Note to self: learn social skills

Chapter 2

The week passes slowly as it normally does. Hal forgets my name again in lab on Thursday. I just don't understand. It's not even a hard name to remember. Katharine. Katie. How hard is that? Maybe if my name was Guadeloupe, fine. But it's just Katie. Plain Katie. I live in his house! I work there on weekends! How stupid do you have to be?

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Fridays are my favourties. The afternoons are always quite and relaxing. I run (not literally, of course. I ride the bus) home, and the house is quiet and I stand in the kitchen to play my violin and the sound bounces off all the titles. It's like being in front of the speaker at my own concert. Then, on Friday nights I go out with my friends.

I'm at the pizza parlor with my friends, really relaxing. I love our group. Lily, Ruth, her boyfriend Noah, James, and an occasional few others all come to eat pizza. Tonight is a good night because:

1)James just broke up with a girlfriend and it therefore officially on the market

2) James is sitting next to me

3) everyone here knows my name

4) James smells so good

Everyone shoots me these glances as I fawn over James' new phone. Unfortunately, everyone knows about my crush on James except for James.

Ruth pulls me into the bathroom. "Katie, you shouldn't do this to yourself." She tries to tell me, "James is a good guy, but he only sees you as a sister. You must know that."

I stick my chin out stubbornly, not wanting to show hurt "He just doesn't..."

"He knows who he likes and who he doesn't. He isn't going to have a sudden epiphany about you."

"He might." I tell her weakly.

"Move on." She tells me gently.

I tell her I'll try. But how do you move on? How do you ignore that jumpy feeling inside when he looks at you? Or that heat on your face when he touches you? Exactly. You can't choose these kinds of things. They just happen. And they happen for a reason.

There's a huge crowd outside of the movies. Lots of guys with cameras and police officers. That means either a president got shot here, or Hal is coming.

Seriously, he gets photographed that much.

His limo pulls up as we're next in line. The photo-guys assault him. Police officers really aren't good at holding them back. Hal and a couple of his friends casually step out as though they aren't being molested and get in line.

Oh no, they don't just get in line, the cut in line.

"Hey!" I yell. We've been waiting a really long time. Prolonged by the teenage girl working the ticket booth who stops to stare (drool) at Hal and Co.

Hal turns around and pretends not to see me. Instead he says, "Hey James. Though chem test today, huh?"
Okay, that is the FINAL straw.

"Hello? You cut in line you waste of a trust fund." I say, poking him.

He finally has no choice but to look down at me.

"Hey, aren't you in my gym class?" he asks.

I grit my teeth. Gym classes are split into single sex divisions. Everyone knows that.

Hal ignores me again and buys his ticket. His friends snicker and run inside after him. I'm furious. Beyond furious actually. How dare that stuck up, pretentious, good-for-nothing, git treat me that way? He can remember every else, why not me?
Saturday I spend the day shopping with Lily because if I stay at home, I will somehow get roped into serving at the party. And if I serve at the party, the fates will somehow deal me a card serving at Hal's table. Which will lead me to commit homicide, which will lead me to have a permanent record. So I opt for buying shoes.