Four Letter Word..

Chapter Eleven

The next morning I got ready for School. Stacey had already left to meet Jennifer and Steve was going to pick me up on his way in. Penny was fussing over me when I came downstairs and Kevin was telling me that if I felt overwhelmed at any point that I was to get the office to call and he'd come out of work to get me. I finally managed to get out of there and meet Steve at the bottom of the driveway. I got into his Car and lent across, pecking him on the cheek "You seem like you're in a good mood" he stated starting the car
"No I'm nervous as hell but I'm just happy to see you" I informed him as we drove towards Hawkins High. I didn't just have seeing Billy again to be nervous about but also the fact that probably every kid in School now knew me as the girl that ran away when things got tough and I was dreading it. Steve pulled into a spot and he turned to look at me "You ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be" he smiled at me
"Just be you. No one wants to mess with Katrina Carter. Trust me" he told me and I nodded before opening the car door and getting out, of course the first thing I saw was Billy's Camaro, licence plates reattached, parked in the usual spot. I licked over my lips, that Car now had a million memories attached to it. If it was hard just looking at a heap of metal then I honestly didn't know how I was going to react when I saw Billy in the flesh. Steve came around to me looking concerned "Kat?" I looked at him
"I'm ok" I told him and I slipped my fingers between his. He pressed a kiss to the side of my head and we walked together towards the table where Jennifer, Stacey and Jason were sat smoking. I took a cigarette from Stacey's packet she'd left out on the table and lit it using my own lighter "How come you've been hanging around with us so much?" I asked Jason and Jennifer cleared her throat "You need to catch up Kat" she stated taking Jason's hand
"Oh.. You guys are dating?" I asked and Jennifer smiled
"Yeah.. Also Stacey told me some very interesting information" she wiggled her eyebrows at me "You two dating?" I smirked
"Look guys" Steve stated "It's nothing serious, we've just been hanging out a bit" Jennifer bit her lip "You're over Nancy then?" She asked Steve and I tuned out, letting my gaze wonder around the parking lot, looking for that dark blonde hair and faded leather jacket. But he wasn't around. The bell for the start of class brought me out of my stupor. Everyone disappeared into the School and I turned to Steve "We have homeroom" he told me, which I already knew. That was the first lesson of every first day of the new semester we'd be getting new timetables. Me and Steve were in the same homeroom along with Josh. I got quite a lot of stares from my fellow classmates when I entered the room, but I ignored them all, along with the whispering. My timetable hadn't changed that much and my first lesson was English Literature.

Steve insisted on walking me to every lesson today so we walked side by side to the English department "I'll meet you out here after class"
"Honestly Steve, you don't have to do that it's fine. I can handle myself" he smiled at me and took my hands in his "I know but I just want to make sure you're ok" I kissed him before a teacher cleared her throat "Katrina would you like to come with me please?"I looked over at her, it was the Deputy Head "Great" I let go of Steve's hands and followed the deputy to the main office. My heart stopped when I walked in and saw Billy. My legs stopped moving and I felt my throat constrict. He looked over at me as he sat in the chair and the deputy told me to come straight through to the heads office. I looked away from Billy and followed her in "Katrina Hello" she greeted me "Please take a seat" there was a woman sat in a the seat next to the one I sat down in "This is Katelyn our new school councillor" I couldn't speak. I knew if I would I'd cry "We were discussing ways in which we could help you this semester" I looked up at the head
"Help me?" I managed to squeak out
"We think it's best that you have some counselling sessions. Just once a week, during school time" I nodded
"Yeah ok.." I replied
"I've got your timetable here, we're going to take you out of Gym class is that ok?" I nodded "So instead of going to gym you go to Katelyn's office from now on" I nodded again
"Anytime you need to talk my office is open all day and till four after school" Katelyn the councillor informed me "Yeah, I know. Thank you" I stood up, slinging my bag over my shoulder "Is everything alright Katrina? You're not looking too good" the head asked
"Fine, it's just first day back you know? It's a little bit overwhelming" she pulled out a report card from underneath the copy of my schedule "You'll need to get your teachers to fill this out after each lesson ok? And please. Try your best to keep out of Mr Hargroves way" I swallowed hard as I took the report card from her "You do know he's sat just outside of this room right?" I asked her
"Yes, we're quite aware" I nodded and left. Billy was still sat there and he looked up at me as I stepped into the waiting area by the reception desk. I looked away from him and walked outside as confidently as I could with shaking knees "Kat?" I felt sick when I heard his voice behind me. Was he really following me? I shoved the report card into my bag and carried on walking "Fucking hell Kat wait" I turned around to face him
"Go away Billy"
"No" I swallowed as he walked towards me and then the heads assistant came out of the office
"Mr Hargrove" Billy was still staring at me but he'd halted his approach, he blinked slightly
"You still have my jacket?" he asked. I looked up at him as the assistant approached us
"I'll drop it off after school" he nodded and then walked away with the assistant. I watched him walk, I was frozen in place and he looked back at me as he turned the corner. I couldn't hold onto the tears much longer and I headed to the Girls bathrooms. But as I got around the corner I bumped straight into Steve "Kat.." he called after me. I shook my head as the tears leaked from my eyes "Woah, woah Kat what happened?" he grabbed my arm
"Please Steve. Just leave me alone" I pushed open the bathroom door and went into a cubicle letting everything out.

