Four Letter Word..

Chapter Fourteen

The next morning I woke up to the sound of a Car horn outside. I peeled the sheets away from me and looked out of the window to see Jennifer's Car pulled up outside as Stacey hoped down the steps at the bottom of the driveway in her ugly Yellow cheer uniform. I got up and dressed. Steve would be here to pick me up in an hour and for the first time in my life I was dreading seeing him. "Morning" Penny greeted me as I sat down at the Kitchen table
"Hey Penny"
"I've made pancakes so help yourself" I looked at the stack in the middle of the table and took a couple putting them on the plate in front of me before grabbing the syrup "So are you going to the game tonight?" Penny asked as she sat down opposite me at the table

"The game?" I questioned with a mouthful
"The Basketball game? Tonight? Stacey cheers for the team?" I parted my lips

"Oh right.. I don't know, maybe" I replied. I'd never really been interested in taking part in school activities. I was set in my ways of only being on school grounds from 9am till 3pm and the old me would have thought that even that was pushing it. Eventually Steve arrived. I walked down the drive and got into the passenger seat. I didn't lean over to kiss him hello like I usually would. "Are you alright Kat?" Steve asked me. I was conflicted whether to ask Steve outright if he was still involved with Nancy or whether to wait until I had more evidence. I decided on the latter "Yeah I'm fine" I told him turning to look at him finally "You just never told me you had a game tonight?" I lied
"I didn't think Basketball and school spirit was your thing?" I shrugged
"We're an item now aren't we so shouldn't I be supportive?" I questioned him. He smiled and reached over taking my hand in his. I looked down at our entwined fingers in my lap "Billy's on the team though. You know that right?" I was actually pretty surprised to hear that
"Yeah I know" I lied. Steve and Billy team mates? I'd love to see how that's working out for them. Pulling up in the school lot I was quick to get out of the Car and head over to our table where Stacey and Jennifer were sat looking cold "I'm glad you guys are finally here, do you have any cigarettes?" Stacey asked as she shivered and rubbed her arms. I pulled out my packet from my bag and handed them to her, she handed the pack to Jennifer before handing them back to me. "Hey I was wondering if there were any tickets left for the game tonight?" I asked Jennifer. She looked at me with raised eyebrows "Katrina Carter wants to come to the Basketball game tonight?"

"Yeah" she smiled
"Would that be because a certain Steve Harrington will be all nice and sweaty on the court?" I licked over my lips"Maybe" I lied
"I'll get you one" Jennifer replied as the screech of tyres and the sound of heavy metal approached. I turned around, my eyes landing on the Blue Camaro. Billy locked eyes with me instantly as soon as he turned away from the Car, neither of us looking away until Jennifer stepped in front ofme and waved a hand in front of my face "Hello!" she asked "Stop staring at him, you'll only make it worse for yourself" she told me as the bell rang for the start of class.

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

The first two lessons went by slowly and as I walked down the corridor at break to meet my friends out front I passed Nancy. My jaw began to twitch and without even thinking about it I turned back around and followed her as she approached her locker "Well, well, well Nancy Wheeler" she looked across at me
"Hi Kat"
"Fancy going somewhere quiet for a chat?" she opened up her locker placing some of her books on the shelf "I'm actually in a hurry, I promised Johnathan I'd meet him out front straight after class" I smirked
"Like hell you did Nancy. He know you're still involved with Steve?" She stopped cramming books into her locker and I saw her pale before she slammed the locker shut "Just leave it alone Kat. You don't know what you're saying" I grabbed onto her shoulder and shoved her back against the lockers "You'd better tell me what the hell is going on" she swallowed visibly and then looked down at her feet "Please don't cause a scene Kat" she whispered. I let go of her shoulder and looked behind me at the few odd looks we were getting before turning back to Nancy "Just tell me the truth" she looked up at me
"Fine" She stepped away from the locker and walked towards the Girls bathrooms across the hallway. I followed her in and there were a couple of girls in the grade below touching up their lip gloss in the mirrors. They seemed to silence their chatter when I walked in and they soon left, leaving me and Nancy alone "Me and Steve are still together" she told me adjusting the strap of her bag "You should just ask your friend Stacey to explain. It was her idea after all" I narrowed my eyes at her as the bell sounded for the end of break "I have to get to class Kat" I stepped in front of the door to stop her from leaving "Speak" I told her
"Your friends want you away from Billy. They thought Steve would be a good deterrent that's all" I couldn't believe I was hearing this "I'm sorry Kat" she slipped by me and out of the door leaving me to ponder on what she was saying. If it was true then I couldn't believe I'd been so stupid. Steve even told me he'd liked me since kindergarten and if that was all just a lie then it was cruel.

I walked to my next lesson which was Biology, the lesson I had to sit between Steve and Billy. Steve was sat in my seat, right beside Billy. I rolled my eyes as I handed the teacher my report card and stormed over there "Move" I demanded standing in front of Steve
"Just take my seat Kat" he spoke

"You're doing a great job at being a buffer but I can handle myself" he looked up

"Did something happen at break? You weren't with us"

"Yeah you happened" Billy said laughing

"Shut the hell up Billy" I told him

"Kat just sit down, come on" Steve told me nodding to the chair he should have been sat in

"Katrina is there a problem?" the teacher asked

"Yes actually there it. Steve's in my seat" I spoke not taking my eyes off of Steve.
"Why are you being like this?" Steve asked me
"Because I'm sick of you making a fool out of me" I spoke. Steve narrowed his eyes at me as if he didn't know what I was talking about "Katrina there is a seat right there. Just take it and stop making a fuss about nothing" I didn't do that though. Instead I turned around and left the classroom not caring that I would probably be getting myself into more trouble than it was actually worth. I heard our Biology teacher tell Billy to sit back down and for once I think he did exactly as he was told.