually, "I got an A on my math quiz, I ate something resembling vegetables for lunch, I dumped Geoffry..."
"Ooh," Mouse said, "I liked that last one. Did he cry?"
Chris shrugged, "I don't know, we didn't stick around long enough to see."
"What happened?" Leo asked.
Chris and Alice exchanged a look.
"Um..." Chris said, "How did apologizing to Kathy go?"
Leo shrugged and said, "I don't know, she forgave me, but something seemed wrong. Something about her response seemed... Not Kathy-like."
"Ah." Chris said.
"So, what happened with you and Geoffry?" Mouse asked.
Chris gritted his teeth. His plan to change the subject had been foiled thanks to Mouse.
"Um..." Chris said, looking at Alice, "Do you mind if I tell Mouse and Leo?"
Alice shook her head, "No, they're our friends. They should know."
Mouse and Leo stared at Chris.
Chris looked at them and said softly, "Geoffry touched Alice without her permission."
Leo's jaw dropped and he said, "You mean like... Her..."
Chris nodded, "Her arms, her legs, her waist, her chest..."
"He kissed me once, too." Alice said timidly.
We all looked at her and I said, "Really?"
Alice nodded sadly and Chris put his arm around her comfortingly.
"So, Alice told me and I chewed Geoffry out." Chris said.
"This might sound insensitive, little brother, but it was really good to see you stand up to him like that." I said.
Chris shrugged, "What can we do? It felt good to say it. He certainly needed to hear it."
Mouse shook her head and said,
"God, I hate him so much."
Cool With A "K" PART 27 - CHAPTER 3
Leo looked around the playground for Kathy. When he found her, she was sitting on a swing, barely pushing herself by digging her heels into the sand.
Leo stopped by Kathy's swing and said, "Why aren't you with the other cheerleaders?"
Kathy looked up at him and her face fell. Neither of them said anything for a moment.
Kathy looked back down at her feet and said, "Just because I'm a cheerleader doesn't mean I have to hang around them all the time. They can get really annoying."
Leo nodded, "Yeah, I used to date one.... Hey, Kathy?"
She looked up at him again and said sharply, "What?"
"I'm... Really sorry." Leo said, "About what I said earlier, it was really harsh and I shouldn't have said it."
Kathy stared at Leo and he thought she might hit him. She stood up and said, "It's okay."
After her reply sunk in, Leo knit his eyebrows and said, "What? J-just like that?"
Kathy nodded and said, "Yeah. It's no use staying mad at people."
"But... Are you sure?" Leo said.
"Do you want me to be mad at you?" Kathy said, shifting her eyes to him. They were cold and blue.
Leo shook his head, "N-no... Thank you for forgiving me, and again, I'm sorry I was such a jerk."
"It's fine." Kathy said, sighing softly, "I shouldn't have flipped out on Tae-Hyun and you like that."
Leo nodded and said, "Alright... So..."
Kathy tilted her head just a tiny bit and said quietly, "What?"
"Did... Jenny really kiss you?" Leo asked.
Kathy stared at Leo for a minute and said in a monotone, "Yes."
"Are... You okay with that?" Leo said, "I just want to make sure you guys are okay."
Kathy stared at Leo more.
"I don't know." She said, "I'm not mad at her, if that's what you're asking."
"Yeah, it is." Leo said, "I'm not trying to be nosy, I just want to help."
A small, almost mocking smile crossed Kathy's face and she said, "Oh, how sweet. Well, you're the first one, so congrats."
"Who... What?" Leo said.
Chris and I were arguing about the T.V. show Glee. Last week, they sang one of my favorite songs and I was explaining to Chris that the cover sucked, but he was trying to tell me that it was awesome.
Just then, Alice came running over to us; She was crying hard.
"Alice!" Chris said, jogging over to her. He put his hands on her arms and said, "What happened?"
Alice cried more and put her head on Chris' shoulder.
Chris put one arm around her and his hand on her head, "Shh, it's okay..."
I caught Chris' eye; He looked terrified. I mean, I probably did too. What was wrong?
Chris said softly, "Alice, can you tell me what's wrong?"
Alice sniffled and stood up straighter.
"Um..." She said, brushing her hair out of her face, "It was... Geoffry."
Chris' eyes widened and he glanced at me, then back at Alice.
Chris swallowed and pulled at his collar, "Um... Geoffry?"
Alice nodded and blinked back tears, "Yes, Geoffry."
Chris looked like he was preparing himself. He asked, "What... Did Geoffry do?"
"Well..." Alice said softly, "He said... He missed me at the party... So, I told him I saw him there. Then, he said he didn't really get to see me. I said I didn't know what he meant and he said he thought I did. Then, he..."
Chris and I stared at Alice anxiously.
She said slowly, "He... Put his hands on me. All over me."
Chris bit his lip and gave her a sad look.
"Where?" Chris asked gently, "Where did he touch you?"
"He... Touched my arms, then my waist, then my back and my upper thighs and..." Alice's voice cracked and she squeezed her eyes as more tears poured down her face, "He told me to trust him and I said I didn't like being touched."
"Oh, Alice..." Chris said, hugging her tight.
Alice threw her arms around him and sobbed, "I was so scared, Chris."
I watched Alice cry and cry and cry.
Chris hugged her tight and whispered things like, "Don't worry, it'll be okay."
He looked up and saw Geoffry standing a few yards away, watching us with a stupid, dumbstruck look on his face.
Chris scowled at him and let go of Alice.
Geoffry held up his hands defensively and said, "Hey, Chris..."
Chris stomped over to him and Geoffry said, "Uh, look, I can-"
As soon as he was close enough, Chris slapped Geoffry as hard as he could.
Geoffry's head snapped to the side. He held his hand up to his face and said, "Uh, Chris, I know you're mad, but I can-"
"Mad? You think I'm mad?" Chris screamed, slapping him again, "I am furious!"
"Okay, Chris, listen," Geoffry said, holding up his hands again, "I know... You believe in the whole monogamy thing, but-"
"Monogamy?" Chris shouted, laughing hollowly, "You think this is about you cheating on me?"
"Well, that's usually why you get mad at me..." Geoffry said quietly.
Chris clenched his teeth and said, "That is not the reason why I'm mad-"
"So, it's cool when I do stuff with other people?" Geoffry said, "That doesn't piss you off anymore?"
Chris slapped Geoffry in the face a third time.
Geoffry's head snapped to the side again and he said, "Will you stop hitting me??"
"NO!" Chris screamed on the top of his lungs, slapping him again, "You not only disrespected our relationship, but you disrespected a young lady! You touched Alice without her permission and you upset her! That is probably the most rude, disrespectful, inconsiderate, selfish thing you could possibly do!!!"
Geoffry didn't say anything for a moment, he just stared at red-faced Chris.
"So..." Geoffry said, "How is this time any different from what I did to you?"
Chris stared at him in shock and rage for a while.
"You wanna know the difference, Geoffry?" Chris said through clenched teeth, blinking back tears.
"Uh, yeah, I'm kind of confused." Geoffry said.
"The difference is this time, you went to far." Chris said, "You've pushed me on so many things and this time, you not only cheated on me, but you hurt Alice."
Geoffry didn't say anything. Good boy.
"Alice is my best friend." Chris said angrily, his face red and his jaw tight, "I care about her more than almost anything in the world, even you, Geoffry! And for you to hurt her like that..."
Geoffry bit his lip silently.
A tear ran down Chris' cheek and he said, "We're through. I'm done trying to deal with you."
He turned around and walked back toward Alice and Geoffry held his hands up in the air.
"Come on, Chris, don't be that way..." Geoffry said.
Chris took Alice's hand and said, "Come on, Alice. Let's get out of here..."