Once I was finished crying I stepped out and cleaned my face up in the mirror taking out my make up bag. I looked at my reflection, I looked tired and washed out. What was wrong with me. The old Kat wouldn't have cried over a guy. I redid my make up and then left the Bathrooms just as the bell rang for next period. Steve was waiting outside the Bathroom door for me "Hey" he grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side away out of the crowded hallway "What happened?"
"Billy happened" his face fell
"Did he say something to you?" I looked around the crowded hallways
"I've got to get to class" I told him taking out my schedule
"It's ok if you don't want to talk about it" Steve told me as I caught eyes with Nancy Wheeler as she walked by. She turned to her friend to whisper something and I knew it was about me. But I kept my mouth shut. There was no point making a scene "Biology, we have the same class" Steve told me as he compared our timetables "Ok" We walked up the stairs to the first floor science department and into our classroom. I sat down at a desk and Steve sat in the one beside me. When the teacher arrived and everyone seemed to be here he began but was interrupted fifteen minutes later by none other than Billy Hargrove entering "Thanks for joining us Billy" "Sorry. I had a meeting with the head" He told the teacher. I noticed that the only free desk was next to mine and my heart started racing "Alright babe" he said as he sat beside me. Steve was on my other side and I could see him tense up. The teacher started talking again "You were told to stay away from me" I whispered as I felt Billy's eyes on me
"As if I'm going to do that Kat. Plus there were no other free seats" he lent forward over the desk to look at Steve "Hey Harrington" Steve turned his face to look at Billy "I hear your bitch got an upgrade over Christmas" Steve smiled
"Yeah? Good for her" Steve turned back to face the front as I pulled my notepad out of my bag and placed it on my table "So you coming over later?" he whispered to me. I couldn't believe he was doing this. Acting like his usual flirty self. I wasn't going to let him win "I'm busy" I replied "Busy?" I swallowed
"You heard me" I turned away and tried my best to concentrate on the lesson, Billy continued to stare at me for a good five minutes before finally giving up and leaning back in his chair. When the bell rang for break I walked over to the front desk and handed our English Lit teacher my report card. Billy had one to and he stood as close as he possibly could to me whilst the teacher filled them in. I left the classroom, Billy not far behind me and Steve was waiting for me against the wall "Kat? You fancy a lift to the Diner?" Billy asked me. I turned to him but before I could say anything Steve had stepped forward "Back off Billy. Leave Kat alone" Billy smirked at Steve
"Oh, are you her personal body guard now or something?" he asked him "We both know Kat doesn't play by the rules" I watched the pair
"A lot has changed...... Amigo" Steve joked
"You'd better watch your back Harrington. Wouldn't want to damage that pretty face of yours again" I started walking away. I was done with today already and we weren't even half way through.

()()()()()()()

I didn't come in contact with Billy again for the rest of the day and I was relieved about it. Steve dropped me off at Stacey's after School"I'll pick you up in the Morning yeah?" I lent over and kissed him "I'll see you tomorrow" I got out of the Car and headed in to find Penny in the kitchen "Hey, how was your first day back?" she asked me
"It was ok" I told her "I had a meeting with the head and I have to see the school councillor once a week"
"That's good Kat.. I think you'll benefit from it" she told me as she pulled what looked like pork chops out of the fridge "I mean I get to miss Gym class so it's not that bad. Anyway I'm going upstairs to do some homework"
"Ok, dinner will be in an hour. Have you seen Stacey?" she asked me
"No, actually. I think she had Cheer practice tonight" I called as I jogged up the stairs
"I wish she'd tell me these things!" I closed the door to my bedroom and dumped my school bag on my desk. I turned to my bed and saw Billy's jacket lying there and my mind skipped to earlier this morning when I told Billy I'd go over to drop it off. My heart started racing at the thought. I shook my head and picked the jacket up before throwing it under the bed, out of my sight. I was not going to Billy's just to return a measly jacket. 

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Kind of a long chapter so I won't be posting another one now until tomorrow, maybe.