Secret Santa #wattys2017

Her Past and mine

"Mom I'm home!" I yell walking into the house with Kate behind me. We both wander over the the kitchen to get some food.
"mom! Your second daughter is here!" Kate calls suddenly.
"Oh why didn't you say so sooner!" I hear my mom yell and footsteps coming towards the kitchen. I roll my eyes and go grab two sodas.
"Oh Katie! It's been forever!" My mom hugs Kate.
"It's been 2 days Mrs.Hall." She laughs. My mom scoffs. She doesn't want to be called Mrs. Hall by Kate. She prefers Jessica, Jess or mom. My mom calls Kate Katie still so she'll call my mom Mrs.hall as payback in a way.
"What are you two up to today?" Before I can say anything, Kate goes into the backpack and then hands my admirer note to my mom. She reads it with wide eyes. I look at Kate who smirks at me.
"This is adorable! Do you know who it is? Awe." My mom rambles.
"It's adorable! I know!" Kate laughs.
"Yeah it really is." I agree giving a small smile. Then I get bombarded with hugs.
"Hug party!" Mg dad yells and joins the hug. I laugh at my goofball of a dad.
"You'd never guess!" My mom squeals throwing the letter around.
"Secret admirer Note?" My dad guesses and grabs the note from my mom.
"That's adorable!" My dad smiles and pats my back.
"But if he tries to hurt you, he'll be dead." My dad adds.
"Hmm okay, but why is everyone labeling the note as adorable? Can't it be cute or something?" My parents laugh.
"This note isn't just cute sweetie. It's adorable." My mom says.
"Whatever." I roll my eyes with a smile.
"Why are you home early Rob?" My mom asks him.
"I quit my job." He says timidly.
"And why would you do that?"
"Um... well..." he looks between me and my mom.
"We should go." Kate grabs my arm and pulls me towards the door.
"We will be back for dinner!" She shouts.
"What makes you think you're invited for dinner?" I say as we exit.
"Because I'm the daughter your parent s always wanted and never had." She shrugs and gets into my car.

***
"What should we get Dylan?" Kate thinks as she walks up and down the isles of 7-11.
"We aren't going to find it here."
"Food is good though."
"Maybe we should get him hot Cheetos or something."
"That's not personal."
"Since when is this game personal Kate?"
"Okay fine get him whatever but we are going to get Austin an amazing secret Santa gift."
"You're going to be doing that for awhile."
"I'll get like 5 items at a time."
"I think I'll do that too." I laugh. I wonder over to the food section.
"Hmmm what do you think he likes?"
"Gummy bears!" Kate screams.
"Uh why gummy bears?" I chuckle grabbing gummy bears off the shelf.
"Because he's a bad boy and bad people like to bite the head off gummy bears. Duh." She rolls her eyes. I scrunch my eyebrows together trying to understand her.
"Oh come on just get a bunch of candy with a head easy as pie!" She goes to grab different gummy worms and other gummy bears too. I shrug and go up to the cashier who's back is facing me.
"Excuse me." Kate mumbles and the guy turns around.
"Gabe?" I question.
"No that's my brother I'm uh Gabin!" He smiles. Kate and I raise an eyebrow at him.
"Fine it's me." He sighs.
"Why so much candy? Are you guys on your period or something?" He laughs as he scans the candy.
"Um first off you never ask a girl that and second it's chocolate." Kate smirks.
"What's chocolate?" He asks grabbing the money from my hand.
"Oh my god boys can be so stupid!" Kate pouts and walks out of the 7-11.
"Girls eat chocolate on their period." I smirk as he hands me the change. Then I grab my stuff and walk after my best friend.
"Yah nice talk bye!" He yells.

