Sophomore Year || Parenthood Series, Book One || WATTYS 2018

Chapter Twenty-One

SOUNDTRACK: "The Little Things" - Big Gigantic Feat. Angela McCluskey

THURSDAY

"You're Kate, right?" a female voice cut into Kate's ear.

She looked up just as a pretty girl with bright pink hair sat across from her at the lunch table in the student cafeteria. Kate vaguely recognized her from her Web Design class.

"Can we sit?" she asked, indicating her friend next to her. Kate nodded and the young black girl sat down. "My name is Victoria. That's Blair."

Kate pulled her lunch closer to herself to allow the other two girls space. "Hi."

"Do you always eat lunch alone?" Blair asked.

"I - yeah, I guess," Kate stammered.

"You've been here for like three weeks now?" Victoria asked. Kate nodded. "And the rumors are true?"

Kate's heart started beating in her ears. How could people know she was Jared's daughter? "W-what? What rumors?" she asked, feeling sweat break out on her back.

"That you played at Eastwood School in San Diego," Blair said.

Kate's heart slowed. "Oh - uh, yeah. We went to the state qualifiers," she said.

"So why aren't you on the soccer team here?" Victoria asked. She pulled a pack of gum out of her Chanel bag and set it on the table.

"I'm on the reserve team," Kate explained. "The main team was full."

The older girl popped two pieces of gum in her mouth before stashing the pack away again. "How come you don't have any friends?" she asked bluntly.

"I like to keep to myself mostly," Kate said.

"Well, there's this party on Saturday that you should come to with us. It'll be fun," Blair said. "Lots of hot guys," she added with a wink.

"Uh - I don't know if I can go," Kate faltered.

She was happy these girls were reaching out to her, but she had no idea if Jared would allow her to go. At least, Ryan never would have. There wasn't a benchmark for Jared's limits because so far, she hadn't tested them. Hell, she had cursed at his mother and he didn't even punish her for it. Something told her discipline wasn't his strong suit.

"Why? Strict parents?" Victoria needled.

"No. Not really. I mean, I don't know," Kate said with a nervous laugh.

"So sneak out," Blair said. "Look. Let me give you my number and we can text you the details."

Kate reluctantly slid her phone across the table and the girl picked it up, typing in her contact information in an instant. Victoria copied her action before giving the device back just as the bell sounded, signalling the end of lunch.

"See you around," Victoria said standing.

Kate watched them go, befuddled as to why they'd want her to come along with them. The two girls screamed money and popularity, yet they were inviting her to an exclusive party? Part of her thought it could be a ruse or a trick, like an initiation performed on the new girl. But the two girls seemed relatively genuine and it was just a party. What's the worse that could happen?