I'll Always Love You

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 "Taylor come on. Talk to me," Nick says behind me as I struggle to keep ahead in the halls.

"That's okay," I say as I round the corner to my locker.

"I heard you yelling that he was hurting you. How are you taking his side? I was just trying to help you out."

I take his hand and pull him to the side of the hallway where people can't hear and see us, "I'm not taking his side. Yeah, he was trying to get some, and I guess I was the first girl who wasn't willing to give him any. But that doesn't mean you had to swoop in and pound his face in. You know how I feel about violence. Plus I can help myself, I don't need you to get in my issues."

Nick scoffs, "I can not believe you. Sure you can help yourself, you were doing such a great job before I showed up. The creep was hurting you." Nick starts walking down the hall in the opposite direction, but stops abruptly and whirls around, "And you know what? I'm wouldn't take anything I did that night back. I did the right thing and we both know it." With that, Nick walks to our English class and disappears behind the corner.

I just stand there with my jaw slack in awe. For the first time in a long time, I have no words. People are starting to give me weird looks, so I quickly get my books and head to class. As soon as I walk in, I realize that both Kaitlyn and Nick are in this class; two separate problems, but one big headache for me.

I can feel Nick's eyes follow me to my seat. Kaitlyn hasn't gotten to class yet, so I awkwardly sit down at the empty table. I notice that Nick is sitting alone, too. Sierra is sitting next to Stacy McCormick instead of on Nick's lap. I want to ask Nick what happened, but I can sense that Nick isn't in the mood to talk.

After the bell has rung, Kaitlyn still isn't in her seat, and I'm getting worried. Where is she? I saw her just five minutes ago, so it's not like she didn't come to school. Bored about learning Shakespeare, I decide I need a break, so I ask Mrs. O'Callaghan if I can go to the bathroom.

I start humming as I walk to the bathroom, but as soon as I step in, I stop. Kaitlyn sits on the ground opposite of the door with a small but almost empty bottle of vodka in her hand. My eyes widen and I rush over, "Oh my God! Kaitlyn!"

She looks up in a daze with her long black hair falling in her eyes, "Oh hey Tay," she slurs. Then she holds up the bottle, "ya want some?"

"No, um, did you drink all of this?" I ask nodding towards the vodka.

Kaitlyn bites her lip and giggles, "Maybe." 

Okay, so she's definitely drunk. Panicked, I try to pick her up, "Come on Kaitlyn we have to get you out of here."

"That's okay," she grins, not budging, "oh and I heard you and Nick out in the hallway. You were very loud."

"Yeah? And what did you hear?"

"I heard him yelling how you should be taking his side, and that he did the right thing, and you don't like violence and blah blah blah blah blah. I thought it was so silly that you weren't being nice to Nick. He did after all save you from Will, Mr. Grabby Hands."

That last sentence catches my attention. "How did you know we were talking about Will? We didn't even mention his name."

Kaitlyn just laughs and looks up at the ceiling, "Please. You were on a date with him on Friday and Nick was on a date the same night at the same place. Nick doesn't like Will, and Will isn't known to leave a date without getting what he wants, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that Nick cares about you, and you just keep pushing him away," she slurs.