Chapter Seven - Cat
"How'd it go yesterday, dear?" Mum asked, beckoning for Cat to sit at the stool.
"Fine," she lied. Her focus was on the sizzle of the frying pan - her mum was cooking.
Before she could say anything, her mum asked about Aaron again. Ever since Mum had been given the news of Aaron tutoring her daughter, she wouldn't stop gushing on about how intelligent he was and how she missed the days he would stay for dinner. It slowly began to annoy Cat, especially because it devoured her mum's interest.
Whilst her mum continued, Cat became gobsmacked at what she could hear. Her mum rarely cooked anymore and when she did, it was usually because they had guests. It made the girl curious, since they hadn't had a guest over in a while, where their last one was with Kyle. Him, and her mum in the same room, talking about Cat's blindness was possibly the worst dinner she could ever experience.
Engrossed in her thoughts, she heard her mum repeat, "Sweetheart, you must invite Aaron round tonight to thank him for his help. I'm making his favourite."
Immediately, Cat began to protest yet as her mum continued to insist, she began to panic. The words "common courtesy" and "polite" babbled out of Mum's mouth, causing Cat to finally give in.
After yesterday's incident, Cat didn't know what to think. On one hand, she was flattered that Aaron had written a song about her, yet as he asked her to join them, all she could think of was Henry. He was the boy who never stopped, the one who stuck by her side, who always put her first. It didn't seem fair to him that she would be the one to take his place. Besides, she wasn't even sure if she even was ready to let the world know of her talent.
"Henry!" She called, feeling her way around the house, "Mum said to Aaron round for dinner!"
She heard Henry groan in response, meaning that she had obviously disturbed his work. Lately, he seemed to be more distant from Aaron as every time she would go to his house, Henry would mumble his greetings and leave instantly. Cat couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. After all, the two were best friends.
Her fingertips grazed against the keys on the table, which led to her sudden cry. It didn't hurt much, she told herself as it was only a small graze. Just then, the doorbell began to ring.
'Was Aaron that fast?' She wondered.
"Sweetie, I'll get it!" Mum cried, running past to make sure Cat didn't reach the door.
Just then, Henry yelled out that Aaron wouldn't be able to come. Cat found it somewhat peculiar, as she couldn't figure out who would be standing at their door. She was certain that her mum must have invited someone else beforehand, which led to her sudden cooking fanaticism.
"Ah, Kyle! How great of you to make it!"
Cat stiffened. If there was anyone else that she wanted to be invited any less than she wanted Aaron, it was Kyle - always Kyle. His false kindness was something that Mum remained devoted to, regardless of what sinful actions he committed in the past. He was always her number one boy.
To avoid their formalities, Cat focused on the footsteps jogging down the stairs, almost in a rhythmic beat. She smiled, knowing Henry was there to protect her. He buried an arm around her, keeping her pressed against his chest as he himself greeted Kyle in a painful manner.
"My sweet Catherine, how are you holding up?" He asked, messing up her hair. Sometimes, she wished that he didn't treat her blindness as some sort of disease.
"Fine," she told him, wanting to avoid any conversation with him.
It was bad enough that he had called her his sweet Catherine, yet he also messed up her hair. She was seventeen and he wasn't that much older, making it completely absurd for him to even treat her like one.
