Katherine sat cross legged on top of Ms.Sinclair’s desk, humming softly to herself as she typed away at her laptop while Ms.Sinclair tidied the classroom when Spikes stepped in the door. Both women stared at her with wide unblinking eyes as she walked in and placed her bags at one of the seats.
“Your offer to stop by after school still stands, doesn’t it?” Spikes glanced at Ms.Sinclair’s face which quickly changed to a grin.
“Yes of course. Did you want something to snack on? I have some cantaloupe or blueberries in the fridge,” Ms.Sinclair chimed in as she went back to her cleaning.
“Thanks,” Spikes stood up, grabbing the blueberries from the fridge and returning to her seat. “So what’s up, Cat?”
“It’s Kitty,” Katherine almost whispered, moving her laptop to her side. “I don’t like the nickname Kat. I understand you might not care, but I’d really appreciate it-”
“Alright just relax, Kitty. You don’t have to explain yourself so much,” Spikes almost grinned as she popped a blueberry in her mouth.
“Sorry,” Katherine muttered, her cheeks turning light pink. “So what made you decide to stop by?”
“Boyfriend assumed I had nothing better to do than be with him all the time,” Spikes shrugged and continued eating the blueberries, “So naturally, I had to prove him wrong.”
“I take it the Mohawk Guy is your boyfriend?” Spikes nearly choked on a blueberry as she laughed at Katherine’s question. Katherine smiled as she watched Spikes laugh with her head thrown back.
“Yeah, he is. For now at least, he’s been pissing me off,” She explained as her laughter settled in her chest, “How about you? You’re pretty cute, have you found any man meat yet?”
Katherine’s eyes shot wide open and cheeks flushed bright red, “I, uhm, I don’t really talk to anyone… Ever.”
“That doesn’t mean you haven’t noticed anyone. I know it’s high school and pickings are slim but there’s gotta be someone who caught your eye,” Spikes began to laugh again.
“There’s really not. Never really has been honestly, I think I’m broken,” Katherine chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.
“You a lesbian then?” Spikes and Katherine both jumped at the sound of items falling to the ground. They both glanced toward the back of the classroom where Ms.Sinclair stood with bright pink cheeks and paint brushes scattered on the floor around her.
“How clumsy of me,” Ms.Sinclair stuttered. She bent over as she quickly picked up the fallen at materials. “You two keep going! Don’t mind me okay?”
Spikes shrugged and turned a raised eyebrow to Katherine, “Well?”
“I don’t think so,” Katherine shook her head softly, “I don’t dismiss the possibility, but I just… No one has ever really caught my attention like that.”
“Weird,” Spikes mumbled through a mouthful of blueberries.
Katherine smiled and pulled her laptop back onto her lap and began typing again, “Well it’s nice to see you again. I honestly thought you wouldn’t ever stop by.”
“I didn’t think I would either,” Spikes shrugged and set the half empty carton down on her desk, “Ms.Sinclair, would you mind if I painted?”
“Not at all,” Ms.Sinclair trotted to Spikes’s side and handed her several paint brushes and gesturing where she could grab the paints from. Spikes almost grinned as she went about collecting supplies and then began painting. The three of them continued as they were in near silence, occasionally commenting on what the others were doing or asking questions.
Katherine stretched out her arms and yawned before shutting her laptop, “I guess it’s time to head back home.”
Ms.Sinclair stood from the back of the room and walked towards the two girls, a soft smile on her lips.
“Thank you for stopping by today, Spikes,” Ms.Sinclair winked at Spikes while she cleaned her space. “It was nice to have you join us.”
“Yeah, you’re not as awful to talk to as I would have expected,” Katherine grinned. She grabbed the paints Spikes had set aside.
“We’ll see,” Spikes rolled her eyes, shoved the paint brushes in a drawer and stomped out of the room.
“I think she’s coming around,” Ms.Sinclair grinned, eyes on the door that Spikes had exited from.
Katherine looked up at the door as she lifted her backpack off of the ground. She smiled, her gripped tightened on the strap, “Maybe.”
