Four Letter Word..

Chapter Forty

"Kat!!!! There's a letter here for you!" I shot out of the Bathroom where I was still trying to cover up the marks on my neck after two weeks with foundation "Give it to me!" I snatched it from Stacey's hands as we both stood in the upstairs hallway. Jennifer had received her acceptance letter from UCLA two days ago and I'd been a bag of nerves since, wondering why I hadn't had a letter yet. I ripped it open excitedly and read over "So?" Stacey asked, biting her lip
"I got in!" she wrapped her arms around me
"Oh my god I'm so proud of you!" I smiled for real for the first time in weeks "One more month and then you can leave all of this shit behind" I swallowed hard at Stacey's words, knowing she was referring to Billy, my smile faltering "What if he comes back and I'm not here" she placed a hand on my shoulder "I'll make sure Mom tells him exactly where you are" she licked over her lips "But I don't think he'll come back Kat... Why would he want to? Apart from you there's nothing here for him" I rolled my eyes to try and stop the tears welling up in them
"I know" I shook my head
"Jen's here!" Penny called up the stairs. We headed down "Did you get in?" Penny asked me
"Mhmm"
"Oh sweetie! That's fantastic news" she hugged me
"YOU GOT IN TOO!?" Jenn shouted from the front door
"I did!" she grabbed me
"Oh my god we're going to be roomies!" I smiled
"Actually I'll be living with my Dad in LA but... We can still hang out at your dorm" she smirked
"Whatever. Anyway we need to get going. The Cheer squad are selling prom tickets this week" she rolled her eyes.

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After school I rang my Dad to tell him the news that I'd gotten in to UCLA "That's great news hunny!" I smiled at my Dad's reaction "So does that mean you'll be coming to live with us?"
"I guess it does" I thought about Mom, I still hadn't told her my college plan. Which reminded me we had family therapy again tonight. I looked up at the clock on the living room wall "I have to go Dad... I'm going to see Mom tonight"
"Ok, I'll call you in the week sometime"
"Bye Dad" I put the phone down just as Stacey walked in, she'd stayed late with Jenn and the rest of the cheer squad to sell prom tickets "Here" she handed me a ticket
"I told you I wasn't going"
"I know...But we're all going together. Kat, you've been a part of the group since freshman year. It wouldn't be the same without you" I looked at Stacey "It will be fun and you could do with some fun after the year you've had" I took the ticket from her and she smiled
"What do I owe you?"
"Nothing. I just want you to be there" I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her tightly
"I'm going to miss you" I told her
"I'll miss you to, that's why we need this night, all of us together for the last time before graduation" I nodded
"I've got a session with Mom, so I need to get going. Your Mom said she'd take me" I headed upstairs and got changed, making sure the lingering marks on my neck were still covered before Penny called me down to go. I was extra nervous about this session because now that I knew I was going to UCLA I'd have to tell Mom I was leaving Hawkins. I sat in the room, awaiting my Mom and Dr Green to appear, repeating over and over in my head exactly how I was going to tell her. She'd been doing amazingly well so hopefully this wouldn't knock her back. My Mother entered the room alone "Hi Mom" she hugged me
"It's good to see you honey how's your week been?" I noticed Dr Green hadn't arrived yet
"Good, How about yours? Erm. Where's Doctor Green?" she grinned.
"I have some news.. Doctor Green wanted me to come on my own today to tell you" I looked at her confused "I'm being discharged" I blinked
"You are?" I was shocked
"Yes, next week" I wrapped my arms around her again tightly
"That's amazing news Mom. I'm so proud of you... I erm, I have some news too" I trailed off, hoping this wasn't going to derail her now "I got accepted to UCLA"
"UCLA?" she paused and her eyes welled up. Oh no. I hadn't even told her the worst part yet "I'm so, so proud of you, come here!" she hugged me "That's so great.... Plus your Dad's out there so I know you'll be safe. It couldn't be more perfect" I pulled away
"You're not sad?" I questioned
"Why would I be sad? My not so little girls going to college" I smiled, seeing the genuine look on my mother's face "I couldn't be more proud of you Katrina, after everything I've put you through" I grabbed her hands
"And I couldn't be more proud of you" I told her, she rolled her eyes playfully
"Now I'll be able to come to your graduation, that was my aim, to be out to see you graduate" I hugged her again "I love you Mom"
"Aw, I love you too hunny"

