MANGATA: A Sequel to Consigliere

Katrina

II

"Mom?" Katrina lightly poked her head into the kitchen, strands of her dark, curly hair falling around her shoulders. "Can I sleep over Laura's house tonight?"

Amelia Arlotti looked up from the tomato she was dicing and raised her eyebrows at Katrina. "She's inviting you at nine-thirty to a sleepover?"

"Come on, mom. I haven't seen Laura in forever. And she's leaving for Brazil on Thursday for two weeks."

As thunder crackled noisily from outside, Val Arlotti pushed open the front door and slammed it behind him, water dripping off of his jacket and mud staining his shoes. Amelia waved her hand and growled at Katrina, "Fine. Whatever. Val, take off your shoes before you step another foot into this kitchen!" As her mother stormed towards Val with a tomato in hand, Katrina took it upon herself to run upstairs and immediately call Laura, who picked up on the second ring.

"Hey," Katrina breathed with a smile. "My mom, like, totally said yes. Pick me up in ten, okay?"

"Sure, Kat. What are you wearing? I have, like, nothing in my closet."

"I don't know..." Katrina's voice trailed off as she began quietly flipping through her drawers. "How fancy is the party?"

"Don't aim to look fancy, Kat. Aim to look slutty. That's how you get the guys to notice you. Hey, Mikey and I are pulling up to your street now. We can rifle my sister's closet, okay?"

Katrina Arlotti's heart pounded with excitement as she began to quietly shuffle down the stairs, listening for the sound of her parents. Val and Amelia leaned casually against the kitchen counter talking and laughing, glasses of wine in hand.

Without a word, Katrina turned the corner and pushed out the front door, her softball string bag overstuffed with clothes and her dark hair flowing freely in the rain.

***

"Is that your brother?"

Katrina turned her head swiftly and stretched her neck forward, immediately drawing back in horror. "Shit," she gasped, crossing her arms. "Who invited him?"

At the brink of midnight, the lightly-lid party was in full swing and louder than ever. Upon receiving Laura's much-needed approval, Katrina now looked exceedingly revealing and not anything close to fourteen, wearing in a tight pink tube top and a pair of black yoga shorts. Laura laughed and covered her mouth upon catching sight of Kevin Arlotti, who appeared just as out of place as Katrina herself. "You Arlotti kids don't get out to too many parties, do you?"

"My parents would kill me," Katrina squeaked as she pulled Laura into another room. "Hey, Laura, do you think we should-"

"Hey, Kat," a deep, husky voice slurred from behind Katrina.

She turned quickly and came face-to-face with Jonathan Wilkins, a cute, popular eight grader who sometimes spoke to Katrina in the halls. She blushed and began running her fingers through her thick, curly hair. "Oh, hey Jon. What's up?"

Jonathan smirked down at Katrina and took a step forward, gently letting his arm settle around her waist. "How're you liking my party, babe?"

Katrina's stomach twisted into a pretzel. She hadn't even bothered to ask Laura whose house they were going to. "Oh, um, yeah. I mean, it's great. I'm having a lot of fun."