Under the stars || James McVey

chapter four

"Do you have a boyfriend?" I ask her and from seeing the horror in her face, I quickly regretted it. She shook head in bewilderment and looked away quickly, trying to look anywhere but my face. "I'm sorry, it's just.. I was just wondering.. I'd, er.. I'd like to ask you out, so I was.. er, making sure, I guess." I mumble to her, rubbing the back of my neck with my head, also trying to not make eye contact.

"I don't date." Was all she said before walking out the kitchen and into the foyer to the others. Not wanting to be left on my own in a strange house, I followed her out and caught the end of a conversation the two girls were having with James.

"I'm sure if you just ask Katie, she'll--" The brunette girl, Maggie, starts saying before Katherine interrupts.

"Ask me what?" She chirps up when we reach them. Chloe hops from one foot to the other nervously, and shakes her head eratically at Maggie causing her to just roll her eyes.

"Kate, we need a favour," she starts. "Chloe's parents have decided they'd like to stay out a little while longer and have asked if our dearest Chlo could pick her brother Luke from practice, but seen as their darling daughter has already downed a glass of wine, she is in a sticky situation"

"It's alright, I'll go get him" Katie immediately says, causing alarmment on Chloe's face. It amazed me as well at how she just happily offered without complaint.

"Are you sure, Kate? I don't want to put you out of your way." Chloe mithers at her, biting her bottom lip.

"No, it's fine. I'll bring him back here until your parents get back, and then I'll drop him off later." Katie replies with a smile. I was listening to the conversation go back and forth, until Chloe finally gave in.

"Well, let me go with you at least." Chloe says finally.

"No, you stay. Have fun. You did say it was a Friday night and you wanted a party" she chuckled.

"But I don't want you to go on your own. It's at Stonebridge." I watched horror flicker through Katie's eyes and she gulped, before shaking her head and telling her friend it was fine.

"I'll go with her," I blurt out before any of them could say anything else. Katie gave me a strange look whilst the others stared at me in confusion. I shrugged at James and followed Katie out of the house after she'd grapped her coat and car keys.

Katherine's POV

The car ride was silent. Neither of us had spoken a word since we got in the car, we just sat there and refused to look at each other. It was starting to get really uncomfortable and I had no idea what to do. He'd offered to accompany me to Stonebridge and I wondered why. Why had he asked me if I had a boyfriend? Why did he want to ask me out? I'd barely known him five minutes and let's just say, I was a little confused.

I sigh quietly and  brake the car as we reach the traffic lights. That's when he finally spoke up.

"Why don't you date?" He asked and turned to face me. I kept my eyes on the moving cars ahead of us and shifted under his gaze.

"I don't know," I reply honestly. "I guess I've just never been interested in it."

"Oh." He said and left it at that. I sighed with relief and was thankful that he didn't take it further. I really didn't want to talk about all of that.

As we were getting closer towards to the football fields, Brad lifted himself up a bit from the seat and looked out of the window intently. I watched him, wondering what had caught his attention and that's when I saw the flickering of candlelight on the windows. He'd seen it.