…
Spikes stopped by again the following week, twice a week after, and within a month she was joining Nadine and Katherine in the art room after class everyday. Ms.Sinclair usually sat at her desk grading assignments, or painted with the girls. Spikes had expanded her art portfolio and began working in a digital medium while Katherine dabbled in everything that she could, but spent most of her time typing away on her laptop. As the season grew colder the two teenage girls warmed up to each other, eventually reaching a point where Ms.Sinclair called them friends even though neither girl would admit to it.
“Guess who has her driver’s license!” Katherine cheered as she burst through the classroom doors, startling both Ms.Sinclair and Spikes.
“Probably the spoiled cat who’s ready to spend the big bucks on a car,” Spikes scoffed, her hair just barely hiding her grin.
“Ha ha ha,” Katherine rolled her eyes as she set her bag down.
“Good job Katherine,” Ms.Sinclair grinned brightly from the other side of her desk. “Perhaps you can finally start arriving to school on time.”
Spikes began to howl with laughter, Katherine’s jaw dropping as she stared at her teacher.
“I came here to have a good time, and honestly I’m feeling so attacked right now,” Kitty clutched her hands to her chest, turning away from both women.
Spikes groaned loudly and rolled her eyes. She stood from the desk to grab her painting equipment and swatted Katherine’s arm as she passed by her, “You’re an idiot.”
“But I was looking online at some used car dealerships, since I figured I shouldn’t spend crazy money on my first car,” Katherine explained as she pulled her laptop out of her backpack.
“When the fuck did you grow up, Kitty?” Spikes started laughing as she pulled up an easel.
Katherine rolled her eyes and took her usual seat atop her desk, “When you got a sense of humor.”
Spikes’s ears flared red as she glared at Katherine from across the room, “Very funny Kitty.”
“Alright I actually have a meeting with the principal today girls,” Nadine stood from her desk with several folders in her arms, “Can I trust you not to burn the school down, and be on your on for about thirty minutes?”
Katherine and Spikes nodded in unison as Ms.Sinclair stepped out the door. Katherine smiled softly as she typed away at her laptop, humming along to the music she was listening to, “I hope it doesn’t rain today.”
“It’s California, it basically never rains,” Spikes chuckled.
“I know but it actually looks pretty overcast outside,” Kitty pointed defensively to the window.
“Are you really so much of a cat that you can’t stand water?” Spikes laughed. She turned around with a raised eyebrow at Katherine.
“I just don’t like rain,” Katherine's voice was soft as she spoke, her eyes fixed on the window, “It just feels like it carries a lot of sadness with it.”
“I’ve always found it soothing,” Spikes walked over to Katherine and stared out the window with her, “But I am a fan of water and a fairly gloomy person myself.”
Katherine laughed, shoving Spikes’s shoulder lightly, “My dad used to groan every time he even saw clouds and start up a fire in the fireplace. We would grab cocoa or hot apple cider and watch movies. It was a lot of fun.”
“Was?” Spikes turned to look at Katherine’s watering sapphire eyes.
“He’s dead,” Katherine whispered. Her head fell, ebony hair falling in front of her face, “He was murdered. It hasn’t even been a year yet.”
Spikes stared at Katherine with wide unblinking eyes. “That’s awful, Kitty. At least you have your mom though, right?”
Katherine shook her head, tears dripped onto her laptop, “She left me. We moved to a new city and a week later she just left. I don’t know where she went.”
Spikes could feel her heart racing, she was still staring at Katherine. She couldn’t speak, she knew better than anyone that no words could fix this.
“Me too,” Katherine looked up at Spikes as she wiped away her tears. Spikes stared at the clouds outside, her fists clenched to her side. “I never knew my parents. Ever since I can remember it was just me and my big brother. He was the closest thing to a family, or father I ever knew.”
Katherine moved her laptop aside and stepped down from her seat on the table. She put her hand on Spikes’s shoulder as she continued to speak, “But I lost him when I was nine. I watched him die.”
“It sucks doesn’t it?” Katherine’s eyes began to water once more as their eyes met, “And everyone looks at you with so much pity, but it’s a pain no one else could even begin to understand.”