Chris, Alice, and I left Geoffry standing alone, thinking about what had just happened.
Leo stopped by Kathy's swing and said, "Why aren't you with the other cheerleaders?"
Kathy looked up at him and her face fell. Neither of them said anything for a moment.
Kathy looked back down at her feet and said, "Just because I'm a cheerleader doesn't mean I have to hang around them all the time. They can get really annoying."
Leo nodded, "Yeah, I used to date one.... Hey, Kathy?"
She looked up at him again and said sharply, "What?"
"I'm... Really sorry." Leo said, "About what I said earlier, it was really harsh and I shouldn't have said it."
Kathy stared at Leo and he thought she might hit him. She stood up and said, "It's okay."
After her reply sunk in, Leo knit his eyebrows and said, "What? J-just like that?"
Kathy nodded and said, "Yeah. It's no use staying mad at people."
"But... Are you sure?" Leo said.
"Do you want me to be mad at you?" Kathy said, shifting her eyes to him. They were cold and blue.
Leo shook his head, "N-no... Thank you for forgiving me, and again, I'm sorry I was such a jerk."
"It's fine." Kathy said, sighing softly, "I shouldn't have flipped out on Tae-Hyun and you like that."
Leo nodded and said, "Alright... So..."
Kathy tilted her head just a tiny bit and said quietly, "What?"
"Did... Jenny really kiss you?" Leo asked.
Kathy stared at Leo for a minute and said in a monotone, "Yes."
"Are... You okay with that?" Leo said, "I just want to make sure you guys are okay."
Kathy stared at Leo more.
"I don't know." She said, "I'm not mad at her, if that's what you're asking."
"Yeah, it is." Leo said, "I'm not trying to be nosy, I just want to help."
A small, almost mocking smile crossed Kathy's face and she said, "Oh, how sweet. Well, you're the first one, so congrats."
"Who... What?" Leo said.
Chris and I were arguing about the T.V. show Glee. Last week, they sang one of my favorite songs and I was explaining to Chris that the cover sucked, but he was trying to tell me that it was awesome.
Just then, Alice came running over to us; She was crying hard.
"Alice!" Chris said, jogging over to her. He put his hands on her arms and said, "What happened?"
Alice cried more and put her head on Chris' shoulder.
Chris put one arm around her and his hand on her head, "Shh, it's okay..."
I caught Chris' eye; He looked terrified. I mean, I probably did too. What was wrong?
Chris said softly, "Alice, can you tell me what's wrong?"
Alice sniffled and stood up straighter.
"Um..." She said, brushing her hair out of her face, "It was... Geoffry."
Chris' eyes widened and he glanced at me, then back at Alice.
Chris swallowed and pulled at his collar, "Um... Geoffry?"
Alice nodded and blinked back tears, "Yes, Geoffry."
Chris looked like he was preparing himself. He asked, "What... Did Geoffry do?"
"Well..." Alice said softly, "He said... He missed me at the party... So, I told him I saw him there. Then, he said he didn't really get to see me. I said I didn't know what he meant and he said he thought I did. Then, he..."
Chris and I stared at Alice anxiously.
She said slowly, "He... Put his hands on me. All over me."
Chris bit his lip and gave her a sad look.
"Where?" Chris asked gently, "Where did he touch you?"
"He... Touched my arms, then my waist, then my back and my upper thighs and..." Alice's voice cracked and she squeezed her eyes as more tears poured down her face, "He told me to trust him and I said I didn't like being touched."
"Oh, Alice..." Chris said, hugging her tight.
Alice threw her arms around him and sobbed, "I was so scared, Chris."
I watched Alice cry and cry and cry.
Chris hugged her tight and whispered things like, "Don't worry, it'll be okay."
He looked up and saw Geoffry standing a few yards away, watching us with a stupid, dumbstruck look on his face.
Chris scowled at him and let go of Alice.
Geoffry held up his hands defensively and said, "Hey, Chris..."
Chris stomped over to him and Geoffry said, "Uh, look, I can-"
As soon as he was close enough, Chris slapped Geoffry as hard as he could.
Geoffry's head snapped to the side. He held his hand up to his face and said, "Uh, Chris, I know you're mad, but I can-"
"Mad? You think I'm mad?" Chris screamed, slapping him again, "I am furious!"
"Okay, Chris, listen," Geoffry said, holding up his hands again, "I know... You believe in the whole monogamy thing, but-"
"Monogamy?" Chris shouted, laughing hollowly, "You think this is about you cheating on me?"
"Well, that's usually why you get mad at me..." Geoffry said quietly.
Chris clenched his teeth and said, "That is not the reason why I'm mad-"
"So, it's cool when I do stuff with other people?" Geoffry said, "That doesn't piss you off anymore?"
Chris slapped Geoffry in the face a third time.
Geoffry's head snapped to the side again and he said, "Will you stop hitting me??"
"NO!" Chris screamed on the top of his lungs, slapping him again, "You not only disrespected our relationship, but you disrespected a young lady! You touched Alice without her permission and you upset her! That is probably the most rude, disrespectful, inconsiderate, selfish thing you could possibly do!!!"
Geoffry didn't say anything for a moment, he just stared at red-faced Chris.
"So..." Geoffry said, "How is this time any different from what I did to you?"
Chris stared at him in shock and rage for a while.
"You wanna know the difference, Geoffry?" Chris said through clenched teeth, blinking back tears.
"Uh, yeah, I'm kind of confused." Geoffry said.
"The difference is this time, you went to far." Chris said, "You've pushed me on so many things and this time, you not only cheated on me, but you hurt Alice."
Geoffry didn't say anything. Good boy.
"Alice is my best friend." Chris said angrily, his face red and his jaw tight, "I care about her more than almost anything in the world, even you, Geoffry! And for you to hurt her like that..."
Geoffry bit his lip silently.
A tear ran down Chris' cheek and he said, "We're through. I'm done trying to deal with you."
He turned around and walked back toward Alice and Geoffry held his hands up in the air.
"Come on, Chris, don't be that way..." Geoffry said.
Chris took Alice's hand and said, "Come on, Alice. Let's get out of here..."
Chris, Alice, and I left Geoffry standing alone, thinking about what had just happened.
Cool With A "K" PART 27 - CHAPTER 2
Alice walked down the hallway to recess to find her friends. She was alone and the hallway was empty and echoey.
Alice heard someone else's footsteps behind her and turned around.
Geoffry stood before her, barely a foot away, smiling.
Alice jumped and said, "Oh, Geoffry, it's you. You scared me."
"Oh, I'm sorry." He said, smirking, "Hey, I missed you at the party."
Alice looked confused, "... What do you mean?... I saw you there."
"Yes, but, I didn't really get to..." Geoffry said, glancing at Alice up and down, "See you."
"Excuse me?" Alice said, raising an eyebrow at him.
Geoffry chuckled and stepped toward her, "Come on, don't play dumb with me. You know what I mean, Alice."
Did she?
Alice shook her head and she said, "N-no, I'm afraid I don't..."
"Come on, Alice." Geoffry said, putting his mouth right next to her ear, "Let me take you to Wonderland."
"What?!" Alice said, surprised.
She felt her back hit the wall. She didn't notice before that Geoffry had been backing her against the wall.
"Well," Geoffry said, smirking, "Why explain when I can just show you?"
He put his hands on her shoulders and slid them down her arms.
"G-Geoffry, what are you doing?" Alice said anxiously, "Please, don't."
"Why not?" Geoffry whispered, "We're having so much fun."
"No, please, Geoffry. I really don't like being touched-" Alice said.
"Oh, but why?" Geoffry said, sliding his hands around her middle and rubbing her back with his palms, "It's really calming once you're into it."
