Four Letter Word..

Chapter Ten

I hadn't spoken to Steve in a week and at the moment I was helping Stacey get ready to go to Jennifer's New Years Eve party "I can't believe you'd rather stay here alone than come to Jennifer's?" she told me
"I'm just not feeling it"
"I know why you don't want to come, you're scared Billy will be there" she'd hit the nail right on the head "No I just.. Don't want to be crowded you know?" she nodded although I knew she didn't believe me "Does this look ok?" she asked me turning around in her sequined party dress
"Yeah, you look great" she smiled and picked up her handbag
"Ok, good. If you need me call Jennifer's house number. My parents probably won't be home tonight they usually crash at my Aunts" I followed her downstairs and to the front door where she gave me a hug "I'll see you later"
"Have a great time!" I called as she left. I locked the door and headed into the Kitchen to grab some chips and then took them into the living room to watch Television for the rest of the night.

At around Eleven I heard the doorbell ring. I chose to ignore it but then someone opened the letter box "Kat?" I let out a breath, it was Steve. I opened the door
"What are you doing here? I thought you were at the party?" I let him in and closed the door
"Yeah. I was but you weren't there" I rolled my eyes
"Really Steve?"
"And also, Billy might have been there and I just can't deal with his shit" I parted my lips
"So he really is back?" he nodded
"Look don't worry about it. It'll be fine. Oh I bought a party favour too" he held out the bottle of what looked like champagne "Where did you get that?" I asked him as we headed into the Kitchen "Someone bought it to the party.. They were planning on saving it till midnight" I widened my eyes "You stole it?" he shrugged
"They won't miss it, it's chaos over there" I grabbed two glasses from the Kitchen cupboard "Where are Stacey's parents?"
"At Stacey's Aunts for the night" Steve nodded as he took the foil top off of the bottle "Can you open that stuff?" I asked as he twisted the metal bit off and then started to wiggle the cork. It popped open and the cork shot out hitting the ceiling and bouncing across the floor "Oops" Steve said as he watched it roll across the floor. I placed the two glasses on the counter and Steve tried his best to pour it without making it overflow. We sat on the sofa and Steve took it upon himself to change the channel on the television I'd been watching. We watched some shitty comedy film together and just joked around until it got closer to midnight "Wanna go out back and watch the fireworks?" I asked him
"Good idea, I'll refill our glasses and meet you out there" I watched him leave with our two glasses and I stood up grabbing my jacket from the hallway before going back to the living room and opening the sliding doors. I stepped outside and stood on the veranda. Steve joined me a few moments later and handed me a glass "Cheers" I lifted my glass and he lifted his. It was freezing out and I took it as an excuse to move closer to Steve. I wrapped my arms around his middle under his jacket. He wrapped his arms around me and I smiled up at him and before I knew it he was leaning into kiss me and I was getting onto my tiptoes to meet him. The fireworks lighting up the sky were measly compared to the ones erupting in my stomach "It's too cold out here" I murmured "Let's go inside" he looked down at me and I picked up my glass again taking his hand and pulling him back into the house. We got to the stairs and he stopped as I started to climb them "Head up, I'll grab the bottle" I rolled my eyes but carried on and headed to the spare room. Steve came in as I was taking my jacket off and placed the half drunk bottle of champagne on the nightstand as he took his own jacket off. I walked over to him and pressed my lips to his again. I walked backwards until we were both on the bed and Steve was on top of me. I ran my fingers up the front of his shirt as he pulled mine off and I could already feel him getting hard between my legs. We were soon both in our underwear and Steve looked down at me "Are you sure about this?" he asked me
"Of course" he smiled at me and pressed his lips to mine before kissing down my jaw and neck "God Kat, you're so beautiful" I froze at the words, my stomach twisted. They were the exact same words that Billy had said to me the night he took my virginity "Wait, wait. Stop" I whispered "Maybe we shouldn't" I told him and he lifted himself up slightly so he could look at my face "Did I do something wrong?" I shook my head violently
"No, no of course not it's just that..." I paused as he looked at me expectantly "Sex changes things" he looked down at me
"You're right.. We shouldn't rush this" he got off of me and sat up grabbing his jeans from the floor and pulling them on "Don't go" I told him as I sat up "Just stay here, with me?" He smiled and stood up "Ok, I'll be right back" I bit my lip, watching him leave. before I grabbed my pyjamas and put them on. I grabbed the bottle of champagne and drank straight from the bottle.

The next morning when I woke up, Steve was still beside me, he was staring straight up at the ceiling, his arm underneath me and his fingers tracing patterns on my upper arm. He eventually turned to look at me "hey"
"hey" I heard movement outside
"I don't think we're alone anymore" I sat up and stretched
"Want some breakfast?" I asked him
"I was thinking we should go to that cafe in town?"
"ugh, yes please!" we both got out of bed and got dressed. Steve left the room ahead of me and we bumped straight into Stacey in the hallway "Steve?" she questioned "What the hell are you doing here?" he scratched his head
"I erm stayed the night" she looked behind Steve to me and narrowed her eyes
"Is this something I should know about?" she asked "Actually. I don't want to know I'm nauseous as it is"
"Hungover?" Steve asked her "Me and Kat were actually going to go get Breakfast at the cafe in town, if you wanted to come" she smiled
"Oh god. I could murder a fried breakfast" she went back into her room and I headed to the bathroom.

Steve drove us to the cafe and we ordered in one of the window booths "So I'll ask again, now I've had some coffee. Do you guys have something to tell me?" Stacey asked us
"Erm" Steve looked to me as if he was asking for permission
"Nothing really..We've just been hanging out" I answered
"Hanging out? This is why you didn't want to come to the party last night isn't it?" she asked me "You two wanted to be alone together!" the waitress came over, placing our food in front of us "thank you" I told her as she left
"So come on? I deserve to know!" Stacey announced as she placed a piece of bacon in to her mouth "Look, we're not exclusive or anything like that but we're just... I don't know? Seeing each other" Steve told her. Stacey swallowed and I was waiting for a lecture from her
"Good" I widened my eyes "You guys would be good together. I've always thought that"
"Really?" I asked
"Really..But just. None of the slushy stuff when I'm around. I don't want to feel like a third wheel" I smiled as I picked up my knife and fork "I can't believe winter break is over" She announced changing the conversation suddenly "How are you guys spending your last day of freedom?" she asked as if me and Steve were destined to do everything together from now on
"I was actually thinking about going to see Mom what about you?" I asked
"I think I'm just going to go back to bed" I rolled my eyes at her
"When's your Mom and Dad coming home?" I asked her
"I don't know, today at some point I imagine"

After breakfast Steve dropped Stacey off at home and then we drove to the facility to see my Mom "You don't have to come in" I told him as he parked up
"I want to" We got out of the Car and went through the routine of signing in and waiting for someone to take us down. We were given the usual half an hour with her and we chatted like normal "So what did you guys do for New Years?" she asked us and we both looked at each other "We actually just stayed in and watched TV" I told her
"That sounds nice" she smiled "And are you all ready to go back to school tomorrow?"
"I think so" I told her. Although I'd hardly put any thought into it
"And you stay away from that Hargrove kid ok?" I parted my lips and I was about to ask her what right she had to tell me what to do after everything. But she was right. I should stay away from Billy and I was planning to.