𝚄𝙽𝐻𝑂𝐿𝑌 | spencer white. hbh '22.

𝐌𝐀𝐏 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 , 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐈.

It took convincing, and Kitty hadn't even really planned to go in the first place, and yet, the thumping music could be heard as she followed behind the small group of three, all now dressed for whatever shindig was being thrown in the cemetery.

Kitty was nothing more than a social drinker, or even extra curricular taker, so it wasn't unusual for her to show up to these parties, even after telling everyone she wouldn't be there, perhaps it was a fear of missing out, or even just wanting to not be alone, but nine out of ten times, her friends knew she'd show up eventually.

Kitty tucks her leather jacket around herself to protect from the rapidly cooling breeze, weaving around the small group of three in order to go find herself a drink and some other people, she gives Darren, Ams and Quinni, a large warm smile and a wave before she finds herself reaching for an outstretched bottle offered upon her approach by Dusty as he and Spider chatter amongst themselves looking around the area.

"Boys." She greets with a grin, the cracked bottle raised to her mouth.

"Where you been all day? Thought we'd catch you at the beach, day was too good not to be out there." Dusty questions, lazily. It also wasn't uncommon for Kitty to spend her days on the beach with a book and even sometimes out in the waves, the boys were certainly familiar with the sight of her on the beach on hots days, sometimes kicking a ball with them too.

"Decided to change things up. Lazy day." And could it be a lie? Sure. Was it? No. Despite the term, it was a lazy day, she'd not left the house until early afternoon and even then the small group had done nothing but chat and laze around the roof top until they were ready to show their faces at the cemetery.

"Did you rock up with those three?" Spider asks, his tone filled with snark as he points towards her three friends and the new kid that were making a scene on the dancefloor and she couldn't help but grin at them, catching sight of Harper, Sasha and Missy to the side of them as well.

"Sure did. We had a great day." She doesn't take the bait that she's sure Spider is dangling, and instead it causes him to turn away from her chatting closely with the smaller girl next to him and in that moment, shoulders sag as she settles into the spot besides Dusty as he made room for her beside him.

Her body deflates with whatever bravado she mustered towards the tall blonde and now hides behind her friend and as his arm comes around her, blocking the chill from her neck, his low voice almost turns her blood to ice. "You could tell him, you know?"

"Tell who, what?" She questions, feigning innocence as she pulled the bottle to her lips once more, hoping that the conversation was end. But Dusty simply knew too much, things that close to her heart, things that even Amerie and Harper hadn't learnt yet, after all, he was the one she felt the most comfortable with. 

"You know who, and that you're into him."

"This isn't Harry Potter, Dusty and besides, he's not into me." She admits, because she knew it was true, and while she only remembered bits and pieces of the summer festival, she remember clearly when Spencer had run into them all and then Harpers conversation. "He's into Amerie, like big time, has been for a while." Harper had told her when she questioned what they had been speaking about and in the moment, she locked her feelings in a little box and vowed to stand back.

"Who's not into you?"

Rapid beating in her chest and wide doe eyes made contact with Ant and Spencer as they over heard the pairs conversation, or at least the tail end of it. "Uh, just some guy I met over the summer."

"Him, not into you? Bullshit." Ant told her, moving to sit at her feet with a grin. "He'd be blind, Kits."

"Ants right, what a loser anyway, he'd be lucky for a second of your time." Spider agrees. And in that second her heart is fluttering so very fast and she swallows thickly and forces the most natural smile she can muster towards Spider before hiding behind her drink, cheeks flaring a rosy pink. She needed to escape these three now.

"Hold my drink. I need a wee." She musters, handing her beer to Dusty as she raises from the esky seat and scurries away from them, leaving two confused boys and Dusty behind. Frowning, Ant and Spider turn on Dusty.

"You know him?" 

"Yeah, sorta." He shrugs, sculling the rest of Kitty's beer. "I'll be back, gotta make a phone call."

When he's far enough away, he puts the phone to his ear until the boys are buried in their own conversations again before following the direction of Kitty, knowing full well, she wasn't taking a piss in the cemetery like the others would, after all, she'd never done it before, he doubted she'd start now. Instead he found her in the darkened part of the gated area, back against a tree as she picked at the fraying demin on her knees.

"I won't bring it up again around them." He tells her honestly as the moonlight catches a soft tear that streaks her foundation. She nods but refuses to make eye contact. "Sorry Kits."

"It's okay, Dusty." and it was okay, she may of locked that little crush away but that didn't mean she didn't feel it and that also didn't mean that his words didn't ache in her chest at the thought because it was him she wanted, not some made up boy from the summer. "I think I'm going to head home, can you let Ams know I left, I was supposed to stay with her tonight, but I feel sick." She knew that Dusty would tell her exactly that and have her back. So after a minute of silence, she stood and dusted off the debris, leaning up to press her lips to Dusty's cheek as a goodbye as she wandered away from the cemetery towards the three block walk home.