Four Letter Word..

Chapter Seventeen

I opened my eyes the next morning to hear Billy shouting across the room from an upright position. I sat up seeing Billy's Dad Neil stood in the doorway "She can skate to School. You'd rather have had me drive home drunk last night?" His Dad wasn't listening though, instead he was looking at me curiously "Katrina?" he asked and I nodded. He looked back at his Son "You'd better have a good explanation for this Billy. I'll give you five minutes to get her out of this house" with that he left, slamming the door behind him. I turned to look at Billy
"Where did I leave my Car?" he asked
"At Josh's" he groaned and got out of bed
"You're going to have to go. Are you alright walking to Stacey's?" the mention of Stacey's name made me feel sick "I'll be fine, it's not that far..." I quickly changed out of Billy's shirt and put the clothes I was wearing last night back on. I walked over to the door "I'll see you at School then..." I trailed off hoping he'd at least walk me to his front door but he didn't. I speedily walked through the house hoping to avoid Billy's Dad but Neil's voice sounded just as I placed my hand around the door handle. I turned to him "I don't want to see you here again, got it?" I nodded "You've caused enough trouble as it is" I didn't reply. I just opened the door and left.

When I got to Stacey's I walked into the hallway only for a worried looking Penny to dive out of the Kitchen "Where have you been?" she demanded

"Ermm, I stayed at Steve's" I lied. She eyed me suspiciously

"You can't just disappear like that Katrina!" I swallowed "Why didn't you call or tell Stacey where you were going?" I rolled my eyes
"Me and Stacey aren't exactly on speaking terms at the moment" I informed her
"why ever not?"
"Because she lied to me" I told her "I'm going to get ready for school" I walked up the stairs and towards the bathroom but the door was locked. I waited outside until none other than Stacey walked out "Where were you Kat?" she questioned me, all concerned
"What's it to you?" I questioned and she swallowed

"Kat you have to understand that we were trying to look out for you" I shook my head at her
"I don't need you to look out for me" I told her "You made me think Steve was in love with me. You put all of these false connotations into my head about Billy. Just so I wouldn't go near him again" she shook her head at me "He's a bad person Kat. He's damaged" I folded my arms across my chest "So what? I'm damaged.. You don't know what his home life's like" Stacey laughed "Billy makes his own problems. It's got nothing to do with his home life" there was no point in arguing with Stacey she was stubborn "Whatever you want to believe Stace.. I need to get ready" I pushed by her and went into the bathroom.

Penny insisted on driving me in with Stacey who I was planning on just ignoring from now on. She pulled up outside of the school gates and we both shot out "Katrina. I want you back home straight after school do you understand me?" Penny called out of the Car window I licked over my lips "What if I have detention" she sighed at me

"The school will inform me. But I won't be best pleased if you do. You're supposed to be better than that now Kat" I swallowed and closed the car door. I headed inside and over to my locker to grab the books I'd need for my first two periods. Steve appeared beside my locker, leaning up against them "What do you want?" I asked him
"To check that you're ok"

"Are you kidding me Steve?" I announced slamming my locker door shut "I don't need you looking out for me. You're a god damn liar" he looked ashamed
"I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand" he spoke
"I mean what were you planning on doing? How far were you going to take it? God Steve. I nearly slept with you" I smirked as I saw Nancy over his shoulder, clearly waiting for him at the end of the corridor, her books pressed tightly against her chest "I wonder what Nancy would think of that?" I asked looking back at Steve "I bet she doesn't know how far you were actually willing to take things" I stepped away from my locker and began to approach her but Steve grabbed my arm pulling me backwards to stand in front of him again "Let go of me" I told him through gritted teeth "Please don't tell her" he told me just as Billy appeared out of nowhere
"Let go of her Harrington" he stated "I don't want to have to break your pretty little face again" he licked over his lips and flicked his eyes up to meet mine "I tried Kat" I narrowed my eyes at him and angrily snatched my arm out of his grip. I watched him walk away "What did he say to you?" Billy asked
"Nothing, he just wanted to make sure I was ok... Anyway are you in trouble with your Dad because I'm in trouble with your Dad" he narrowed his eyes at me
"What are you talking about?"
"This morning when I left he told me that I'm trouble and he does want to see me in your house again" Billy shook his head as the bell rang for first period "I should head to class, see you at break?" I questioned
"Yeah, I'll meet you at your locker" I turned away and began walking towards the Math department when Billy grabbed my arm and pulled me back to face him. His hand found it's way to my cheek and he pulled my face closer so he could kiss me. There were a few wolf whistles from around us but they felt so far away, I didn't feel the need to pay attention to them. Eventually he pulled away from me "I'll see you later Katrina" I bit my lip as I watched him walk down the corridor. The hallway was practically empty now so I turned around and rushed off to my Math lesson. As soon as I got there and handed in my report card to the teacher the deputy head was in the doorway smiling at me "I need to take Katrina with me" she told the teacher. I rolled my eyes and followed her out and down to the main office "What's this about?" I asked her as I sat down on one of the chairs outside of the heads office "I'm not sure, I'll just let her know that you are here" I took my bag off of my shoulder and waited a few minutes before the deputy came out and said I could go through "Hello Katrina, take a seat" I sat down in front of her desk and placed my bag by my feet "Katrina, how are you doing?"
"Fine..." I trailed off
"That's good... We've had a report that you stormed out of one of your lessons yesterday after making a fuss about someone sitting in your seat" I rolled my eyes "Also you didn't show up for fourth period?" I nodded "So for that you'll be in detention tonight. We can't just excuse it just because of what happened last year"
"I don't want to be excused. I don't want to be treated any differently" I informed her "So I'll be in detention tonight" I told her standing up to leave "Actually there was something else I wanted to ask you about" I turned back around to face her "Billy Hargrove?" I swallowed
"What about him?"
"You are keeping out of his way aren't you?" I licked over my lips
"I haven't spoken to him at all" I lied and I think she knew I was
"Ok.. Well, if you do find yourself in any uncomfortable situations then please come and see me" I nodded "Here" she handed me a detention slip and I shoved it into my bag before leaving.