Alice could feel Geoffry's breath on her face as he whispered, "You know?"
"Please, Geoffry, I'm not kidding!" Alice said, whimpering.
"You'll get used to it. You can trust me, Alice." Geoffry said, and he slid his hand up her thigh, barely up her skirt.
"Geoffry, stop!" Alice cried, pushing him away.
Geoffry pinned her hands to the wall and stared at her. There was a certain, mysterious creepiness to his icy, blue eyes.
Alice always hated when he said 'You can trust me'. She didn't know why, but it was something that had always bothered her.
"Why should I stop?" Geoffry said, and he pressed his lips against hers.
Alice waved her hands around helplessly until Geoffry held his head away from hers.
"Why would you do that?" Alice shrieked.
Geoffry chuckled and said, "Why not?"
"Because I don't want you to!" Alice cried, tears welling up in her eyes.
Geoffry laughed again. It was a slightly sing-songy laugh, but it was an evil one at the same time.
Geoffry released Alice's hands, but right away, he grasped her breasts instead.
"GEOFFRY! LET GO OF ME!" Alice yelled. She slapped him hard in the face and stamped on his foot.
Alice wasn't much of a fighter, but that was enough to startle Geoffry into backing off.
As soon as she was freed, Alice took off down the hallway, full speed.
Alice heard someone else's footsteps behind her and turned around.
Geoffry stood before her, barely a foot away, smiling.
Alice jumped and said, "Oh, Geoffry, it's you. You scared me."
"Oh, I'm sorry." He said, smirking, "Hey, I missed you at the party."
Alice looked confused, "... What do you mean?... I saw you there."
"Yes, but, I didn't really get to..." Geoffry said, glancing at Alice up and down, "See you."
"Excuse me?" Alice said, raising an eyebrow at him.
Geoffry chuckled and stepped toward her, "Come on, don't play dumb with me. You know what I mean, Alice."
Did she?
Alice shook her head and she said, "N-no, I'm afraid I don't..."
"Come on, Alice." Geoffry said, putting his mouth right next to her ear, "Let me take you to Wonderland."
"What?!" Alice said, surprised.
She felt her back hit the wall. She didn't notice before that Geoffry had been backing her against the wall.
"Well," Geoffry said, smirking, "Why explain when I can just show you?"
He put his hands on her shoulders and slid them down her arms.
"G-Geoffry, what are you doing?" Alice said anxiously, "Please, don't."
"Why not?" Geoffry whispered, "We're having so much fun."
"No, please, Geoffry. I really don't like being touched-" Alice said.
"Oh, but why?" Geoffry said, sliding his hands around her middle and rubbing her back with his palms, "It's really calming once you're into it."
Alice could feel Geoffry's breath on her face as he whispered, "You know?"
"Please, Geoffry, I'm not kidding!" Alice said, whimpering.
"You'll get used to it. You can trust me, Alice." Geoffry said, and he slid his hand up her thigh, barely up her skirt.
"Geoffry, stop!" Alice cried, pushing him away.
Geoffry pinned her hands to the wall and stared at her. There was a certain, mysterious creepiness to his icy, blue eyes.
Alice always hated when he said 'You can trust me'. She didn't know why, but it was something that had always bothered her.
"Why should I stop?" Geoffry said, and he pressed his lips against hers.
Alice waved her hands around helplessly until Geoffry held his head away from hers.
"Why would you do that?" Alice shrieked.
Geoffry chuckled and said, "Why not?"
"Because I don't want you to!" Alice cried, tears welling up in her eyes.
Geoffry laughed again. It was a slightly sing-songy laugh, but it was an evil one at the same time.
Geoffry released Alice's hands, but right away, he grasped her breasts instead.
"GEOFFRY! LET GO OF ME!" Alice yelled. She slapped him hard in the face and stamped on his foot.
Alice wasn't much of a fighter, but that was enough to startle Geoffry into backing off.
As soon as she was freed, Alice took off down the hallway, full speed.
Cool With A "K" PART 27 - CHAPTER 1
I walked to the bus on Monday. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the grass was green... Everything was finally back to normal.
"Hey, Ange," Chris said, "Do you think Kathy will have gotten over the party by now?"
I scowled and my shoulders fell.
Chris tilted his head to the side and studied me, "What?"
"Damn it." I said.
"What?" Chris said again.
"I just though everything would be all cool again, and then you reminded me that Kathy's pissed at us." I grumbled.
Chris sighed and said, "Well, we can only hope she'll feel better today."
I nodded and said, "Yeah..."
Kathy wasn't better. She wouldn't talk to Chris, Leo, Tae-Hyun, Alice, me, or even Jenny.
Tae-Hyun was watching Kathy at lunch.
"Oh, I feel so bad for Kathy." Tae-Hynu sighed, leaning her head on her fist.
We all looked at her.
"What are you talking about?" Leo said, "She was terrible. Why do you feel bad for her?"
"Well, if she did that to me," Tae-Hyun said, "She had to be taking out her feelings about something on me. People don't just go crazy like that."
Mouse shrugged and said, "Kathy does."
Chris gave her a look, "You know, Tae-Hyun has a point."
"I don't think so." Leo said, crossing his arms, "She lied to Tae-Hyun, she hurt her, she slapped Jenny in the face, and she yelled at everyone else. She's a monster."
"Come on, Leo." I said, "Cut her some slack."
Leo shook his head, "She doesn't get any of my sympathy."
"Damn, Leo." Mouse said, "I would think that you would stick up for the chick you used to have a crush on."
Tae-Hyun gave Leo a surprised look and said, "You used to like Kathy?"
"What? No!" Leo said, blushing, "I-I never did."
Chris laughed, "Oh, sure, Leo. You were so in love with her!"
"No, I wasn't, Chris..." Leo said, "I-"
"Remember when he took her to the dance?" Alice teased, "And he entered the dance competition with Chris and I..."
"Alice! Come on, you too?" Leo pleaded.
Alice started laughing and Chris said, "Ah, good times."
Leo glanced at Tae-Hyun. She forced back a smile and said, "Um, wow, Leo. That is very... Interesting."
Alice, Mouse, Chris, Tae-Hyun, and I all started laughing.
Leo's face got red again and he said, "C-come on, guys! I never liked Kathy!"
All of our faces fell and I said, "Um... Leo..."
"She's always been a jealous, stuck-up girl who doesn't care about anyone but herself." Leo said, "I could never like someone like her, even back when we went to the dance."
"Leo!" Chris hissed, his eyes wide.
"What, Chris?" Leo said sharply.
Chris give Leo a look and nodded toward him.
Leo turned around to see Michelle, Gwen, and Kathy standing behind him.
"K-Kathy!" Leo said, his eyes getting wide.
Kathy looked hurt. No, more than hurt; She looked heartbroken.
Leo looked sorry, but then his face fell into a scowl.
"That's right," He said, "I could never like someone who will start a fight with an innocent girl for no reason."
Alice, Chris, Tae-Hyun, Mouse, and I stared at him, speechless.
Kathy's eyes got red with tears, she shook her head, and she turned and walked away with the other cheerleaders.
Leo turned back to us and said, "Well, that takes care of her."
"You are such a jerk." Chris said, staring.
Leo held up his hands and said, "What? I was just defending Tae-Hyun and everyone else Kathy hurt!"
"I can defend myself, Leo." Tae-Hyun said, giving him a serious look, "Kathy is a strong, smart girl, but you have hurt her... She may be strong, but everyone gets weak when people work to knock them down."
Leo didn't say anything.
Tae-Hyun didn't look mad, but she did look dead serious. She put her hand on his shoulder and said, "Be careful, Leo. It can surprise you how delicate people can be."
