The Secret Life of Katherine James

Chapter VIII

I ran through the tunnel, sobbing and not caring if the shadow man followed me. I hated him for this. David would hate me for this forever. David... My David. I'm so sorry David. I'm sorry. It was all I could do to make it out of the door. When I made it out the door, I fell to the ground and began to sob, right there on the concrete. The busser, an older man named Larry, picked me up almost seconds later and brought me to the other side of his velvet rope.

"Katherine?" He asked looking at me with pleading blue eyes. "What on earth happened? Where's your posse kid?" All I could do was sit and cry. I sank to the ground and wrapped my arms around my legs, placing my head on my knees. "Do I need to go in and arrest someone? Has anyone done anything illegal kid? Nod. Yes or no?" He waited. I let out a sob and shook my head no. "Are you sure?" He asked me. I nodded yes. "Okay then. I'll let you be for a bit. Do you want me to go look for your friends. Have you been drinking?" He paused. I didn't nod, so he must've assumed I didn't want to say. "Look miss, I ain't gonna arrest you or turn ya' in I just wanna know if you're okay to drive home." Just when I was about to nod No, the door burst open, making us both jump. I looked up, afraid to see David's dance shoes, or worse, a stranger in a hoodie.

"Katherine?" A high, worried voice called out, louder than usual, just as I laid sight of Jewel's knee high lace up white boots, and Sampsen's dress shoes. "KATHERINE!?" She was screaming like a banshee now.

"Ughm." Larry coughed, getting Jems attention.

"Excuse me? You did not just cough at me." She was ready to tangle with the poor old man, taking a step towards him. Sampsen took her hand, pulling her back. I noted that he didn't let go and she didn't pull it away, so they must've talked things out.

"Young lady, now's not the time. Miss. Katherine needs some assistance. I've got her right back here." I heard Jewel gasp and then the clink, clink, clink of her heels and then there were two shadows thrown over my hiding spot.

"O MY GOD! Kitty!" Jewel threw herself down to my level and enveloped me in a hug. "Where the hell did you go? Sampsen and I were talking on the Blue Section Couch and then we saw you crying and David chase you out and then you screamed out and then Sampsen and I came running after you. What happened? Did David hurt you? Are you okay?" The whole time she was talking she was squeezing me and I was just sobbing into my knees again. All I could see, all I could think about, was David chasing after me. I hadn't listened to a word she'd said after that. "Kat?" She asked, nudging my shoulder, trying to get my attention.

"What?" I asked, lifting my head up to look at her, tears falling from my mascara covered eyes. I'm sure my makeup was all over my face now.

"What happened Kit?" Sampsen finally spoke, moving forward to detach Jewel from my right side so he could look at me.

"Nothing." I answered half heartedly.

"Kit, you don't run away from David crying like that, scream before you leave, and then sit on a dirty concrete sidewalk with an old man you barely know over nothing." He knew me too well. That was the problem with all of my friends. They asked too many questions and knew too much about me.

"Sampsen, I really just don't want to talk about it, okay? Can you please just take me home?" I began to sob again and set my head back down onto my knees. Why did it have to go this way? David... I'm so sorry. I knew that after I got up and left this club, after I walked away, things would be different. I'd be different, I'd have to avoid him, and when I did come into contact with I'd have to ignore him or pretend like I was upset with him.

"Katherine, look if something happened you---"

"Kitty!" Angel's breathless worried voice came around the corner with her long black hair and her flashing blue eyes. "Oh my God, Katherine, what did he do?"