The Girl with Cat's Eyes

C H A P T E R 22

The space between us

Is my only barrier

The only thing that stops me

And all these stupid feelings

I told my self not to fall again

And so I won't

I can't

Not now

Love is fates game

Not mine

C H A P T E R 23

'Sing for me.' Jesse said, as we left school a few days later. 'Sing for me, please?'

'I... I don't sing.'

'Yes, you do. I heard you.'

'Wha- how? I barely ever do. Barely ever. '

'But on one of those rare occasions I did. And now I can't get your voice out my head.'

'No.'

'What?'

'No. I won't... I can't. When d'you hear any way?'

'That time in the cupboard. You remember, right?'

'Yes.' I whispered. 'Course.'

'Yes you'll sing?' He asked hopefully.

'No. Yes I remember. I can't sing. Not in front of any one. I can barley even do it alone.'

'Please.'

'No, Jess, sorry. I sound horrid, and I only sing for my self. You know, to calm me down. I can barley even talk. Only to you, and only when we are alone. No, to sing would be too far of a leap.'

He nodded disappointedly. 'Okay.' He said backing down. 'But promise me one day, you will let me hear you again.'

'I... Okay...'

He smiled slightly.

'So, has Chelsea been bothering you lately?'

'Barely.' I replied. 'Se gives me dirty looks and pushes me around a little, but nothing more. Thanks to Lilly.'

He grinned at that. 'Violent girl.'

'Chelsea really wants you, you know. She has all these ideas that I'm standing in the way. Stupid, right? I mean... Yeah... She needs to get a grip. Stop acting so desperate.'

'Yeah.' he said, sighing slightly.

'Come on, lets’ get home. We have a signing class at five, and I want a bite to eat beforehand.'

'Yeah.'

We carried on walking for a while, in silence, just listening to the birds and other animals in the forest, then just after we climbed the style, Jess said: 'Kat? Do you ever think you'll talk to Mum? Or Lilly, or Sam? '

'I... I'm not sure... I hope so.'

'Have you ever considered telling Ma that you can talk?'

'I don't know.' I whispered.

There was another pause then.

'Why can you talk to me, but no one else?'

'I...'

What could I say? That I liked him? That when he spoke it gave me tingles and butterflies in my stomach? That when he wasn't around, I felt like there was a place, under my left rib cage, that was empty? Is that what I should have said? Well, I didn't, because I was still in denial. Every time I even considered it, I just remembered Levi's face. I had to. Love hurts, and I couldn't fall again.