Paving Roads

Chapter Eight

James' McDonald's Point Of View

I'm sitting on my bed, holding Katherine in my arms, letting her sob into my favorite Misfits shirt, when it occurs to me that there's something impossibly odd about this picture. I am not her best girlfriend, and I'm definitely not her boyfriend. She should be breaking down on their bed, not mine. And yet she's here; and yet I'm letting her. I guess that's what happens when all your friends are stuck up pricks. Speaking of. Calm her down, you moron.

''Katherine..'' I call softly, stroking her hair. She looks up at me. ''You've got snot dripping down your face.''

Fuck. No, that's wrong. That's very wrong. ''Uh, I mean..'' I start to apologize, but she giggles, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

''Am I hot yet?'' She jokes. I debate replying but decide against it. There are more important matters.

''Are you ready to tell me what happened?'' I ask as gently as I can. She sighs and shifts herself so her back is leaning against my chest. Sometimes I wonder if she realizes how flirty she is.

''They're assholes. The lot of them.''

''Didn't we already know this?'' No. Wrong again. She punches me in the arm. ''Ow!''

''You deserved that.'' She says. Yes I did... ''But you're right.'' Here we go.

''What did they do, Kat?''

She starts crying again. Not as bad as before, just occasional tears down her cheeks.

''They just... they wanted to do something I wasn't okay with. And I had my reasons. Damn good ones. And I just thought... I thought they would understand, you know? But they didn't. They laughed right in my face.'' She wipes her tears away and looks at me, sniffling. ''Cherry said something awful. And then I started crying, and they just kept laughing... so I left. I came to find you.''

''What did she say?'' I ask, but she shakes her head and starts sobbing again. I move around to the front of her and pull her into my arms. ''Hey, hey, it's okay.'' I whisper. ''You're okay. They're just dicks, right?''

''They're the best friends I have.'' She chokes. God, that stings.''I just need them to understand.''

__________

Cherry Lancaster's Point Of View

I slowly walk into the kitchen, rubbing my temples to try and make the pain go away. It feels like someone is pulling as hard as they can on my ponytail. Thomas is sitting on the counter, already starting on a brand new bottle of Smirnoff.

''Isn't it a little too early to be drinking?'' I ask him, but when he holds out the bottle to me I take a long swig anyway.

''I was gonna make Bloody Marys, see if they helped with the crash any, you know?'' He explained. ''The thing is, I have no idea how to make them.''

''This is close enough.'' I hop up onto the counter and pass the bottle back to him.

''You heard from Katherine at all?'' He asks me.

''Nope. Not a word.''

''Bummer.'' He takes another drink. We'll be drunk by sunrise.. I think to myself.

''She probably went off to find James. She always does that when she thinks we're shit.''

''I fucking hate that guy.'' Thomas growls. ''It's not fair that she runs after some dude when she gets pissed at me. I'm her boyfriend. Who the fuck is he?''

''Probably a better person than all of us, for starters.'' I reply sadly. ''Not to mention friend.''

''He's a twat, that's what he is.''