Leo stared at Tae-Hyun and watched her get up and walk away.
Leo looked at me and said, ".... Am I... Really that much of a jerk?"
"You're not a jerk, Leo." Alice said, "But Tae-Hyun is right."
"You were pretty hard on Kathy." Chris said.
Leo said softly, like he was trying not to cry, "I was just trying to..."
"Help?" I said gently, nodding, "I know, Leo, but I think you should apologize to her."
Leo bit his lip and nodded, "I can at recess."
"Hey, Ange," Chris said, "Do you think Kathy will have gotten over the party by now?"
I scowled and my shoulders fell.
Chris tilted his head to the side and studied me, "What?"
"Damn it." I said.
"What?" Chris said again.
"I just though everything would be all cool again, and then you reminded me that Kathy's pissed at us." I grumbled.
Chris sighed and said, "Well, we can only hope she'll feel better today."
I nodded and said, "Yeah..."
Kathy wasn't better. She wouldn't talk to Chris, Leo, Tae-Hyun, Alice, me, or even Jenny.
Tae-Hyun was watching Kathy at lunch.
"Oh, I feel so bad for Kathy." Tae-Hynu sighed, leaning her head on her fist.
We all looked at her.
"What are you talking about?" Leo said, "She was terrible. Why do you feel bad for her?"
"Well, if she did that to me," Tae-Hyun said, "She had to be taking out her feelings about something on me. People don't just go crazy like that."
Mouse shrugged and said, "Kathy does."
Chris gave her a look, "You know, Tae-Hyun has a point."
"I don't think so." Leo said, crossing his arms, "She lied to Tae-Hyun, she hurt her, she slapped Jenny in the face, and she yelled at everyone else. She's a monster."
"Come on, Leo." I said, "Cut her some slack."
Leo shook his head, "She doesn't get any of my sympathy."
"Damn, Leo." Mouse said, "I would think that you would stick up for the chick you used to have a crush on."
Tae-Hyun gave Leo a surprised look and said, "You used to like Kathy?"
"What? No!" Leo said, blushing, "I-I never did."
Chris laughed, "Oh, sure, Leo. You were so in love with her!"
"No, I wasn't, Chris..." Leo said, "I-"
"Remember when he took her to the dance?" Alice teased, "And he entered the dance competition with Chris and I..."
"Alice! Come on, you too?" Leo pleaded.
Alice started laughing and Chris said, "Ah, good times."
Leo glanced at Tae-Hyun. She forced back a smile and said, "Um, wow, Leo. That is very... Interesting."
Alice, Mouse, Chris, Tae-Hyun, and I all started laughing.
Leo's face got red again and he said, "C-come on, guys! I never liked Kathy!"
All of our faces fell and I said, "Um... Leo..."
"She's always been a jealous, stuck-up girl who doesn't care about anyone but herself." Leo said, "I could never like someone like her, even back when we went to the dance."
"Leo!" Chris hissed, his eyes wide.
"What, Chris?" Leo said sharply.
Chris give Leo a look and nodded toward him.
Leo turned around to see Michelle, Gwen, and Kathy standing behind him.
"K-Kathy!" Leo said, his eyes getting wide.
Kathy looked hurt. No, more than hurt; She looked heartbroken.
Leo looked sorry, but then his face fell into a scowl.
"That's right," He said, "I could never like someone who will start a fight with an innocent girl for no reason."
Alice, Chris, Tae-Hyun, Mouse, and I stared at him, speechless.
Kathy's eyes got red with tears, she shook her head, and she turned and walked away with the other cheerleaders.
Leo turned back to us and said, "Well, that takes care of her."
"You are such a jerk." Chris said, staring.
Leo held up his hands and said, "What? I was just defending Tae-Hyun and everyone else Kathy hurt!"
"I can defend myself, Leo." Tae-Hyun said, giving him a serious look, "Kathy is a strong, smart girl, but you have hurt her... She may be strong, but everyone gets weak when people work to knock them down."
Leo didn't say anything.
Tae-Hyun didn't look mad, but she did look dead serious. She put her hand on his shoulder and said, "Be careful, Leo. It can surprise you how delicate people can be."
Leo stared at Tae-Hyun and watched her get up and walk away.
Leo looked at me and said, ".... Am I... Really that much of a jerk?"
"You're not a jerk, Leo." Alice said, "But Tae-Hyun is right."
"You were pretty hard on Kathy." Chris said.
Leo said softly, like he was trying not to cry, "I was just trying to..."
"Help?" I said gently, nodding, "I know, Leo, but I think you should apologize to her."
Leo bit his lip and nodded, "I can at recess."
Monday, November 15, 2010
Cool With A "K" PART 26 - CHAPTER 10
So, summary of the party; We played Seven Minutes In Heaven, Kathy freaked out on Tae-Hyun, Leo, and Jenny (in that order), we watched a movie and all fell asleep during it, then in the morning, Jessica found Leo and Tae-Hyun sleeping together and she grabbed Leo's wrist, pulled him out of the room, and screamed at him, "Leo, sei un idiotal! Fermandosi guardare tutte ragazze a fare i compiti!" Which (according to Leo) means something along the lines of, "Leo, you are such an idiot! Stop looking at all the girls and do your homework!"
So, then everyone went home, Mom picked us up, and Chris and I explained all this to her.
Mom laughed and shook her head, "Oh, Jessica..."
Chris and I gave her a weird look.
"What, is it silly to you that Jessica woke Leo up, pulled him out of the room, and started screaming at him, all because he slept with a bunch of girls?" I said, suddenly noticing my mistake, "... Okay, that came out wrong."
Chris and I looked at each other and cracked a grin.
So, then everyone went home, Mom picked us up, and Chris and I explained all this to her.
Mom laughed and shook her head, "Oh, Jessica..."
Chris and I gave her a weird look.
"What, is it silly to you that Jessica woke Leo up, pulled him out of the room, and started screaming at him, all because he slept with a bunch of girls?" I said, suddenly noticing my mistake, "... Okay, that came out wrong."
Chris and I looked at each other and cracked a grin.
Cool With A "K" PART 26 - CHAPTER 9
Eventually, Chris managed to coax Jenny out of the upstairs bathroom and bring her back downstairs. It was really hard to see Kathy slap Jenny, even if it wasn't on purpose, because of the way Jenny looked at her afterwards. It was a look of betrayal. One thing I had been thinking about, but didn't bring up, was... Had Jenny really kissed Kathy? Was that what had happened during their turn in the closet? Was that why Kathy was so quiet afterwards? Was she angry?
There was no way to know.
The basement door opened and Chris came downstairs, pulling Jenny behind him by her hand.
"Come on," He said gently, "It's okay, don't worry."
Jenny's brown eyes shifted between all of us, but she avoided Kathy.
We had formed another circle, but Kathy had refused to join and she sat by the wall, a few feet behind us.
Chris sat down by Geoffry and patted the place on the other side of him.
"Come on, sit." Chris said, smiling up at Jenny.
She meekly sat down next to Chris and stared at her lap, wiping her face self-consciously.
Chris smiled at her and whispered, "Are you okay?"
"I don't know." Jenny said.
Chris patted her shoulder and said, "So... What should we do now?"
Kathy looked at Jenny and mouthed sadly, I'm sorry.
Jenny gave her a look and looked away.
"How about we just pop in a movie or something?" Leo suggested. He looked so tired, I felt really bad for him.
Alice nodded and said, "That sounds like a good idea."
"I think so, too." Chris agreed.
"Alright." Leo said tiredly, clapping his hands together, "I'll get a movie."
"Nothing scary." Chris said.
Mouse and Leo groaned and Mouse said, "Why? I thought you loved Saw, Chris."