“And you get so sick of seeing it.”
“You figure it’s better to lock it away and never say anything.”
“But then it eats away at you. It won’t let you sleep or rest, forcing you to face it.”
“But how can you ever face something like that… alone?”
The two girls stared at each other with tears in their eyes. Katherine held her hand out and Spikes took it. Tears rolled down both of their cheeks as they gave each other weak smiles. Katherine squeezed Spikes’s hand in hers and inhaled sharply.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have to be alone anymore.”
“Ms.Sinclair!” A nasal high pitched voice called out as the door to the room swung open. Spikes immediately dropped Kitty’s hand and wiped away at the tears in her eyes. A mass of blonde hair and expensive perfume stepped in, her light blue eyes widening at the sight of Katherine and Spikes standing together.
“What did I just walk in on? Were you two making out?” She giggled as she walked over to them.
“Who was making out?” Another girl ran in, immediately at the blonde’s side.
“No one was making out Amy, why don’t you two leave and mind your own business?” Spikes growled, turning around to shove things back in her backpack.
“It’s always my business when there is gossip to be had,” The blonde grinned as she took a seat on the desk. “So what’s the deal with the two of you?”
“None of your business, Jessica,” Katherine’s eyes widened at Spikes’s snarls toward the two girls in the room.
“Then why isn’t she saying anything?” Jessica gestured her hand towards Katherine. “I mean surely the second richest girl in school would object if my accusations were false.”
“I hardly think it matters how much money my family has, but I’m almost positive it’s more than yours,” Katherine muttered under her breath. She kept her eyes on the floor, her long ebony hair blocking her sight of Jessica’s gaze.
“I have a nice car, that runs on electricity which is better for the environment,” Jessica glared at Katherine, holding a hand to her chest.
“We get it Jessica, you’re vegan and making a difference on the planet. Congratulations, no one cares,” Spikes scoffed throwing her hand into the air. “Everyone knows you don’t give a shit about animals or the planet. You’re just trying to be skinny and look good so you can continue to look down your nose at everyday people living their lives.”
Jessica rolled her eyes and tossed her hair over her shoulder, “You’re just bitter cause I wouldn’t be your friend in middle school.”
“No, I’m pretty sure it’s because you’re a pretentious ass,” Katherine interrupted, “You can go now.”
Jessica glared at Katherine and took step forward only to find Spikes blocking her path, “You heard her. It’s time for you to go,” Spikes snarled. She grinned and cracked her knuckles.
“Whatever, I have what I need here anyways. Ciao,” Jessica winked, slapping Amy’s arm as she sauntered out of the room.
“Looks like we’re about to be the newest school-wide rumor,” Katherine sighed as she opened her laptop once more.
“I think I should get going,” Spike kept her head down as she shoved her things back into her backpack.
“Why?” Katherine frowned. Her hands shook as the hovered above the laptop’ keyboard. “Rumors suck, but it’s not true and it’ll fizzle out.”
“Look you may have time for it to fizzle, but I don’t,” Spikes barked at Kitty. Her copper eyes met Katherine’s sapphire ones just as she was about to exit. “I might stop by again. When things settle down.”
Katherine stood up to protest, but Spikes was already out the door.
Spikes shrugged and turned a raised eyebrow to Katherine, “Well?”
“I don’t think so,” Katherine shook her head softly, “I don’t dismiss the possibility, but I just… No one has ever really caught my attention like that.”
“Weird,” Spikes mumbled through a mouthful of blueberries.
Katherine smiled and pulled her laptop back onto her lap and began typing again, “Well it’s nice to see you again. I honestly thought you wouldn’t ever stop by.”
“I didn’t think I would either,” Spikes shrugged and set the half empty carton down on her desk, “Ms.Sinclair, would you mind if I painted?”
“Not at all,” Ms.Sinclair trotted to Spikes’s side and handed her several paint brushes and gesturing where she could grab the paints from. Spikes almost grinned as she went about collecting supplies and then began painting. The three of them continued as they were in near silence, occasionally commenting on what the others were doing or asking questions.
