Pretty Girl

Chapter Seventeen - September 3rd 2005

Chapter Seventeen

Third Person Pov

Katrina - 11 Years Old

"Are you okay sweetheart? Do you want me to get you anything?"

Katrina blankly stared at the lady in front of her. She wondered why these people couldn't just leave her alone. She just wanted Verona and Mia. The only two people who were truly there for her. Not these imposters who simply pitied her and acted like they understood. Nobody even knew the truth.

They used to call her a miracle, now they probably thought of her as some sort of demon who brought bad luck to those around her.

They were all thinking it.
Parents dead. Foster parents dead.

Who was next?

Her shrink kept telling her to think of five good things in her life. She came up with two.
Verona and Mia.

How was she supposed to think of three others? She could think of a million bad things.
How was she supposed to think about anything at all?

She had never truly been able to understand what Cyrus had been doing to her until Mia came into the picture. Mia was truly the only ray of sunshine that was present in Katrina's horrid, unworthy life. She was the snap back to reality that Katrina needed and Katrina knew that she probably would've died being a slave to Cyrus's whims if Mia hadn't turned up. Mia was her life.

Katrina barely gave the woman another look as she started walking away, unable to listen to anyone.

Her mind constantly going back to the dark, dirty place she used to live in.

"Katrina." Verona's voice caused Katrina to look towards her and she realised that Verona had been trying to get her attention for a while now.

"Come with me honey." Verona stated as she started walking towards her little office.

Katrina mindlessly followed her with no intention of actually listening to anything that Verona was about to say.

They both walked in and took the their respective seats. Verona in her chair behind the desk and Katrina sat on the plush, leather couch in front of it.

"I'm worried about you. Do you think you'll be —"

"I'm fine Verona." Katrina ended the conversation by harshly spitting out those three words.

Verona's sad eyes focused on Katrina's small figure as she realised Katrina wasn't going to tell her anything.

"Okay. Well, you know that if anyone asks you have to say —"

"He died in the fire, we both went out to get some fresh air. The house had been burgled and set on fire by the time we came back. I know. We don't have to keep going over it."

"Honey, you need to understand that this is for your good. You two have seen too much and I hate it. Mia will also be in danger if anyone finds out about —" Katrina calmly interrupted Verona and started speaking.

"I trust you with my life Verona but don't ever think that I would put Mia in danger. I'll never ever tell anyone about this. Not just for her, but for you. You covered it up for us when you didn't have to. You've done something for us that we never had before so you're one of the only other people I truly care about. I just can't keep talking about this all the time so please stop. I'm fine."

Verona grabbed Katrina's hand and she gripped it tightly. "I'll make sure you're okay Katrina."

Katrina squeezed back and got up to leave without another word.