After 7-11 Kate and I go back to my house. My mom said dinner is in 20 minutes so we have been watching New Girl.
"Ugh I'm so hungry." I sigh rolling over my bed.
"You are always hungry."
"Well i know that but hey I'm a teenager what were you expecting?"
"I don't eat that much."
"Cause you're crazy." In the past Kate has struggled with anorexia. That's when you don't eat or basically eat nothing. I remember the day she passed out at school

"Hey Kate!" I pounce up to her at her locker. We just got back from spring break and I just got back from Canada.
"Hi." She mumbles looking inside her locker. She takes a step back and almost falls. That's very unusual for her because she is the most coordinated person.
"Are you okay?" I question. She slowly turns and looks at me. I gasp at her appearance. Her face looks smaller and she looks really pale. I look down at her clothes that are a bit too big. Her eyes are cloudy and she looks sad, hurt and even scared.
"I'm fine." She smiles but I see right through it.
"Kate what happened to you over break?" I whisper. She looks at me with her big eyes and I can practically feel her pain.
"How was Canada?" She changes subject and starts to walk off to our first period. She walks really slowly and takes small steps.
"Kate."I sigh and catch up to her easily. I grab her wrist and start to pull her towards the nearest bathroom.
"We are going to be late." She groans.
"You are more important." I answer as we walk into the bathroom. I turn around to face her. Her eyes are full of tears and she lets one fall.
"Kate what happened?"
"I.. I went to this resort a few towns over and I was wearing my Bi..bikini and there was some girls sport team there. Wh.. when I went to the bathroom there were a few in there. Then they started pushing me and ca..calling me fat. I believe them. I'm fat. I'm ugly. I'm a hideous human being!!" She cries and throws her arms around me.
"Kate. You are beautiful inside and out. Yo I are the most beautiful person. You could be a model."
"I I haven't eaten for 8 days. I have had one granola bar and I've been surviving on water." She mumbles.

So we sit in the bathroom and I let her cry and talk it all out until 1st period is over. By now she has redone her makeup and has promised to eat her lunch.
"We should go." She mumbles. I nod and we start heading out the door.
"See you in English?" I ask.
"Yah."
"Alright have fun in science."
"Very funny." She groans and turns the left corner. I sigh and go off to the right. I feel kinda bummed out. I feel so bad. I was supposed to be there for her and I wasn't. I'm such a terrible best friend. Suddenly someone bumps into my shoulder.
"Hey watch it!" I shout turning around to see a ton of people running in his direction. I hear screams and people yelling for help. I Star yto run to where everyone else is. Where the commotion is. There's a big circle and I can't see through it.
"Excuse me." I yell pushing through people. The kids won't let me go until they turn around. I cautiously make my way to the front and in the middle of the circle lays my best friend. Her hair is sprawled out to her side. Her face is straight, eyes closed and looks extremely pale. I freeze. No this can't be happening. Tears start to form as I stare at her lifeless body. I feel someone touch my shoulder and I quickly turn around to see it's the school nurse. I come out of my trance and kneel down by her side. The tears pouring from my eyes.
"Please be okay Kate. Please!" I space out only saying, "please be okay." The tears flow and I can't stop. I keep holding her hand. I feel people trying to move me away.
"No! I'm not leaving her!" I cry. My ears ring as I watch the paramedics come into the mix with a stretcher. Everything moves in slow motion. I can't hear anything or see straight. She has to be okay. She has to be!
"Ma'am!"
"Ma'am!" Someone keeps saying. It feels far away yet so close. I start to get shaken. I come back to reality for the second time today and I see a paramedic staring at me.
"Your friend will be okay. Trust me." I recognize the man. She won't be.
"That's what you said last time." I whisper.

"Liz!" Kate shakes me. I look up at her and feel the tears on my cheeks.
"Hey what's wrong?" She asks.
"I was thinking about Pat." I whisper. Her eyes soften.
"Was it the day I passed out?" I nod my head.
"I never thought I'd see him again."
"Well have you heard anything from Phil?"
" I think you would have known if we heard from him. He's still a missing person." I sigh and wipe my tears. I miss my brothers. Pat died last year from an appendicitis. His twin brother Phil ran after that. He would he 18 now and so would Pat.
"Dinners ready!" My mom yells poking her head into my room. I pull my face away from her a tad too late.
"What's wrong sweetie?" She asks.  I don't answer and look at Kate telling her she can tell with my eyes. Kate smiles slightly and turns to my mother.
"She was thinking of Pat and Phil."
"Oh honey. It's okay." She hugs me and I turn to hug her back.
"I know Phil will come home one day."