Katherine stretched out her arms and yawned before shutting her laptop, “I guess it’s time to head back home.”
Ms.Sinclair stood from the back of the room and walked towards the two girls, a soft smile on her lips.
“Thank you for stopping by today, Spikes,” Ms.Sinclair winked at Spikes while she cleaned her space. “It was nice to have you join us.”
“Yeah, you’re not as awful to talk to as I would have expected,” Katherine grinned. She grabbed the paints Spikes had set aside.
“We’ll see,” Spikes rolled her eyes, shoved the paint brushes in a drawer and stomped out of the room.
“I think she’s coming around,” Ms.Sinclair grinned, eyes on the door that Spikes had exited from.
Katherine looked up at the door as she lifted her backpack off of the ground. She smiled, her gripped tightened on the strap, “Maybe.”
…
Spikes stopped by again the following week, twice a week after, and within a month she was joining Nadine and Katherine in the art room after class everyday. Ms.Sinclair usually sat at her desk grading assignments, or painted with the girls. Spikes had expanded her art portfolio and began working in a digital medium while Katherine dabbled in everything that she could, but spent most of her time typing away on her laptop. As the season grew colder the two teenage girls warmed up to each other, eventually reaching a point where Ms.Sinclair called them friends even though neither girl would admit to it.
“Guess who has her driver’s license!” Katherine cheered as she burst through the classroom doors, startling both Ms.Sinclair and Spikes.
“Probably the spoiled cat who’s ready to spend the big bucks on a car,” Spikes scoffed, her hair just barely hiding her grin.
“Ha ha ha,” Katherine rolled her eyes as she set her bag down.
“Good job Katherine,” Ms.Sinclair grinned brightly from the other side of her desk. “Perhaps you can finally start arriving to school on time.”
Spikes began to howl with laughter, Katherine’s jaw dropping as she stared at her teacher.
“I came here to have a good time, and honestly I’m feeling so attacked right now,” Kitty clutched her hands to her chest, turning away from both women.
Spikes groaned loudly and rolled her eyes. She stood from the desk to grab her painting equipment and swatted Katherine’s arm as she passed by her, “You’re an idiot.”
“But I was looking online at some used car dealerships, since I figured I shouldn’t spend crazy money on my first car,” Katherine explained as she pulled her laptop out of her backpack.
“When the fuck did you grow up, Kitty?” Spikes started laughing as she pulled up an easel.
Katherine rolled her eyes and took her usual seat atop her desk, “When you got a sense of humor.”
Spikes’s ears flared red as she glared at Katherine from across the room, “Very funny Kitty.”
“Alright I actually have a meeting with the principal today girls,” Nadine stood from her desk with several folders in her arms, “Can I trust you not to burn the school down, and be on your on for about thirty minutes?”
Katherine and Spikes nodded in unison as Ms.Sinclair stepped out the door. Katherine smiled softly as she typed away at her laptop, humming along to the music she was listening to, “I hope it doesn’t rain today.”
“It’s California, it basically never rains,” Spikes chuckled.
“I know but it actually looks pretty overcast outside,” Kitty pointed defensively to the window.
“Are you really so much of a cat that you can’t stand water?” Spikes laughed. She turned around with a raised eyebrow at Katherine.
“I just don’t like rain,” Katherine's voice was soft as she spoke, her eyes fixed on the window, “It just feels like it carries a lot of sadness with it.”
“I’ve always found it soothing,” Spikes walked over to Katherine and stared out the window with her, “But I am a fan of water and a fairly gloomy person myself.”
Katherine laughed, shoving Spikes’s shoulder lightly, “My dad used to groan every time he even saw clouds and start up a fire in the fireplace. We would grab cocoa or hot apple cider and watch movies. It was a lot of fun.”
“Was?” Spikes turned to look at Katherine’s watering sapphire eyes.
“He’s dead,” Katherine whispered. Her head fell, ebony hair falling in front of her face, “He was murdered. It hasn’t even been a year yet.”
Spikes stared at Katherine with wide unblinking eyes. “That’s awful, Kitty. At least you have your mom though, right?”
