Complicated ✔

Ch. 106 - Welcome party

KATHRYN'S POV

I spent the rest of the afternoon over at Jessie's house as she helped me get prepared for the welcome party at Deanna's house. "Leave your hair down," she said as I stood in her room and peered at my reflection in her floor length mirror. I was wearing a white dress that stopped just above my knees with a pair of flats after I told her I didn't do heels when she tried to hand me a pair. She could see the question in my eyes as I had debated on how to do my hair before suggesting to leave it down.

I had my mom's locket on too that she'd given me before she died and I've worn it every day since. "Let's get you finished up," Jessie said with a smile before placing her hands on my shoulders and turning me to face a small makeup table that had a mirror on it. "I don't really like makeup," I said looking back at her as she made me sit down on the chair. "That's okay," she said smiling, "it's just going to be something simple. I promise." "Okay," I said in a whisper before allowing her to do what she wanted.

Once I was completely done with getting ready, I walked with her and her family to Deanna's house so that I could surprise everyone else with what she'd done. I stood by the front door anxiously waiting for my group to show up. When the door opened and in walked Carol first, I couldn't help but smile as the familiar faces appeared one by one. All but one face, Daryl's. "Wow Kathryn," Carl said as he walked up to me and hugged me, "I haven't seen you with your hair down in a long time." "Jessie suggested it," I said as I felt a blush color my cheeks out of embarrassment.

"Remind me to thank her when I see her," Dad said as he walked up to me with Judy in his arms. "Yeah well you clean up nicely," I said smiling as I took my baby sister from him. "Thank you sweetie," he said as he kissed the top of my head before we walked into the den with the rest of the group. As the night wore on, I waited patiently for Daryl and Aaron to show up to Deanna's party, but they never did. Finally having had enough of the party, I told my dad I was going to go find Aaron and spend the rest of the evening with him and Eric. After telling me to be careful, I walked out of the front door and made my way down the street.

I looked up at Aaron's house, standing outside for a second before walking up the steps and knocking on his door. "Hey Kit-Kat," he said smiling as I stood there nervously, "why aren't you at the party?" "I could ask you the same thing," I said smiling, "and I didn't see either of you there so I thought I'd come see what you were doing." "We're eating spaghetti," he said laughing, "and Eric's not up to going to a party. You know because of his leg." "Yeah that's right," I said with a nod, "mind if I join?" "Sure come on in," he said with a smile before stepping back, "hope you don't mind someone else here with us." "Who," I asked looking up at him.

DARYL'S POV

I was sat next to Eric as we waited for Aaron to return from walking to the door. When I looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, I was suprised to see Kat walking with him. It was like my mind seemed to go blank at the sight of her. I'd never really seen her with her hair down and I know I'd never seen her in a dress in the almost two years I've known her. I watched as she seemed to get a blush as she looked down, her hair slowly covering her face but I didn't miss the fact that she bit her lip. "Kathryn's decided to join us for dinner," Aaron said placing his hand on her back and seeming oblivious to her reaction to me being there, "I hope you both don't mind."

"Of course not," Eric said smiling up at her before opening his arms for her, "come here honey." She smile and walked over to him, hugging him tightly before her eyes peered at me again as she slowly pulled away from his hug. "You can sit here," Aaron said moving his plate to sit in front of Eric and letting her sit in front of me. "I wasn't expecting you to be here Daryl," she said as she sat down before Aaron filled her plate and placed it in front of her. "Aaron invited me in to join them," I said glacing to her cousin, "I didn't really feel comfortable going to a party."

"I figured you didn't when you didn't walk in with Dad and the others," she said as she began digging into her food. "So Kathryn are you and the others settling in well," Eric said from beside me as he looked up at her after clearing his mouth of food. "Too soon to tell I think," she said as she smile at him, "but Dad's really trying so that's a good sign I guess." "I heard that you started doing your part with the school today," Eric said as he looked at her, "did you like it?" "It was okay," she said with a shrug, "but it's not really something I wanted to do."

"What is it you would like to do then," Eric asked. "I don't know," she said laughing, "helping out with what Dad does. Maybe go on runs every once in a while like I did at the last place we stayed at." "Speaking of runs," Eric said as he looked over at me, "when you're out there, if you happen to be in a store or something Mrs. Neudermyer is really looking for a pasta maker. And we're all really trying to get her to shut up about it." I glanced at Kat as we both had a confused look on our faces before I turned back to Eric, watching as he glanced to Aaron who seemed like a deer caught in headlights.