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

That weekend I'd managed to get my Dad to come to Hawkins as a matter of urgency. I needed Mom's house sorted ready for her discharge next week "Where's that Boyfriend of yours this weekend anyway?" My Father asked as we helped the people my Father had got in last minute chuck some stuff into a skip in the driveway. I wiped the sweat off of my forehead. It was a hot day in Hawkins, the hottest of the year so far "We... Well he's not around anymore"
"Did you guy's break up?" I shook my head
"Not exactly... His Dad sent him away to boarding school"
"Boarding school huh?" my eyes welled up and I choked on a sob. I'd been trying so hard not to think about Billy recently "Hey, Kat, are you alright sweetheart?" Dad asked coming over to me and wrapping an arm around my shoulder "I love him so much Dad... I haven't seen him in almost two months. No one's heard from him, nothing.. it's just been so hard" I sat down on the porch step "Where did his parents send him?"
"Montana..." I sniffed "I don't know the name of the place or anything" my Dad sat beside me on the step "I'm sorry baby girl" I smiled as I rested my head on my Fathers shoulder
"It's fine, I just need to move on. This is supposed to be a happy time. I'm going to prom with all of my friends on Friday night and in two weeks I'll be graduating. With both you and Mom there!" I looked up at my Dad and smiled, wiping away my tears with the back of my hand. "You're allowed to feel Kat" he rubbed my shoulder "You loved him and you went through a lot with him. You'll move on when you're ready, but don't force it" I smiled appreciatively at my Father "Thanks Dad"
"We're all done here, was there anything that needed to go back in?" one of the workers my Dad had hired asked us "I think we've got it covered thanks" My Dad told him, standing up to shake his hand "You don't have to stay" I told Dad, knowing he was working tomorrow and needed to be home "Are you going to be alright shifting everything from Steve's parents place?" I nodded
"We can use Steve's Dad's van again. I couldn't have done this without you. Thanks so much Dad" He hugged me
"I'll get a taxi to the airport from here then" he went into his wallet and pulled out a wad of notes "Take this. Stock up on groceries and anything else you need" I looked at the wad of money in his hand "I can't accept that" he rolled his eyes at me
"Yes you can Kid...it's the least I can do" I took the notes
"Thank you"

When my Dad's car to the airport arrived I hugged him Goodbye "I'll see you at your graduation" he told me smiling "Enjoy prom and your last couple of school weeks"
"I will" he ruffled my hair and then got into the Car. I waved him off before going back into my Mom's house. The place no longer looked like my Mom's place, I was no longer reminded of Chris when I looked around the room. Anything that had once belonged to him had gone. My Dad had bought new couches and replaced the tatty carpets with new. It was like a whole new house. The only room that hadn't changed was mine. I liked it the way it was and I'd always took pride in keeping it free from clutter unlike the rest of the house. It had always been my safe haven. I grabbed the telephone in my room and called Steve as I shoved the wad of bills that my Dad had just given to me into my purse. "Hello Harringtons?"
"Hi Mrs Harrington. It's Katrina Carter, is Steve home?"
"Hi Katrina, yes just one moment" I heard her shout to Steve and a few minutes later he picked up the phone "Hey Kat whats up?"
"Hey, your parents are home for once?" I questioned
"Oh yeah, they're back until after graduation" I smiled
"That's good.. Anyway I was just calling to let you know your parents can have their garage back. My Mom's place is done"
"That's great, could we maybe do it tomorrow? After school?" Steve asked
"Of course, yeah" I thought for a second "Actually I can't tomorrow night" I told him "I promised Jenn and Stacey I'd go prom dress shopping with them"
"That's ok.. We can do the day after" I looked out of the window at the setting sun. "Speaking of Prom, I wanted to ask you something" I looked away from the window "Would you erm... Did you want to come to prom with me?" I swallowed hard
"Steve..."
"I know you've had a rough year and I just thought that maybe we could go together" I shook my head "I don't think so Steve.... What would Billy think" I heard Steve sigh in annoyance
"Billy's gone Kat. He's not coming back. He fucked up!" I bit my tongue
"I'm sorry Steve. I don't want to argue with you about this. Anyway... Stacey said we were all going together. I think Jenn needs it more than anything, especially with what went down with Jason"
"Yeah, I understand" I bit my lip "I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Yeah, see you tomorrow Steve"

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Don't worry, Billy will be returning VERY soon.. I'll post one more chapter tonight because I'm feeling generous and also I need to make it up to you all for taking so long on this :(