The Girl with Cat's Eyes

C H A P T E R 10

I met you

One summers day

That summers day you were mine

I fell for you one summers day

And I thought everything would turn out fine

But I was wrong

And now you're gone

And it's all my fault.

C H A P T E R 10

**

'Hey...' he said. I looked up, at the boy who was standing next to me. Me cheeks warmed, but I reminded myself I couldn't have a crush. Father would kill me.

'Hey...' I murmured back, smiling slightly. I waited for him to say something, to tell me why he was here. May be it was a dare from his mates. 'Talk-to-loner-girl-and-I'll-give-you-a-tenner' sort of thing. Then again I hadn't seen him around before. Maybe he was new, and lost. He probably didn't know quite yet that it was practically social suicide to talk to a loner like me. And from his looks, I knew he could be the top of the social food chain around here if he wanted.

'I'm Levi...' He said, sticking out a hand. 'I'm new here... Would you mind if I sit with you today? I don't know any one...' I smiled, and shrugged. Why not. He'd realize who I was soon enough, but I may as well enjoy this while I had a chance. 'Rosie...' I said. He sat on the wall next to me, and I got out the sandwiches I had made myself earlier that morning. I swung my legs next to the wall, and he did too.

He sat with me everyday after that until he died. He committed social suicide for me. And then, later, he died for me too.

* A little over a week later*

I was better, almost completely better, I got out of bed as normal and started working at the shop again soon after. They kept pushing me to tell them why I fainted but I wouldn't tell them what happened. I didn't want them to know about things in my past even I hadn't gotten used to yet, and I knew telling on Chelsea was a stupid thing to try and do. Because as much as I hated her, she was obviously, as she said, queen bee, and I knew that by snitching on her I would be more of an outcast than I would otherwise have been when I started at the local Secondary school, which I surely would sometime soon, I was sure.

Still, shop work was nice, I liked the routine, and the way I knew exactly how everything was, where we stood. I knew exactly what I was getting when I worked there, except for when Chelsea dropped by, which she did every couple of days just to remind me of how lowly I was and how Jesse would never want me. It hurt I must say, but I knew she was wrong, that he did, I had proof, so, as much as I wished he wasn't Jesse liked me, at the very least.

The dreams persisted, every night there would be the same memory as the last few replaying over and over, but after a week a new one would come. Slowly my memory was coming back and I hated it.

All in all I had about seven memories of my past life- there were a couple of my dad beating me, one of me cutting myself with a razor, and a few of me and Levi hanging out together. They were my favorite memories, but they brought back old pain, and I found myself feeling the loss of Levi all over again. I still didn't know how he and my mum had died though.

The other memories though were nightmarish, horrid things I wanted to only forget. How had I lived like that for so long?

I was working in the shop, it was a Saturday morning at the shop, with Jesse and I manning the till. I was pretending nothing had happened and it seemed to be working, we were back to friends; as though we could barley remember the events of the last week, though every now and then, when he thought I wasn't looking, I could see Jess' eyes flicker with hurt and longing. But still I pretended I couldn't see.

Jess was in the stock room getting out the new alarm clocks and mouse traps we had ordered, while I manned the till, when Chelsea stepped in for her 'weekly catch up'.

'Hello, Kat! How good to see you!' She said, all sickly sweet and sugar coated.

I scowled at the counter waiting for her to be done with her rant.

'I've just come back to make sure we haven't been naughty...' She said, laughing like it was the best joke in the world. But then the fake smile etched on her face dropped. 'As I say every time I come in: stay away from Jesse, bitch. He's mine.' She ground out.

I nodded, my eyes filling with tears. Ugh! I was so stupid, and way too over sensitive. I shouldn't care what she said. I couldn't be with Jess anyway, so why stop her?

'So,' she said menacingly. 'Have we reached an understanding?' I nodded again. She grabbed my arm roughly, digging in her nails. I gasped slightly, surprised at her aggression. 'Don't. Touch. Him.' she said, and then flipped her glossy hair over one shoulder, and left, slamming the door on the way out.

I sighed, and leant on the counter my head in my hands. And then suddenly I was being spun around to face someone. Jesse. Great. Just freakin' great!

'What was that?' He seethed.

I looked at him questioningly, playing it innocent. I grabbed my board.

What was what?

'No, Kat, you can't get out of it that easy. I heard all of it, every single word, so don't play innocent.'

It was nothing.

'It wasn't nothing! I heard her. She was horrible to you! And what did she mean by 'every time'? Does she do this often?'

I nodded slowly, knowing I wouldn't be able to get out of this as much as I struggled. Jesse looked furious.

'Is she why you collapsed before?'

I nodded again slowly. Then:

Among other things... Look Jesse, it really doesn't matter, just forget it.

But he wouldn't, I knew this even before I wrote it.

'No!'

Please?

He looked back at my pleading face and sighed.

'Fine,' He said. 'I'll drop it for now. But this conversation isn't over.'

I nodded again reluctantly.

‘And also…’ He started. ‘Also, is she one of the reasons you… you know, don’t want me?’

No, at least not really. Love hurts Jess, believe me, I know. And I don’t want to drag you into my old life. It’s not that I don’t want you, I just… I paused. I can’t, okay. Chelsea maybe part of it, just a little, but mainly, I just don’t want to be hurt again…

He nodded, and swallowed. ‘Okay.’