A Week with Katherine

Day Seven: Part 2

"Umma," I remember saying in surprise.

"Don't 'Umma' me. Both of you get dressed, now." My mom yelled, tossing our clothes at us.

"It's not what it looks like," I argued as I slipped my shirt on. Katherine was busy struggling to get her dress back over her head.

A few weeks after that moment I would eventually find Kat's golden 'K' necklace under my bed. My guess is it had broken off while she had been getting redressed that night.

Katherine's mom would break into sobs when I would go to their house to return it. Her mom had begged the police to try and find it.

"Yeah, right. Let me guess, you were just doing math homework. Trying to find a way to make 1+1=3." My mom argued back sarcastically.

It was so embarrassing.

"You must be the famous Katherine that I've had the displeasure of hearing so much about lately." My mom said barely containing her anger as Katherine awkwardly stood beside me hugging herself.

"I'm really sorry about all of this Ma'm. It's my fault." Kat apologized quickly.

My mom sighed looking away from us before moving out of my doorway.

"I think it's best that you leave." My mom said not sparing either of us another look as we walked out of my room and passed her.

As soon as we got downstairs Katherine quickly fumbled to put on her shoes that she had kicked off at some point during our journey to my room earlier.

I grabbed my keys ready to drive Katherine home but my mom stopped me.

"Where do you think you're going? You and I have a lot to talk about." My mom said before taking my keys from me.

"I just want to drive her home, mom." I tried to reason. My mom was rightfully not convinced.

A few days after what we now know happened that night, my mom would break down crying as she blamed herself for not allowing me to just drive Kat home.

"It's fine. I walked here. I can walk back home." Katherine said easily as she glanced out a window into our backyard.

The sky was dark. When had it gotten so late?

"Can I at least walk her out?" I practically begged my mom as Katherine opened our front door.

My mom reluctantly agreed. I didn't wait as I rushed after Katherine out of my house.

"I keep making things worse for you," Kat said as we walked around the side of my home.

"That's not true," I tried to deny but Katherine shook her head at me. "Yes, it is."

As we walked past my backyard I noticed Bridget, her brother, and her friends from the hall all laughing about something as they sat in their backyard next door around a small campfire. Their laughter stopped as they noticed Kat and me. Their eyes watching us as we walked by.

I grabbed Katherine's hand stopping her as she reached the tree line into the woods.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" I asked softly.

Katherine turned around to face me. Her cheeks were still a bit blotchy from crying earlier.

She quickly kissed my cheek before muttering "bye, Jamie."

With that Katherine turned and walked into the woods. Her figure quickly disappeared into the darkness.

That was the last time anyone ever saw Katherine alive. At least, as far as the police were concerned.

The next day, Monday, no one saw her. I thought she had just been skipping school again.

I even went to the tree house when school got out to look for her, but she wasn't there.

I did notice that the tree house had been strangely cleared out though. All the blankets, pillows, and posters that had been there before were gone.

No one would find out Katherine's fate until the next day.