The Bad Boy Returns

Chapter 23: I'm Back

KAT'S POV

"How's your boyfriend?" Nikki says, looking at me with shock.
I narrow my eyes at her, frowning.
"He's not my boyfriend." I slam my locker.
"I know. I just like to joke with you." She smiles. "You look exhausted." She points out loudly, Searching me with her eyes.
"Wow you really know how to make your friends feel special." I reply with a thick layer of sarcasm.
"It's my job babe." She swings her arm over my shoulder. I grin at her before she starts talking again.
"Seriously. How is he doing? The whole freaking school has been dying to know. I swear you'd think he was a celebrity the way these people talk about him." She stops us from moving and faces me. "I don't know. Last week we found out that the whole match was a set up. Someone was trying to hurt him." I whisper, trying not to announce Shane's business all over school.
"What!" Nikki yells. I put a hand over her mouth to prevent her from continuing.
"Sorry! That's nuts. I can't even imagine how he feels. Who would want to do that?" She whispers, looking sheepish.
"I don't think he's taking it well. The last time I saw him he was freaking out to say the least." I say, thinking about last week when I was trying to calm him down from his panic attack.
"Please don't tell anyone. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone." I plead.
"My lips are sealed." She mimics zipping up her lips and then throws away the imaginary key.
"Let's head to class before we get yelled at." She says pulling me along. I look around and realize that almost everyone rushed to their classes while we were talking.
Thankfully we share the same class, which means we get to sit next to each other. It feels good to sit next to someone who doesn't scare the living daylight out of me.
One the bad side, we also share this class with Alex and Brit who unfortunately sit right in front of us.
"Ok class let's begin with...." I tune out the teacher as I start getting lost in thought over last week. After the whole panic attack thing Shane started acting weird. He stopped asking me to come hang out and always made excuses so that I didn't come, claiming he had to have a blood test or something along those lines. He even stopped cracking jokes that only we understand.
Maybe he felt embarrassed that I saw him like that. If he did he had no reason to be. I wasn't judging him at all and I would never judge him for being scared. It irked me that he started to close up afterwards.
His mom was calling me the whole week asking if I could come back, claiming that he was happier when I was there. I felt bad declining but if Shane wanted his space I would respect that. She still doesn't know about that whole ordeal so she's been confused at why he wanted space.
I start getting pulled out of my thoughts as Nikki shakes my arm, pointing towards the classroom door.
"Look." She whispers to me.
I snap my head up and see the detective from the hospital walking into our classroom.
She walks up to the teacher and they speak privately in hushed tones.
"Do you think it's because of Shane?" Nikki whispers in my ear.
"Yeah definitely. That's the women that came to the hospital and told him." I whisper back, keeping my eyes trained on the detective.
Nikki nods, understanding that she shouldn't say anymore. The detective looks back at the class until her eyes stop on me. My heartbeat begins to quicken in pace as she gives me a knowing look.

Please don't call me out!

I slouch further into my seat, trying to make myself minuscule. I don't need everyone thinking I'm involved in  something. Thankfully they finish talking and the detective leaves as the teacher brings our attention back to her.
"That nice detective is going to be walking around the school and asking questions about an incident involving a student. No one is in trouble. Throughout the day just try to be cooperative if she asks to talk to you." She says briefly. I'm sure everyone knows that they are talking about Shane, considering he's been the talk of the school lately. Luckily the bell rings indicating that we can leave. I pack quickly, shoving my things into my bag. Due to my pace I spill a bunch of papers next to me. I sigh in frustration before bending down to pick them up. As I reach for one of the papers another hand reaches out for it. I snap my head up to see Nate picking up my papers, deliberately making our hands touch.
"You should be more careful Kat." He says grabbing my hands as we both hold the bundle of papers. I snatch the papers from him, breathing heavily. He chuckles darkly before sauntering away. I collect my thoughts and stuff the rest of the papers into my bag, joining Nikki. When we get to the classroom door I hear my name.
"Kat can I speak to you for a second?" I hear the teacher call. I turn nodding. I look to Nikki and she looks back at me before exiting the room.
"It's my understanding that you and Shane have been getting pretty close this year?" She insinuates.
I narrow my eyes at her, wondering what she's getting at.
"Yeah. I guess. Why?" I answer back.
"I just want you to make sure you aren't getting roped into anything. I know he's a charming boy but quite frankly he's got a reputation." she continues.
"I'm not sure what he got himself into this time around but I just hope you aren't getting pulled into this unfortunate mess." She grins at me with a worried expression. "I'd hate to see a great girl like yourself stuck in the middle of one of his disasters."

"I think I can handle myself." I say sharply. I can't believe she's insinuating that this is Shane's fault. She has no idea what the actual story is.
"I hope so." She says before excusing me. I exit the room exasperatedly. As I turn the corner I run into the detective. "Sorry."

"Your Shane's friend, Kat right?" She asks. "Yeah." I nod looking around to see everyone watching me.
This is just fantastic.
"We've got some more information that leads us to believe it was a student who was behind this." She explains.
"What kind of information?" I ask, knowing it's a long shot.
"I can't tell you that."
I nod, understanding.
"Does that information help you think of someone who might do this?" She asks desperately.
"Try half the school." I say, flatly. "He's a popular guy,  just not in a good way. He's got plenty of enemies around here. People are scared of him and those who aren't just think he's hot." I explain Shane's role in the school food chain.
"Sorry." I say, sincerely.
"It's all right we'll keep working on it. If you think of anything please call me. Also tell Shane not to worry, because we are determined to find this person." She says before leaving.
"I would if he would actually talk to me." I whisper to myself. I turn around to come face to face with Brit.
"Aww is Shane getting tired of his little toy?" She mocks pointing to me.
"Because if so I could show him a good time." She grins.
"Yeah. Too bad he hasn't given you an inch of attention since ninth grade." Her smile falters at the memory of him publicly embarrassing her. "Plus I'm not sure your boyfriend would be too happy about that."
"You'd love that wouldn't you? To snatch another guy away from me." She sneers at me.
I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion.
Another guy? Who?

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The next morning I walk to school thankful for the fresh air. It was always a great way for me to think. I always go for walks or lay in the backyard. Anytime when I can be surrounded by nature I feel better.
It has always been calming to me and recently I've been doing it more often. I stride at a nice pace not in a rush to get to school. Enjoying the morning fog that surrounds me. I can still see the faint outline of the moon in the early morning sky.
After a hour I finally reach the front of the school preparing myself for yet another torturous day. As I get to the front gate I feel a hand tap my shoulder. I turn quickly to identify who was trying to get my attention, only to find myself meeting with dangerous grey eyes that I know all too well.
I'm shocked as the boy in front of me grins nervously.
"I'm back, Kitty."

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Hello lovelies!

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