A New Body - original

3- Kate

    Her septum cracks. Pain ripples through her face as she stumbles into the wall behind her, smacking her head against the plaster hard. The taste of metal fills her mouth.

    Kate swipes a hand underneath her nose and, just as suspected, she feels warm blood coat her fingers.

    The motherfucker hit me.

    A white hot rage erupts in her chest. Before she can even think, she's launching herself in Blake's direction. She hears Phoebe screaming something, but it doesn't matter. It's too late now.

    Her fist collides with the side of his smug face, which he doesn't see coming. Kate throws a second punch, then a third. She's able to get four solid hits in before Phoebe wraps her arms around her waist and hauls her back.

    Her wild eyes catch glimpses of the people that are now surrounding them. Someone must have cut the music during the commotion, because the house is dead silent now. She can hear everyone whispering.

    Blake stands across from her, crimson now dripping from his busted lip. His chest heaves in anger, and if looks could kill, Kate would probably be dead.

    "Get the fuck out of my house, Grudge." He spits blood at her feet.

    "You couldn't pay me to stay, meathead."

    She wiggles out of Phoebe's grip and cuts through the circle, not caring how many people she bumps into on her way.

    Get out, get out, get out.

    Her nose aches every time she inhales, and her knuckles are split open in more than one place. Every part of her is shaking from the adrenaline rush.

    Kate's not sure where Nadia came from, but she's by her side as she reaches the front door. The music fires back up, almost as if nothing even happened. Almost as if she didn't just beat up a quarterback. Who happens to be the most popular guy at their high school.

    Who also dates Phoebe fucking Owens.

    The fresh air somehow makes the pain worse. Kate's finally calming down, and now that she's not seeing red, she's in an absolute world of hurt. She's not drunk enough anymore to be numb.

    They trudge down the driveway. Nadia is speechless. She keeps opening her mouth, but nothing ever comes out.

    "How much did you see?" Kate finally asks, kicking at a rock in her path.

    "I saw you beat the absolute dog shit out of Blake Weaver."

    She laughs, and a fresh stinging sensation shoots through her nose. Copper lingers in her mouth, and suddenly it doesn't taste so bad.

    Shoes slap on the pavement behind them, interrupting the conversation.

    "Kate, stop!"

    She immediately recognizes that voice, the familiar mellifluous cadence, and she can't help but turn around.

    Phoebe stands in the middle of the road, halo backlit by the street lamps. It gives her a strange glowing effect. Her feathered wings are lopsided, and blood stains her dress in little pinpricks of red. Kate wonders how much of it is hers.

    She takes a few steps toward the girl, but she doesn't dare move any closer than that.

    "What?"

    "Are you okay? I'm just, I'm really sorry about all that."

    She can see Phoebe looking at her nose, inspecting the damage through the shadows. There's a sad glint in her eye.

    "I'm fine. You should probably get back to your boyfriend's super cool party before he freaks out."

    "He's not my boyfriend." She snaps.

    Kate is silent. She can't put together the right words. Or any words at all, apparently. They'd been dating for so long she figured they would just elope after graduation.

    "I uh...I broke up with him. Just now." Phoebe continues quietly after a moment.

    "Oh. Are you alright?"

    She nods. "Best I've felt in years, honestly."

    "Yeah, me too." Kate tries to joke, gesturing at her bloody nose.

     Guilt takes over Phoebe's features as she moves closer. She raises her arm, fingers gently ghosting over the bruised area. Kate flinches away from the touch, even though she doesn't want to.

    "I'm really, really sorry that he did that. It was way out of line. Blake's a piece of shit for what he said about you, and I'm glad you stood your ground." Phoebe says softly, dropping her hand back to her side.

    "Thank you. Really."

    They stare at each other for another silent moment, each unsure where to go from here. Their proximity is suffocating. Kate's so close she could lean in and kiss her.

    "I'm headed the other way, but I'll see you around, right?" Phoebe asks, hands clasped behind her back.

    "Yeah, definitely."

    It's an empty promise, because as soon as the sun rises tomorrow things will go right back to normal. She'll still be a social pariah, and Phoebe will still be just as unattainable as ever.

    Kate savors their closeness for a few seconds longer. She doesn't want to say goodbye just yet.

    "Get home safe." Phoebe says, lifting her hand in a small wave as she retreats back toward the house.

    "You too."

    Her heart deflates as she watches her walk away. Kate drags her sore body back over to Nadia, who has been eavesdropping from a safe distance the whole time. Her friend nudges her with a grin.

    "So, are you gonna tell me the whole story now?"