Chris glared at her and said, "Please... Don't..."
"With all the torture and gore and screaming..." Mouse said.
"Knock it off, Mouse." I said, giving her a look.
Leo put in a movie and we all sat on the basement couch and watched it.
Alice and I sat on the floor in front of the couch, tired and bored. I looked behind me and tapped Alice's shoulder.
"Alice," I whispered, grinning, "Look at Leo and Tae-Hyun."
Leo and Tae-Hyun had both fallen asleep on the couch. Tae-Hyun was leaned on Leo's chest and Leo's arms were around her.
"Aww..." Alice said, "That's adorable."
I nodded and grinned, "I know."
Alice and I looked to the other end of the couch, where Chris and Geoffry were asleep with their heads on each others' shoulders.
We looked at each other, shrugged, and said, "Eh."
There was no way to know.
The basement door opened and Chris came downstairs, pulling Jenny behind him by her hand.
"Come on," He said gently, "It's okay, don't worry."
Jenny's brown eyes shifted between all of us, but she avoided Kathy.
We had formed another circle, but Kathy had refused to join and she sat by the wall, a few feet behind us.
Chris sat down by Geoffry and patted the place on the other side of him.
"Come on, sit." Chris said, smiling up at Jenny.
She meekly sat down next to Chris and stared at her lap, wiping her face self-consciously.
Chris smiled at her and whispered, "Are you okay?"
"I don't know." Jenny said.
Chris patted her shoulder and said, "So... What should we do now?"
Kathy looked at Jenny and mouthed sadly, I'm sorry.
Jenny gave her a look and looked away.
"How about we just pop in a movie or something?" Leo suggested. He looked so tired, I felt really bad for him.
Alice nodded and said, "That sounds like a good idea."
"I think so, too." Chris agreed.
"Alright." Leo said tiredly, clapping his hands together, "I'll get a movie."
"Nothing scary." Chris said.
Mouse and Leo groaned and Mouse said, "Why? I thought you loved Saw, Chris."
Chris glared at her and said, "Please... Don't..."
"With all the torture and gore and screaming..." Mouse said.
"Knock it off, Mouse." I said, giving her a look.
Leo put in a movie and we all sat on the basement couch and watched it.
Alice and I sat on the floor in front of the couch, tired and bored. I looked behind me and tapped Alice's shoulder.
"Alice," I whispered, grinning, "Look at Leo and Tae-Hyun."
Leo and Tae-Hyun had both fallen asleep on the couch. Tae-Hyun was leaned on Leo's chest and Leo's arms were around her.
"Aww..." Alice said, "That's adorable."
I nodded and grinned, "I know."
Alice and I looked to the other end of the couch, where Chris and Geoffry were asleep with their heads on each others' shoulders.
We looked at each other, shrugged, and said, "Eh."
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Cool With A "K" PART 26 - CHAPTER 8
The door opened at the top of the basement stairs and we all turned our heads.
Leo and Tae-Hyun came down the stairs, Leo's arm around Tae-Hyun's shoulders.
"Hey," I said, getting up, "Is everything okay?"
"Uh, yeah." Leo said, looking at Tae-Hyun, "Everything's cool with us."
He looked around and asked quietly, "How's Kathy doing?"
Alice, Mouse, Jenny, Geoffry, Chris, and I pointed to the basement bathroom door.
Leo and Tae-Hyun looked to where we were pointing. Leo walked over to the bathroom and said, "Kathy?"
"Piss off, Leo. I don't want to talk to you!" Kathy snapped from inside the bathroom.
"Well." Leo said. It would've been lot easier coaxing Tae-Hyun out of the bathroom then Kathy.
Leo looked at me and I motioned for him to continue.
"Uh, hey, Kathy..." Leo said, "You should come out here. I'm sorry I called you... That... But, I really think you need to apologize to Tae-Hyun."
Kathy opened the bathroom door and stuck her head out.
"Why should I apologize to your little girlfriend?" Kathy said bitterly, "I'm not sorry."
"Kathy," Leo scolded, "Come on, what you did was terrible. You made Tae-Hyun cry. Now, come out here and tell her you're sorry."
"I told you..." Kathy said, scowling, "I'm not sorry."
She looked at Tae-Hyun and said, "Leo's not that cool anyway. He's actually kind of a d*ck. Do you know what he called me when you were upstairs?"
Tae-Hyun looked like she was afraid of Kathy; I couldn't blame her.
"He called me a bitch." Kathy said, giving Tae-Hyun a sugary-sweet smile, "Do you know what that means?"
"Stop it, Kathy." Jenny said.
Kathy turned around and glared at her, but she didn't say anything.
Tae-Hyun swallowed and stepped closer to Leo.
"It means," Kathy said, like she was talking to a little kid, "That Mr. Perfect ain't so perfect. Real men don't call girls things like that."
Tae-Hyun stared at her with wide, scared eyes. She swallowed and said, "Kathy..."
Kathy nodded, her arms crossed.
"I think..." Tae-Hyun said softly, "That Leo had all the right to say that to you if you deserved it."
Kathy tilted her head to the side, like a creepy girl in a horror movie, and said, "Are you saying I deserve to be called a bitch?"
Tae-Hyun stared at her with glassy eyes and nodded.
Kathy glared at Tae-Hyun, shaking her head. Then, Kathy shrieked angrily and dove for Tae-Hyun. She grabbed her shirt and pulled Tae-Hyun to the floor.
Tae-Hyun screamed as Kathy got on top of her and hit her over and over.
"KATHY!!!" Leo, Chris, Jenny, Geoffry, Mouse, and I all yelled at the same time.
Jenny and Leo grabbed Kathy around the middle and pulled her off Tae-Hyun.
Not waiting to see who was grabbing her, Kathy turned and smacked Jenny hard across the face.
Leo and Jenny let go of Kathy.
Kathy and Jenny stood, staring at each other in shock, for a long time.
Jenny lifted her trembling hand to her cheek, where Kathy had hit her.
"Jenny..." Kathy said shakily, "I... I-I didn't mean to..."
"What," Jenny said softly, "Just like you didn't mean to hurt Tae-Hyun?"
Kathy shook her head and said, "Jen, really, I-"
"No, I get it." Jenny said, tears welling up in her eyes, "I shouldn't have kissed you earlier. I'm sorry, that was stupid!"
Kathy's eyes got wide and her face turned red.
Jenny spun on her heels and walked up the stairs.
Kathy stared at the staircase, where Jenny had left, and Chris ran to help Tae-Hyun with Leo.
Chris and Leo helped Tae-Hyun get shakily to her feet. She was breathing wavering, short breaths and her face was streaked with tears.
"Are you okay?" Chris whispered.
Tae-Hyun wiped her face on her sleeve and nodded.
Leo patted her on the back and smiled.
"Damn." Geoffry said.
We all looked at him.
"What kind of people are we?" Geoffry said, dead serious, "We lie to people, we call people names, we get into fights... I mean, Kathy was mean, but what kind of person is Leo to call her a bitch? This was supposed to be a fun gathering, a party, and look what we turned it into. It's kind of messed up."
For the first time, I actually agreed with something Geoffry said.
It was really messed up.
Leo and Tae-Hyun came down the stairs, Leo's arm around Tae-Hyun's shoulders.
"Hey," I said, getting up, "Is everything okay?"
"Uh, yeah." Leo said, looking at Tae-Hyun, "Everything's cool with us."
He looked around and asked quietly, "How's Kathy doing?"
Alice, Mouse, Jenny, Geoffry, Chris, and I pointed to the basement bathroom door.
Leo and Tae-Hyun looked to where we were pointing. Leo walked over to the bathroom and said, "Kathy?"
