The Secret Life of Katherine James

Chapter IX

I woke up on my floor at 4:07AM. The vision in my right eye was blurry and the side of my face hurt to even think about. It was a miracle that I even managed to crawl from the floor to my bed. I didn't have time to think about anything else because as soon as my head hit the pillow, I passed out again. Right before I fell asleep however, I heard is words in my head, "Don't push me, Kit. I don't like hurting you." I heard him threaten Angel and her baby, Jemmy, Sampsen, David...

"David..." That was all I got to say before my world slipped into darkness.

When my phone alarm went off at 7:00, I slammed awake, sitting bolt right up in bed, then cried out in pain as all the blood rushed to the right side of my face, causing it to throb. I put my head in my hands, trying to stifle the sounds of pain and begging it to stop. I tried my best to breath as the tears came pouring from my eyes. After the initial wave passed, the whole night came punching its way back into my head like the fist that had floored me last night.

I tried to think of, through my knocked around brain, the things that I knew for sure from last night. I had kissed David, like really kissed him. After I realized what I'd done, realized who was watching, and the danger that I had put David, and myself in, I ran out, screaming at the shadow man before I left, and allowing everyone else to believe that I had been yelling at David. Sampsen, Jemmy, and Angel had found me and Angel had taken me home. She was also pregnant, I guess. The man had followed us home, beaten me upstairs somehow, and called me from inside my room. I had told him to leave me alone, leave us all alone, and he'd knocked me out beat me up, and threatened my friends. At that thought, one thousand things ran through my head at once. The first: He was waiting in my room. Followed by the question: How had he even gotten into the house again? Secondly: He hit me hard enough to knock me out. Followed by a question: What kind of mark would that leave? Followed by another question: What lie will I have tell the people this time? Which lead to the third thought: He threatened my friends. Which lead to my final question: What am I going to do now?

"Katherine, someone's here to see you. Are you decent?" my mom knocked on my door. I quickly pulled the covers over my head, trying not to gasp in pain as my head pounded. "Go head." I heard my door open and then I heard David's footsteps approach my bed. A ball of dread formed in the pit of my stomach as the words I shouted yesterday rang in my mind.

"Kitty?" He gently sat down on the edge of my bed, and rubbed my shoulder. "You okay?" He asked softly. David was always like that. No matter what was going on between us, if he knew I was upset or thought I was in trouble, he'd be there. But he was rattled about what had happened yesterday, he was hurting. That much was obvious by the awkward shoulder pat, and hesitation in his voice. Frankly so was I. I wanted so badly to look into his warm brown eyes, tell him I hadn't meant what I'd said, but I didn't know what future damage that would cause him. Not to mention what damage that would cause me.

Then something else occurred to me. I might have to tell him. And not just about how I feel but, about everything. I couldn't see a way out of this situation.I was trapped in my room, alone with him. I had my face covered, and when I showed it to him.... I could tell him that I never wanted to see him again, but that wasn't even logical in this city. Especially with our friends. I knew that at the very least there was a small bruise on my face. I could make up some sort of lie that he might believe if it was good, but I couldn't lie if it was as obvious as it felt. Plus I was a terrible liar in situations like this, and the fact that it was David made it even worse. He always knew when I was lying. This was going to keep happening if I was always around my friends. They would keep checking on me, keep verifying everything that I said. They would always be put in the middle of me and my shadow man. I was running out of lies, I was running out of time, and most of all I was running out of space to keep them in, safe areas. It would be better for everyone if I just left Summersteen. The idea came to me fast, like a slap in the face, there might be a way that I could keep him safe.