Katherine shook her head, tears dripped onto her laptop, “She left me. We moved to a new city and a week later she just left. I don’t know where she went.”
Spikes could feel her heart racing, she was still staring at Katherine. She couldn’t speak, she knew better than anyone that no words could fix this.
“Me too,” Katherine looked up at Spikes as she wiped away her tears. Spikes stared at the clouds outside, her fists clenched to her side. “I never knew my parents. Ever since I can remember it was just me and my big brother. He was the closest thing to a family, or father I ever knew.”
Katherine moved her laptop aside and stepped down from her seat on the table. She put her hand on Spikes’s shoulder as she continued to speak, “But I lost him when I was nine. I watched him die.”
“It sucks doesn’t it?” Katherine’s eyes began to water once more as their eyes met, “And everyone looks at you with so much pity, but it’s a pain no one else could even begin to understand.”
“And you get so sick of seeing it.”
“You figure it’s better to lock it away and never say anything.”
“But then it eats away at you. It won’t let you sleep or rest, forcing you to face it.”
“But how can you ever face something like that… alone?”
The two girls stared at each other with tears in their eyes. Katherine held her hand out and Spikes took it. Tears rolled down both of their cheeks as they gave each other weak smiles. Katherine squeezed Spikes’s hand in hers and inhaled sharply.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have to be alone anymore.”
“Ms.Sinclair!” A nasal high pitched voice called out as the door to the room swung open. Spikes immediately dropped Kitty’s hand and wiped away at the tears in her eyes. A mass of blonde hair and expensive perfume stepped in, her light blue eyes widening at the sight of Katherine and Spikes standing together.
“What did I just walk in on? Were you two making out?” She giggled as she walked over to them.
“Who was making out?” Another girl ran in, immediately at the blonde’s side.
“No one was making out Amy, why don’t you two leave and mind your own business?” Spikes growled, turning around to shove things back in her backpack.
“It’s always my business when there is gossip to be had,” The blonde grinned as she took a seat on the desk. “So what’s the deal with the two of you?”
“None of your business, Jessica,” Katherine’s eyes widened at Spikes’s snarls toward the two girls in the room.
“Then why isn’t she saying anything?” Jessica gestured her hand towards Katherine. “I mean surely the second richest girl in school would object if my accusations were false.”
“I hardly think it matters how much money my family has, but I’m almost positive it’s more than yours,” Katherine muttered under her breath. She kept her eyes on the floor, her long ebony hair blocking her sight of Jessica’s gaze.
“I have a nice car, that runs on electricity which is better for the environment,” Jessica glared at Katherine, holding a hand to her chest.
“We get it Jessica, you’re vegan and making a difference on the planet. Congratulations, no one cares,” Spikes scoffed throwing her hand into the air. “Everyone knows you don’t give a shit about animals or the planet. You’re just trying to be skinny and look good so you can continue to look down your nose at everyday people living their lives.”
Jessica rolled her eyes and tossed her hair over her shoulder, “You’re just bitter cause I wouldn’t be your friend in middle school.”
“No, I’m pretty sure it’s because you’re a pretentious ass,” Katherine interrupted, “You can go now.”
Jessica glared at Katherine and took step forward only to find Spikes blocking her path, “You heard her. It’s time for you to go,” Spikes snarled. She grinned and cracked her knuckles.
“Whatever, I have what I need here anyways. Ciao,” Jessica winked, slapping Amy’s arm as she sauntered out of the room.
“Looks like we’re about to be the newest school-wide rumor,” Katherine sighed as she opened her laptop once more.
“I think I should get going,” Spike kept her head down as she shoved her things back into her backpack.
“Why?” Katherine frowned. Her hands shook as the hovered above the laptop’ keyboard. “Rumors suck, but it’s not true and it’ll fizzle out.”
“Look you may have time for it to fizzle, but I don’t,” Spikes barked at Kitty. Her copper eyes met Katherine’s sapphire ones just as she was about to exit. “I might stop by again. When things settle down.”
Katherine stood up to protest, but Spikes was already out the door.
No comments:
Post a Comment