"Piss off, Leo. I don't want to talk to you!" Kathy snapped from inside the bathroom.
"Well." Leo said. It would've been lot easier coaxing Tae-Hyun out of the bathroom then Kathy.
Leo looked at me and I motioned for him to continue.
"Uh, hey, Kathy..." Leo said, "You should come out here. I'm sorry I called you... That... But, I really think you need to apologize to Tae-Hyun."
Kathy opened the bathroom door and stuck her head out.
"Why should I apologize to your little girlfriend?" Kathy said bitterly, "I'm not sorry."
"Kathy," Leo scolded, "Come on, what you did was terrible. You made Tae-Hyun cry. Now, come out here and tell her you're sorry."
"I told you..." Kathy said, scowling, "I'm not sorry."
She looked at Tae-Hyun and said, "Leo's not that cool anyway. He's actually kind of a d*ck. Do you know what he called me when you were upstairs?"
Tae-Hyun looked like she was afraid of Kathy; I couldn't blame her.
"He called me a bitch." Kathy said, giving Tae-Hyun a sugary-sweet smile, "Do you know what that means?"
"Stop it, Kathy." Jenny said.
Kathy turned around and glared at her, but she didn't say anything.
Tae-Hyun swallowed and stepped closer to Leo.
"It means," Kathy said, like she was talking to a little kid, "That Mr. Perfect ain't so perfect. Real men don't call girls things like that."
Tae-Hyun stared at her with wide, scared eyes. She swallowed and said, "Kathy..."
Kathy nodded, her arms crossed.
"I think..." Tae-Hyun said softly, "That Leo had all the right to say that to you if you deserved it."
Kathy tilted her head to the side, like a creepy girl in a horror movie, and said, "Are you saying I deserve to be called a bitch?"
Tae-Hyun stared at her with glassy eyes and nodded.
Kathy glared at Tae-Hyun, shaking her head. Then, Kathy shrieked angrily and dove for Tae-Hyun. She grabbed her shirt and pulled Tae-Hyun to the floor.
Tae-Hyun screamed as Kathy got on top of her and hit her over and over.
"KATHY!!!" Leo, Chris, Jenny, Geoffry, Mouse, and I all yelled at the same time.
Jenny and Leo grabbed Kathy around the middle and pulled her off Tae-Hyun.
Not waiting to see who was grabbing her, Kathy turned and smacked Jenny hard across the face.
Leo and Jenny let go of Kathy.
Kathy and Jenny stood, staring at each other in shock, for a long time.
Jenny lifted her trembling hand to her cheek, where Kathy had hit her.
"Jenny..." Kathy said shakily, "I... I-I didn't mean to..."
"What," Jenny said softly, "Just like you didn't mean to hurt Tae-Hyun?"
Kathy shook her head and said, "Jen, really, I-"
"No, I get it." Jenny said, tears welling up in her eyes, "I shouldn't have kissed you earlier. I'm sorry, that was stupid!"
Kathy's eyes got wide and her face turned red.
Jenny spun on her heels and walked up the stairs.
Kathy stared at the staircase, where Jenny had left, and Chris ran to help Tae-Hyun with Leo.
Chris and Leo helped Tae-Hyun get shakily to her feet. She was breathing wavering, short breaths and her face was streaked with tears.
"Are you okay?" Chris whispered.
Tae-Hyun wiped her face on her sleeve and nodded.
Leo patted her on the back and smiled.
"Damn." Geoffry said.
We all looked at him.
"What kind of people are we?" Geoffry said, dead serious, "We lie to people, we call people names, we get into fights... I mean, Kathy was mean, but what kind of person is Leo to call her a bitch? This was supposed to be a fun gathering, a party, and look what we turned it into. It's kind of messed up."
For the first time, I actually agreed with something Geoffry said.
It was really messed up.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Cool With A "K" PART 26 - CHAPTER 7
Leo was furious, but he was careful to close the door quietly, so his mom wouldn't ask any questions.
He silently krept through the house, listening for a sound. Anything.
The previous argument had happened like a firework. Leo and Kathy were screaming at each other, full volume, one minute, but afterwards, there was dead silence.
Leo heard a soft sound. A quiet sniffling. He tip-toed to the upstairs bathroom door and knocked on it gently.
"Tae-Hyun?" He said softly.
The sniffling stopped for a second, then turned into soft crying.
Leo knocked on the door again, "Tae-Hyun? Can I come in?"
"Go away." Tae-Hyun's small voice came from the other side of the door, "I don't want to talk to you anymore."
"Tae-Hyun, please, let me come in. I need to talk to you." Leo said, "Please."
There was silence, then Tae-Hyun's cracking voice said, "Please, just go away."
More crying.
Leo set his hand on the door and said, "Come on, Tae-Hyun. Why would I lie to you? You know that I like you."
"I'm not so sure anymore." Tae-Hyun sniffled, "Like Kathy said, boys are pigs. Now go away!"
"Tae-Hyun, please. You and I have had so many good times together and then Kathy comes and tells you that I don't like you..." Leo said, starting to panic, "That's not realistic! I saved your life for Christ's sake!"
Tae-Hyun cried more and said, "Please, Leo, I don't want to talk to you-"
"Leo, what did you do?" Jessica came up behind Leo, her hands on her hips.
"What?" Leo said, turning around, "Oh, n-nothing, Mom."
"Did you upset somebody already?" Jessica snapped. She hit him on the head with the ladle she was holding and yelled at him in Italian.
Leo grabbed the ladle and said, "Mom, please!"
Jessica hit him upside the head and called him a 'hardhead' and went back into the kitchen, mumbling to herself.
Leo rubbed his head and leaned back on the bathroom door.
"Tae-Hyun, please let me in." He said quietly.
"No..." Tae-Hyun sobbed, "I can't..."
"Come on, Tae-Hyun. Why would you believe one thing Kathy said instead of all the things I've said?" Leo said.
Tae-Hyun sobbed, "B-Because, it m-m-makes s-sense..."
"No, Tae-Hyun, it doesn't." Leo said, "It does not make sense. Kathy just wanted you to think that because she was jealous. Now, please... Please, please, come out."
Silence.
Leo laughed nervously and said, "Please, Tae-Hyun. I don't know what I would do if you stayed mad at me... Now, come on. Let me see your face. Please."
Tae-Hyun sniffled and Leo heard her get up.
Tae-Hyun opened the bathroom door and looked up at Leo.
Leo smiled and said softly, "There you are. Thank you for letting me see you."
Tae-Hyun sniffled again and a slow smile spread across her face. She hugged Leo tight and he hugged her back.
Leo put his cheek against the top of her head and said, "There. I told you I didn't lie."
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you, Leo." Tae-Hyun said, comforted by Leo's warm hug.
"It's alright." Leo said, then teasing her, "But that was pretty gullible."
Tae-Hyun laughed and playfully hit Leo's shoulder.
Leo put his arm around her and whispered in her ear, "Hey, Tae-Hyun."
"What?" She whispered back.
Leo smiled and whispered, "I love you."
Tae-Hyun smiled and put her head against his shoulder, "I love you."
Leo glanced toward the kitchen and said, "Geez, I hope Mom didn't hear that."
"Why?" Tae-Hyun asked.
"Because if she did, she'd probably lecture me about feminist stuff and hit me on the head." Leo said.
Tae-Hyun laughed.
Leo tightened his arm around her shoulder and said, "Should we go back downstairs?"
Tae-Hyun's smile faded and she said, "Um, okay... But... Kathy..."
Leo smiled reassuringly.
"She'll be fine."
He silently krept through the house, listening for a sound. Anything.
