Love or War?

Chapter Eleven

Point out mistakes for me please :)

"You know," Jacob said the next afternoon when the five of us were hanging out at the Coffee Bean, "Who's to say they won't attack us anyway?"

"We have to attack them first," Lena stated, looking irritated, "As I have been trying to say since -"

"We get it, Lena," Jeffrey snapped. Tensions had been high ever since the concert, also since Lena had decided she was done with Jacob and had tossed him down the drain like curdled milk.

"I'm fresh out of ideas though," Brad said, taking a sip of his coffee. It was chilly outside for a change.

"What if we break their reeds?" Lena laughed.

"That's too intense," I said seriously. "Plus, only the oboes, clarinets and bassoons have reeds."

"She's right," Brad said glumly.

"I've got it!" Jeffrey cried happily, bouncing his leg. "We fill all their instruments with Miracle Whip!" I stared at him.

"That's still going too far, don't you thi-"

"That's perfect!" Lena cried, and soon everyone but me was on board. I kept trying to disused them, but I couldn't get a word in. All I could think was that Declan was going to kill me.

• • •

So, that was the plan, up until the next day when all of us opened our cases to find our boss de-haired. As in, completely. As in absolutely no hair on the now whatsoever. Do you know how much it costs to rehair a violin bow, let alone a cello, bass or viola one? A couple hundred dollars, hopefully.

I was impossibly angry.

I could deal with all the eggs, and unruly glares and any number of pranks, but when you mess with my music - my instrument? It means war.

That's how I found myself leading the seniors into the parking lot afterschool towards the five Band seniors gathered next to Declan's car. That's how I found myself flinging water balloons at them - harder and faster than I had ever imagined. All the effort I hadn't devoted to this war? I used it then. I didn't care who I hit, or where I hit them, I was angry.

And everyone could tell.

• • •

Work that afternoon was hell. Declan came in, his hair wet but his clothes changed. I stared, a hateful stare that I hoped was unnerving.

"Katy," he said softly, approaching me cautiously like I was a time bomb ready to go off - which I was. "I told them not to."

"You could have stopped them!" I yelled, not caring that everyone in the salon was watching. "Do you know how much it costs to rehair a bow?! Why didn't you stop them?!"

"Kate, I swear, I did what I could but Rayna, she -"

"Save it!" I cried. "I can't believe I thought we could be friends." I think that was what hurt him the most.

"We can," he whispered. "I want us to be friends."

"I thought you were different."

"I am," he said, so soft I almost missed it. "So are you."

• • •

When I got home that night, only Dad was there, which was an, almost, pleasant surprise.

"Hey Kat, how was school?" I wanted to yell, tell him that the last time he screamed at me, but my temper was exhausted, giving way to common sense.

"Okay," I said, afraid to break the news to my Dad. "Umm, Dad?" Je looked up from his newspaper. I told him about the bow. His face hardened, and then he was shouting.

"What the hell Katherine? How could you be so stupid? So careless? God, you're just like your Mother!" I felt the tears pierce my eyes, but I willed myself not to let him see me cry.

"Get out of my sight! Go to your room!" I fumbled for my backpack. "Now!" he yelled and I darted up the stairs, afraid.

I decided that I'm glad my Dad was the one leaving.

• • •

"Kate?" Mom came into my room later that night with a bowl of Vanilla ice cream - my favorite.

"Thank you," I said, shoving the used tissues under my bed, quickly hiding the evidence from her.

"I heard about the bow. Sweetheart, it wasn't your fault." I nodded, shoveling my face with ice cream. "I'm not upset, okay? Your father will calm down soon enough."

I leaned against her and she rubbed my back in slow circles. Mothers, I though, always knew what you needed. I was gratefully for mine.

I kept waiting for her to bring up the divorce, though, but she didn't. So maybe, my mothers intuition was lacking a bit.

• • •

"Kate, how many times must I apologize?" Declan had resorted to begging. He was on his knees in front me, thankfully shielded by my desk, and he grilled my hands in his. "Kate, puh-lease." He pressed a kiss to my knuckles and my face went red. J wish he effected me less.

"Alright, alright, I get it, you're sorry. I forgive you." I sighed and he smiled widely.

"Thank you," he said. "I felt like I was going to die." I snorted.

"I'm sure." He laughed, standing up and nudging my foot with his.

"Wanna go get lunch?" he asked and I nodded before I headed to Alex.

"I'm taking my lunch break, okay?" I told him, indicating Declan over my shoulder.

"Got your own party, huh?" he responded knowingly.

"Maybe," I said.

As Declan and I walked to the food court I tried to imagine what it would be like if this rivalry didn't dominate our lives. We could just be two people walking together, no judgements, no fears, no secrets.

"What do you feel like eating? I'm buying today," he said.

"Umm, no, you're not."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm a big girl," I laughed like it was nothing, but truth be told, if I let Declan pay, then it would be a date. "And I like buying my own Chinese food. Unless, of course, you want more money shoved down your pants?"

"Alright, jeez," he chuckled and hen headed towards the pizza counter.

I hated that I liked Declan. His smile, his eyes, his voice haunted me in that nightly fantasy, intoxicating type way of his. It's not that I wanted to hate him. I just didn't want to like him. I wanted to spare both of us.

We met back and the center table and I shoveled rice and chicken into my mouth to keep from conversation. Declan watched me carefully, chewing his slice of pizza. I had never known a connection like this before. Something strong, powerful, spiritual even.

Something real in a world that was all fake.