I wasn't sure what to do with myself at break time. There was no way I was going to go and sit at our bench out front with the likes of Stacey. I headed to my locker to drop some stuff off, as I was placing my books into it someone wrapped their arms around my from behind and pulled me away, I let out a yelp and looked up to see that it was Billy "Don't do that!" I announced slapping him in the chest "Sorry" He put his hand into his jacket pocket and brought out a packet of Marlboro cigarettes "Are you coming out for a smoke?" he asked as he took a cigarette out from the pack and put it back into his pocket "I mean I was planning to" he took my hand and we walked down the hallway to the main doors. My eyes drifted over to the bench I usually sat at. Stacey was sat there with Josh, Steve and unsurprisingly Nancy. I looked away as Billy walked us down the side of the school building. Jennifer and Jason were already here smoking and laughing with each other "Why aren't you at the smoking bench?" I asked Jenn as Billy lit up "Honestly Kat. If you think I'm going to sit there with Nancy Wheeler you obviously don't know me very well" I searched for my cigarettes in my bag but couldn't seem to find them "So this is nothing to do with Stacey?" she smiled
"I've told Stacey exactly what I think about what she did.. But we're still friends. I just don't agree with her" I turned to Billy
"Can I have a smoke? I think I'm out" I asked him he smirked at me

"I'll give you a cigarette if you admit that you're my Girlfriend" I parted my lips
"I can't do that" I told him, he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me towards him, cigarette still hanging from his lips "Come on Kat why not?" he murmured. I looked across at Jennifer but she was too busy making out with Jason now to be listening to what we were talking about "I don't want to get you into trouble" he rolled his eyes and pulled a cigarette and lighter out of his pocket handing them over to me "Thank you"
"Is it about what my Dad said to you when you left this morning?" I shook my head as I lit the cigarette and inhaled "It's that and the principal warned me to keep away as well as my councillor, Penny's parents and my Mom" Billy dropped his cigarette on the floor and stamped it out "It's not for them to make your life choices. It's what you want" I licked over my lips as the bell rang and I quickly finished my cigarette as Jennifer turned to me "We have Chemistry right?" I shrugged at her and she rolled her eyes as she pulled out her timetable to look "Yes we do, are you coming?" I nodded
"Just give us a minute Jenn" Billy told her and she gave him one of her signature dirty looks before walking away and standing with Jason "Do you want to be with me?" he asked me stepping closer. I looked up at him "Yes...But-"
"No Babe, No buts"
"Well can you at least just let me think about it?" I asked him. I could see Jennifer looking extremely impatient at the end of the walkway "Fine" I smiled and then stepped away from him to catch up with Jennifer.

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

"So what was all that about?" Jennifer asked as we sat in our chemistry lesson listening to our teacher drone on "What was what about?" I asked pretending I didn't know
"You and Billy?" I rolled my eyes
"He basically asked me to be his Girlfriend"
"And?"
"And I told him I needed to think about it" she laughed
"Really Kat? you've got to think about being Hargrove's Girl?" I nodded as the teacher walked up to us "Do I have to split you girls up?" he asked
"No sir, sorry" Jennifer told him
"May I remind you Kat that you're currently on a report card?" I rolled my eyes but bit my tongue to stop the sarcastic comment from spilling out. He walked back to the front of the class and began droning on again "Kat, You guys act like a couple whenever you're around each other. So why have you got to think about it?"
"Like you said the day before I ran away. I shouldn't take advantage of Penny's hospitality" she sighed "And my Mom wants me to stay away. Billy's Dad thinks I'm trouble. The head wants me to steer clear" she hushed me
"Stop with the excuses... No one has to know you're together, you've just got to be careful about it" I nodded at her
"Maybe you're right" she smirked
"I'm always right" I shook my head and nudged her away from me.