The previous argument had happened like a firework. Leo and Kathy were screaming at each other, full volume, one minute, but afterwards, there was dead silence.
Leo heard a soft sound. A quiet sniffling. He tip-toed to the upstairs bathroom door and knocked on it gently.
"Tae-Hyun?" He said softly.
The sniffling stopped for a second, then turned into soft crying.
Leo knocked on the door again, "Tae-Hyun? Can I come in?"
"Go away." Tae-Hyun's small voice came from the other side of the door, "I don't want to talk to you anymore."
"Tae-Hyun, please, let me come in. I need to talk to you." Leo said, "Please."
There was silence, then Tae-Hyun's cracking voice said, "Please, just go away."
More crying.
Leo set his hand on the door and said, "Come on, Tae-Hyun. Why would I lie to you? You know that I like you."
"I'm not so sure anymore." Tae-Hyun sniffled, "Like Kathy said, boys are pigs. Now go away!"
"Tae-Hyun, please. You and I have had so many good times together and then Kathy comes and tells you that I don't like you..." Leo said, starting to panic, "That's not realistic! I saved your life for Christ's sake!"
Tae-Hyun cried more and said, "Please, Leo, I don't want to talk to you-"
"Leo, what did you do?" Jessica came up behind Leo, her hands on her hips.
"What?" Leo said, turning around, "Oh, n-nothing, Mom."
"Did you upset somebody already?" Jessica snapped. She hit him on the head with the ladle she was holding and yelled at him in Italian.
Leo grabbed the ladle and said, "Mom, please!"
Jessica hit him upside the head and called him a 'hardhead' and went back into the kitchen, mumbling to herself.
Leo rubbed his head and leaned back on the bathroom door.
"Tae-Hyun, please let me in." He said quietly.
"No..." Tae-Hyun sobbed, "I can't..."
"Come on, Tae-Hyun. Why would you believe one thing Kathy said instead of all the things I've said?" Leo said.
Tae-Hyun sobbed, "B-Because, it m-m-makes s-sense..."
"No, Tae-Hyun, it doesn't." Leo said, "It does not make sense. Kathy just wanted you to think that because she was jealous. Now, please... Please, please, come out."
Silence.
Leo laughed nervously and said, "Please, Tae-Hyun. I don't know what I would do if you stayed mad at me... Now, come on. Let me see your face. Please."
Tae-Hyun sniffled and Leo heard her get up.
Tae-Hyun opened the bathroom door and looked up at Leo.
Leo smiled and said softly, "There you are. Thank you for letting me see you."
Tae-Hyun sniffled again and a slow smile spread across her face. She hugged Leo tight and he hugged her back.
Leo put his cheek against the top of her head and said, "There. I told you I didn't lie."
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you, Leo." Tae-Hyun said, comforted by Leo's warm hug.
"It's alright." Leo said, then teasing her, "But that was pretty gullible."
Tae-Hyun laughed and playfully hit Leo's shoulder.
Leo put his arm around her and whispered in her ear, "Hey, Tae-Hyun."
"What?" She whispered back.
Leo smiled and whispered, "I love you."
Tae-Hyun smiled and put her head against his shoulder, "I love you."
Leo glanced toward the kitchen and said, "Geez, I hope Mom didn't hear that."
"Why?" Tae-Hyun asked.
"Because if she did, she'd probably lecture me about feminist stuff and hit me on the head." Leo said.
Tae-Hyun laughed.
Leo tightened his arm around her shoulder and said, "Should we go back downstairs?"
Tae-Hyun's smile faded and she said, "Um, okay... But... Kathy..."
Leo smiled reassuringly.
"She'll be fine."
Cool With A "K" PART 26 - CHAPTER 6
Mouse and Geoffry came out of the closet a while later and Mouse was yelling at Geoffry about how stupid he was. Geoffry was just taking it and saying, "Okay... Sure... Whatever you say..."
Chris eyed Geoffry suspiciously and scooted close to him when he sat down.
"So, did she kick your ass?" Chris said, wrapping his arms around Geoffry's shoulders.
"You bet." Geoffry said, smooching Chris on the lips.
Chris smiled and leaned his head on Geoffry's shoulder. Geoffry put an arm around Chris and said, "So, who's next?"
Kathy looked at Tae-Hyun and said, "Korea, you're up."
Tae-Hyun looked at Kathy, then at the bottle.
"Spin it." Kathy said sharply, as if Tae-Hyun didn't know anything.
Tae-Hyun spun the bottle and I saw Leo tense next to her.
The bottle slowed and stopped at Kathy.
Tae-Hyun looked a little scared and Leo closed his eyes.
"Go on," Leo said squeakily, "Go into the closet with Kathy."
"Yeah, I know..." Tae-Hyun said, slowly getting to her feet. She followed Kathy into the closet.
Kathy and Tae-Hyun stood at opposite ends of the closet.
Kathy was crossing her arms and drumming her fingers. She pursed her lips and glared at Tae-Hyun.
Tae-Hyun cleared her throat and smiled warmly.
"Um, hey, Kathy..." Tae-Hyun said timidly.
"What?" Kathy said, an edge of steel in her voice.
Tae-Hyun twiddled her fingers and said, "If... I did anything to upset you, y-you can tell me."
"Oh, listen to you." Kathy said, mocking Tae-Hyun, "'If I did anything to upset you, you can tell me.' You're so pathetic, Tae-Hyun."
Tae-Hyun cocked her head to the side and said, "What?"
"You're the perfect girl, aren't you?" Kathy said bitterly, "Everyone thinks you're a hot Asian boy, but as it turns out, you're just an innocent little girl. So innocent that you came up with this plan? Well, congratulations. Now all the boys in the school like you. Congrats."
Tae-Hyun looked confused, "What do you mean? That is not why I dressed like a boy."
"Oh, did you do it to get girls?" Kathy said, "Huh?"
"No, I-"
"Well, guess what?" Kathy said hastily, "Leo doesn't really like you."
Tae-Hyun looked hurt and said, "What?.... How do you know?"
Kathy smiled tightly and said, "He told me. He only acts like that around you because you're so clueless and stupid and he pities you."
Tae-Hyun shook her head and backed against the wall, "No, I don't believe you."
"Well, you should." Kathy said, smiling tightly, "I'm only telling the truth. Girl to... Girl."
Tae-Hyun blinked back tears and said, "But... But I thought..."
"I know what you thought." Kathy said, shrugging, "Boys are shallow pigs. Get used to it."
"I... I-I have to go." Tae-Hyun said, pushing past Kathy and opening the closet door.
When Leo saw her, he stood up and said, "Tae-Hyun?"
Tae-Hyun put her hand over her mouth and walked past him.
"It's nothing." She said, her voice cracking.
Leo turned and said, "Wait, Tae-Hyun!"
Tae-Hyun went upstairs and closed the basement door.
Leo turned around to look at Kathy and said, "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing, I just...." Kathy said as Leo walked up to her.
Leo stared into her eyes until he stared her down.
"What... Did you do?" He said again.
Kathy looked up at him sheepishly.
"What did you do?!" Leo yelled, shaking her shoulders.
"I didn't do anything!" Kathy yelled back.
Chris and I looked at each other and he, Mouse, Geoffry, Alice, Jenny, and I scooted away from the fight.
Kathy and Leo stared at each other angrily.
"I... Did not do anything... To Tae-Hyun." Kathy said.
Leo grabbed her shirt and pulled her to him angrily. He said through clenched teeth, "You're a dirty little liar. Why did she leave?"
"I don't know!" Kathy yelled.
"You're a liar!" Leo shouted.
Leo's mom yelled something down the stairs in Italian.
"Nothing, Mom!" Leo yelled back, "Everything's fine!"
