Stag Race

Chapter 3: "It's Cat"

Warning: Use of strong language

The atmosphere in the cave was awkward, Catherine hadn't really gotten to know the others or speak with them as much as she did with Marko. It was even more awkward when Paul and David left to grab food. Though it was probably just an excuse to leave the room. Marko had already started to formulate his excuse and Catherine could tell, she was ready to jump up and tag along with anything he was going to say. He stood and stretched his arms, she looked at him with pleading eyes. "I have to go to the bathroom, so you kids stay safe?" he pulled an awkward grin before darting for the entrance. Catherine was kicking and punching him mentally, she couldn't exactly go to the bathroom with him so now she was stuck with, her mate. The person who made her life more difficult. Thinking about it dropped her mood, the memory forcing her to recall that just a few days ago she was trying to die. That this man was the reason she was still alive. Part of her wanted to thank him, she was happier now having Marko as her friend. He pulled her out of despair, and back to life. In a way she did appreciate Dwayne for that. She was able to make a friend because of their meeting. The tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. She wanted to speak up and express her feelings on the matter but she felt thanking him in any form would only feed the fire that was his ego. Dwayne wanted to speak to her, he wished he didn't say the horrible things he said about her, or was it that he thought them? The fact that he couldn't recall was dangerous, she might hate him. Externally he was calm and collected, the same cool, raven haired vampire. But inside he was kicking and screaming at himself, he wanted to mend things but he was too prideful. Dwayne decided that he would allow her to say something about it first instead of jumping head first into an awkward conversation. Both of them sat in silence for what seemed like hours before trying to speak up. They stopped as they spoke over each other, both apologizing and telling the other to go first. Dwayne thought maybe she wanted to apologize for being rude from before, because if that was the case he would also apologize. In his head, saying it out loud sounded like a good idea to pass over the issue. But it wasn't. "I'll apologize first, I shouldn't have been such an asshole before." Catherine stuttered for a moment, "no I- wait? You'll apologize first? Was there something I was supposed to apologize for?" she raised her brow, Dwayne realized it was a mistake and tried to backpedal safely, "No sorry I just assumed about before I-.'" She furrowed her brows and crossed her arms, "about before? There's nothing I've done that I need to apologize for." Dwayne frowned, "well you were being a bit rude earlier." Catherine scoffed and leaned towards him, "I was being rude earlier! That's funny coming from you!" Dwayne returned the angered expression, "yes! You were being rude, I was trying to be nice before and trying to apologize but you just walked off!" Catherine stood up, throwing her arms into the air, "well excuse me for not being all super friendly with the guy who just finished declaring his hate for me!" Dwayne stood up and held out his arms, "Again I'm sorry about being an asshole! I did apologize for that already." Catherine laughed sarcastically, "you apologizing for it now doesn't relate to what happened on the beach! Maybe if you would have opened with an apology I would have actually tried to listen, instead of your rude 'I don't care if you starve.' That didn't exactly sound like it was going to be an apology!" he laughed in response, "well sorry for not being the perfect conversationalist! Look I'm just trying to apologize now! It's obvious that I don't make the best verbal decisions at this point so can you just accept the apology so we can move on?" "what am I expected to just forgive you? Besides that's not even a real apology." She stopped and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, "you know what, fine, I accept your crappy apology and I'm no longer mad at you." Dwayne sighed in relief, "thank you, finally!" Catherine tilted her head irritably, "yeah, I just can't stand you now." Dwayne leaned in angrily, "are you kidding me? That's the same thing! Stop being a baby I said I'm sorry." Marko chimed in hesitantly, "so, are you guys gonna want anything or?" Dwayne and Catherine turned to see the others watching them from the entrance, large brown paper bags in their hands. They actually went to get food. "no." Dwayne huffed and left the cave, his hands formed into fists. Catherine scoffed at him and turned to Marko, "yes, I would like some." She pulled a hard smile and sat down as they brought the food over. Each of them pulling what they wanted and started to eat, Catherine dug into her noodles ravenously. She was still obviously angry. The boys watched her silently, before Paul nudged Marko. Marko looked to David and Paul, both of them were motioning for him to say something. He shook his head in protest, they went back and forth for a few moments before Paul pinched him causing him to yelp. Catherine looked up at him, "is something wrong?" a piece of onion was on her cheek. Marko winced a bit and pointed to his cheek to let her know. Catherine stopped and wiped her cheek a few times before looking back to him, he nodded, "you got it. Um, what happened?" He grinned nervously, Catherine looked between the three of them before setting down her food and swallowing what was in her mouth. "yeah. He apologized." She huffed and Paul started eat his food again, watching her like this was all an entertaining movie. "yeah, we get that, why are you being a bitch?" Catherine turned to Paul with her brows furrowed, David intervened. "what our idiot means is, why are you still mad?" Catherine sighed, and decided to let it go. "I just, it's not like our situation is the easiest, I know I'm just being mad at this point but he said some other stupid things and it just pissed me off." She reached up to place a hand on her shoulder. "I was trying to mend thing too but it just got weird." She looked up to see the boys looking at her with their eyebrows raised, she nearly laughed at how comical it was. "yeah, I know. Ill apologize." She chuckled and David picked up his food, "yeah Dwayne says dumb things sometimes but I think this argument sucks so take care of it" he nodded slightly before eating. Catherin nodded and rubbed the back of her neck. She turned to look at the entrance before getting up to go find Dwayne. The others pretended to eat as she left, then darted after her once she was out of view. They stood behind the cave wall to listen in. Catherine looked around as she walked out she didn't see him and assumed he went off somewhere else, she sighed and walked out towards the edge and leaned on the old railing. She a took a deep breath before looking out at the ocean to try to calm her mind from all the stress. Dwayne was sitting on top of a rock above the caves entrance, he watched her as she looked out at the sea. He gave a her a few more moments before clearing his throat. "that railing is pretty old, you might fall." He sighed and jumped down. Catherine jumped in shock and turned to face him, "how did you do that?" she took a breath, "that scared the crap out of me." Dwayne chuckled and pushed his hands into his pockets, "so." He started off but Catherine cut him off, "so, I'm sorry. I know you were just trying to apologize and I was being, well a bitch about it. I'm sorry for that." She pulled a weak smile and held out her hand, "I was hoping we could just put this behind us, and get along, maybe even be friends." Dwayne chuckled and looked at her hand, "friends?" he raised a brow, Catherine sighed, still holding out her arm. "you know what I mean, like just get to know each other, you know? Start as friends?" Dwayne looked up at her and laughed, they were both started to calm down, part of it had to do with the cool and fresh air. "I guess yeah, lets be friends." He smiled. Catherine raised a brow and eyeballed her hand, "are you just gonna leave me hangin' or?" Dwayne laughed again and shook her hand, "so it was Cat right?" She smiled and shook his hand firmly, "yeah, its cat."