"Yeah, that's right, Jessica!" Kathy called.
Leo tugged on her shirt and growled, "Tell me what you did."
Kathy glared at Leo and said quietly, "I told her... That you didn't like her... I told her that you didn't like her and that you just acted like you did because you felt sorry for her."
Leo's jaw sagged slightly in surprise and he said something he probably shouldn't have.
"You're a bitch, Kathy." Leo said, and he pushed her to the floor.
Kathy landed on her butt and let out a little surprised yelp.
Leo ran up the stairs after Tae-Hyun.
We all stared at Kathy, who was sitting on the floor, staring into space.
No one dared say a word.
Kathy's eyelids barely fluttered, like she was trying to blink back tears without actually closing her eyes. The red curls that were always separated from her ponytail hung in her face.
Shakily and very slowly, Kathy turned only her head to look at us.
Silence, still.
"What are you looking at?" Her voice came. It was quiet, shaky, and intimidating all at once.
The rest of us all looked away, not at anything specific, really, as long as we weren't looking at Kathy.
Slowly, Kathy shakily got to her feet and went into the basement bathroom, closing the door behind her.
The rest of us slowly emerged from under the table by the wall, where we were cowering.
Finally, Jenny found her voice, "I can't believe that just happened."
"What do you mean?" Alice said.
We all had a shake to our voices and bodies, as if we were coming out of a bomb shelter for the first time.
"I can't believe Leo called Kathy a bitch." Jenny said, "I don't know what Kathy did, but I'm sure whatever it was, she didn't mean it."
"I'm sorry, but why are you siding with Kathy?" Alice asked, "She can be really nasty."
"She can also be really sweet." Jenny said, a little defensively. She bit her lip and said, "I'm sorry, I just... I feel like people misjudge Kathy a lot."
"Jen," Alice said, "I've known Kathy for two years. You're not the only one who knows her."
"Y-yes, but..." Jenny had nothing else to say.
Alice was right.
Chris eyed Geoffry suspiciously and scooted close to him when he sat down.
"So, did she kick your ass?" Chris said, wrapping his arms around Geoffry's shoulders.
"You bet." Geoffry said, smooching Chris on the lips.
Chris smiled and leaned his head on Geoffry's shoulder. Geoffry put an arm around Chris and said, "So, who's next?"
Kathy looked at Tae-Hyun and said, "Korea, you're up."
Tae-Hyun looked at Kathy, then at the bottle.
"Spin it." Kathy said sharply, as if Tae-Hyun didn't know anything.
Tae-Hyun spun the bottle and I saw Leo tense next to her.
The bottle slowed and stopped at Kathy.
Tae-Hyun looked a little scared and Leo closed his eyes.
"Go on," Leo said squeakily, "Go into the closet with Kathy."
"Yeah, I know..." Tae-Hyun said, slowly getting to her feet. She followed Kathy into the closet.
Kathy and Tae-Hyun stood at opposite ends of the closet.
Kathy was crossing her arms and drumming her fingers. She pursed her lips and glared at Tae-Hyun.
Tae-Hyun cleared her throat and smiled warmly.
"Um, hey, Kathy..." Tae-Hyun said timidly.
"What?" Kathy said, an edge of steel in her voice.
Tae-Hyun twiddled her fingers and said, "If... I did anything to upset you, y-you can tell me."
"Oh, listen to you." Kathy said, mocking Tae-Hyun, "'If I did anything to upset you, you can tell me.' You're so pathetic, Tae-Hyun."
Tae-Hyun cocked her head to the side and said, "What?"
"You're the perfect girl, aren't you?" Kathy said bitterly, "Everyone thinks you're a hot Asian boy, but as it turns out, you're just an innocent little girl. So innocent that you came up with this plan? Well, congratulations. Now all the boys in the school like you. Congrats."
Tae-Hyun looked confused, "What do you mean? That is not why I dressed like a boy."
"Oh, did you do it to get girls?" Kathy said, "Huh?"
"No, I-"
"Well, guess what?" Kathy said hastily, "Leo doesn't really like you."
Tae-Hyun looked hurt and said, "What?.... How do you know?"
Kathy smiled tightly and said, "He told me. He only acts like that around you because you're so clueless and stupid and he pities you."
Tae-Hyun shook her head and backed against the wall, "No, I don't believe you."
"Well, you should." Kathy said, smiling tightly, "I'm only telling the truth. Girl to... Girl."
Tae-Hyun blinked back tears and said, "But... But I thought..."
"I know what you thought." Kathy said, shrugging, "Boys are shallow pigs. Get used to it."
"I... I-I have to go." Tae-Hyun said, pushing past Kathy and opening the closet door.
When Leo saw her, he stood up and said, "Tae-Hyun?"
Tae-Hyun put her hand over her mouth and walked past him.
"It's nothing." She said, her voice cracking.
Leo turned and said, "Wait, Tae-Hyun!"
Tae-Hyun went upstairs and closed the basement door.
Leo turned around to look at Kathy and said, "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing, I just...." Kathy said as Leo walked up to her.
Leo stared into her eyes until he stared her down.
"What... Did you do?" He said again.
Kathy looked up at him sheepishly.
"What did you do?!" Leo yelled, shaking her shoulders.
"I didn't do anything!" Kathy yelled back.
Chris and I looked at each other and he, Mouse, Geoffry, Alice, Jenny, and I scooted away from the fight.
Kathy and Leo stared at each other angrily.
"I... Did not do anything... To Tae-Hyun." Kathy said.
Leo grabbed her shirt and pulled her to him angrily. He said through clenched teeth, "You're a dirty little liar. Why did she leave?"
"I don't know!" Kathy yelled.
"You're a liar!" Leo shouted.
Leo's mom yelled something down the stairs in Italian.
"Nothing, Mom!" Leo yelled back, "Everything's fine!"
"Yeah, that's right, Jessica!" Kathy called.
Leo tugged on her shirt and growled, "Tell me what you did."
Kathy glared at Leo and said quietly, "I told her... That you didn't like her... I told her that you didn't like her and that you just acted like you did because you felt sorry for her."
Leo's jaw sagged slightly in surprise and he said something he probably shouldn't have.
"You're a bitch, Kathy." Leo said, and he pushed her to the floor.
Kathy landed on her butt and let out a little surprised yelp.
Leo ran up the stairs after Tae-Hyun.
We all stared at Kathy, who was sitting on the floor, staring into space.
No one dared say a word.
Kathy's eyelids barely fluttered, like she was trying to blink back tears without actually closing her eyes. The red curls that were always separated from her ponytail hung in her face.
Shakily and very slowly, Kathy turned only her head to look at us.
Silence, still.
"What are you looking at?" Her voice came. It was quiet, shaky, and intimidating all at once.
The rest of us all looked away, not at anything specific, really, as long as we weren't looking at Kathy.
Slowly, Kathy shakily got to her feet and went into the basement bathroom, closing the door behind her.
The rest of us slowly emerged from under the table by the wall, where we were cowering.
Finally, Jenny found her voice, "I can't believe that just happened."
"What do you mean?" Alice said.
We all had a shake to our voices and bodies, as if we were coming out of a bomb shelter for the first time.
"I can't believe Leo called Kathy a bitch." Jenny said, "I don't know what Kathy did, but I'm sure whatever it was, she didn't mean it."
"I'm sorry, but why are you siding with Kathy?" Alice asked, "She can be really nasty."
"She can also be really sweet." Jenny said, a little defensively. She bit her lip and said, "I'm sorry, I just... I feel like people misjudge Kathy a lot."
"Jen," Alice said, "I've known Kathy for two years. You're not the only one who knows her."
"Y-yes, but..." Jenny had nothing else to say.
Alice was right.
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